If you’re looking to buy Airsoft masks, you should judge your options by their price, comfort, and material. It is their material that defines their weight, comfort level, and protective ability, which is why you should be aware of all the materials that airsoft masks are made of.
Mesh, Fabric, Polymer, and Fiberglass are the materials airsoft masks are made of. Ideally, a mask must be light and effective at protection against pellets. But the more protective a mask is, the heavier it is, making different materials suitable for different types of players.
In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about all four types of masks, including their strengths and liabilities. By the end of this post, you’ll know which mask you should get. So, let’s get started with the first Airsoft Mask material.
Mesh Masks
Mesh masks have the advantage of being light and breathable. However, they are not the most protective material. You can protect your skin from harsh sunlight and potential scratches that may come from tree branches on the field. But a mesh mask will not help you against a direct airsoft pellet hit.
Whether you should wear a mesh mask, then, depends on how likely you are to get shot in the face with an Airsoft pellet. If your opponents are not malicious, mesh masks are perfectly fine for Airsoft games. After all, you will take cover behind the structures in the airsoft field as well. Protecting your face will be relevant only when you are in the direct line of fire.
Most often, the period where you are exposed is very short, and your opponents don’t want to waste even a few seconds aiming at a small target like your face.
But if you get shot in the face on accident, and you have a mesh mask on, you will feel the pellet’s sting.
Pro(s) of Mesh Masks:
- Lightweight – Mesh masks have the lightest material.
- Cheap – Mesh masks don’t cost as much as hard-shell masks.
- Easy to get – You can acquire mesh masks very easily because they’re used for other contexts too.
Con(s) of Mesh Masks:
- Low protective ability – They cannot protect you from a direct hit to the face.
Fabric Airsoft Masks
A fabric airsoft mask is a broader category of masks that offer a wide range of low-end face protection. Fabric masks are separated from mesh masks even though the mesh is technically a fabric. The difference between the two is the breathability of the masks.
Mesh masks are highly breathable and can offer nominal protection against direct impact. Fabric masks can have serious protective capacity if they are thick enough. A fabric mask can be designed at home as well. These masks are used most often to minimize the airflow into one’s nostrils when running. If you wheeze when running or feel a sting in your lungs, you need something to minimize the speed of air entering your nostrils.
Fabric masks make more sense in paintball tournaments than in airsoft, though, because they serve a broader function there. You don’t need to protect your face from pigment splatter in an airsoft game. So what is the point of a fabric face mask? Most players who wear it do so because their chances of getting shot in the face are low.
Pros of Fabric Airsoft Masks
- Easy to get – You can even make your own fabric airsoft masks.
- Relatively light – These are not as light as mesh but are still manageable
- Better protection than Mesh – Thicker fabric masks provide better protection against direct impact.
Cons of Fabric Airsoft Masks
- Less protection than hard shell masks – Because they are not as hard as polymer or fiberglass masks, fabric airsoft masks aren’t considered very impressive in their protective capacity.
- Can be suffocating – Fabric masks aren’t as breathable as mesh and polymer masks.
Polymer Masks
Polymer masks can protect your face from a direct Airsoft bullet shot. They are hard shell masks with a solid structure that creates a gap between your face and the outer layer of the mask. When an airsoft pellet is shot at your face, the mask absorbs the impact, and you feel nothing except light pressure. In contrast, soft-solid masks like fabric and mesh transfer most of the impact to your face, which is why you can feel the sting.
Polymer masks are built out of a variety of materials and have a plastic feel. They are shaped with sufficient gaps for air passage and are often accompanied by hard shell helmets. Polymer masks are heavier than fabric masks, which is their biggest drawback. In an airsoft game, you need to be quick on your feet. Initially, you will be slowed down by your mask but you’re likely to get used to it eventually.
Pros of polymer masks:
- Protection against direct impact – Their hard surface can protect your face from pellet impact
Cons of polymer masks:
- Heavier than fabric and mesh masks – They can take a while to get used to.
Fiberglass Masks
These are the hardest masks on the airsoft field and have the most protective value. They can absorb direct pellet impact but are pretty expensive and can be awkward initially. Fiberglass masks are designed with air passage paths similar to those in polymer masks. Fiberglass masks might have mesh cover over the air path to minimize airspeed when running.
Fiberglass masks also look the coolest. They are shaped to fit independent helmets and can come attached to helmets. In either case, they look impressive. Whether you wear them because of how they make you look or because you want the best protection for your face, you have to reckon with the downside of fiberglass masks: their high cost. These masks are some of the most expensive ones in the airsoft masks category.
Pros of fiberglass masks:
- They look good – Fiberglass masks are designed with more thought and look considerably better than the alternatives
- They can protect your face better – They are the strongest airsoft masks and hence the best at protection.
Cons of fiberglass masks:
- They are expensive – Among airsoft masks, fiberglass ones cost the most
Hybrid Masks
Hybrid masks are made of two materials. One of the materials is a fabric like cotton or mesh, and the other is a polymer or fiberglass. As mentioned earlier, running fast with no cover over your nostrils can lead to wheezing. Fabric masks can prevent your lungs from feeling a sting of air if you run fast.
Hard masks like polymer and fiberglass cannot completely cover your nose because that can suffocate you. The holes over the nose and the mouth area can let air in at a rapid pace as you run, which can make you wheeze. A hybrid mask has mesh over the airholes, maintaining breathability without letting air velocity sting your lungs.
Pros of hybrid masks:
- They balance breathability and protectiveness – They have the benefits of mesh and hard shell masks.
Cons of hybrid masks:
- They can be heavy – Hybrid masks are pretty heavy and might get hot and sweaty.
Final Thoughts
Airsoft players in hot regions should stick to mesh masks, while ones in colder ones should go for full-face hybrid masks. The better your mask is at protection, the heavier it will be. Eventually, you have to choose which material serves your gameplay the best. If you prefer being light on your feet, then don’t sacrifice your speed with a hard-shell mask. But if you like to move with certainty that you can’t be hurt, get the strongest material mask and use cover and camping strategies to avoid getting targeted.