If you are a paintball enthusiast, one of the most important purchases you can make is eye protection! If you've visited a few online paintball stores or a paintball supply representative, you know how helpful it can be when it comes time to purchase a pair of goggles. You can try playing without a paintball gun and just make a run for the flag or even fire your gun without any paintballs in it, but you should not play without a good mask. Paintball masks are made especially for the sport and you'll find that they meet very strict industry standards. If you try to purchase some other type of eye protection such as ski goggles, safety goggles, shooting glasses or even just a pair of sunglasses, these are unacceptable. A paintball can reach velocity of over 270 mph and a specially-designed paintball mask is the only thing to purchase for protecting your eyes.

You're going to get better peripheral vision, because paintball lenses are larger. If you can see out of the corner of your eye when you try on the mask then this mask may be suitable for you to purchase. Also, make sure you can comfortably look through the paintball gun sight with the mask on.

If you wear glasses, make sure the mask can fit comfortably over them. This should not be a problem, though, because most paintball gun masks are large. An important consideration that must not be overlooked is to make sure that you purchase one that has a thermal lens. These are actually two lenses with a tiny pocket of air in-between them to prevent fogging. If you purchase a pair of goggles with just an anti-fog coating on them, this film will eventually wash away. Remember that ear protection is important as well, so make sure that the mask you purchase covers your ears completely and comfortably. Also, as part of your paintball gear purchase a good face shield that will allow you to talk freely and clearly. Most masks will come with a flexible face shield that is large. If for some reason you accidentally get some of the dye paintball in your mouth, relax, it's completely safe. Purchase a good visor that is flexible, will keep the rain out of your face and the sun out of your eyes. Try wearing a backwards baseball cap under the your mask. It works well. Since you're going to be moving a lot with your mask and shooting with it on as well, make sure it is comfortable and secure.