Eyewear.... Opinions

[sniper34d]

Re: Eyewear.... Opinions

Mesh all the way!

Yes 1 in a million may shatter on the mesh but theres just as much chance a bb could ricochet towards your eye whilst you're crouched facing a corner trying to wipe your lens!

[Decho]

Re: Eyewear.... Opinions

I've just ordered some heroshark goggles, I have way too many problems with steaming up to live with, and I've tried every anti fog agent I could get my hands on. While there is the possibility of a BB shattering through I think it's a pretty low probability, and even if it does in most events the large majority of it's energy will have been spent impacting the mesh and shattering, so I'm not too worried. That said I've seen BBs shatter many, many times, hell I've had one shatter off my knuckle once (armoured gloves thankfully), especially tracers it seems to me (which is very pretty).

[TK8456]

Re: Eyewear.... Opinions

ESS V12s and cut the foam out of the vents.
Rarely steam up then

[original poster]

Re: Eyewear.... Opinions

I personally use a Sly Profit mask for indoor CQB games and for outdoors have Heroshark lower face mask and ESS V12's. Perfect combo IMO.

[jimbob1254]

Re: Eyewear.... Opinions

im using ESS land ops goggles and remove the foam from across the top, never had them steam up

[McWeaksauce]

Re: Eyewear.... Opinions

Why take the chance with mesh? BB's CAN shatter and they CAN cause serious damage to your eyes. Whats more important, your eyesight or a 100% guarantee you don't fog up on a cold morning?

I don't have the option of mesh due to my inablity to wear contact lenses without discomfort, (I've tried almost every brand and even the more "comfortable" ones still feel like sandpaper) but even if I did I wouldn't, I currently wear a pair of Oakley Split Jacket glasses, they're just a pair of sunglasses I can use for airsoft and as far as I'm concerned and that's just perfect for me.

[1st commando]

Re: Eyewear.... Opinions

I use Smith Aegis ARCs and if i give them a wipe with the cloth at the start of the day and again at lunch they are great !

saying that the ESS ICE 2.4s I used for years before were almost as clear at a fraction of that cost if I stuck to the same regime

[heroshark]

Re: Eyewear.... Opinions

I see many different styles of eyewear fail in many different ways , we just need to stop paying £15-35 each weekend to shoot each other then we'll all be safe . Worst and only culprit of in game permenent eye damage from a round striking the eye in my experience has been from non-sealed eye wear. Even these incidents are rare and the risks can be reduced by wearing a hat and using a cord to keep them on. If I had to use a polycarbonate goggle I'd use a full seal goggle with a thermal lens, infact I'd make some but not many have that capability.

[skullfacedinfidel]

Re: Eyewear.... Opinions

Either mesh goggles which is about £15 or get double glazed ESS goggles and but some maplins fans / battery holds and put fans in them, costs alot more but its plastic so doesn't make every darker, also won't steam up stay away from glasses or anything that doesn't hold it tight to your face IMO.

[Decho]

Re: Eyewear.... Opinions

OK I just tested some heroshark goggles, being a scientific type I like to test things for myself, with a gun firing at approximately 345 fps on .2s, I fired from a range of 5 cm at a range of angles, both in semi and automatic bursts. The goggles were positioned vertically, as if they were on the face, with cling film over a clear background behind (to catch any material that may pass through). For reference, I fired approximately 140 rounds, with around ten fired at each increment of about ten degrees incident to the mesh, up to 90, then the rest fired as random bursts across it at various angles.

The mesh did deform a little when fired at around the perpendicular, though only fractionally. No BB fragments got through whatsoever, despite numerous BBs fragmenting (I was using blaster devil .2s), so I have no real concerns in that area (though I accept the possibility that some could get through). The paint, as mentioned, was forced through however, and after closer examination some of the fragments retained sufficient energy to create some micro-tears in the surface of the cling film, with a few actual punctures.

While I still don't personally fully trust it, and won't be using them, I doubt that serious harm is likely to have come to someone if the goggles had been worn throughout that, though significant eye irritation would have been likely. Further, I would suggest that safety would be improved if some kind of chemical bluing could be used in place of painting safety could be improved. Also, while I don't trust it for eye protection, I can see that kind of mesh being truly excellent for optic/torch protection, as I tried it with both and distortion is minimal, I for one would be very interested if some kind of killflash-type screw-in device or over-tube lens covers could be made.

[original poster]

Re: Eyewear.... Opinions

Interesting read, still not sold on mesh at all but then my ESS goggles never mist up so it isn't a problem I need to worry about.

[Smeg2727]

Re: Eyewear.... Opinions

My ESS's mist up when I'm standing still. It's more apparent after a bout of running.
Then again, i mainly play indoors in CQB, they are not ideal, but they trounce mesh in low light conditions!

[heroshark]

Re: Eyewear.... Opinions

OK I just tested some heroshark goggles, being a scientific type I like to test things for myself, with a gun firing at approximately 345 fps on .2s, I fired from a range of 5 cm at a range of angles, both in semi and automatic bursts. The goggles were positioned vertically, as if they were on the face, with cling film over a clear background behind (to catch any material that may pass through). For reference, I fired approximately 140 rounds, with around ten fired at each increment of about ten degrees incident to the mesh, up to 90, then the rest fired as random bursts across it at various angles.

The mesh did deform a little when fired at around the perpendicular, though only fractionally. No BB fragments got through whatsoever, despite numerous BBs fragmenting (I was using blaster devil .2s), so I have no real concerns in that area (though I accept the possibility that some could get through). The paint, as mentioned, was forced through however, and after closer examination some of the fragments retained sufficient energy to create some micro-tears in the surface of the cling film, with a few actual punctures.

While I still don't personally fully trust it, and won't be using them, I doubt that serious harm is likely to have come to someone if the goggles had been worn throughout that, though significant eye irritation would have been likely. Further, I would suggest that safety would be improved if some kind of chemical bluing could be used in place of painting safety could be improved. Also, while I don't trust it for eye protection, I can see that kind of mesh being truly excellent for optic/torch protection, as I tried it with both and distortion is minimal, I for one would be very interested if some kind of killflash-type screw-in device or over-tube lens covers could be made.

You have to also take into account the human/situational element to this. What you have to ask yourself is...

-How many games have I played approx? About once a month for 15 years for me so about 180 games

-How many times in game have I been hit directly to the lens of my eye protection? Hard to remember but I'd say about once every 5 games at a guess, so 36ish

-How many of those were multipul strikes to the lens? maybe once or twice

As a user of my large hole original mesh in all those 36ish times I've been hit on the lens I think I've had bits in my eye 5 times now. As for coating my original large hole stuff was ready coated ,I looked into coating the new stuff and the cost would not be worth it for the benefit and people would more likely seek the cheaper option sad but true. As for optic/torch protectors I do make them in polycarbonate & mesh but as many are different its more a bespoke thing than off the shelf all you need do is ask.

[Decho]

Re: Eyewear.... Opinions

Oh yes, I'm fully aware it's inordinately unlikely anything serious will happen and I don't doubt the realistic safety, but I'm very careful about my eyes as it's one of my few senses that's any good (touch and smell both very dodgy, can't see the airsofting application of taste, and my hearing, while good, is hampered by small ear canals and over-sensitivity (get deafened easily)). I'm certainly not knocking your products, they are excellent, and I agree that putting that many rounds in is unrealistic in a game scenario, I've only ever had 8 BBs strike my eye pro lens, but for me personally I prefer polycarbonate. I'll likely get in touch with you about optic protectors at some point in the not too distant future in that case too

In fact, I may do a similar high-volume test on some spare ESS lenses at some point in the future, as I'd be interested to know exactly how much of a pounding those can take too.

[BAMF]

Re: Eyewear.... Opinions

It looks like I've got the best of both worlds then?

I picked up a set of ESS V12's and had 'Sharkey knock me up a set of his wondrous mesh lenses. "Are they any good?" you may ask. You betcha!

Cheers the Shark.