Tag Archives: affordable

Gen X Global Stealth Paintball/Airsoft Mask Review

Posted on by sirbuffalosushi
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The Gen X Global Stealth mask is great for both paintball and airsoft, giving your face protection from BBs and paintballs. It’s made mostly from durable, flexible plastic with the exception of foam around the inside of the lenses and the adjustable strap in the back.

The Gen X Global Stealth mask has a great fit. As mentioned before, there’s a adjustable strap on the back of the mask that you can easily pull tighter or looser. And the plastic that the mask is made of is flexible; this doesn’t only cushion the shock from BBs and paintballs, but it also flexes to the contours of your head, making for a nice and snug fit. There’s also a small line of foam padding outlining the inside of the lenses, boosting the comfort level tremendously. The foam also doesn’t scratch against your skin like other masks with inner foam lining, which can be extremely uncomfortable, especially so when you start to sweat.

As you can see in the picture above, the Stealth mask also has plenty of little slots for air to get through. This is a big up-side for airsoft/paintball skirmishes when you’re constantly on the move and needing to suck down a lot of air.

The visor that comes with the Stealth mask is removable. This is great for transitioning between sunny outdoor shooting and indoor or CQB where you have to be as low-profile as possible. However, it is a little tricky to get on and off. There’s two little rods (one on either side) of the visor that you must fit into two holes on either side of the mask. There’s also four little hook-type parts that you have to align into vents in the top of the mask. To snap the mask back on you must align all four hooks and both rods into their places which is easier said than done.

A huge down-side is that it’s almost impossible to shoot rifles with the mask on. The problem is that that mask interferes with aiming down the sight, basically forcing you to either hip-fire or hold the rifle way out in front of you with the butt on your chest while trying to line up the sights. Although, you’re going to have this problem with just about any mask and you can still use pistols effectively. This problem also only applies to airsoft rifles, since you don’t have to use the traditional aiming method with paintball guns.

Another down-side is that the mask doesn’t cover your entire head. With the exception of your ears, the side and back of your head are still completely exposed. However, you’re still going to have this issue with any other mask because the only thing that covers your entire head are helmets, which can often cost upwards of $100.

The durability of the Stealth mask is exceptional. Even when shot from ten feet away with a 325FPS airsoft pistol it doesn’t chip or break, even if shot in the lens and slots. And even if a BB or paintball managed to chip or crack the lens, it’s easily replaceable. The lens can come on and off by pressing a couple points.

Fogging doesn’t seem to be a major issue with the Gen X Global Stealth mask. From time to time you may have a little bit of fogging up, mostly if it’s cold out, but for the most part the lens stays clear.

In a wrap, for the 10-$20 the Gen X Global Stealth runs, it’s a solid mask. I wouldn’t recommend this to airsoft players, just because the major issue of not being able to look down the sights on rifles, but if you’re planning to use it for paintball or if you’re going to use a pistol you should be fine.

UTG Model 15 Tactical Foregrip

Posted on by sirbuffalosushi
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The UTG Model 15 Tactical Foregrip is one of the more basic grips out there, although it’s sturdy and gets the job done.

One of the biggest issues you might have is mounting it. It’s designed for Picatinny rails, which are smaller than the Weaver rails that are more commonly used in airsoft. The sides which grip the rail are also fixed, so you can’t make them any larger. But, if you push hard enough, you should be able to slide it on after a little trial and error. Once you get it on you simply tighten the big knob on the bottom to keep the grip from sliding backwards and forwards.

A cool thing about the UTG Model 15 Tactical Foregrip is that it’s ambidextrous. This means that it can be used for both right and left handed shooters.

There’s also two little plastic pieces on either side of the grip that are removable to make room for a pressure pad (flashlights, lasers, etc). To remove them, you just twist off the knob that keeps the grip from sliding backwards/forwards and they will just slide right off. And, like I said, there’s a piece on either side so that you can put the pressure pad on either side, depending on which hand you shoot with.

Another nice feature is the hidden compartment. The knob that keeps the grip in place/takes the plastic pieces off and on is really hollowed out. And there’s a little cap on the end of the knob that you can screw off to reveal the compartment. It’s mostly meant for carrying spare batteries, but you can carry anything from a folded up piece of paper to extra BBs very easily.

As far as sturdiness, the Model 15 Tactical Foregrip is very sturdy. It has no wobble at all and doesn’t budge even if you accidentally hit it against something while shooting in CQB. It’s even more sturdy if you did mount it on a Weaver rail because it fit so tight to begin with. You can even use it as a bi-pod if you’re lying down.

Using the grip does wear on you after a while. While it does make your gun more stable and therefore more accurate, it’s difficult to hold your arm out at length, with the weight of the gun on you, without wearing yourself out very quickly. Try holding your hand almost all the way out in a fist; you’ll start to feel uncomfort in under three minuets. Now try holding your hand closer to your body, right in front of wear the magazine would be, with you palm comfortably pointing upwards; you should be able to hold that stance for longer.

Although, you’re going to have that problem with any grip. Plus, the adrenalin from being in a airsoft fight (or real gun fight, if that’s what you’re planning on using it for) will give you a boost so that you won’t even feel it.

In a wrap, the UTG Model 15 Tactical Foregrip is a very sturdy, basic grip, but gets the job done. It has a couple cool features, and is also cheap for what it’s worth. Overall, I think this is a great investment for any kind of rifle, airsoft and real.