Want to get started with Airsoft

[GandalfsUncle69]

I want to get started with airsoft, but I'd like to know which route to take Guns, Gear etc....

Plus id like to know a rough ballpark figure on how much it will cost to get myself ready for the battlefield.

(Probably a 'How long's a peice of string' question)

Thanks.

 

[GandalfsUncle69]

Would rather hear tips from real pwople than read essays online.

Really like the idea of airsoft.

Whats a ballpark figure on fully kitting myself out as a new starter.

Thanks

 

[EDcase]

You'll need about £1000 to get started...

 

[EDcase]

Joking of course.  Yes, its the same question as string.

You'll need to spend around £50 at a site and rent some equipment for a day.

This will let you know what its all about and some hands-on weapon experience to make purchasing decisions later.

The only things you'll need for your first game are a good set of boots.

You'll need to do plenty of reading to get the basics.

Read the stickies for good general info... 

 

[teragaxu]

If you have tried Airsoft before and you enjoy it then you would obviously need to start with a decent gun, the G and G Combat Machines are quite good they have great internals but some lack the exterior but they are still very good. Then buy some spare mags as no one wants to stop in the middle in a game and load bbs into a mag. Then get a spare battery as well. Then buy a Vest, i am a big fan of plate carriers as you can attach different mag pouches to them and a pistol holster if you decide you want to get a pistol in the future. And then the most important thing you will need is good eye protection and by good i dont mean a pair of £5 safety goggles you will want to get the best ones possible for you as it is you're eye sight at the end of the day. And also a Helmet would be useful in cqb as it would reduce the impact if you smacked your head on anything or fall over. One thing i would mention as well is getting a hydration bladder as it can keep you hydrated throughout games but its not need, just helpful. I hope this helps a bit but i only got back into Airsofting a few months ago and im sure lots of other people could give you helpful and better advice.

 

[GandalfsUncle69]

Thanks man

 

[Gepard]

There's plenty of useful info in the pinned threads, as well as other posts in this section. I suggest reading them as they're great for new players looking to get into the sport. 

Those 'essays' you speak of are all written by real people with years of combined Airsoft knowledge. If you just want people to rehash what's already been said in a new thread just because you can't be bothered to read through them then I wish you the best of luck in finding people to spoon feed you easily accesable info. 

 

[GandalfsUncle69]

Thats very true, bit narrow minded on my part there 

 

[Albiscuit]

Totally have a read around. So,me very good pinned threads about getting started, kit, guns etc.

Yeah its a lot to take it but Airsoft is made up of a lot of parts.

I asked a million questions when I started, and learnt just as much reading the pinned threads as everyone has different opinions. 

Some people will say do not buy cheap others will say buy what you can afford, I would say get a happy medium, dont spend a fortune on one off items you may never pick up again, but decent outdoor clothes and boots will suffice and be useful outside of airsoft if your outdoorsy. No point going head to toe multicam warrior on your first outing, slowly build up your kit.

My main piece of advice, is buy things to solve a problem, dont go out and buy full kit, pouches for everything including the kitchen sink etc as you may not need it/want it and end up like most players with a wardrobe full of old gear.

Play games and then buy things after which will make life easier. As i said, build your kit up. Even after all this time I have stripped back to only running a belt which means I have 2 chest rigs and a plate carrier going unused as well as over a dozen pouches no longer in use and half a dozen eye pro solutions all somewhere in  the garage  If I were to start again I would save myself a fortune!!

 

[Immortal]

Even after all this time I have stripped back to only running a belt which means I have 2 chest rigs and a plate carrier going unused as well as over a dozen pouches no longer in use and half a dozen eye pro solutions all somewhere in  the garage  If I were to start again I would save myself a fortune!!

LOL... that's exactly where I'm about to get to.

Two chest rigs/vests and now I feel the need to shed it all for just a belt & straps (+ clothes!).

Currently browsing; tempted by a Defcon 5 Shadow yoke & belt but I know nothing other than it looks cool.



 


 

 

[Albiscuit]

I started out wanting to copy game loadouts, call of duty, or rainbow siege etc... Had a good go at it too, but soon realised how impractical it all was for an actual skirmish (plus expensive having muiltiple guns for each look) I even had a complete black cqb loadout and a complete green outdoors, every pouch for all my guns in both colours, different colour slings, hats, masks too etc Slowly stripped it down.

I now run a belt with a thigh rig and love being agile and lower profile. In some cases I only run pistols and dont even bother with a rifle!!

 

[ImTriggerHappy]

You soon realise that minimal is best for airsoft. Only carry what you need and wear what is suitable.

I do have a chuckle at the amount of kit some people wear in cqb especially. They have 25lbs of gear and then complain all day about the guys in hoodies shooting the sh*t out of them.

 

[Immortal]

I don't mind the weight of it all or being picked off, it's the restricted movement and the heat I generate that get's me.

 

[Aengus]

You soon realise that minimal is best for airsoft. Only carry what you need and wear what is suitable.

I do have a chuckle at the amount of kit some people wear in cqb especially. They have 25lbs of gear and then complain all day about the guys in hoodies shooting the sh*t out of them.

Full body armour shoulder pads and all then they complain when people overshoot them. Well if you had of taken the first 10 BBs I wouldn't have needed to shoot an extra 20 at you. Really annoys me in cqb the whole I didn't hear anything because you're so close you hear the sound of the gun, especially gas, whilst the bb is hitting you maybe outdoors but in cqb it's ridiculous.

#banplatecarriers

 

[Dentonboy]

My one bit of advice, once you have tried it and liked it: buy the best you can afford to save you wasting money on cheap rubbish. 

Research decent brands of eyewear, boots, gloves, clothing, rifs and kit. 

Wear what is comfortable and works for you, not what the safezone sheep are wearing. 

 

[Albiscuit]

You soon realise that minimal is best for airsoft. Only carry what you need and wear what is suitable.

I do have a chuckle at the amount of kit some people wear in cqb especially. They have 25lbs of gear and then complain all day about the guys in hoodies shooting the sh*t out of them.

Totally. I started off with everything hanging off me and seen realised it was mostly pointless.

Stick to Milsims if you want realism with kit and lugging the kitchen sink around with you.

 

[Rogerborg]

Plus id like to know a rough ballpark figure on how much it will cost to get myself ready for the battlefield.

Walking boots, £20.

Eyepro, £20

CYMA M4 or AK £80.

You don't need anything more than that.  Heck, if you're doing indoor CQB, you could run around in trainers with a pistol or shotgun and keep your total outlay down to 2 digits.

However, if you want to drop 3 or 4 figures on gear for more performance or realism it's all good.  There's no right or wrong answer so long as you're having fun.

 

[Albiscuit]

There's no right or wrong answer so long as you're having fun.

This, all this!!!

Its 100% a personal hobby. If you WANT to dress like a juggernaut with thousands of pound of gear then great, but the kids on a sunday with a hoody and trainers seem to have more fun than the oh so serious multiglam squads I see taking it waaaay to seriously! 

Gun and eye pro is the bare minimum needed, everything else makes it either easier or more fun. This is why I say start off with minimal kit and buy things as you go along after a game when you go "I could do with one of those" rather than looking to drop hundreds and hundreds on kit you may end up leaving in a box somewhere...