(I know this should probably be in the new players thread/ and or this type of thread has probably be made hundreds of times but still)
Having waited around 3 years to get into Airsoft ,mainly because I decided to wait until I was 18, I am finally ready and UKARA certified. I have also saved in very small increments over the past 36 months and have managed to muster around £1000.
Few Conditions:
AEG
Maybe M4 platform but can be inclined to more exotic platforms e.g FAL
What Gear do you veterans recommend?
I'm talking clothes and equipment, all the way to the attachments for a specific AEG.
Thanks for all the help (admin please move if I this is in the wrong area)
To be honest you've already had some truly exceptional advice given within this thread and I'd only be echoing a lot of what has already been said.
Truth be told you have saved up a starting budget which puts you in a very strong position but in the same breath the budget at your disposal is a double edged sword. Personally I think it's a commendable achievement showing such focus on your goal and I'd also argue that you've shown sound logic in waiting until you're 18 and obtaining your UKARA, by doing so you've shown that you have patience and that you were willing to take the time to experience the hobby before making on significant investment.
If you haven't done so already I'd strongly recommend trying as many types of site as you're able in order to try form a more rounded experience. This may assist in discerning a stronger direction in relation to how you wish to approach the hobby and it may also help identify what sort of kit will fit your personal requirements.
As
@Druid799 put it, everyone will have varying opinions on all the questions you've asked and inevitably these will all be shaped by a mixture of factors. The unfortunate reality is that many opinions (especially in airsoft) are not shaped by experience but often by third hand opinions picked up from an array of sources and often taken for gospel. One thing I will say is that there are many people on this forum with a staggering amount of experience in airsoft and there are many members who also have very relevant personal experiences when it comes to associated gear.
One area often overlooked, due to draw of that Krytac being haloed by a shop's spotlights, is appropriate protective equipment. You don't want to skimp on the quality of eye protection although it can be a bit of minefield when finding what works for you and also finding something which doesn't fog up. I'd also advise something to protect your teeth, dentist bills can quickly mount if you're unfortunate enough to suffer any damage to them. It would be wise not to overlook footwear either, this is an active hobby and most injuries tend to be related to feet and ankles, so try to ensure you're wearing something that offers good support for your feet and ankles. This is perhaps a little more subjective but I'd also recommend a good pair of knee pads (hell these can just be ones for skateboarding) and a pair of gloves such as Mechanix (these aren't particularly expensive). The gloves will save some damage to your hands if you do down and can offer other advantages.
I would argue that when it comes to gear you'd be hard pressed to go wrong with surplus kit. This can be a bit of a quagmire to navigate with many retailers/ebay shops and a variety of sources claiming to offer "genuine" surplus kit which is often a knock off. I'd be of the inclination to find a reputable military surplus if you opt to go down this route although many bargains can be found on ebay if you have a keen eye. Surplus equipment from the UK military will inevitably be cheaper due to its availability but with a bit of research, and some legwork, you can always hunt down more exotic clothing/gear if you so wish.
When picking your clothing and equipment I'd recommend working out what you actually need as opposed to want. I'd also give serious consideration to what will fit your style of play and how you actually approach airsoft on a personal level. As an example there are many people who opt to wear plate carriers when a chest rig would be far more suitable. Admittedly another point of consideration is a simple question of "what is your goal". If you want to run an impression kit or a kit inspired by a military/police unit then you'll probably find yourself purchasing more kit than someone taking a more personalised approach.
There are a lot of good retailers out there for clothing and kit which won't break the bank while offering good quality for reasonable prices but like many things it's knowing where to look.
Guns are another messy subject and one which is potentially even more treacherous when it comes to sifting the useful from the outright fictitious. I cannot stretch this enough when it comes to guns, find what works for you. I've seen people running full size battle rifles in some very tight spaces at CQB sites and I've seen people running nothing but pistols and/or shotguns at woodland sites. While some guns will inevitably be better for certain situations as long as you can identify and accept potential challenges while being happy with your choice and enjoying the game then that's by far the most important thing.
There are manufacturers out there who do offer significantly better products than others but this isn't necessarily true for the entire product produced by said manufacturer. In addition to this every manufacturer possesses their own strengths and weaknesses. To complicate this further it's not uncommon for each platform to have their own quirks or issues (LCT AK's are known for having "weak" motors). If you're going down the route of more "exotic" options then expect to encounter these more often. This isn't intended to put you off but it's better to go into it with your eyes open.
For the sake of a couple examples
@Asomodai produced an excellent blog/diary on the forum in relation to a P90 build he put together from a Cyma P90. The gun itself was under £100 (if memory serves) and he dedicated time to rebuilding the internals to turn it into a great performer which rivals many more expensive guns. This isn't to say that the stock Cyma P90 isn't a good gun (I know two guys at my local CQB site who swear by them) but it goes to show what can be done with a little bit of know how.
For my second example I'll refer to myself and
@Druid799, I was looking at picking up a Steyr AUG and after doing some research and then asking for feedback from the community I decided to take the plunge. As a result of my query to the community Druid opted to bite the bullet himself. We both went for different manufacturers and different models. I went for the Classic Army version which was more costly and a bit of a pain to find while Druid went for a JG (if memory serves). We've both had great experiences with these guns despite their difference in cost and we've both given positive feedback in relation to these guns. My point being, just because something costs more it doesn't mean it's going to be any better. Admittedly there are differences in relation to the internals, features and quality but we've both found solid guns which we're both happy with (hopefully this isn't too presumptuous
@Druid799 ?).
When it comes to picking a gun I'd recommend trying to handle, feel and experience as many as possible. The best way of doing this is by interacting with your local community (most of us love talking about our kit) as many will often be happy enough to give you their feedback and there are many who will allow you to handle their guns although I wouldn't advise doing this mid-game
While it may look "operator" to run an HK416 with handstop, flash light, PEQ box, holosight, magnifier and the kitchen sink, it's worth remembering that most of this stuff simply isn't needed for airsoft and it will only serve to weigh the gun down resulting in more strain and thus fatiguing you quicker. Obviously if you're doing an impression then you'll have to weigh up the pro's and con's on this one. Personally I like a red dot, flash light and foregrip but this is what works for me and I find the light useful for CQB and buildings.
If you've made it this far then hopefully you've found some of the above helpful. I appreciate it's a bit of a long winded piece but I wanted to try and cover each of your questions as completely as possible.
In the event you want to pick my brains feel free to message me, I quite like my exotics myself although I don't have as many exotics as I'd like. I think
@Asomodai is the forerunner in this field on here.
