Lancer Tactical Tactical Headgear 2.0 Balaclava Mask, Black

Here's the simple question about airsoft: why does the side of your jaw hurt after six hours of playing?

It's not your chin getting shot at. It's the goggle strap cutting into you, over and over. The Headgear 2.0 balaclava from Lancer Tactical is the answer to that problem, and to a few others that don't show up until you're actually cold and moving.

What it does. You wear it under your goggles or face mask. The stretch fabric covers your forehead, cheeks, and jaw so the strap presses against cloth instead of skin. It keeps cold air from hitting your face on winter game days, catches dust and debris when you're crawling or leaning on rough surfaces, and adds a thin layer between your skin and a BB that skips off something hard. It won't stop a direct hit — nothing fabric-based will — but it stops the kind of irritation that makes you uncomfortable without being dramatic about it.

How the fit works. The stretch fabric goes on over your ears and sits under goggles without pinching. Silicon grips at the forehead keep it from sliding down when you're active. The material stretches enough to go under a helmet without feeling like a vice, and it breathes well enough that you don't end up sweating through it on a hot day. It's not fancy, but the fit is right.

When you'll use it. Cold-weather skirmishes — obvious one. Players who run full-face masks benefit from the extra padding between mask and skin. Anyone who's had a goggle strap dig into their jaw or cheek after a few games will probably find this useful on their first game, and then just keep running it because that's what you do with gear that quietly solves a problem.

What it isn't. It's not armor. It won't protect you from BBs. If you need that, you need a mask.

Comes in black. Includes the mask.