When I first started airsoft, I picked up a pair of wire mesh goggles for £6.99 on eBay (pictured on either side!) Not the cheapest of the cheap but still cheap enough for it not to matter if I didn't like Airsoft and I didn't use them ever again. I still have these and use them occasionally because I like them so much.

They're lightweight with an adjustable elastic strap and fit nicely with my half mesh face mask. I've had these since August 2014 and wore them to every skirmish except one and they have lasted fantastically. I've seen a fair few people on the field with great big dents in their mesh but I have taken these to both Woodland and CQB and they are yet to receive any marks or dents. One of the big advantages these give you is that they will never fog! The only downside is that they aren't as safe as Perspex goggles. The holes in the wire mesh mean that if a BB hits your goggle and shatters, the pieces of polymer could pass through the mesh and collide with your eye, which could potentially leave you blind. The other, less serious danger is that if a BB hits your googles, dents them and chips some of the metallic paint on the inside of the goggle, that could go into your eye. I am very fortunate that this has never happened to me so I have no qualms about using these sorts of goggles. The only thing I have experienced that comes close is a BB shattered on my half mesh face mask (pictured above) and pieces of polymer broke the skin, ouch! I have been told that for some people mesh gives them a headache, so it's really an individual choice!

After this, I felt a little concerned about the mesh goggles I was wearing so I brought a pair of X400 goggles at £9.99 from an online Airsoft store (I can't remember which site but you can pick these up on eBay for around £5) but I can honestly say, that hand on heart they are the worst goggles I have ever used and I do not rate them at all (But I have heard of people using them with no issues so they may simply not be for me). They have passed safety tests of being fired at point blank range with a high FPS AEG (that's the line I got from the seller) but although they are lightweight, have an adjustable strap, they're clear and they come in 3 different colours. They, no matter how much I adjust them are too tight around my cheeks, so I end up with red pressure marks and they make my cheeks look puffy, the goggle lenses fog up like crazy even though they have vents (This could be solved with anti fog spray so I am told). They also just look horrendous on my face. The X800 shape though, is much improved and I would be really interested to give these a try!

Eventually, I decided to give in and invest in what I currently use which is the FMA vented goggles in Pink from Gunfire.pl which set me back around £35 including postage (You can buy them here: http://gunfire.pl/product-eng-1152206069--Vented-Goggles-Pink.html)
Firstly, they are gorgeous! Please excuse the reflection of me in the goggles haha The colour is great and goes well with the other pink items I have on my loadout! They are made from polymer and rubber and they make a sturdy set! They are a very large pair of goggles so protect a lot of my face and it overlaps my mesh face mask so there's no exposed space on my nose like I get with other goggles - I do not ever want to be shot on the nose after seeing so many Airsoters get their noses split open!

The only thing about these goggles I am unhappy about is something I read on the Gunfire.pl website:
"Attention!
The product does not offer ballistic eye protection and using it for such purposes is not in accordance with its purpose! Stress trials have proven that lenses show visible dents, scratches and even cracks (also of frames) after being shot with a BB bullet.
The manufacturer and vendor do not bear any responsibility for the usage of this product as eye protection during games with Airsoft replicas and possible damage to the User’s health or property, thus the product cannot be advertised on this account"
...now, surely if you're selling a pair of goggles on an Airsoft website, they should be safe to use in Airsoft?! Well you would think so but apparently not! I however used them in my last skirmish and had a few BBs hit the goggles and they have caused no damage, there isn't even a mark. So take from that what you will! Haha! I think they're a really sound pair to use.
In conclusion, eye protection is very much dependant on the wearer. I fully encourage you to go out, try what you can afford and see what is best for you. I personally love the look and feel of mesh but due to the dangers mentioned and my love of CQB I will rock the FMAs until I find something better :) I hope this was useful for you all! If you have any thoughts or suggestions on goggles that I should try, leave them in the comment section below!
Kelly xo
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ReplyDeleteHi Kelly my name is Daniel and i´m from Portugal.
ReplyDeleteI´m currently considering to buy these goggles, in black that is :), but after reading the warning on the Gunfire site i´m backing up a bit. What’s the point of sealing Airsoft safety goggles if they can’t protect your eyes from a simple BB ? Can you recommend these goggles concerning Airsoft safety? and what do you think of the anti-fog system?
Thanks and good games
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