Mandatory Face Protection for under 18? (NO!)

[Cap n pickles]

True dat!
I've been stitched in the mouth from about 10 ft away.
It stung like a mother f***er and my front tooth even rang a bit, but nothing snapped, cracked or popped.

I actually make it a point to remind myself to close my mouth while playing.

This is the least that people can do.

[Junto]

If you ask me, this is why we sign waivers. If a parent wants their child to wear face protection then they can refuse to sign the waiver until their child complies/meets the parent's standards of safety.

I will always roll without face protection if I can. The eczema on my face is so agitated by most contact when mixed with sweat that my whole face can/has become a solid rash. Indoors, I keep a clean shemagh washed with a detergent I know won't bother me, or one particular type of balaclava I own on my face. Outdoors, I simply sweat too much to want to deal with it.

[afatcow]

Was there not a phrase or two about potential face / tooth damage on the waiver?

If you require a waiver, and you require parents to sign the waiver if they're under 18, and we have something like that on the waiver, then theoretically parents should see it and should know about it.

[Matt]

1. The risk of injury from the activity and weaponry involved in airsoft is significant, including the potential for permanent disability and death, and while particular protective equipment and personal discipline will minimize this risk, the risk of serious injury does exist;

I think that covers facial scars and teeth being knocked out.

[Juicemachine]

I like mouthguards.

Mandatory face pro is stupid. If someone wants to do it, let them, but don't force anybody. Stupid parents can foot the bill if they don't want their kids to wear facepro. That said, I rarely have face protection, get shot in the face rather frequently, and have never had a tooth-related issue.

[Darius137]

I like mouthguards.

Mandatory face pro is stupid. If someone wants to do it, let them, but don't force anybody. Stupid parents can foot the bill if they don't want their kids to wear facepro. That said, I rarely have face protection, get shot in the face rather frequently, and have never had a tooth-related issue.

I've never been ran over, but it happens. If a kid gets ran over playing in the street are you going to say "whatever, the kid needed better parents" ?

It's not that severe, but to parents who are maybe not on the top of their game at 0700 when they show up to an airsoft game and quickly sign a registration form then come back at noon because their kid has a missing tooth, it could be.

I don't think it should be mandatory to wear face protection, but I think it's a good idea to have a quick conversation with the parents about the inherent risk.

Again we're discussing this as an option and a heads up for future game hosts. The majority of you who don't care if a kid who doesn't know anything loses a tooth don't have to do anything about it.

[shakespeare]

The team I am on, Task Force 11 Delta requires mouthpieces for those under 18. This was instituted after we had two people get teeth shot out, and we didn't want that to happen again.

[Matt]

Are the bite-down mouth guards even designed to protect against projectiles? Do any of you know if they actually work? The ones I have seen in the field don't seem like they would be effective to me. They might help you keep your mouth shut but they don't even cover your teeth entirely. Unless Rocky Balboa is gonna come out of the bushes and punch you in the face, what's the point?

[Seagreen]

It would serve as a buffer, but I don't feel it is a fool proof piece of safety gear.

[glockmeister]

Mouthpieces should be encouraged but not mandatory. I've been shot in the lip twice and it swelled up and made me look retarded and it hurt a lot, so if you don't like facial pain (not saying your a wimp if you don't.) I would wear a face mask or just deal with it. I wear a shamagh (if that's how you spell it) and it helps, so there are other options which help protect the face but not completely protect it. Anyways to the point, face protection and mouth protection should be advised but not mandatory. As for eye protection, yes mandatory for sure. Luckily we have very safe fields, like the farm.


Small bb scars and chipped teeth can be fixed/go away. Busted eyes will not.

[Nocte]

...to parents who are maybe not on the top of their game at 0700 when they show up to an airsoft game and quickly sign a registration form then come back at noon because their kid has a missing tooth, it could be.

Maybe parents aren't the at the top of their game early in the morning, but what about when Little Johnny asks to be driven to the game? What about when he asks to get an airsoft gun to shoot (and be shot by) other people? Do they get a magical parenting excuse for not looking into things like safety when making the decision to let their kid come out?

Also, I was raised to not play in the street, since I might get run over by a car.

[Strikerz]

It happens. Got shot in the Face at LOW but it was my fault for sticking my head out.

[sasquatch]

This argument is useless for it only takes one ignorant parent that’s pissed off to bring more attention to our sport in a negative way. We don’t have reps like the paint ball guys and there for are less known about. It is for these reasons that I feel it should be a full on rule, for its just like in school where you get one guy chomping on gum and the leaving it under the desk and…… walla no more gum.
We take our standing on airsoft to be safe, but to the contrary we look like and use paramilitary gear. Many of us use gear that’s real steal, and our guns look more and more realistic and faction in the same way.
More rules mean that we keep our beloved sport intact.

[Junto]

"whatever, the kid needed better parents" ?

That, and I'll demand to know if the driver was intoxicated and/or negligent.

But yeah, I will ask the parents why they let their child play in the street unsupervised.

[chapped]

It is for these reasons that I feel it should be a full on rule, for its just like in school where you get one guy chomping on gum and the leaving it under the desk and…… walla no more gum.

If the problem is gum, outlaw gum.
If the problem is minors and the associated liability then Walla! No more minors.