Eye protection and Knee Pads.

Southern Dandy

Rather than putting up two separate posts said I may as well kill two birds with one stone here.

Anyways my first query is about eye protection. I currently use Bolle tracker glasses, now they do the job and despite the claim to not fogging they fog like a beatch but that is beside the point. They are a little uncomfortable for my brick of a head.

I always see on retailers websites that certain glasses are not suitable for skirmishing now I don't know is this down to shatter resistance or facial coverage but the reason why I ask is that I was looking at getting some ESS ice glasses but am worried are they suitable for airsoft? Naturally I do not have to worry about them shattering as they are ballistic rated but am worried about the coverage in the sense a stray bb might slip in the side and do a bit of damage? So are these glasses and or these type of glasses suitable for skirmishing?.

Ok next question, I purchased some cheap knee pads being cheap you get what you pay for, so can someone recommend me a good set ones that don't have cheap elastic straps comfortable and will last, was interested in the HWI brand, anyone using these?

gerrowadat

I've used ESS ICE for 2 years now with no bother, they're not full coverage. I'd say it depends on where and when you play and how much of a risk you want to take. I'd go full face if it got hectic with the amount of plastic flying around, although I'd tend to just leave instead.

Knee-pads, Alta Industries alta-lok. Accept no substitutes.

Lemming

I primarily use ESS ice, and have done for quite a few years although I also have a pair of ESS Advancer V12s if I feel that I need a more 'goggle' like solution without having to unduly worry about fogging up or stray BBs coming in round the side of glasses.

That said, it's my opinion as both a player & marshal that both marshals & players really should not be allowing a situation to develop where players are at risk whilst wearing the likes of glasses vs. goggles. If you [the player] are pulling the trigger whilst aiming at someone's head at *that* angle from close enough distance to matter, you're either blind-firing, not paying attention (in which case see 'blind-firing'), or an absolute mong. If you're doing so using full auto, you're just a mong. Or as Gerrowdat has said regards leaving, the marshals have either lost control or are not exerting control on player behaviour.

Southern Dandy

Cheers lads, @gerrowdat, those alta pads look the part as well and cheap. Ok just looked at them again and the knee pads I looked at were in fact elbow pads hence being cheap, still though the knee pads are more pricey but are a worthwhile investment.

@Lemming, Very good point with the player and marshals think I'll take my chances with the ESS and maybe keep the Bolle for CQB (which I've never done anyways) despite the discomfort.

Lemming

Southern Dandy wrote: »

@Lemming, Very good point with the player and marshals think I'll take my chances with the ESS and maybe keep the Bolle for CQB (which I've never done anyways) despite the discomfort.

TBH, I've never felt the need to resort to my V12s in a CQB or Urban environment, and I say that with my most active site (both as player & marshal) being a a six-storey building with a warehouse/kitchens extension area bang smack in the middle of Sheffield city centre. I've seen a lot of very close up & intense fights in that place and never felt endangered.

Not saying that it'll never happen, but I've just not encountered that line in the sand yet, despite the experience to date.

OzCam

I use the ESS ICE glasses (and Flakjak goggles occasionally). If, like me, you have a very narrow face the side of the lens might not fit flush. There is a small risk of a BB getting in around the side, but like all risks in life it has to be managed. In this case you're balancing the risk of a BB bypassing the lens against their exceptional vision and no-fog performance. At the 1J level, that's an acceptable risk for me and I've never had a problem with them.

Prescription lenses are available on the esseyepro.com site.

Having said that, when it comes time to replace* the ICE glasses I'll be getting a set of Revision Sawflies. These are now UK issue. They are slightly deeper around the cheekbone area and I think they'll fit me slightly better.

* All Polycarbonate ballistic lenses should be replaced after a couple of years due to degradation caused by the UV part of normal sunlight. By that time they're likely to be scratched anyway.

OzCam

See Also...
http://www.militarymorons.com/equipment/eyewear.html

for reviews of the ICE and Sawfly systems. The review is from 2010, the Sawfly has been slightly redesigned since. Not all of the ICE kits on their website are available to international customers.

richieffff

Regarding the kneepads here I'd advise watching until the end