If you’ve ever played paintball before, you know how frustrating it can be when your paintball mask fogs up and limits your visibility.
It is frustrating, and the fogged-up mask greatly affects your performance and safety during the match. So, Prevent Your Paintball Mask From Fogging by learning some tips in this article.
The short answer to prevent your paintball mask from fogging is to do deep cleaning, Coates of Anti Fog Solution Fog Resistant Coatings, Use of Paintball Mask Fans, Use thermal lenses and Ventilation Holes, Keep Your Head Warm and Wear a Headband or Head Wraps!!!
This is where first-time players ask questions like: How do I stop my paintball mask from fogging up? Fogging can make it difficult to see and even cause you to lose a game.
In this blog post, we will discuss why paintball masks fog and how to prevent them from getting foggy to enjoy playing paintball without any problem.
How do you prevent a paintball mask from fogging?
A good quality paintball mask or paintball goggles is one of the essentials of the game. Without a safety mask, players are not allowed to be on the shooting grounds of the playing field arena.
These masks are crucial for protecting not just your eyes & face but also your forehead and ears from paintballs coming at you at 300 fps per second speed that could leave a bruise or may end up losing an eye.
It would be best if you did not risk this by taking off your mask to see. You can do a few things to prevent your paintball mask from fogging. Our following tips will help you a lot with your paintball mask’s lens:
Deep Cleaning
One way is to make sure the lens of your paintball mask is clean. If there is any dirt or grease on the lens, this can cause the lens to fog more easily.
NEVER EVER clean paintball mask lenses with water. You would be murdering your lens by submerging it in the water. Use a microfiber cloth to clean the lens.
Coates of Anti Fog Solution
Another way to prevent your paintball mask from fogging is an anti-fog spray treatment on the lens. Many paintball mask accessories, like anti-fog sprays, are available, so be sure to find one that works best to prevent your mask fog.
We use the “Gamer Advantage FogAway” solution. This one worked best for us and lasted 24 hours, even on cold days. Due to its thick consistency, it’s easier to apply as well.
“It is a fog prevention technique used by many Pro paintball players“.
Fog-Resistant Coatings
You can also buy masks that have a fog-resistant coating. Although this paintball mask is more expensive than others, it will prevent your paintball mask from fogging up.
Almost every new paintball mask model has a fog-resistant coating. If you have the older version or the one that doesn’t have an anti-fog coating, it’s time to replace those with the newer models.
However, these are not reliable in the long term. The fog-resistant coating wears off with time. But you can always replace only the lens of the paintball mask with new ones over time.
Use of Paintball Mask Fans
Some masks come with built-in fans that help to circulate the air inside the mask and prevent fogging. However, it’s one of the ways to avoid fogging, in our opinion. Still, masks with fans are inconvenient and have little durability. The ones that have great durability are expensive, too.
Players have mixed views over this despite the inconvenience, so it all depends on your preference because fans solve the fogging problem.
Use thermal lenses
Thermal lenses are made of a material that doesn’t fog as easily as regular paintball mask lenses. These are the most effective and popular methods and are fogproof.
If you don’t have a thermal lens, there are companies online that offer thermal lenses, so you can always upgrade your paintball mask. These are available in two types: single and dual pane.
As the name states, the single pane has one lens, while the dual pane has two. Among these two types, the dual pane type is preferred due to its attribute of insulation between the two lenses. It offers more protection to the eyes as well.
Ventilation Holes
The best way to prevent your mask from fogging is to make sure that there is good ventilation. You can do this by ensuring the mask has proper air circulation holes and keeping the inside clean.
Also, ensure the scarf, headband, etc., don’t cover these holes. Otherwise, the hot air inside won’t have a way to escape, and you will end up with a fogged paintball mask.
Keep Your Head Warm
If you are playing in cold weather, it is also important to keep your head warm. A good way to do this is to wear a balaclava or face scarf.
Wear a Headband or Head Wraps
Finally, you can try wearing a headband or bandana around your forehead. This will help absorb sweat dripping down your forehead and into your paintball mask.
That way, the foam of the mask stays dry, thus resulting in ‘no fogging’.
DIY Anti-Fogging Method
Soap, shaving cream, and vaseline are other methods used for anti-fogging. Although these are not 100% fogproof, they help prevent it. Just apply an adequate amount of soap, vaseline & shaving cream.
Leave it briefly, and then remove the excess with a microfiber cloth. You can clean it off easily as well after your paintball matches.
How do you keep a paintball mask from fogging?
To prevent your paintball mask from fogging up, you can follow these quick tips:
Tips to Prevent Paintball Mask Fogging | Description |
---|---|
Clean the Lens | Thoroughly clean the lens with anti-fog lens cleaner or mild soap and water. |
Use anti-fog spray/gel | Apply commercial anti-fog spray or gel designed for paintball masks. |
Try the toothpaste method. | Apply non-abrasive toothpaste to the lens, rinse, and dry for a temporary anti-fog effect. |
Ensure proper ventilation | Check for built-in ventilation systems or fans in the mask. |
Ensure a proper fit | Adjust straps and padding for a snug fit to prevent warm air from fogging the lens. |
Regulate breathing | Breathe slowly and deliberately through your nose to minimize fogging. |
Consider a mask with a thermal lens | Invest in a mask with a dual-pane thermal lens to reduce fogging. |
Remove moisture if it accumulates | Take breaks to wipe away moisture with a clean, dry cloth. |
Remember, fogging can still occur in certain conditions, especially in extreme weather or high humidity.
Following these tips and taking appropriate measures can significantly reduce the chances of your paintball mask fogging.
Conclusion
It is always best to be ready for a crisis beforehand instead of working on it afterwards, in this case, a fogging mask. You will find many other ways to prevent fogging on a paintball mask other than these. But remember that none of them would give you a 100% result.
The anti-fog tips that we mentioned above are the ones we tested out. These are the ones that worked out in the prevention of fog.
We will also advise you to at least stick to two methods for anti-fog lenses and to clean your paintball mask lens after each match for long durability because we know that paintball equipment doesn’t come at a low price, especially good quality ones.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does shaving cream stop glasses from fogging?
Shaving cream is famous for creating a protective layer against fogging from windshields to glasses. So, it also works great on the lens of a paintball mask.
Just apply a normal amount onto the inside of the lens and clean the excess off with a microfiber cloth; no water is required, and you’re good to go.
Do alcohol wipes stop glasses from fogging up?
Alcohol wipes also prevent fog well, but the effects wear off quickly. You might get 2 to 3 hours on top of no fogging.
But like all other DIY methods, it is not foolproof; you must keep using them for good results.
How do you make anti-fog spray?
You can even make your homemade anti-fog spray. To make a home special, you need rubbing alcohol, dish soap, and a spray bottle.
Mix 1/4 cup of rubbing alcohol in 1/4 cup of water and add a teaspoon of dish soap. Mix these well and pour the anti-fog solution into the spray bottle for easy application.
Which is the best fog spray?
You will find many good ratings of anti-fog sprays online. However, we recommend using “Gamer Advantage FogAway” anti-fog spray. This one lasted the longest among the others.
Does toothpaste prevent fogging?
You might have encountered videos where toothpaste is used as an anti-fogging agent and for cleaning car lights.
We tested this hack by applying some toothpaste onto the inside of the lens and cleaning the rest with a microfibre towel.
The lens didn’t fog up, but it didn’t last long. This hack might work during short-duration paintball games but not for long ones.
How to Use a Lens Cleaner/Anti-Fog Solution Properly? The Right Way
Lens cleaner or anti-fog solutions are mostly available in spray form. It would be best to spray them over the inside of the lens part of the paintball mask/goggles.
You will see a liquid residue after spraying. Use a microfibre cloth to remove the excess, but not too fast. Slowly circle the cloth over the lens to wipe off the excess solution.
Now that you know how to prevent paintball masks from fogging & how to clean the lens effectively. Let’s shed some light on why the lens fogged up in the first place.
Why does the Paintball Mask fog?
The main reason paintball masks fog is the temperature difference between the inside of the mask and the outside air. When you breathe, your breath is warm and moist, whereas the surface of the lens is cold.
This warm, moist air hits the cold lens of your paintball mask and condenses into water droplets, which we know as fog. This process is known as condensation.