9 Tips and Tricks to Choose Your First Paintball Mask

The use of rental equipment in paintball games is not highly recommended as you cannot play freely as they are not good enough. This is a really good decision if you have already decided to buy your equipment, as a newbie it will give you confidence and increase performance. But if you have no idea about choosing the right products that are really helpful, you need to learn from our experience. Buying any product without knowing it is risky as it will affect your performance and health, and there is a risk of wasting money. 

Using our experience and research, we are sharing some of the points you need to consider when buying the perfect paintball mask. It will be especially helpful if you are buying a paintball mask for the first time. We need to look at the features that masks must have for our safety and comfort, and learn the types of masks. It’s a good idea to invest in quality products for lasting comfort, but if your budget is low you can buy a mask for less than 50 or 100$. 

4 Main Categories of Paintball Masks

Masks are divided into 4 main categories based on their features, we look for these features, how all 4 categories differ from each other and which one is best for us.

The Basic Mask

Masks with some basic features are in this category, they are available cheaply and most of the time rental masks also belong to this category. And we are well aware of rental masks as they are designed without much features, comfort and quality. 

So let’s take a look at the features that we can get in basic masks and whether they are good to use or not. First of all, they are easy to clean because they have a rubber inside that is soft and good for our scalp and able to absorb our sweat well. 

Another feature is their single pen lens which is good for getting a clear field of vision on a sunny day, for night play, you should use dual pen lenses available in thermal mask. The ventilation system is available in a basic mask that enables us to breathe well which is more important than anything else. 

If we conclude that they are not highly recommended than others, just having basic features is not enough for good or lasting performance, it will have many effects. 

Intermediate Masks

Intermediate masks do not have more features than basic masks, we can say that with some changes both are equal. We noticed only one difference in the intermediate mask, they used foam on the inside instead of rubber which is quite nice, all the other features are the same and not really helpful like small ventilation, single pane lens, less comfortable. If you want to be pro, you have to reject basic and intermediate masks, and choose other categories. 

Advanced Masks

Here you find a standard material that is good for your safety as well as your comfort as it provides many features that are essential for enhancing our performance. In these masks, you can get the dual pen lenses we were talking about above, these lenses are really great for clarity without the problem of fog. Along with the lenses, they have a proper ventilation system that helps them to breathe in and out properly, and also allows us to speak and hear well. 

Another really cool feature is its inner space in which you can easily feel comfortable even if your head is big, but not recommended for those who are accustomed to wearing glasses during the game. 

Premium Masks

Premium masks have all the properties a mask should have as it is important for players to survive for a long time comfortably. Why are we focusing so much on comfort? It’s just as important as any product you need to win a game, because if you’re not comfortable, you can’t put much effort into it. 

Things that must be in the mask for our comfort

• Dual pane lens
• Foam
• Light weight
• Proper ventilation 
• Anti-fog lens
• Wide angle view
• Comfort

Here are some things you need to consider in every mask before buying, if you can get all these things at low prices, buy it, you don’t need to buy expensive masks.

Now we are sharing some of our findings to help you buy a mask.

Tips for Buying a Paintball Mask

1– Check a Variety of Masks in the Store

Now you know that you have to buy a mask that has the following characteristics that are good for your performance and health, but you have no idea which mask is suitable for you unless you don’t know the exact size of your head. Everyone has their own size and shape, so you can’t decide to buy something for yourself based on someone else’s experience. 

We recommend that you visit any physical store and check out the different types of masks, so that you know exactly what fits you. By doing this, you can easily decide to buy a good mask from the online market of your choice, so that you do not regret it later. 

2- Don’t Buy A “Cheap” Mask

This is a good step if you finally decide to use your own products in paintball, it will be of lasting benefit to you. Most importantly, always use standard products with all the features from the beginning, to fight your enemies well. It will boost your confidence and give you a good reward for your first investment in paintball products, because masks are a very important factor for our health and performance, it gives us a wide angle view, so we can never compromise on its quality.

Most of the time, cheap masks are considered a basic category and we have already been warned not to use them, they will affect you badly. 

3- Invest in a Good Mask

Experts always recommend buying standard masks, as they give you lasting comfort and you don’t have to spend money every month. If any part of your standard mask ever breaks, you can replace that part with a new one instead of buying a new mask, while you cannot do this in a cheap mask because its parts are not easy to find. 

The parts of cheap masks break down more quickly and you have to spend money again and again, quality masks are made of such materials which increases their durability. So with a longer life, you are able to get more features that will make it easier for you to become a professional. 

4– Good Ventilation

Another important part or feature that a mask should have is the ventilation system which allows us to breathe easily and does not create fog. Ventilation also allows passing maximum airflow which is essential for comfortable play without additional equipment such as fans. We can also hear what’s going on around us and communicate with our peers using ventz holes. 

5- Consider The Trade-Offs Between Single Pane and Thermal (Dual Pane) Lens

Both lenses are good and bad in their own way, single pane is not always bad and similarly dual pane is not always good, it is true that dual pane is better than single, let’s take a closer look at them. 

Single-pane anti-fog lenses are easy to maintain and a bit inexpensive, they are 70% capable of preventing fog in bad weather, and dual-lens lenses are more expensive due to their more features and working capabilities. It has a long life and it gives us a good return on investment, also it is actually good to prevent fog in all conditions but its inner lens is too sensitive and has the possibility to get scratchy more quickly.

6– Look for Something with a More Rigid Outside If you are a Beginner

There is no doubt that all masks are made of different materials, premium masks have more standard materials than others, because they are more protective and last longer. Especially beginners must use those masks which are fully protective and have a strong external body that can stop the opposition’s hits. It should be light weight along with standard material which is easily tolerated for a long time.  

7– How Much Space Do You Need on the Inside?

All brands offer different inside spaces and what is best for you, in fact no exact number of spaces is suggested as each head size is different and they need it accordingly. When you are checking the fitting of the mask when buying, it is recommended to wear glasses too, if you know that you need to use them later.

The space between your face and the spectacles should not be too far or too narrow, as in both cases you may encounter difficulties, and it may be normal and adjustable to get comfortable and clear vision. 

8– How Much Coverage Do You Need?

More coverage means more protection, you need a full coverage mask that can effectively cover your entire face, there is no chance of anything getting on your face that could cause serious damage. As a beginner, you need to be more careful about coverage and choose a mask that can act as a helmet that can cover us completely, including our neck, ears, jaw, nose, etc.

9– Comfort and Fit 

Comfort is a very important feature that you should not try to figure out while shopping unless you use it yourself on the field. If a mask can give you good vision as well as protection without distortion, you can say that it is a comfortable mask, but there are many other things that come in comfort like weight, materials, straps, lenses, ventz holes, inner foam etc. In order to be comfortable in the paintball game, you should consider all the things that should be in the mask.

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