Whats the best paintball mask? Find the one that fits you at a price you can afford. A good paintball mask should fit your face, be comfortable to wear all day under all kinds of weather conditions, and allow you to add accessories to enhance your play. It should be affordable on your budget, whether it’s large or small. If it does all this and makes you look cool on the field too, then you’ve made the right choice.

Paintball mask lenses are by far the most important piece of the puzzle. Besides protecting your eyes, which are among the most vulnerable parts of your anatomy, a paintball mask lens needs to give you clear vision so you can play your best. Paintball mask fogging is the most common complaint of players who go with a cheap paintball mask. To combat this problem, paintball mask manufacturers have developed the thermal lens mask, which features a dual layer of lens material with a thin layer of air sandwiched in between. This type of lense usually costs more, but the advantages of being fog free during play are well worth it. The other way to avoid paintball mask fog is to get a paintball mask fan. These miniature fans are installed above the mask visor and run on a single battery. Some are standard equipment from the manufacturers, but you can also add them on.

While it’s important for you to be able to see other players through your lenses, it’s just as important to make sure they can’t see you. Paintball goggle lenses are notorious for giving a player’s position away when the sun glints off the material or something just doesn’t look right. That’s why paintball mask goggle skins are such a popular add-on. Skinz are simply a peel-and-stick layer of translucent camo material that you add to the goggle lense. Paintball mask replacement lenses are available if you want to change out colors and skin patterns for the day, or if yours has gotten so much play that the lens material has become scratched or cracked. JT has come up with the Quick Lock System, or QLS, which lets you swap lenses in seconds by simply twisting a knob on each side.

If you’re playing woodsball and you want to make sure the lower part of your mask is invisible, then you can add a paintball mask cover in the camo pattern you’re wearing for the day. This is simply a scarflike piece of fabric that drapes loosely around the lower half of the mask, leaving only your goggles exposed.

Paintball mask designs have come a long way since the genesis of the sport. Today’s models are easier than ever to wear comfortably all day, and to put on and take off in the field. Your paintball mask strap should be tight but not too tight. It’s smart to carry a spare strap with you during play, because if your strap breaks and you don’t have another one, you’re done for the day. Don’t forget to buy your strap in camo if you play woodsball. Did you know that the JT Racing Strap is a hot collector item? This classic strap is no longer made and is going for at least $50 in paintball forums.

If looks are important to you and you want a cool paintball mask, then go with a low profile design. A low profile paintball mask isn’t just for show. It reduces weight, sometimes by as much as 20% over a full coverage paintball mask, and as a result it’s much cooler to wear on hot days and will leave you feeling less fatigued at the end of play. Not only that, but it presents a smaller target for your opponents to hit. The Dye I4 paintball mask is the ultimate in minimalist design and is one of the lightest goggles on the market. This mask is basically a set of goggles with a mouth guard and strap, and does not come with a visor. The Empire Event 09 paintball mask is a little heftier than the I4 while still retaining a low profile. It comes in several colors and features a visor.

Paintball mask prices aren’t cheap at the top end. Ironically, less is more in terms of cost. Both the I4 and Event 09 are over $100, making them among the most expensive paintball mask. If that doesn’t fit your budget, and you want a cheap paintball mask that still gives you adequate safety protection, then the JT Alpha paintball mask is a good entry-level mask for under $25. Or look at the JT Radar, which is a decent low-end design for a whopping $15.

Remember that expensive low-profile masks only protect your eyes and a small part of your face. If you prefer full coverage, then you’ll need a mask with extended ear protection and a chin shield, or get the JT Headshield Elite to save you from the pain of taking a direct hit to the head.

Other JT models include their JT Spectra paintball mask series, including the JT Proshield, the JT Invader, the JT Proflex and Proflex Revolution, the JT Flex 8; and their QLS series, including the JT Status and the JT Reaper. Some paintballers do a lot of dogging on JT paintball masks, while others swear they’re the best thing since sliced bread. The answer, again, is to buy the mask that’s right for your needs, which probably includes low price if you don’t have a lot of money to spend on your sport.

Vforce paintball masks are single lens models that are designed to produce minimal fogging while giving you the superior vision clarity that comes with a single lens paintball mask. If you wear glasses, you’ll appreciate the roominess of these units, which are designed to let you wear your glasses inside them. Their high-end models are the Vforce Profiler and the Vforce Grill, along with the Vforce Eye which is an authentic SWAT-style mask designed for tactical play. On the low end, the Vforce Shield Pro, the Vforce Vantage, and the Vforce Armor are all perfectly good masks at a reasonable price.

Dye paintball masks are strictly high-end, low profile, high price items. In addition to their super lightweight I4, the Dye I3 paintball mask features slightly more coverage around the ears and chin and the same excellent ventilation and good looks that Dye is known for. Formerly known as the Dye Invision series, be prepared to cash out around $100 bucks for one of their products.

Other brands to look for include Empire, Proto, Master Chief, Tippman, Scott, Brass Eagle, and Invert.