If there’s anything funny to say about facial injuries, I can’t think of it, so just the facts on this one. ESS has taken a logical step past their goggle line to offer more protection for one of the most vulnerable portions of your body. The Cortex is made from an NIJ IIIA rated soft armor protective stack that covers enough of your mug to make a difference when taking shrapnel.
ESS was motivated to design the Cortex after seeing an Air Force study that showed that the 3 most common procedures on 150 patients in Balad, Iraq, were for facial injuries. The mask will snap in to your ESS Profile NVG or Profile TurboFan goggles and will allow a proper cheek weld while giving the wearer far better optical clarity than a full-face shield.
The company is careful to point out that while the materials used in making the mask carry an NIJ ballistic rating, the actual mask can’t carry a rating because there isn’t a standard for facial protection.
