Pics of some new masks

The wife and I wanted to try some of the new half and full face masks from EB.

I camo'd mine up and am very happy with the results. The skeleton one is fun, but I think I prefer the mesh one for breaking up my shape and breath-ability. One nice thing that both masks do is to overlap the goggles I have, just at the bridge, which breaks up THAT shape as well and provides some extra retention while not affecting my field of view.

Mesh Half mask:




I VASTLY improved the fit by adding a second strap to run across the top of my head. The mesh only comes with one behind the head strap. Adding the second allows the straps to be loosened up to the point where you don' even notice they are there.

Cheek weld is possible with both half masks, with a smaller amount of resistance with the mesh.

Skull Half Mask:


Skull Full Mask:

So the skull one doesn't have the lenses built into it?

The first one really does hide the face well.

There IS mesh there...but the flash highlights the skin tone more than the matte finish of the stamped steel so it appears more transparent then they really are.

From Chris:

This was the first time I used mine too, of course. Impressions:

* The first thing I noticed is that it's shaped for someone with a much less prominent nose than mine. In the end I honestly didn't notice it; but for the first minute or so when I put it on I was aware that it was pressing against the bridge of my nose slightly.

* It was an awkward fit under my helmet (which I don't want to give up; caught a round from Mike's sniper right in my forehead that made me very glad I had it, especially after I saw the welt between Kevin's eyes! ); it sort of forced my helmet back and ended up leaving a strip of my forehead bare, which I didn't really like. However, I managed to get it arranged perfectly for this shot, with everything solidly in place, so I think the big thing for me is just to make sure I'm not slapping it on as I jog across the field late to the party.

* The holes in the mesh are slightly more tightly spaced than my Bitter End ones are; more DPI, if you know what I mean. This concerned me a bit because also, the metal of the lens is itself laid flat in the mask, rather than being curved or dished as the BE ones are, so I was a bit afraid that a high fps weapon with a heavy bb at close range might punch through. However, one of the guys up here experimented with his ebaybanned ones at point blank range, and while they dinted, they didn't break, even with multiple hits in the same spot, so I feel much better about that. However I might still run a bead of hot glue around the inside edge as they're just held in place with three small tabs and no glue.

However, that higher DPI also means that the visibility is excellent. Now, with the BE ones I've got pretty damned good visibility; but still, if I'm say 100' from the tower and looking through soft cover then I sometimes have to kind of move my head back and forth just a bit to see if what I'm looking at is actually a motionless person or not. These ones, however, actually had me poking myself in both eyes at one point to see if they were still there when I suddenly realized that I couldn't see them there in front of me. At all. Sweet!

* Usually, my body these days is too big for my head; as I found out looking at these photos, with the mask on my head is too big for my body and I end up looking like a gorilla. And not in a good way.

Overall, I really like it, although I think I'll want to borrow Mike's spare head condom so as to give the sides and back of my neck at least the illusion of protection, not to mention some camo. I'm hiding my hands behind my body because I don't have my gloves on and my bare skin glows fishbelly white against the camo without them.

-End quote.

In sorta related news, I just found an interview from the creator of the Bitter End mesh goggles that my wife and I use.

http://airsoftodyssey.blogspot.com/2010/09/bitter-end-interview.html

Could you post a pick of your strap work, i'm interested in doing the same to mine, as it's a bit tight.

Here ya go:



This is also a good example of how placement of straps is more important than tightness. This is the same mask adjusted for me, that Chris was nice enough to put on to show the straps for you. It did NOT need to be tightened and yet fit her (freaky tiny head) and held the mask correctly.

The fabric elastic band over the top was attached to the underutilized existing D rings that come with the mask. A slide to adjust the tension was installed on the other side.

On EB they now have a version 2 that has this second strap.

Right on' i'll have to do that to mine, right now it's playing pancake to my nose.

BTW i love the paint job. Mind posting up a how to?

edit: Ok, I pulled the strap off one of my retired mesh goggles, and tied it on in the same spot you did. OMG you're a live saver....or should i say face saver.

Like night and day, tyvm.

http://www.ebairsoft.com/combat-gear-goggles-mask-communication-c-62_39.html

I am really impressed to see the variety of mesh goggles that ebaybanned is carrying now. They are so affordable and different styles. I am excited to bring in some up here and give them a go. DOWN WITH FOG!!!

Dave, if you decide to do another ebaybanned group order I wouldn't mind getting one of those skull masks.

I can do one anytime.

I still want one of the half mesh face masks