Helix Base Features:
* Hard Plastic mask
* Clear Lens (Thermal or Single)
* Browser (Visor / Browshield combined)
* Grey and black Vents strap
* Easy lens changeability
Super Competitive!
The Helix hardcore base model - a hardshell mask. The Helix comes in 3 versions - thermal, single and field. All models come with a Vents "Browser" (combined Visor and Brow Shield).
The thermal and single models featuring dual density foam (for increased comfort) for players who want to own their own.The field model with closed cell foam - for hire.
Product Availability
The Empire Vents Helix Goggles are newer, so they should be commonly available, both new and used. Check out the Places to Buy links below for places to purchase them new.
The adjustable strap comes loose every now, hard to hear whats around you
Review:
Just used it today while playing in some woods. Held up well, and seemed fairly tactical (paint scheme). Got shot pretty good on the side of my head, didnt really notice until someone told me. The strap came loose a couple times, and hard to wear with a cammie boonie cover (or hat or whatever you call it). I sweat alot, and tend to breathe heavy when its hot and humid, and yet never fogged.
Conclusion:
I love it, and if you want to stay under a $50 limit and you want quality, i strongly reccomend it for just that reason.
Tippmann A-5, flatline, swat stock, responce trigger, low profile hopper, pure enrgy 20oz tank, remote, and red dot scope. all for $600
Strengths:
Looks, removeable lens, different lens replacements, wide view, and visor, PRICE.
Weaknesses:
When removing the lens, the little pieces that you remove first I almost lost one
Review:
I have used it several times and it does not fog up, I would use this mask any day before i would use my JT again. it is a little weird feeling at first but you will get used to it shortley. all to gether i have been paintballing for 8 years and always used my JT and was never happy with it. the last time I went I i borrowed someones Helix and was so satisfied i bought one myself.
Conclusion:
Buy it you will love it
Rating:
9 out of 10
Last edited on Monday, January 4th, 2010 at 9:10 am PST
Does not fog, Protects well beyond the ears, Comfy
Weaknesses:
None
Review:
I used the tippmann tp420 for a few games as there were given to me by a friend, they kept fogging up so bad i needed to buy a new pair for our next PB session. i went to my local PB store and the owner recomended the helix as they were a great and cheap goggle setup. they were so cheap i was able to buy an upgraded pair of yellow lens's. within the first 10 minutes of playing i knew i loved them, the visibility from the yellow lens's was amazing too
Conclusion:
I highly recomend them, cheap, comfy, and do not fog and protect well
09 Proto SLG
Halo V35 w/rip drive
68/4500 Pure Energy Carbon Fiber
REDZ4+1 vertical harness woodsball
Karnage 3+4 harness speedball
Kingman Java Remote coil hose
Strengths:
Price(see review)
Easy to replace lens
Comfortable
Weaknesses:
Thermal lens(see review)
Review:
I bought this mask at a Bass Pro Shop last month for 34 dollars but i ended up paying a little over 40 dollars because of crazy 10% sales tax in LA. As soon as we left the store we got stuck in a severe thunderstorm and couldn't drive so i opened them up. The instructions were informative but some of the pictures were dark and blurry but i figured it out. I don't like the thermal lens but thats just personal prefference.Very good venting and audio. I took them too the field and got shot in the face and ate alot of paint but that just means you have good venting lol.
**EDIT**
Last weekend i went to go play paintball and got shot in the mouth with some pretty good paint(evil) and got a bounce off the hardest part of the mask and i was like :0
Conclusion:
Get them. They are cheap and a very good mask.
Rating:
10 out of 10
Last edited on Saturday, July 25th, 2009 at 10:03 pm PST
Tippmann 98c with
16" smart part barrel
Remote
Archon 200 loader
Camo stickers
Spyder Rodeo
16" barrel?
Smart parts Vibe
14" j&j ceramics
Ricochet apache lcd
48/3k DXS compressed air
Strengths:
HUGE lens
great protection
Doesnt fog
Weaknesses:
Lets the paint in bad (will explain)
Review:
Well I got these and out of the box they were impressive. They look real good in real life and came with good detailed instructions.
Game day came and so I was psyched to get to use these.
Weight: Pretty heavy because of the thick plastic
Lens: Huge lens, doesnt distort view. Just remeber to take off plastic on both sides of the lens.
Fog protection: Good, no fogging with proper care and no glasses. Unfortanetly I wear glases and they made my glasses fog up. Also slightly fogs when splattered with paint,.
Going to contacts now.
Protection: Great protection. Very hard plastic makes getting hurt a thing of the past. Foam is comfortable and absorbs sweat well
This has a weakness in the fact that paint can get everywhere because of the breathability. I got heavy fire and so all paint splattered on me. There was paint inside the lens from the holes in the top and so couldnt see anymore. There was also some inside the mask .
Conclusion:
I would recommend this or Proto El for cheap good mask. Its protection and anti-fogging was a huge help over my old v-force,
Empire 2009 E-Vents
JT Spectra flex
Java Spyder V type
Marker Setup:
Smart Parts Dynasty Shocker
CP reg
dye rotor
freak kit
Invert Mini
Halo hopper
dye boomstick 12 inch 2 piece
stinger grips for thinner feel
Spyder Pilot ACS- Pink and black
Apache ricochet hopper
Dye Ultra Light and boomstick Barrel- pink tip and black back.
I run with CO2 but i wanna convert to air.
Strengths:
Nice Cool look, wide open view, comfortable on ears and face
Weaknesses:
Cant really hear great threw it.
Review:
I got the thermal mask and i got it cause my local paintball shop told me it doesnt make you fell clostrofobic and he was right it was a wide open view. it has a great thermal lense and is very very comfortable. it is a great mask, but for comfort id recomend the E-vents, i recently got the 09 e-vents and its way more comfortable and u can hear better threw it, but this is a good beginners mask. it was my first mask now i have 4 goggles.
Conclusion:
A great mask that doesnt cost much.
Rating:
8 out of 10
Last edited on Saturday, October 24th, 2009 at 9:21 pm PST
Tippmann armor mask, Jt Nvader, Proto Switch EL, Java V-type
Marker Setup:
Spyder vs1 with a 14" razzor barrel, eVlution 3 hopper, and a check it slip on feedneck.
Strengths:
Large Lens
Protective
DOESN'T FOG
Comfortable
CHEAP
Looks awesome
Tough Lens
Good foam
Weaknesses:
No Chin Strap
Review:
So far I've used this mask three times and I am really impressed. I bought mine for 30$ at my local pro shop which is pretty cheap. This is the best mask I've used so far. I used a proto switch EL for about 9 months untill the foam on it started chipping. I like this mask more than the proto switch EL. First off the lens is massive. I can see as much out of this mask as I can when I'm not wearing a mask at all. The lens also doesn't scratch very much. I have maybe 1-2 small scratches on the lens and I've used it three times (woodsball and speedball). It's also really protective. It's durable and doesn't feel like a flimsy piece of garbage when you put it on your like the V-type goggles (if you've ever used V-types you know what I'm talking about). This mask also NEVER FOGS. I've tried to make it fog and it doesn't. I wore this in 90 degree weather and intentionally blew on it and it won't fog. It's also really comfortable. If you wear it long enough you forget you're wearing a mask. It also looks really good. It makes you look like a veteran and people think you really know paintball when you have it on. The foam on it is awesome. It has a kind of rubbery foam. It really keeps the sweat out of your lens and doesn't chip away after long use. The lens is also easy to change. All you have to do is flip up a switch on each side and the lens pops right out. The only thing that bothered me is that there is no chin strap. It's really not a negative its more of a personal preference.
Conclusion:
If you're just starting paintball I strongly recommend it. If you've been playing for 10 years and are in tournaments and are looking for a cheap reliable mask pick it up. This mask can easily stand up to any higher end mask.
Rating:
10 out of 10
Last edited on Friday, May 30th, 2008 at 6:17 pm PST
Narrow profile.
Great field of vision.
Thermal lens.
Easy to change lens.
Affordable.
Weaknesses:
I wish it came in camo.
Review:
The Vents Helix are a great pair of goggles.
They give full coverage of your face and ears.
They have a perfect field of vision - you don' t lose any peripheral sight.
The thermal lens performs flawlessly.
The lens is extremely easy to change. You just flip a couple of knobs at the temple and pop the lens off.
They are lightweight.
The head strap grips well.
They are really cheap - less than $35.
I got mine in olive, which is good for woods ball. My only complaint is that I wish they came in camoflage.
Conclusion:
Don't get suckered into buying an expensive mask. The Vents Helix look wicked cool, they're cheap, and they perform as well as anything on the market.
I've been using mine since before the begining of the summer of 2007 and they have never fogged on me since. They have great comfert and stability but a little hard to get a bounce off the face peice. I havnt gotten shot in the face yet but i have taken spray on it and it is a very easy mask to maintain. The straps worn down a little fast on mine because i keep them as tight as i can on my head but that isnt a problem. I like the look of the mask because its got that hey im not a renter so i wouldnt try bunkering me look (lol :) ). I must say though even though my lenses can a little bit scratched they are so good that every time i put them on i see a scratch then realize they are my eyes reflecting.
Conclusion:
I highly recomend these goggles to any one that needs a new pair because they are cheap, rekiable and easy to maintain. At around $35-50 (depending where you are from) you cant go wrong.
Great price, Great field of view, Don't fog (as easily)
Weaknesses:
None really
Review:
08/10/09: We played some woodsball this weekend. It was 93^ and the humidity was up. I started fogging almost immediately-before the first game even. Come to find out it was my GLASSES underneath my mask, and not my mask at all! My mask didn't fog all day and the foam was comfortable all day even though it was sweat soaked all day.
For a $30 mask I couldn't be happier.
09/14/08: update
I have worn this mask for almost two years now. I have never had any real fogging issues. It is comfortable all day long. The field of view is great. the lens seems to distort less than some other masks I have tried on. One little issue I have run into. A got hit from mid to close range in the mouth area and I ended up with a bloody nose. Evidently I didn't have the mask on tight enough. Since then I always adjust the mask as tight as is comfortable. I have taken a shot in the mouth area since then and I have not had the same thing happen. I bought this mask at the recommendation from a local paintball store. The thermal lens is great. It definitely fogs less than the other masks I have worn. The field of vision is superb-especially compared to my son's V-Force Thermal. It is very comfortable. The foam protection seems thicker and more durable than what was in my JT mask. Also this lens seems to clean easier than any other mask I have used. The quick lens removal system is sweet. The venting "holes" are more like long slits. They seem larger than those on my old JT mask. I assume that is why it oesn't seem to get as hot as my old mask. However, if you get "hit on the side of your mask you get more paint on your face. I will take better comfort and less heat anyday. I got hit right in the nose area yesterday and I got some paint up my nose. That was a new experience. I have also taken a couple of hits in the mouth area, and not all paintballs taste the same! :)
Conclusion:
Great bang for the buck-buy it-you will fog less and see more in your peripheral vision.
If you are at all uncomfortable with the flexiblity of some of the higher end mask, this mask gives you great comfort and protection. Maybe not as many bounces.
Best mask in it's price range. My son would dispute this though!
Rating:
10 out of 10
Last edited on Monday, August 10th, 2009 at 1:03 pm PST
