Ear Protection for Goggles or Masks

[Cokeman]

I have a full face mask that leaves my ears exposed. I was looking around the house for something I could use for ear protection and I came across one of my wife's cross stitching. It was a 10x10 cm cross stitch that was done on a plastic canvas. The plastic canvas is fairly flexible with 2.5x2.5 cm gaps. It can easily be made into a shield to protect your ears.

I've attached two pictures below. The first is of a 10 cm by 10 cm piece of cross stitch plastic canvas (I got tired of removing the stitches, so there is still some left along the edge). The second picture shows how it can be held over the ear by the goggle/mask strap (I plan on adding velcro straps later to make it more secure). You could probably get a single long piece and have it go from ear to ear, wrapping around the back of your head.

The advantage of this ear protection is that it has minimal effect on sound and keeps you ear cool (heat wise anyways..... may look better without the green cross stitched border).

You can get this plastic canvas (for cross stitching) from arts/crafts store. Even the craft section in Walmart should have it. I also found one online store that has this product (Stuff4CrossStitch), although I can't tell the size of the holes.


Warning (2011-Feb-09): I subsequently tested them by shooting them with 0.2 g bbs, fired from a gun at 380-390 fps, at a distance of 2 inches to 3 feet. The BBs went through each time. The BBs still had enough velocity to punch through two sides of a cardboard box (that was placed behind the plastic canvas (fired from about 2 inches). So, they may absorb some of the impact, but it may still hurt your ears (but not as much....). So, if you decide to try this plastic canvas, test it yourself!

[Spawn28]

Have you made a test shot at it to see if it will hold up to an impact?

[Szevin]

Dude, you should cross stitch some totally bad ass reindeer on that or something.

[Chingyul]

Originally Posted by Spawn28

Have you made a test shot at it to see if it will hold up to an impact?

It really doesn't have to. I see it as just taking some of the sting out of an ear shot.

[R.I.T.Z]

or you know theres

TMC V2 Strike Metal Mesh Half Face Mask

[Eldin]

.

[Kozzie]

You should get your wife to stitch some cammo into it.
You could have a few different ones to match all your loadouts

[Laurel]

Originally Posted by R.I.T.Z

or you know theres

TMC V2 Strike Metal Mesh Half Face Mask

Hey cokeman, sorry to hijack your thread for only one sec.

How do these do with ESS Goggles?

[L473ncy]

Cokeman, they already have something similar on the market they weren't meant for airsoft but they should work by adding a bit of fabric to your ears so earshots shouldn't be as bad.

The product is called "ear mitts" I actually saw these things while I was in Bavaria: http://www.earmitts.com/images/hunter.jpg

[The Chad]

Originally Posted by R.I.T.Z

or you know theres

TMC V2 Strike Metal Mesh Half Face Mask

LOL give him a break, they're kinda slow out there, you guys just got DSL right?

[Cokeman]

Originally Posted by Laurel

Hey cokeman, sorry to hijack your thread for only one sec.

How do these do with ESS Goggles?

I also brought a set of the ESS Goggles and this mesh mask from Toronto Airsoft. The problem is that the ESS Goggles won't allow me to wear my eyeglasses. Otherwise, the ESS Goggles work very well with this mask, but there is about a dime size gap that will expose the bridge of your noze.

[Cokeman]

Originally Posted by Laurel

Hey cokeman, sorry to hijack your thread for only one sec.

How do these do with ESS Goggles?

Originally Posted by L473ncy

Cokeman, they already have something similar on the market they weren't meant for airsoft but they should work by adding a bit of fabric to your ears so earshots shouldn't be as bad.

The product is called "ear mitts" I actually saw these things while I was in Bavaria: http://www.earmitts.com/images/hunter.jpg

Yeah, but the problem with those earmitts is that they will muffle sound and also your ears may heat up.

[ILLusion]

Peltor Comtac.

Nuff said. And looks cooler than your wife's Christmas cross-stitching.

[Cokeman]

Originally Posted by Chingyul

It really doesn't have to. I see it as just taking some of the sting out of an ear shot.

OK, I just got my new gun today (ICS-128, shooting 0.2 g bbs at 380-390 fps). I fired it at this plastic canvas and it went through (even from 3 feet away). I also put a cardboard box behind it and shot it from 2 inches away, it broke through the plastic canvas and went through both sides of the box (see first picture below).

Then I placed the plastic canvas into a pair of my sock (right off my foot - hows that for dedication to this sport) and shot at it from 2 inches away. The 2nd picture below shows the front side and the 3rd picture shows the back side. Although the BBs broke the plastic, they didn't go through either the front or the back layer of the sock. Note, it isn't a thick sock - its fairly thin, sort of like a dress sock.

So, I think I'm back to the drawing board for ear protection. Maybe I'll re-try using the goggles from my TM clone mask with the mesh mask (that covers the lower part of the face and ears).

[Laurel]

Originally Posted by Cokeman

I also brought a set of the ESS Goggles and this mesh mask from Toronto Airsoft. The problem is that the ESS Goggles won't allow me to wear my eyeglasses. Otherwise, the ESS Goggles work very well with this mask, but there is about a dime size gap that will expose the bridge of your noze.

ESS has the new cortex clip (think it is called cortex). You just clip it on and it will cover the vents above the goggles and it will cover your nose completely