Hello from Horsham (Sussex)

[Reef]

My son (11) and I went to our first skirmish on Sunday. We had a blast and are thinking of taking this up as a hobby. We’ve got lots of questions but will browse the site before asking something that’s probably been asked a million times.

We are going to go a few more time to make sure it’s for us before buying kit but any advice on what should be first on the list is welcome! I’ve got camo clothing on order, my son’s already got some.

Thanks for reading

 

[TacticalWaifu]

Hi, @Reef! ?

Great to hear you had a blast! Absolutely appreciate you looking before asking the same things -- something that can be quite rate in these parts!

Forum folks are friendly though, so if there's anything you're unsure of or hasn't been covered before, don't be afraid to ask

Seeing how you do for a few skirmishes is the best way - some folk rush into buying a bunch of kit right away, then find after a while either that airsoft isn't really for them, or that the kit they grabbed initially, wasn't really what they ended up wanting to use.

I'd say eye protection is probably the first and most important thing you need -- decent stuff (you don't want it to fail!), and a full-face mask for your son (a number of sites won't let u18's use less than full face pro). For you, I'd say some kind of lower mask or other face pro is also worthwhile -- while you don't want to lose your sight, you also don't want to risk losing your teeth! It's personal preferences but @Dan Robinson can let you know how "it'll never happen to me" can end ?

PPE aside, decent footwear helps - whether you fancy combat boots or even just hiking/walking boots, generally something a little more supportive will serve you well.

Pew-wise (if/when the time comes)... it's a bit of a trope for folk to rush in to get a sniper rifle, or decide a pistol will be all they need -- then later regret those choices. Plenty "what should my first gun be" etc. posts around

Thanks for a great first post, and welcome to AFUK!

~TW

 

[Dan Robinson]

Welcome.  Might be down your neck of the woods this summer.... Well I will be at the end of the month, but I'll be shooting real steel this time. 

As mentioned... Get some form of lower face / teeth protection as after nearly 2 years of being lucky, I have a stick together incisor courtesy of a well aimed burst of fire. 

Not painful at the time, but jolly inconvenient. 

 

[EDcase]

Welcome Reef ?

Good plan to play first and buy later.

Play 3 games at the same site so you can then ask them to be UKARA registered.  That will allow you to buy realistic 'black' weaponry.

As TacticalWaifu said, Eye protection is the first priority.  Fogging is a real problem with the cheaper goggles but don't go crazy and spend hundreds either.

Many here recommend 'Revision Wipes' to avoid fogging.  Have a search in the forum for recommended eyepro.

Mesh doesn't fog but does obscure vision and in theory BBs can shatter on impact with bits small enough to get through so not recommended.

Next is the lower facemask.  Mesh is best because it doesn't direct your breath to your eyepro.

As stated above, under 18s often require full mask.

Boots with ankle support are highly recommended.  Most common injuries are sprained ankles from running on very uneven ground.

Don't have to spend loads.  Either military surplus or have a look in nearest SportDirect at the hiking section.

 

[Impulse]

Hey there! If you're down at Worthing you'll probably see me around (though hopefully not during the game or I'm not doing my job well enough!).

In terms of what I'd get, I would do exactly what you're doing and giveit a few times to make sure it's for you. In terms of other stuff, good eye protection and good boots are must-haves in my opinion. Also, for your son he will need full face protection. I know at Worthing they say for the very young ones it has to be one-piece, so a full mask as opposed to eye protection plus a lower face mask. Obviously it depends where you're playing, but that's what it's like at Worthing at least.

For kit, army surplus shops are great. Can pick up some cheap DPM or MTP camo, as well as either a cheap load bearing assault vest or a set of PLCE webbing for next to nothing.

In terms of first guns, we can cross that bridge when we get there, but there are plenty of budget-friendly AEGs out there that make perfect starter guns. Cyma have some great offerings for mp5/AK/m14s, Double Eagle have some great m4 style rifles, but really I find that guns are very much down to personal preference, hence I think it's probably a discussion for once you and your son have decided if the hobby is for you.

Pew-wise (if/when the time comes)... it's a bit of a trope for folk to rush in to get a sniper rifle, or decide a pistol will be all they need -- then later regret those choices. Plenty "what should my first gun be" etc. posts around

Hey, I got a sniper rifle as my first gun and it worked out well for me!

(in all seriousness though, I wouldn't advise it. Lots of people think airsoft sniping is going to be like in video games but it's really not and more often than not you'll be at a serious disadvantage)

 

[Reef]

Thank you for the warm welcome guys.

We’re good for boots and clothing for now but I think some webbing or tactical vest would be useful for me, my son already has one

My poor son caught a BB to the neck on Sunday and it really hurt him. He toughed it out but made us realise the importance of covering bare skin. He did have a scarf but it had slipped down.

The face masks we hired were big plastic full face affairs with built in mesh goggles, they were pretty cumbersome but did the job. We might look at buying something similar, as noob’s we’re going to take a lot of hits so protection ranks above looking good…

I keep hearing about BB fragments and mesh goggles but as we both wear glasses anyway I’m thinking this is the way to go.

 

[Cannonfodder]

Welcome

Good call on getting a few games under your belt before buying guns. Do the site have different models of rental guns? If so try renting different ones, this will allow you to see what suits your playing style, eg a carbine or smg is better if you're the type who likes to go sneaking through thick bushes. 

For PPE your son will need a full face mask as pretty much all sites require them for under 18s. For you it's down to personal preference, but I'd recommend using a face mask as it's a lot cheaper than a trip to the dentist. A good pair of boots are also recommended as they give better grip and ankle support. You don't want your day ruined by a fall or twisted ankle. Also a pair of gloves are a good idea as shots to the hand and fingers bloody hurt

For load carrying kit be careful not to immediately buy every bit of kit you like the look of. It's easy to end up with loads of bits and pieces you thought you needed but don't. Also just because you have an empty pouch it doesn't mean you have to fill it

When you're at a game don't be afraid to ask others about their guns and gear, most of us are a friendly bunch and are more than happy to show off our kit. Hell, its it's probably harder to get us to shut up when talking pews.

 

[The_Lord_Poncho]

The face masks we hired were big plastic full face affairs with built in mesh goggles, they were pretty cumbersome but did the job. We might look at buying something similar, as noob’s we’re going to take a lot of hits so protection ranks above looking good…

I keep hearing about BB fragments and mesh goggles but as we both wear glasses anyway I’m thinking this is the way to go.

You hear lots of scare story's about fragments going through mesh, and I'm sure a few of them are true. However my personal view is that you would need to be exceptionally unlucky for a BB to fragment and elements pass through, if they did their velocity would likely be reduced substantially such that they would be a nuisance rather than a danger. And if you are both wearing glasses underneath anyhow, then happy days. When outdoors, i always play with mesh these days - I tried a plethora of different goggles and anti mist sprays first! In my view, especially factoring in your son - the likely danger of him being tempted to lift and try to clear a steamed up mask mid game is much higher than the risk of BB fragments penetrating mesh. Those big 'kombat' style mesh masks that you likely were given by the site (Dogtag by any chance?) are also rather flexible, reducing further the likelihood of BB fragmentation.

Welcome by the way! I'm just into East Sussex, and Dogtag was my first place i tried airsoft out a year and a half back.

 

[Reef]

It was Dogtag we went to, literally 5 mins down the road. They only have the G36 guns for hire, size and weight is fine for both of us but accuracy leaves a lot to be desired. ?

Yes, it was the Kombat style masks. The coverage from the mask I found gave me confidence to push forward. Only thing I didn’t like about the hire masks was the single colour, I think it’s a real giveaway. I’m thinking of buying a couple and spraying them to break up the outline.

We’ve had some great chats with people both at Dogtag and Crawley Surplus. As you say people are more than happy to discuss and help out. I was impressed how good people were with my son, really supportive of him when we got separated. I caught him out of the corner of my eye throwing a smoke grenade, I don’t even know where he got if from??