Airsoft goggles are a necessary piece of gear for anyone playing airsoft. They protect your eyes from BBs, which can cause serious injury. But they also have other benefits, such as protecting your eyes from the sun and wind.
There are many different types of airsoft goggles available on the market, so choosing the right pair is important. This article will discuss the different types of airsoft goggles and what to look for when choosing a pair.
Socom Tactical stocks a huge range of protective airsoft eyewear, from glasses, which offer some protection from BBs, to full blown masks that offer complete protection to your face.
Let’s take a look!
Types of Airsoft Eye Protection
There are a few different goggles for you to choose from when playing airsoft, but the most important thing to remember is that you will need some form of eye protection, no matter your style.
Airsoft Glasses
These are the most basic form of eye protection you can choose, and for beginners and those playing on a budget, they are ideal.
At the same time, simple, clear airsoft glasses also provide a great panoramic view to the wearer too, which goggles may not provide.
Many safety glasses like the Bollé Contour Glasses offer a nice snug fit and are designed to stay put on your face using non-slip materials. The goggles also offer UV protection and an anti-fog treatment to keep your view as clear as possible during even the most hectic of engagements.
Airsoft Mesh Goggles
Suppose you find that, even with anti-fog coatings and the regular application of anti-fog sprays, you are still struggling to prevent fogging of your goggles or safety glasses. Then you might want to opt for a different style of eye protection.
This is where mesh goggles, such as the Kombat UK Operator Mesh Goggles, come in handy. These mesh safety goggles provide you protection from BBs hitting your eyes and the surrounding areas using a mesh surface.
This surface’s holes are small enough to prevent that standard 6mm airsoft pellet from getting through. Be wary, though, some BBs can break on impact, and while this is a rarity, the shattered plastic could get through the mesh.
Ventilated Airsoft Goggles
The primary reason that goggles can fog up is due to the contrast of temperatures inside and outside of the goggles. A few variants provide better airflow, reducing the heat difference and, therefore, the amount of condensation build-up.
These ventilated glasses and goggles and similar to others in terms of protection but with the added airflow feature, making them a great choice if you struggle to keep your eye protection free of fog.
Airsoft Face Masks
Let’s face it, getting shot by a BB on bare skin isn’t the most wonderful feeling out there. And more notably, getting hit on the face can be significantly more painful than elsewhere.
This is why many players wear an additional lower face mask for added protection. These are designed to work with protective eyewear and are often shaped to fit around goggles or even attach to some to provide full-face coverage.
Advantages of Airsoft Goggles
There are many advantages to wearing airsoft goggles, and here are a few reasons why you should get a pair.
| Benefits of Wearing Airsoft Eye Protection |
| They stop you from being blinded by rogue BBs |
| They provide protection from UV rays |
| They keep other particles and debris out of your eyes |
Airsoft goggles are therefore not just for stopping your eyes from being hit by BBs, potentially blinding you permanently, but they also help to provide protection from a wealth of other hazards when playing.
Running through forested areas, you can easily get snagged on a branch or have sand kicked up into your face, and your goggles will keep your vision clear and your eyes as safe as possible.
How to Choose the Right Airsoft Goggles
Not every pair of airsoft goggles is right for everyone, and there are a few things you’ll want to consider when making this choice.
1: Look for Goggles with UV Protection
If you’re spending a lot of time playing outdoors and in the harsh sunlight, you’ll want to ensure that your goggles have sufficient UV protection, like the Bollé Cobra TPR Goggles.
Exposure to UV rays over time can be harmful to your health, and the skin around your eyes is very delicate, making it a prime area to develop skin cancer.
2: Choose Goggles Made from Good-Quality Material
Sturdy materials are an important feature, and finding a resilient pair of goggles like the Bollé 180 Safety Goggles will mean that they can resist breaks from either BB hits or general usage.
These goggles are made of a polypropylene frame with polycarbonate lenses offering significant resistance to high-impact shots.
3: Check You Have the Right Goggle Size
There are many reasons why some players choose to simply wear goggles, and some wear full helmets and masks.
This doesn’t just come down to protection, though. It’s common for players to make the protection trade-off for better comfort, as a full face mask can feel restrictive and lead to overheating, especially in hot weather.
4: Mesh vs Glass Airsoft Goggles
As mentioned above, mesh goggles or mesh helmet face masks will protect you from BB impact while also getting rid of any change of obscured vision from condensation.
However, the safety they provide is less than glass or plastic due to still having small holes in the mesh.
Tips for Airsoft Goggle Use
When playing airsoft, there are a number of enforced rules that you’ll have to follow in regards to safety, such as keeping your goggles on when in the area of play, but there are also some
1: Don’t Place the Goggles On Your Airsoft Helmet
First, your goggles should fit snug over your eyes, and placing them on or over your helmet can reduce their effectiveness and weaken the straps. Use your goggles properly by attaching the strap around the back of your head and ensure that they fit correctly.
2: Store Your Glasses Away When Not Being Used
Keep your goggles safe between games by using a protective glasses case. You’ll want to do this to reduce any damage that could be caused to your glasses, as scratches and breaks can obscure your vision and reduce the integrity of the materials.
3: Keep Your Airsoft Glasses Clean
Of course, you want to keep your airsoft glasses clean so you can see out of them properly during your game and to stop them from becoming uncomfortable and dirty.
How to Clean Your Airsoft Goggles
There are many ways to keep your airsoft goggles clean, but using some form of lens cleaning spray rather than water is the best.
Avoid using saliva to clean your lenses, too, as this isn’t as effective as a proper cleaner.
You can use glasses-cleaning wipes or a spray solution with a microfibre cloth to wipe over the lenses.
4: Don’t Wipe the Goggles With Gloves
When cleaning your goggles, try not to touch the lenses with your hands or gloves, and don’t try to clean them with your gloves too.
This can scratch them or make them blurry by accidentally smearing things like mud on them. Use a proper lens cleaning cloth instead, as these are designed to tackle smudges without the risk of damaging the lenses.
How to Stop Airsoft Goggles Steaming Up
One common struggle airsoft players find when wearing eye protection is that their goggles can start to steam up. When you’re running around, things can get a bit sweaty and cause the lenses of your eye protection to steam up.
To avoid this, grab yourself some anti-fog spray which can help reduce the amount of fogging.
Simply spray it onto the lenses of your airsoft glasses, letting it dry well before your game, and you’ll be less likely to experience steaming up.
Final Thoughts: Which Airsoft Eye Protection Should You Choose?
You must have some goggles or safety glasses before any official airsoft group lets you play. Most places are very strict about your usage of goggles, and some may even stop you from playing if you don’t have a quality pair.
There are lots of different types that you can pick from in all sorts of styles, and it’s really just a case of picking whichever ones you feel most comfortable wearing.
Just make sure to take good care of them so they last for a long time! If you’re not sure which kind is best for you, feel free to send us a message or come and visit our airsoft shop, where we can help you make the right choice.
