Just about ready to pull the trigger on lasik when the funds are there. Tired of fogged glasses and facemasks. Have trained myself to exhale with my top lip over my bottom lip while hunting. But during the hottest and muggiest hunts late in the season and early season waterfowl I still have to wipe my glasses off. Have tried spit and rub, rain x, neverfog etc. Nothing seems to last.
Thinking hard about blackening my face or paint it up.
Any of you guys like one type of paint better than another?
I wish I could have lasik, my astigmatism is to bad and the other problem I have is when I see a light my eyes tend to drift to the side and you have to be able to stare and hold you eye on a red light that is used to help reference where the laser goes so I can't have it. I used to have a nice facemask that did not fog my glasses at all but it came up missing so Now I have very thin black Rynoskin mask that works okay or if it is to hot I just put on some black face paint. (I hunt out of a blind with a blackened interior)
I switched to Carbo Mask a few years back. Water based, no grease. Easy to clean off.
I just use whatever I find that's cheap. I like facepaint better than a mask. Especially bowhunting. I am not a very serious hunter though because I don't take the time to do a wicked looking design.
Quote from: Happy on March 29, 2018, 07:48:56 PM
I just use whatever I find that's cheap. I like facepaint better than a mask. Especially bowhunting. I am not a very serious hunter though because I don't take the time to do a wicked looking design.
Oh crap, guess I am not serious either then!
Used old military stuff back in the day. Then the HS stuff. May give that carbomask a shot
Thx!
Carbo Mask is the best face paint that I have used.
I started off hunting with a head net with a giant slot around the eyes. I don't wear anything any more. I do a lot of run and gun hunting and don't have a problem harvesting toms without anything over my head or face. Turkeys have incredible eye-sight and can be super spooky but I've found that similar to all game, they notice movement. Obviously a white face inside a dark blind may stand out. Also, hunting high pressured easterns it may be a different story.
A good friend of mine that wears glasses had the same problem. For years, he wore the full face cotton facemasks and he complained of his glasses always fogging up. I gave him one of my 3/4 mesh masks and he loves it. I use the 3/4 mesh from HS Strut. It breathes extremely well, doesn't trap air and moisture like the full masks do and I can get it up and down without effort and without removing my hat. Good hunting and best wishes until Lasik comes along.
Had some camouflage dust ,hs strut or Fred bear I think. Good stuff and came of easier than than the creamy face paint.
Haven't seen it out in a while though.
carbo mask, removes very easily
My way hiding my face might be of interest here. I don't wear a mask in the classic sense. I started turkey hunting before there were dedicated turkey masks. I have to wear glasses. Paint was always such a hard thing to get off my face. In those days I was a wearing 3-piece suit during the week. Coming into work with a smear of missed facepaint was a career limiting move.
Back in the day, I bought some camo mesh. They used to sell it by the yard in the store. You can still find it online. Wing Supply may still have it by the yard. I took a couple feet of the stuff and tied it onto the tabs of a camo boonie hat. The end result looks like the ear tufts of an owl. When I'm traveling, I keep it back over my neck. When I'm on a gob, I pull it over my face. If you tie it just right, the mesh hangs down like a veil from the brim of the hat. There's a bit of a sag in the middle-- enough to see through and sight my shotgun.
There's an added bonus. When I'm calling, I leave the veil piled up on top of the hat. When it's showtime, all I have to do is duck my head down and the veil falls down into its proper place.
The big benefit of wearing a turkey veil is the mesh stays far enough away from my face that my glasses don't steam up, and I don't have the dang thing bothering me. I can put a mouth call in from underneath with no problem.
This is a real old-school method. I haven't seen it mentioned in 30 years.
I got contacts a couple years ago for this very reason.
The black duck commander paint comes off pretty easily.
Lately for duck hunting, I've been using cork soot to black up my face. That might not work if you are sweating from the heat and humidity.
I only use paint below my eyes, on my nose and on the ears. The beard covers everything else a mask would.
Don't know if it is the best, but the Dead Down Wind paint comes off easily with a baby wipe. Unfortunately it also gets on the hand when you scratch your nose or itch your ear. May have to check that Carbo Mask stuff out.
I have found a Redhead brand boonie hat is the ticket for keeping the Sun from coming over my shoulder and lighting my glasses up. Shining glasses will get you busted. I always set up in the shade, but the shade moves and sometimes I can't move with it. The wide brim boonie keeps everything from the nose up in shadow.
Go to the eye doctor and get contacts.Best move I have made. I wear headnets and face paint it just depends on my mood and what I have planned after hunting. You can buy daily contacts that you throw away every day after use or you can get monthly ones like I use. After you get used to taking them out and putting in they are super easy
Thx guys. Going to try the carbomask stuff.
Quote from: bobk on March 30, 2018, 07:49:38 AM
Carbo Mask is the best face paint that I have used.
Yep, it's good stuff. i use it or a burnt cork
Quote from: Muzzy61 on November 21, 2018, 01:42:43 PM
Quote from: bobk on March 30, 2018, 07:49:38 AM
Carbo Mask is the best face paint that I have used.
Yep, it's good stuff. i use it or a burnt cork
I bought some last year and was very disappointed in it, it was very wet, gritty and did not even stay on an hour and I put it on before I went on the 20 minute drive to the woods. I don't know if I got a bad batch or what but the old Fred Bear paint I have stays on better than that did. What did stay on did come off very easy as advertised though.
I never experienced those problems with Carbo Mask.
Quote from: Sir-diealot on November 21, 2018, 05:40:46 PM
Quote from: Muzzy61 on November 21, 2018, 01:42:43 PM
Quote from: bobk on March 30, 2018, 07:49:38 AM
Carbo Mask is the best face paint that I have used.
Yep, it's good stuff. i use it or a burnt cork
I bought some last year and was very disappointed in it, it was very wet, gritty and did not even stay on an hour and I put it on before I went on the 20 minute drive to the woods. I don't know if I got a bad batch or what but the old Fred Bear paint I have stays on better than that did. What did stay on did come off very easy as advertised though.
Sounds like it had settled out in the tube. I've seen that. Shake it up real good before you put it on.
Carbo mask is by far my favorite. It needs a good shake if it's settled for too long.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Quote from: Rapscallion Vermilion on November 22, 2018, 05:35:12 PM
Quote from: Sir-diealot on November 21, 2018, 05:40:46 PM
Quote from: Muzzy61 on November 21, 2018, 01:42:43 PM
Quote from: bobk on March 30, 2018, 07:49:38 AM
Carbo Mask is the best face paint that I have used.
Yep, it's good stuff. i use it or a burnt cork
I bought some last year and was very disappointed in it, it was very wet, gritty and did not even stay on an hour and I put it on before I went on the 20 minute drive to the woods. I don't know if I got a bad batch or what but the old Fred Bear paint I have stays on better than that did. What did stay on did come off very easy as advertised though.
Sounds like it had settled out in the tube. I've seen that. Shake it up real good before you put it on.
I will try that in the morning.
Quote from: Sir-diealot on November 23, 2018, 12:23:09 AM
Quote from: Rapscallion Vermilion on November 22, 2018, 05:35:12 PM
Quote from: Sir-diealot on November 21, 2018, 05:40:46 PM
Quote from: Muzzy61 on November 21, 2018, 01:42:43 PM
Quote from: bobk on March 30, 2018, 07:49:38 AM
Carbo Mask is the best face paint that I have used.
Yep, it's good stuff. i use it or a burnt cork
I bought some last year and was very disappointed in it, it was very wet, gritty and did not even stay on an hour and I put it on before I went on the 20 minute drive to the woods. I don't know if I got a bad batch or what but the old Fred Bear paint I have stays on better than that did. What did stay on did come off very easy as advertised though.
Sounds like it had settled out in the tube. I've seen that. Shake it up real good before you put it on.
I will try that in the morning.
Good luck!!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Quote from: jryser on November 23, 2018, 08:00:02 AM
Quote from: Sir-diealot on November 23, 2018, 12:23:09 AM
Quote from: Rapscallion Vermilion on November 22, 2018, 05:35:12 PM
Quote from: Sir-diealot on November 21, 2018, 05:40:46 PM
Quote from: Muzzy61 on November 21, 2018, 01:42:43 PM
Quote from: bobk on March 30, 2018, 07:49:38 AM
Carbo Mask is the best face paint that I have used.
Yep, it's good stuff. i use it or a burnt cork
I bought some last year and was very disappointed in it, it was very wet, gritty and did not even stay on an hour and I put it on before I went on the 20 minute drive to the woods. I don't know if I got a bad batch or what but the old Fred Bear paint I have stays on better than that did. What did stay on did come off very easy as advertised though.
Sounds like it had settled out in the tube. I've seen that. Shake it up real good before you put it on.
I will try that in the morning.
Good luck!!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Followup on my above comments, I did try shaking it up and it did not work so I contacted the company and told them the experience that I had with their product and they sent me a new tube of the same and I can tell you the difference was night and day, I could tell it was much thicker just holding the container in my hand, I shook up both containers then went and applied some to each side of my face, the old one on one side and the new to the other and the new one did not feel at all gritty, applied better than the old one and dried much faster as well. I will give it a try this Spring. The manufacturer said that when you buy from big mass marker websites like Amazon you never know how long it has been sitting around degrading so I will buy directly from them when I do order more.
I use this stuff from duck commander in black. Doesn't come off when I sweat but comes off super easy. I have a beard and glasses and put it around my eyes and cheeks. Started using it last season and will continue.
Quote from: turkey harvester on December 12, 2018, 09:06:31 AM
I use this stuff from duck commander in black. Doesn't come off when I sweat but comes off super easy. I have a beard and glasses and put it around my eyes and cheeks. Started using it last season and will continue.
I also wear glasses and a beard and apply face paint the same as well as any part exposed under my face mask. I will pick up so other colors as well so I can try them as I try sitting on the ground this year, only thing I will not like is the bugs which is a major reason I wear a head net and booniehat. I am planning to get a Thermacell so maybe that will help, never used one before.
I don't wear glasses but I do use face paint all the time and when I sit down to work a gobbler I pull up my face mask. Next time you see another hunter in the woods what is most noticeable? His face shines and sticks out like a sore thumb. I don't want to take a chance of a gobbler spotting me while I'm moving thru the woods and having a mask on all day is no fun either. Ive had Gobblers and hens 5 feet from me sitting next to a tree when there that close I think a mask works better to hide you. I prefer the loose fitting netting kind not the form fitted ninja masks. As far as paint the military sticks work well they last all day sweat or not I have a lifetime supply of OD green and Brown. I've found baby wipes work well to remove face paint.
Another vote for carbomask.
I also wear glasses and the only mask that I've had success with is the Bandito 3/4 mask from Quaker Boy. It has a wire frame around the eye opening, which I can form around my glasses and they won't fog up. Plus I like the fact that it's around my neck, so when I need to make a quick set up all I need to do is pull it up.
I've been using these masks for many years and unfortunately the product quality isn't what it was 20 years ago, they still work good for me.
I love the hardy face paint. Stays on, does not smudge, and is easy to clean off.
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Haven't used any type of stuff on my face for years because I hate cleaning it off. But when I did............I was cheap. I used the ORIGINAL carbo mask. I'd pulverize a charcoal briquet with a hammer and put the fine dust in a Ziploc bag dry. When I got to the woods, I'd either dip my fingers in a creek, puddle, or dew-covered grass then into the bag and wipe it on my face.
Quote from: Sir-diealot on December 11, 2018, 07:35:51 AM
Quote from: jryser on November 23, 2018, 08:00:02 AM
Quote from: Sir-diealot on November 23, 2018, 12:23:09 AM
Quote from: Rapscallion Vermilion on November 22, 2018, 05:35:12 PM
Quote from: Sir-diealot on November 21, 2018, 05:40:46 PM
Quote from: Muzzy61 on November 21, 2018, 01:42:43 PM
Quote from: bobk on March 30, 2018, 07:49:38 AM
Carbo Mask is the best face paint that I have used.
Yep, it's good stuff. i use it or a burnt cork
I bought some last year and was very disappointed in it, it was very wet, gritty and did not even stay on an hour and I put it on before I went on the 20 minute drive to the woods. I don't know if I got a bad batch or what but the old Fred Bear paint I have stays on better than that did. What did stay on did come off very easy as advertised though.
Sounds like it had settled out in the tube. I've seen that. Shake it up real good before you put it on.
I will try that in the morning.
Good luck!!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Followup on my above comments, I did try shaking it up and it did not work so I contacted the company and told them the experience that I had with their product and they sent me a new tube of the same and I can tell you the difference was night and day, I could tell it was much thicker just holding the container in my hand, I shook up both containers then went and applied some to each side of my face, the old one on one side and the new to the other and the new one did not feel at all gritty, applied better than the old one and dried much faster as well. I will give it a try this Spring. The manufacturer said that when you buy from big mass marker websites like Amazon you never know how long it has been sitting around degrading so I will buy directly from them when I do order more.
Glad you got some good stuff! Ive been using carbo mask for years and I will tell you that if you let it freeze and thaw a lot it will degrade faster. It gets runny and gritty at that point and doesn't spread well or stay put on your face. If you keep it in the house during the colder months I feel like it will stay usable longer. I love the stuff and would never use greasy paint ever again. I keep one of the little tubes in my bino harness at all times and will even spread it on my hands in hot weather instead of using gloves. Great stuff!
Before I started wearing glasses, I'd slap my eyes with a branch at least once per season, especially in the dark. Once I started wearing glasses, the branch slapping continued but with no consequences since my eyes were protected. Even if I someday have Lasik, I'll still wear some sort of glasses while hunting for eye protection. I also wear a face mask while turkey hunting, but keep it more like a bandana over the nose area so as to eliminate fogging. My key to keeping hidden is a 3'x8' piece of camo cloth with holes in it for air passage that I set up in from of my turkey lounger behind which I barely peek over. This allows me to do whatever I want without being seen by any gobbler, including wearing a loose face mask as well as using both hands with a box call or lifting my shotgun from the ground to my shoulder. To date, no gobbler has been spooked by the camo cloth but instead seems to totally focus on the decoys.
Since I wear progressive glasses (like bi-focals) contact days are over. So I wear a head net with a giant slot around the eyes. Even with Florida heat/humidity it works for me. Flip/pull it back over head when moving. Pull down when I hear turkeys.
Was going to get lasik but read it has 95% success rate. Everything from dry eyes to vision problems. 1 to 20 chance for vision problems with my luck? No way. Weather lady who killed herself after lasik got me looking into problems people encounter after procedure. Was surprise at what I read, because you don't hear much about people experiencing problems.
Quote from: Crghss on February 24, 2019, 01:51:10 PM
Since I wear progressive glasses (like bi-focals) contact days are over. So I wear a head net with a giant slot around the eyes. Even with Florida heat/humidity it works for me. Flip/pull it back over head when moving. Pull down when I hear turkeys.
Was going to get lasik but read it has 95% success rate. Everything from dry eyes to vision problems. 1 to 20 chance for vision problems with my luck? No way. Weather lady who killed herself after lasik got me looking into problems people encounter after procedure. Was surprise at what I read, because you don't hear much about people experiencing problems.
I wanted to have it in the worst way but due to the fact that my eyes drift when they see light they said I could not have it. I guess there is a red reference light that you to look at and keep looking at so that the laser knew where it was supposed to do it's work. Have had bad eyes all my life, really would like to know how other people see but I guess I never will. Did find out after that about all the problems that I am sure you read about, but I think if I could safely have it I still would, I hate glasses with a passion and can't wear contacts.
Most everyone I hunt with that has glasses uses the cheap hs strut 3/4 face mask except for one. He uses the one that has a mask that tucks in his hat. I don't wear glasses and hate the kind that tucks in the hat because it touches my eye lashes. With his glasses it can't touch his.
Went with the carbo mask all last spring. I would shake it up each time and it lasted almost a full day (even in the hot humid days)hunting without running smearing etc except in the creases of my face.
Also wore it this season for ducks and geese. I ended up mixing the black and brown together. Worked out great. Will be using the black/brown mix with a little bit of green again this spring. Should be the last season for wearing glasses. Going the lasik route this summer. Trick I found out was to apply it generously and do not put it on thin.
I wear glasses too and the fog up is why I switched to face paint 2 seasons ago. I have worn the HS brand and I think the dead down wind brand. They were ok but smudged pretty easily and applying and clean up were messy. I went to Hardy face paint last season and really like it. It applies easily and cleans up very easily and no smudging.
I have a severe near-sight correction (coke bottles). I've been running the cheap mesh HS masks for years. I buy several after the end of season closeouts. Some of them I've cut mouth slits (also use them for waterfowl & predator hunting). I can't ever recall having any steam issues with the mesh masks, now the solid cloth or thermal ones are another story!
I just grow a beard. Economical option.
Quote from: BTH on March 29, 2018, 12:46:58 PM
Just about ready to pull the trigger on lasik when the funds are there. Tired of fogged glasses and facemasks. Have trained myself to exhale with my top lip over my bottom lip while hunting. But during the hottest and muggiest hunts late in the season and early season waterfowl I still have to wipe my glasses off. Have tried spit and rub, rain x, neverfog etc. Nothing seems to last.
Thinking hard about blackening my face or paint it up.
Any of you guys like one type of paint better than another?
As an optometrist, I highly recommend you find your lasik doc through an optometrist... I see who is good, and who is not so great in lots of patients, and send my patients to the best docs... Do NOT shop for a bargain... If someone is offering cheap lasik, there is a reason.
Also the optometrist will be more likely to look at your prescription and give advice as to whether you are a good candidate (myopia or near-sighted patients are the best candidates, far-sided hyperopic patients are not so great, and too much astigmatism makes for a poor candidate as well)... And remember, after you are in your mid 40's you will still need glasses for near or close work even with successful lasik correction.
As far as the mask fogging up, go to a mesh mask, and make sure the glasses are on the outside of the mask. Good coatings on lenses can also make a difference. A high quality anti-glare coating can reduce fogging (cheaper anti-glare coatings will increase fogging), and there are even some companies that put anti-fog coatings on lenses (although you need to use an activator).
As far as face-paint itself, Carbomask is the only one that I have found to work reasonably well. I prefer the mesh mask given the choice though... If I were bow-hunting, I would probably prefer the Carbomask.
I buy the face paint after Halloween when it goes on sale. You can pick it up for less than a $1. Comes off pretty easy with baby wipes.
There is nothing worse than fogged up glasses. If I wasn't a wimp I'd get contacts but for now I use a very loose fitting mesh mask. Without the straps around the back of my head. It can wiggle and that's aggravating, but not as bad as fogged up glasses.
Someone mentioned it above, but I saw using a piece of burnt cork from a meateater tip. Carry a wine cork and a lighter. Char it up, them rub around. Supposed to come off easy. I plan on testing it out for turkeys in about a month.
I currently use the hunters specialties cream stuff. It comes off easy, but also rubs off on everything that touches your face during the hunt.
Quote from: huntineveryday on February 23, 2020, 07:51:16 PM
Someone mentioned it above, but I saw using a piece of burnt cork from a meateater tip. Carry a wine cork and a lighter. Char it up, them rub around. Supposed to come off easy. I plan on testing it out for turkeys in about a month.
I currently use the hunters specialties cream stuff. It comes off easy, but also rubs off on everything that touches your face during the hunt.
Comes off real easy, I remember using it for a Halloween costume when I was a kid.
The hardy brand is pretty good . I wear a mesh mask on cool morns with my glasses, but when it's warm I put the paint on because my glasses fog up
Quote from: mathews8pt on February 18, 2019, 10:06:52 AM
Quote from: Sir-diealot on December 11, 2018, 07:35:51 AM
Quote from: jryser on November 23, 2018, 08:00:02 AM
Quote from: Sir-diealot on November 23, 2018, 12:23:09 AM
Quote from: Rapscallion Vermilion on November 22, 2018, 05:35:12 PM
Quote from: Sir-diealot on November 21, 2018, 05:40:46 PM
Quote from: Muzzy61 on November 21, 2018, 01:42:43 PM
Quote from: bobk on March 30, 2018, 07:49:38 AM
Carbo Mask is the best face paint that I have used.
Yep, it's good stuff. i use it or a burnt cork
I bought some last year and was very disappointed in it, it was very wet, gritty and did not even stay on an hour and I put it on before I went on the 20 minute drive to the woods. I don't know if I got a bad batch or what but the old Fred Bear paint I have stays on better than that did. What did stay on did come off very easy as advertised though.
Sounds like it had settled out in the tube. I've seen that. Shake it up real good before you put it on.
I will try that in the morning.
Good luck!!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Followup on my above comments, I did try shaking it up and it did not work so I contacted the company and told them the experience that I had with their product and they sent me a new tube of the same and I can tell you the difference was night and day, I could tell it was much thicker just holding the container in my hand, I shook up both containers then went and applied some to each side of my face, the old one on one side and the new to the other and the new one did not feel at all gritty, applied better than the old one and dried much faster as well. I will give it a try this Spring. The manufacturer said that when you buy from big mass marker websites like Amazon you never know how long it has been sitting around degrading so I will buy directly from them when I do order more.
Glad you got some good stuff! Ive been using carbo mask for years and I will tell you that if you let it freeze and thaw a lot it will degrade faster. It gets runny and gritty at that point and doesn't spread well or stay put on your face. If you keep it in the house during the colder months I feel like it will stay usable longer. I love the stuff and would never use greasy paint ever again. I keep one of the little tubes in my bino harness at all times and will even spread it on my hands in hot weather instead of using gloves. Great stuff!
Update to my update, unfortunately even the better tube of it just ran off me, I even put it on before I left the house with a good dry, clean face so it would have time to dry on my way there. Back to the old Fred Bear paint I guess.
Ive worn glasses for about 15 years. It was a hard adjustment for me when hunting because I prefer to wear a mask both in South Florida (light mesh) and upstate New York (Cold Gear) and lenses fogging drove me nuts. Figured out if i dont cover my nose with my mask i dont have a problem.
Turkey hunting I use a half mask that i can just wear around my neck until im ready to pull it up.
Had the problem a couple years ago. Tried the cork soot with poor results. Tried generic face paint with poor results and difficulty removing. Finally tried carbomask, much much better. I even put it in my ever whitening beard. I have had some settling issues with it from year to year but I give it a good shaking and occasionally stir with a bamboo skewer.
Battled fogged glasses for years. I bet I still have 6-7 different face masks in my closet but my glasses fog with all of them. I always ended up going back to face paint. Hate messing with face paint and trying to get it off. I looked at the Bunkerhead mask several times at the NWTF show and finally bought it this year. It works great. Mask is mounted on a wire and sticks out far enough from my glasses that I don't fog. Wire is easy to bend so you can push it down when not using.
I have worn glasses since age 12 and I am nearly 60. Tried many different face masks when starting out turkey hunting. I have been using the same old Primos half mask for many years now. It is one of the few that does not really fog my glasses. It is also fast! I wear around my neck and can slip it up in seconds.