Surplus Armour - Realising Hits

[AshOnSnow]

Has anyone got some thoughts to share on wearing real military armour on airsoft in relation to feeling/hearing/recognising hits?

For example, I have an MK6 helmet where if you were to get hit by a 5.56 on the top, you'd f***ing well know about, but with a 6mm BB, you really still hear it and it's easy to call a hit although you'd escape the short dizzy spell!

Any experiences of using real military armour?

BTW, while messing around a couple days ago, a buddy of mine shot me in the chest with my WE P226 while I had a T shirt on and it was hell painful and I bled a fair bit for a while, still swollen (had red gas in). Still, just something to consider, in the whole realm of armour vs hit taking.

 

[Sacarathe]

BTW, while messing around a couple days ago, a buddy of mine shot me in the chest with my WE P226 while I had a T shirt on and it was hell painful and I bled a fair bit for a while, still swollen (had red gas in). Still, just something to consider, in the whole realm of armour vs hit taking.

How many joules was that?

 

[Lozart]

I really, REALLY don't see the point of lugging about real armour.

 

[Bottledtorment]

Haha, in before the hate. I wear a pair of large SAPI plates in my JPC. I mostly wear it for weight training.

As for feeling/hearing hits it is actually easier to hear them bouncing off you than on a plate carrier with foam plates.

Any questions?

 

[AvidAirsofter776]

Haha, in before the hate. I wear a pair of large SAPI plates in my JPC. I mostly wear it for weight training.

As for feeling/hearing hits it is actually easier to hear them bouncing off you than on a plate carrier with foam plates.

Any questions?

That's pretty much what I expected, if you have lots of soft padding, it will take the force of the bb and the sound, however solid armour such as abs plastic in helmets and such would make a clack while still protecting the user.

 

[Roundel91]

I personally dont bother. Osprey stuff im not sure if you only get the vest without the soft armor and the plate sleeves when buying from surplus but it is fairly bulky, a pain in the arse to shoulder a rifle comfortably and its difficult crawling through tight spaces when wearing it with all the pouches and stuff on.

For real world work stuff in dodgy places i wouldnt want to be without it.

For playing airsoft i just stick to a molle battle belt setup and a hat, youll be far quicker on your feet and have less mobility issues. That being said running round with a heavy vest will do you some good on the fitness side lol.

I think youd notice your hits anyway, would make quiet a noticeable sound

 

[Greg147]

I don't have a problem with hard stuff, it's the soft padding that annoys me, because the user can't hear or feel it. Not long again I played a skirmish with a chap on the other team wearing a desert DPM helmet, with tonnes of fluff and ghillie prodded into the net cover. The guy can't have realised how often he was getting hit. He stood out like a sore thumb, and anytime someone complained about hit taking, it was normally met by the response 'it's not that guy with the stupid helmet again is it?'.

I find that people who make poor clothing choices normally have opinions circulated pretty quickly. Can't say I've heard of people complaining about usage of real armor. My only question would be, is it worth the cost?

 

[ImTriggerHappy]

Simple fact is its airSOFT no padding or armour is needed other than face pro and gloves.

Saying about hearing it is great but that is not always true. I have had my mag pouches hit and if a someone hadn't called it I wouldn't have a clue. The occasional none taken hit by accident is acceptable but it happens too often with the people who overdress.

Wear what's necessary but nothing more its better for everybody.

At the end of the day instead of padding up try manning up.

 

[Dechande]

Soft armour, level 3a etc, will prevent you from feeling anything, I've found.

I don't get paid to wear armour anymore, so I don't. For fitness, I go the gym, wearing armour for this purpose doesn't make sense to me, your back and your knees will suffer, unless your life depends on it, leave it out. If you 'have' to wear it while playing, that's up to you.

Plates will, obviously, prevent you from feeling a bb, like soft armour. Plates are more audible, but I wouldn't like to rely on that.

I wear a plate carrier, sometimes with a nut plate (depending on the site), because I want to, it holds my stuff and I don't like going home to my wife looking like I've got dermatological issues.

I use nbr foam in my vests, it's light, cool to the touch and doesn't insulate heat like EVA foam does. I can feel most hits through it, if I'm ever unsure, I just call hit anyway. If I enter a room, and there are people shooting my way, I generally take a hit, or a 'fifty-fifty', if I hit them on the basis there's a good chance they did hit me, perhaps on a thick part of the vest/belt, or on a filled mag pouch.

I always wear a helmet when I play, but have never had a problem knowing when I'm hit, it's loud. Whether it be ballistic or plastic, you'll know you're hit.

 

[AshOnSnow]

How many joules was that?

Not sure - it was set up from a night game where it had been around 3 degrees so I loaded it with the high power gas, it was shooting 280 then. Totally forgot about it when I went to demonstrate that "airsoft doesn't really hurt - you feel it when you're hit, but it's not particularly painful", in my living room 20 degrees warmer, and the magazine had been on the table next to the radiator for an hour

I had an angry red swollen welt for 4 days, the mark is mostly gone now lol

 

[Sacarathe]

Not sure - it was set up from a night game where it had been around 3 degrees so I loaded it with the high power gas, it was shooting 280 then. Totally forgot about it when I went to demonstrate that "airsoft doesn't really hurt - you feel it when you're hit, but it's not particularly painful", in my living room 20 degrees warmer, and the magazine had been on the table next to the radiator for an hour

I had an angry red swollen welt for 4 days, the mark is mostly gone now lol

Well, the reason I asked this question was that, something like this, plus ammo weight, could (for example) result in that pistol exceeding 2.5J, a power rating you would never encounter in airsoft (due to MEDs on 400-500 fps @0.2g guns in the sniper role).

What weight of BB were you using? It's not possible to calculate the power of course, but if you replicated the test I would not be surprised if the muzzle power was over 1.3J. Which, without being rude here, invalidates your original post's impetus.

On the basis that preparing for a situation you will never [consent] to encounter would likely damage everyone's fun. Now that said, we protect our heads/neck as much as possible, but people are not suppose to shoot there anyway.

I would suggest you repeat this test with a chronograph (same ammo weight) or a coke can.

 

[Jambo88]

Well, the reason I asked this question was that, something like this, plus ammo weight, could (for example) result in that pistol exceeding 2.5J, a power rating you would never encounter in airsoft (due to MEDs on 400-500 fps @0.2g guns in the sniper role).

What weight of BB were you using? It's not possible to calculate the power of course, but if you replicated the test I would not be surprised if the muzzle power was over 1.3J. Which, without being rude here, invalidates your original post's impetus.

On the basis that preparing for a situation you will never [consent] to encounter would likely damage everyone's fun. Now that said, we protect our heads/neck as much as possible, but people are not suppose to shoot there anyway.

I would suggest you repeat this test with a chronograph (same ammo weight) or a coke can.

Awright mythbusters leave the boy alone

 

[Sacarathe]

Awright mythbusters leave the boy alone

Actually I admire him for replying honestly. There is no way that guy is not my senior.