THE CAGE FACEPRO
THE CAGE:
FACEPRO
ONCE AGAIN, IT’S TIME FOR THE LEGION TO LOOK AT WHAT THEY USE AND WHY - AND THIS TIME THEY GET ROUND TO THE THORNY ISSUE OF “FACEPRO”. LOVE IT OR HATE IT, FACEPRO HAS BECOME A PART OF REGULAR GAMEDAY GEAR FOR MANY PLAYERS AND BILL KICKS OFF THE DISCUSSION AS USUAL…
I
t’s a tricky old question, isn’t it? Whether to use facepro or not is a discussion that seems to come up time and again in airsoft chat groups, and it’s one that I look at with interest every time I see it. I’ll admit that I am extremely “old skool” when it comes to this subject as, to me, airsoft is all about freedom and keeping it as real as possible and the thought of wearing (what is essentially) a paintball mask is anathema to me! However, I’m not some “man of steel” and I bleed and feel pain as much as any of you! I’ve taken some horrendous hits over the years, including some from hideously overpowered AEGs whilst playing overseas… I was once nailed at 20m with a Systema at 600fps on .25g which has led to lasting scarring on my arm because the guy had chrono’d and then changed his cylinder. This was in the USA and led to the local LE being called, who asked me if I wanted to make an “assault charge”, which I declined… I went hunting instead! I’m not playing “the big man” here but the fact is that my injuries resulted from a player who “changed the game” and, in my opinion, lost all honour and integrity by doing so. In a game where everyone plays fairly and with honour this should never happen, but the fact is that we are playing airsoft, shooting little
BBs at one another that CAN cause damage and I totally understand that you may wish to mitigate the risk of injury or lasting cosmetic damage. I’m old, I lost a bunch of teeth in a car accident years ago, so to me getting a “face shot” ain’t a big deal. Have I used “facepro” during my years of playing airsoft? Of course I have, especially overseas where field/site insurance on older paintball sites now used for airsoft mandates it due to their existing insurance… but I bloody hate it! I’ve used very expensive full-face masks and I’ve never come across one that allowed me the freedom I wish for when I’m playing, so for me it’s a “No!” to them - unless it’s a “skull mask” when I’m playing a “character” in a scenario game. I’ve tried various halfmasks and some, like the ONETIGRIS T’Farge (in MCBLK!), I’ve actually liked but I’ve never found one to my taste. Although I don’t spend the amount that some do on my loadouts, “looking good” (as much as a player in their mid-fifities can!) is a factor if I’m
“I WAS ONCE NAILED AT 20M WITH A SYSTEMA AT 600FPS ON .25G WHICH HAS LED TO LASTING SCARRING ON MY ARM BECAUSE THE GUY HAD CHRONO’D AND THEN CHANGED HIS CYLINDER. THIS WAS IN THE USA AND LED TO THE LOCAL LE BEING CALLED, WHO ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO MAKE AN “ASSAULT CHARGE”, WHICH I DECLINED… I WENT HUNTING INSTEAD!”
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NOVEMBER 2021
