Mandatory Face Protection for under 18? (NO!)

[Seagreen]

The insurance policy we had/have does allow for use of a mouthguard instead of solid face protection, but our allowance of that was based on a case by case basis, versus the general public for an indoor gaming program which all were required to wear full face pro.

[Bad Karma]

I'm going to reverse my original stance. Face masks are hot, foggy, uncomfortable and annoying. By making them mandatory for minors we can ensure there will be a decrease in the attendance of said minors at games, something I have been a vocal supporter of for quite some time.

[Steve]

Full seal motorcycle helmet under 18. This can be waived if a parent / guardian is ON THE FIELD with their spawnling.

F*** the kiddies. I didn't breed 'em, there's no reason I should have to babysit them.

[Bad Karma]

Airsoft is dangerous. So much so, that we really shouldn't stop at just ensuring their teeth are safe. What about the rest of them?

We should also require knee pads, elbow pads, gloves, and mandatory long sleeve blouses to protect them against scrapes, falls, blackberries, and the like.

[Seagreen]

I have been seriously considering making future events 18+ with a provision for under 18. All minors are required to provide a letter of consent detailing that the parent/guardian understands the known risks of airsoft, plus the standard waiver.

This will eliminate most minors from events due to the additional work required to come.

[Adam]

I have been seriously considering making future events 18+ with a provision for under 18. All minors are required to provide a letter of consent detailing that the parent/guardian understands the known risks of airsoft, plus the standard waiver.

This will eliminate most minors from events due to the additional work required to come.

I think this idea is great. I don't have much else to say about it, but I just thought I'd offer a minor’s opinion.

[Darius137]

With the amount of new mesh masks, and the amount of new mesh eye protection, full facial protection is very easy to obtain and not as annoying as the paintball style masks.

I don't host games, but I do host monthly trainings, with a lot of new players. I think I'll be stealing from these ideas a bit in 2011. I was already planning on talking to parents of new players that come out just to warn them about airsoft and Redd at our trainings.

[Marauder]

I think it should not be mandatory, but it should be more advertised than it seems to be. I personally will always wear some kind of face protection.

[Snake_Eyes]

COBRA COMMANDER APPROVES!

[Chachi]

.....it isn't my problem. It is the parent of the child's problem, bottom line.

I was with you until right here.

It is your problem. How many 15 year olds with busted teeth is it going to take before we, as a sport/hobby/whatever, start losing the big picture? Media, already mostly opposed, gets a new argument. Promoters, despite waivers, start seeing lawsuits and quitting putting on games. Fields without insurance (like Ivan's) quit hosting open games due to the risk.

Eventually, we could lose. It is your problem. Again, I've seen this before in a similar game in its infancy. All of the above did happen. Luckily for it, paintball quickly established national standards originally pushed by our insurance companies. Frankly, I'm surprised that insurers of airsoft games don't require more safety.

I don't think it should be mandatory, but right now we mostly gloss over or downplay the risks. We should stop doing that. When the information is marginalized, someone needs to make sure the parents have access to the information. Even if, as a parent, you show up and watch an airsoft game, will you really see the welts and broken teeth if you go and simply watch from the staging area once? It was once said that it takes a community to properly raise a child. I tend to agree. We all are (in varying degrees) responsible for our youth. That's why I correct their grammar.

Rob-

Thank you for agreeing with me, and not agreeing with me at the same time. I completely understand where you are coming from, that we need to take ownership of our hobby, and help it be represented to the general public as best as possible. I think most of us do that right now. To this point, I haven’t seen a regular member of this community in an article saying that they brandished their AEG and got arrested for it. We (most of us) do our part at the fields we play at to leave them in the condition they were in before we arrived or better. When I talk to my friends, family or clients, I brag to them about how this community is filled with a bunch of great people that are honest and trustworthy, and that the sport is based around honor and integrity. I think all of us do these same types of things to help out our overall hobby. Sure, some can call it bullshit that I am saying, but so far I do believe it.

Now with all that said, making sure that the 15 year old jack-ass kid doesn’t get shot in the face and end up with a welt or a broken tooth? I don’t think that is my issue, nor do I think it would end up reflecting poorly on our hobby. Well, let me rephrase that….I don’t think it would reflect poorly on our hobby to most people, other than to the jack-ass kid and his parents that failed to wear the proper protection. This falls back on the recent topic of personal accountability. Take the responsibility for your own actions. If you are under age, your parents take the responsibility for your actions. We have laws that tell the stupid people what they need to do to protect themselves, right? You must wear a helmet while on a motorcycle to protect yourself. You must wear a seatbelt to protect yourself in an accident. Now if it is me, I am wearing a helmet while on a motorcycle because I choose to protect myself. I wear my seatbelt because I choose to protect myself, and I would do these regardless if there was a law to tell me to or not.

Really, this all comes down to the mighty dollar. Lawsuits. There are too many people out there looking for their chance to make a buck. I see it, all day, every day with the business I am in - insurance. Hell, spill hot coffee on yourself and you can sue for millions because….the coffee was hot and scalded you. Go figure, right?

[chapped]

If game hosts were to switch to 18+ only games I would continue to show my support.

It's not my responsibility to mentor, supervise or otherwise nurture other people's children.
I have my own kids. I actually "involve" myself in their world. I parent them. Wow! What a concept.

If the concern is that if we don't properly mentor the children and educate their parents that it may jeopardize the game then the solution is simple; 18 years and older. Period!
Alternatively, I could embrace requiring a parent to be present to sign a waiver.

Sorry, I came to play airsoft. If you want to mentor kids, go join a Big Brother program or something.

[Hutch]

After seeing pics of people without front teeth, I was convinced. I do understand what is being said here, and I can say I agree people like me, under 18 should wear facial protection, but for those people out there saying kids under 18 shouldn't play airsoft, I respectfully disagree, I understand kids can ruin the game, but SOME of us are mature enough not to. My point is I agree kids should wear face protection, but still think they thould be allowed to participate in airsoft.

[Jester316]

Whatever, I'll do what I want!


But really, if I want mouth protection, I'll wear a balaclava. However, there seems to be one piece of advice people are overlooking. This piece of advice is very simple, and requires $0.00 to impliment. Are you ready for it? I'll even bold it and change it's color for you:

KEEP YOUR bleeding MOUTH CLOSED!

Stop smiling, stop breathing through your mouth, and close your damn lips. I've been shot in the lips, it hurts, but it doesn't knock your teeth out. Has there been an instance where a tooth was lost while lips are closed? It's pretty damn simple...

[sounguru]

Here is the section in our rules set:

5.5 Mouth Protection

5.5.1 All Operators under 18 must wear one of the following mouth protections: Neoprene Ski Mask, Sports mouth Guard, Lower Stamped Steel, or Paintball/ Airsoft face mask. No Exceptions

We would recommend that all Operators wear some form of face protection.


Here is the way I see it and has been explained to me by a lawyer who has had cases involving similar problems that could arise in our sport...

#1 A Waiver will get shredded in court

#2 A Parent signing a waiver at the event before the kid can play helps, but make sure you take the time to go over every section with the parent and make sure they understand and so does the kid. Have the parent initial each section. We run 2 different waivers one for everyone and an added one for parents with kids under 18.

#3 Have 2 people over 18 sign the waiver as witnesses to the parent signing it it takes out the he/she said fight.

#4 Making anyone under 18 wear full face protection covers your a$$ as an event organizer.

#5 Cover your a$$ with both hands if anyone under 18 is involved because the courts/media/government love to use people like you as an example of how you need more laws protecting our kids.

We also don't allow shooting glasses at our events either but that is a topic for a whole phony pony thread upon itself.

[chapped]

True dat!
I've been stitched in the mouth from about 10 ft away.
It stung like a mother stinker 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.