Reddit mentions: The best paintball goggles

1. Depends on your experience. If you're new to teching, getting something good off the bat is my recommendation. If you want a nice middle ground, get an ICS. Good internals out of the box, and split gearbox makes it easy to work on.
   
   
2. Flat-hop or r-hop for range and consistency. R-hop is better, but more difficult/time consuming, so might be worth getting it professionally done.
   
   
3. A good mask or goggles that don't fog are a must. A Dye I4 or Dye I5 are best if you want a mask, and the Pyramex I-force are very nice for goggles. For a lower face mask, if you're using goggles, the One Tigris mask is very nice.
   
   Mid cap vs hi cap is really just preference. Mid caps are more realistic, don't make any noise, and don't need to be wound. Hi caps are easier to load and hold a lot more ammo.
   
   UTG makes some good optics. I have their Magnifier and short dot, and their red dot is pretty popular as well. If you want cheap, the Field Sport red dot is supposed to be pretty solid. Bushnell and Primary Arms are on the higher end of micro red dots, at least for airsoft. I have the Primary Arms and it's real nice.

To get started you really only need protective gear and a gun.

For protective gear, I'd either recommend an inexpensive paintball mask like this or a lower mesh mask and goggles

For a gun, I'd recommend something like a G&G CM Raider or a KA TWS or a CYMA AK or something similar (M4 or AK is preferrable). Make a list of the best looking guns in your budget and post back here to help narrow it down. The high cap that comes with the gun should be enough, and if you really want then you can buy an extra one which will definitely be enough.

From there you will want a battery and charger from HobbyKing (I wont make specific recommendations since it will depend on the gun) and some good quality BBs (I wont make a recommendation as this depends on where you are playing).

It is more than possible to get into the game with that kind of budget, settle on the absolute essentials (protective gear first, then gun, battery, charger, and BBs) and then you can look at investing in other areas in your gear. I'd recommend that you play for a good while before expanding your loadout so that you specialise in an area that you really enjoy playing.

Check the super useful links in the sidebar for more information and good luck!

Some of this is repeated from a comment about a motorcycle being the only means of transportation but some of this is specific to winter riding. Remember you have two goals, staying alive and comfort.

I always keep this in mind: Proper Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.

• All your gear and your bike should be checked over daily.
  
• Check the weather prior to leaving anywhere during winter.
  
• If you can swing it, have a pair for winter riding and a pair for summer riding. Both are for gripping in the correct weather situations. I'm currently only running Dunlop Q3s but I also haven't had a single problem with slippage in the rain. When tire shopping for winter, take into account the type of weather you experience in your area. I'm in California and only need to worry about rain grip and the occasional hail storm. For what its worth, both sets of tires (I had the Diablo Corsa 2s prior) held up in rain and hail just fine.
  
• Avoid going over manhole covers or paint in the rain. Tar snakes in certain parts of the country can be a problem as well. When you do go over it, be upright and try to avoid braking.
  
• Adding on to the point above, its more pronounced on hills so be extra careful. Found this out on the hills of San Francisco and while I avoided incident, I'm pretty sure theres a permanent star-fish impression on my seat.
  
• Extra stopping distance. Self-explanatory.
  
• You're in Texas and can't legally share the lane. Here in California, I do it rain or shine. But remember, the road reflectors are slippery. So is the lane marking paint. Be extra careful and here because you need to be on point. If you aren't comfortable in the summer doing it, stay away at all costs from doing it in the rain.
  
• Stay properly hydrated. Don't know how long your commute is, but hydration issues can occur in the winter as well and a 60 minute commute can really suck when you aren't hydrated properly.
  
• Same with summer but its colder in the morning than the afternoon. Expect crappy grip.
  
• General rule of thumb is you have 80% of the grip that you would normally have. Keep that in mind when starting from the line and braking. This also means you should slowly become familiar with panic/emergency stops in the rain.
  
• Don't lean as much, go as fast, brake as hard, gun it as quickly as normal.
  
  
  Storage
  
  
• Needs to be sufficiently weather proof. My tank and tail bag has a slip on cover that keeps it dry, otherwise its just water resistant. My backpack, while I haven't tried it out in the rain, is supposed to be pretty sufficient in the rain but is technically water resistant.
  
• I use the Ogio No Drag Mach 5 backpack
  
• All straps will stretch in the rain. Remember that.
  
  Gear
  
  
• ATPGATT - All The Proper Gear, All The Time. Rolls right off the tongue doesn't it? Here is a story where I didn't understand that concept.
  
• All gear should also help limit distractions
  
• All gloves should be gauntlets in the winter. Cold air blowing up your sleeve sucks, same with having rain going up your arm. Both are distracting and takes your focus off of the staying alive part.
  
• If you can swing it, two pairs of gloves. Helps to allow proper time for your gloves to dry out.
  
• Winter gloves are a bit more comfortable at times but will also remove the feedback you are used to from summer gloves. Since they are thicker, your hands will move a fraction of a bit slower. Sometimes that fraction of a second can mean a successful panic stop vs an accident.
  
• If the interior of your helmet gets wet, make sure its in a well ventilated area and take off the visor to allow it to throughly dry out.
  
• High visibility gear is much much better to be rocking. Screw the looks. Add reflective tape to the back of your helmet. Make sure your jacket is reflective and bright.
  
• Check over your gear daily. Your pants and jacket should keep you dry and warm. If you don't have winter gear, get some.
  
• Boots need to be checked to make sure they are water proof.
  
• Put on all your gear. Have your buddy shoot you with a water hose. If it leaks, expect it to be leaking on the ride and much more uncomfortable. Cold and wet body parts sucks. All distract you from your goal of staying alive.
  
• Make sure your visors stay in whatever position you set them in. The inlets on the top of my head stay open even when I set them to close. Solution for me was to use black electric tape and tape them close, while also covering the inlets. My helmet sucks (Bell Vortex, avoid it like the plague)
  
• FogTech for Anti-Fog. If you don't have pinlock, look into getting this as well. Fogging is a pain, especially when its raining and you fog up.
  
• RainCoat for Water Repellent. Helps quite a bit, and its awesome to turn your head slightly to the left or right and watch the water just flow off your helmet.
  
• I've never used heated gear. I'm sure its quite nice and I would never go back after using it but its not a substitute for proper gear, ever.
  
• If you can get a transition visor, get one. Its a godsend.
  
• Whatever that chin guard thing is for helmets, get it.
  Some other random notes
  
  
• Be prepared for everyone to think you're a crazy bastard and need to be talked to about how dangerous it is to commute all the time, especially in the rain. Its not a big deal at all however, just be mindful. I've learned to enjoy it.
  
• Have fun, your commuting just got awesome. I've never gone into work or left work in a bad mood thanks to commuting on my motorcycle. Even in the rain.
  
• Sign up for Zipcar or figure out some alternative. There will be that one day where you look yourself in the mirror and have a long conversation about what the hell you are doing, why you are doing it, and if you should do it.
  
  
  Last but the most important, RELAX. Its just water (most of the time). Sure their tires are better, but people race in rain conditions all the time while going much faster than you will. After the first week or two of rain, you won't even think it is a big deal. Sure parts of it sucks. Some of it is awesome.
  
  Let me know if you have any questions.

Is $200 about the going rate for a mask/goggle?

I went with a group of guys to play paintball recently for the first time in 20 years. Prior to the day I purchased a cheap ($30) mask and it performed flawlessly. It did fog up slightly as the temperatures changed a bit, but only for about 15 minutes. I took a couple of shots to the face and it handled it well. Afterwards I was able to break the whole mask down and clean out all the paint. It looks brand new.

One of the refs commented that he liked the mask and bringing my own was a great idea since they get abused and aren’t cleaned very well. The ref said his mask ran about $200 and still fogged up so I figure why spend all that money on something that, in my mind, you’re going to end up tossing after it wears out?

Here’s the mask on amazon:
BASE GS-F Paintball Goggles (Black)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076DJP1CL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_F-J7BbERSHXJA

I’ve been lurking this reddit to get some tips on gear and a good first time marker.

Anyway, figured I’d share if anyone was looking for a reasonably priced mask who might be lurking like me.

I’d rather buy the cheap one and draw on it with a sharpie or spray paint it a bit then put that money towards a better marker. Maybe I’m missing the value of the higher end goggles.

Back to lurking...

Considering you posted that you just had your first game then I'm assuming your talking about a newbie setup for getting into the hobby. With that being said $200 (USD?) Is going to be a bit on the low side for getting a reliable setup. Bare bones set up is going to be getting a gun, goggles + face protection, battery, charger, and BBs.

Good eye protection is an absolute must IMO as your eyes are very expensive to repair, used everyday, and don't come with a warranty. Impact resistant lenses are a must (no mesh eye protection unless you like fragmentation going in your eyes). Dye Mask My wife uses this mask and it gives good protection, doesn't fog up much, and is relatively comfortable. Can even wear glasses under them but it's a bit of a snug fit for them. This will cover your eye and face protection in an economic package. There is something like a $30 one that doesn't have the thermal lenses but I don't know how well they perform and fogging is a real pain to deal with so I think the extra $10 for thermal lenses is worth it.

Airsoft branded batteries are usually over priced so get generic purpose batteries. The decision is between lipo and nimh with lipo having a more expensive start up cost (a proper balanced charger isn't cheap) and needs more care/upkeep to properly use. Nimh are cheaper to start with (a smart charger plus a 9.6v 1400mah battery can be gotten for 35. Nimh are older tech and much bulkier but almost fool proof to use as long as you don't do anything truly idiotic with then.

The fun and expensive part of this whole endevor is the gun. This is where the wallet weeps and where investing in quality will pay off in fewer issue and potentially less upgrade/repair costs down the road. What style of gun do you want to get? We could suggest the most economical and starter friendly M4 for example but it doesn't help if your interested in something like an AK or something more exotic instead. The thing though is that most decent beginner guns are going to run closer to $150 or more which really cuts into that $200 budget when your already sinking $35 into your battery kit and $30 or $40 into your eye protection.

BBs is the last thing but again something important to get. Don't buy cheap BBs as they risk breaking the gun. Never use .12 BBs as they love to shatter. I highly recommend elite force BBs as they are good quality and not insanely expensive. .25g BBs are a good balance between indoor and outdoor play while I prefer .28 for outdoor settings. A bottle of BBs can range from $15 to $25 depending on how many you need and the weight of them.

When I started I pieced together a kit from decently priced items. I bought a Tippmann A5, tank, remote, and mask for maybe $200 or so. It was a pretty good setup for starting out, IMO, and you can add all sorts of frivolous / helpful things to something like an A5 when you have some playing money.

I'd suggest the BT-4 Combat, just for starting out. I actually JUST bought one on ebay for $70. They're $80-$100 on Amazon. From what I've seen of it, it's pretty similar to the A5. Thehiddenhedgehog uses one to good effect on his youtube channel.

http://www.amazon.com/Empire-Paintball-Combat-Marker-Black/dp/B002Q8A88I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457389411&sr=8-1&keywords=bt-4+combat

I like Empire tanks personally. I've used them since I started.

http://www.amazon.com/Pure-Energy-40020-Empire-20oz/dp/B0008G2WAW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457389001&sr=8-1&keywords=paintball+c02+tank

This was my first mask. Took a .68 to the face my first game. Worked great! I've upgraded a few times since then, but I still have it and really like it.

http://www.amazon.com/US-Army-Ranger-Performance-Goggle/dp/B001TKP74E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457389082&sr=8-1&keywords=us+army+paintball+mask

$87 marker + $22 tank + $26 mask = $135. Add whatever shipping would be and that leaves plenty of room for pods, a remote line, and any gear you might want (vest, camo, boots, gloves, etc).

not really. the gun is okay, i guess. You can easily do better though. most of the stuff that kit includes are just old/dated items that retailers are trying to unload on people who don't know better.

if youre trying to stay on the cheap side, something like these would be a better option. The most important thing is going to be a good, comfortable mask. i'd prefer a JT proflex over a flex 8, but i couldnt find one on amazon. you could easily find one for the same price on other paintball specific sites. other than that, you have a high quality air tank, a high quality budget marker, and a high quality budget hopper that will actually feed paint. The only thing this doesn't include is a pack and remote which i think you should do without for now. if you need a pack, those can be had for as low as $25.

Ninja 45/3000:
https://www.amazon.com/Ninja-Aluminum-Paintball-Tank-BLACK/dp/B001RQRXJW/ref=pd_sim_200_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B001RQRXJW&pd_rd_r=P9CKMRW1QYRYHE1WP5VZ&pd_rd_w=J20BE&pd_rd_wg=IXBxt&psc=1&refRID=P9CKMRW1QYRYHE1WP5VZ

Azodin Kaos:
https://www.amazon.com/Azodin-Kaos-Paintball-Gun-Red/dp/B01M04HQ4C/ref=sr_1_11?s=sports-and-fitness&ie=UTF8&qid=1483152637&sr=1-11&th=1

Empire Reloader:
https://www.amazon.com/Empire-Paintball-Loader-Matte-Black/dp/B002CLNE1M/ref=sr_1_4?s=paintball&ie=UTF8&qid=1483152761&sr=1-4

JT Flex 8(or proflex from another site):
https://www.amazon.com/JT-Flex-Goggle-Black-Grey/dp/B000VWJL5C/ref=sr_1_10?srs=15604175011&ie=UTF8&qid=1483152884&sr=8-10&keywords=paintball+mask

I'd spend like $10-20 bucks more on the loader/mask and get the virtue contours

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074JKF6HH/ref=twister_B00MU1AWLY?_encoding=UTF8&th=1

Make sure you get one that gives you a free spire loader. They absolutely DESTROY the halo and it isn't even close. It's the loader that basically every tournament player goes to if they don't have a sponsorship with dye/empire.

On the gun side I'd look for either a used Empire axe, bob long vice/marq, dye matrix (09 forwards) or planet eclipse ego/geo (again 09 and forwards)

http://www.pbnation.com/showthread.php?t=5712849 - Geo

http://www.pbnation.com/showthread.php?t=5522402 - Clone

http://www.pbnation.com/showthread.php?t=5712585 - Dm9

http://www.mcarterbrown.com/forums/electronic/302388-2008-ego-atlantic-%24250-shipped.html - ego 08

http://www.ebay.com/itm/bob-long-vice-paintball-marker-amazing-condition-tourniment-legal-/302389764651?hash=item4667d5a22b:g:7L4AAOSwkX1ZcWnh - bob long vice

and your normal ebay/craiglist/etc are good places to look.

I ask for a shooting video before buying used guns, and while they'll have some normal wear and tear, they still work perfectly fine even without that new gun smell, and are gonna blow the absolute shit out of the proto rize.

As for a tank, you've got two options. Either shell out an extra $100 for a ninja 68/45, or just save that money and deal with a slightly heavier tank that doesn't hold as much air. It'll work just fine, that decision is up to you.

Please link. Save phace even sells their own products directly on Amazon and none of those photos have it. They have ansi ratings at the top but no photos from either side show that

Save Phace 2000353 Mirrored Smoked Lens for TM https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AT5GA4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_qHVYCb8MV5FSG
Save Phace Sport Utility Mask 2 SUM SUM2 Just Ill Series - Total Eclipse https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0721YM7DQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_YHVYCb0EZ8JQP

Save Phace 3010837 Grunt Series Tactical Goggles https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0094FSFXQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_TIVYCbPKGHEJP

Get some Fogtech to deal with the fogging up problem. That stuff is amazing and works great. A fan built in sounds gimmicky and something that will break on your first wipeout.

I dont wear glasses so don't know which googles will be big enough to go over them. But try them out at a shop and you'll be good to go.

I third this. I also highly recommend the Virtue Ascend goggle. It is a really good mask for some reason priced fairly cheaply.

Yeah there are a few good options for eyepro in the $15-20 area, anything Pyramex with the right ratings or these too. Cheap doesn't necessarily = bad even if there are nicer goggles out there.

Get the Save Phace Grunts. They are a copy of the X800, but actually made in the USA and meet safety standards. The X800s are nice but 4x the cost of the grunts.

Gonna second what a few other people said - mesh doesn't make good eye protection. BBs can and will shatter into your eyes. If you can't get contacts or prescription goggles, I wear ESS Innerzone 3 goggles over my glasses. Dye i4/i5 goggles also fit over my glasses, although they're pretty expensive. The Dye Special Edition looks way less sleek, but has as good antifog as the i4/i5 and fits over glasses too.

saw this one in the related section on amazon and looks pretty good too. JT Elite Prime Single Goggle, Black

I use an anti-fog solution this one actually so far it's worked great, specially in the winter

Buy some Chinese knockoff fan goggles if you don't want to drop 100+ on the real thing. They are amazing and a life saver.

Defogging product is your best bet. The EG2's have huge vents (annoyingly large enough that snow and water fall through the top easily) so venting is not the issue.

I use Cat Crap myself, you just spread it on with your fingers and wipe smooth with a cloth. If you're worried about scratches though you could try this it works alright, not as good as cat crap. The only annoying thing is you have to apply it before hand as it needs several hours to dry afterwards.

Knee Pads:
https://www.amazon.com/Dye-Precision-Performance-Paintball-X-Large/dp/B002XZ7BOS/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=dye+performance&qid=1558710891&s=gateway&sr=8-3-spell
Arm pads:
https://www.amazon.com/Dye-Precision-Performance-Elbow-Large/dp/B002WPMFTA/ref=mp_s_a_1_17?keywords=Dye+i5&qid=1558710790&s=gateway&sr=8-17
Helmet:
https://www.amazon.com/Dye-i5-Paintball-Goggle-Black/dp/B01M0RQCUX/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=Dye+i5&qid=1558710861&s=gateway&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1
For the rest i said, Just scroll around here and find what you like the most, I roll with their Nucleus Chest rig since i like my mags higher up that on my waist, But its all up ti the player.
https://www.speedqb.com/?v=f003c44deab6

Just get this. Never had an issue like the one reviewer is talking about


JT Spectra Proflex LE Thermal Goggle (Red/Gray w/Prizm 2.0 Lava Thermal Lens) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07LGDMPHV/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_WELWDb8CNKV7Z

https://www.amazon.com/JT-Proshield-Spectra-Thermal-Goggles/dp/B06XD82XFL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1494899173&sr=8-2&keywords=jt+proshield

Great option new.

Sorry I just read the last part of your post here is a pair we recommend to everyone at our field that needs to wear glasses https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0772SCJDT/ref=mp_s_a_1_38?ie=UTF8&qid=1525435355&sr=1-38&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65

You can get goggles that come with interchangeable lens like this one https://www.amazon.com/XAegis-Tactical-Military-Interchangeable-Paintball/dp/B07M9KWQDW you just switch to the tinted ones. I have no idea if these goggles are good, I would just get something similar to this that is anti fog.

You can pick up some colors of the Vio Contour for $99, just slightly more than the Ascend. The one that I linked shows a clear lens but when I bought it, it actually came with a mirrored smoke color.

Have you tried a floating lens setup like these? So far so good for me.

I used the Smith Optic turbo fans for awhile, but in the hot summers not even the fans couldn't keep up. Switched to low profile glasses for awhile and that was a huge mistake for me as well. Try a pair of floating lens.

Try some of this stuff: MotoSolutions - FogTech

Here is the mobile version of your link

How's this?
https://www.amazon.com/JT-Proshield-Spectra-Thermal-Goggles/dp/B06XD82XFL/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1527116431&sr=8-2&keywords=jt+proflex

Wut about these https://www.amazon.com/XAegis-Tactical-Military-Interchangable-Paintball/dp/B07M9KXKGL/ref=mp_s_a_1_2_sspa?keywords=airsoft%2Bgoggles%2Banti%2Bfog&qid=1566236350&s=gateway&sprefix=airsoft%2Bgoggles&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE2VEZVRzNGMDdDTEkmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAwNTg4NzVZOUlFWVE4OUxJNFImZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDcwOTQ5NTFYREFHVFYwVkZVUDUmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ&th=1

https://www.amazon.com/ZEAKER-Tactical-Paintball-Motorcycle-Interchangable/dp/B07PZ6PLYF/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=airsoft+goggles+anti+fog&qid=1566236350&s=gateway&sprefix=airsoft+goggles&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUE2VEZVRzNGMDdDTEkmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAwNTg4NzVZOUlFWVE4OUxJNFImZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDE4ODU5NzJQM1k2TVBJVjlYVVgmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9waG9uZV9zZWFyY2hfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==

FogTech - https://www.amazon.com/MotoSolutions-FogTech-Anti-Fog-Paintball-Glasses/dp/B001JR4CIO

Try Fogtech. It's the only thing that I've found that works. I rode to the Dragon Rally in pouring rain last year and my glasses never steamed up, it's not cheap though.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/FOGTECH-SOLUTION-HELMET-VISOR-BOTTLE/dp/B001JR4CIO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1421769831&sr=8-2&keywords=fogtech

Haven't been out to the "field" yet, per se, but I'm setting up a loadout before I do that. A generic M4 (an Echo 1 M4 more specifically) and this mask specifically. Should I look into a helmet + googles combo? Will that allow me to aim and shoot normally?

1. cheap option
   2.expensive option
   
   I’d definitely ask around for suggestions but dual-pane is the way to go. Don’t need to worry about special coatings/ anti fog spray/ fans/ etc. dual pane goggles simply work without fuss.