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Period of
Product Use: |
| Less than a month | 32 of 35 people found this review helpful.
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Paintball
Experience: |
More than 5 years |
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Similar
Products Used: |
JT Flex-7, Dye Invision, VForce Profiler |
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| Marker Setup: |
2k4 Lasoya Intimidator w/ SP AA front freak, AKA 2-liter, AKA SCM lpr/volumizer, Freeflow bolt, Kila detents, BL frame, WAS 2.9... Reloader B, 70/4500 Crossfire |
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| Strengths: |
1. Profile
2. Value
3. Looks |
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| Weaknesses: |
1. Echo!
2. Price
3. Currently, Availability! |
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| Review: |
As you can see by my similar products used section, I have used and still own, just about every single high-end mask that has been on the market. I love my Profiler, so I came into testing this mask with a little bias. Here are my results:
PROS-- Profile---The profile of this mask is great. It is small and fits close to the face, but not so close that it is uncomfortable. The mask is slightly thinner than the Profiler and the soft ear pieces add to this. Some people are complaining about the ear pieces ripping, but if you read the instructions it warns against this exact problem. The Vents website even talks about this problem in a video.
Value--- The amount of extras that this mask comes with make it an excellent value. You get two lenses, one smoke thermal and one clear thermal treated, a visor, a brow shield, a microfiber mask bag (VERY NICE, like an Oakley sunglass bag only bigger), and a microfiber lens bag (same as the mask bag, but smaller). The amount of extras was what sold me this mask over a new Profiler.
Looks---As we all know looks are 75% of paintball :) and this mask is nice looking. It has a very sleek look to it. Just look at any pic of it, it looks good in any color.
CONS--Echo---In testing, Manike (the R&D guy behind the Vents masks and 2k5 and newer Intimidators) stated that the venting in the front sides of a mask do nothing to help in fogging. While this may be true, they do help in dissipating the sound of your voice. The Vents masks do not have any holes on the jawline of the mask. This allows some of your voice to carry straight back to your ears. This makes the mask seem really loud, specifically when you are screaming at the other players on your team. While this is not a huge downside, it has made several players on my team not use Vents and one go as far as to trade an E-vent to a new Profiler. I, personally, believe it is something that takes time to get used to.
Price---I know that I listed this mask's value as a PRO, but it is still out of the price range of many players. Plus, I do not see how the foam ear pieces and a few Empire logos warrant the price difference between the E-Vent and the Avatar. I guess Empire needs that extra 15 bucks.
3. Availability---At the present, many Vents colors are hard to come by. While I understand that the mask is new and everyone wants one, this can be aggravating to the impatient who want one now. This is not a problem for me, but be realistic, many will complain about it.
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| Conclusion: |
OVERALL--- This mask is an excellent addition to the current lineup of great gear that is coming out this season. While it is not a perfect mask, it has advantages over every other mask on the market. Once you get used to the echo and the pinch on your bank account, you will be very satisfied with your investment.
I gave this mask an eight due to the echo. |
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