YouTube reviews

[DX115FALCON]

Like most sane people, I check gun reviews on YouTube before buying them. Recently it has become apparent that some sources are trustworthy (EG: EpicAirsoftHD) and others are not as trustworthy.

A few days ago, I was watching some reviews by an American guy (not mentioning any names *cough CrazyNCMan cough*) and heard some pretty snide comments in his videos about some other- smaller- reviewers.

Can anyone tell me who, in your opinion, makes the most informative and unbiased reviews on the net?

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

I don't bother with them, they never give you the full picture, they're always done either immediately out of the box, or by someone who has no idea what they're talking about.

To me, a "review" ought to be a report on how it performed and coped over about 6 months of use, enough time to come to terms with all potential issues and find ways to overcome them.

What all YouTube reviews I've seen so far have actually been, in my opinion, are overviews.

EpicAirsoftHD is all well and good, but I don't trust that the range is actually 30m and I think the fact they mix the ammo to get the guns shooting the best for the test just makes the results inconclusive. If an AEG performs best with .30s, that doesn't mean they're what I'm going to use, because they cost a bomb.

CrazyNCMan is a monumental dick, Jarek4 is just shit at reviewing stuff and everyone else is either 12 years old, stupid, or biased because they're a shop reviewing their stock.

Best way to truly know about a gun before buying it, is to wait 6 months once its released and keep an eye on the forums for topics about it cropping up in the advice and technical help sections. Or if you see anyone with one at a game, quiz them on it and hope they're not just a noob buying "the biggest shiny" because they think expensiveness = skill.

 

[M_P]

To be frank, they're all a waste of time.

I personally ignore the lot- even if its on a gun I'm interested in.

How they have managed to get popular I don't know...

As Ed says, forums are by far the best bets, without wishing to advertise another forum, arnies is the best source for reviews.

 

[Hubert]

Forum reviews are better - you see everyone's opinion of the product, rather than just the reviewer's opinions and experiences. Updates are easier to put in as well.

To be honest, I only ever watch reviews for 2 reasons:

1)curiosity about something new on the market - to get a basic overview of the item.

2)comedy.

Seriously. Some of these videos are comedy gold, entirely accidentally.

*picks up the front iron-sight* "This is the uhh... this is the uhh... errr... uhm..." *holds item up to light, rotates in hand* "...I err, think this is the, err, removable front grip. Yeah, that's what it is"

"This gun is awesome because it's used by *insert military unit*" (usually the wrong unit)
"I wish this G36 came with a metal body, like the real one does"

And the all time best -

"This gun is 350 FPS. I know because the shop I bought it from told me. And I tested it. No, not with a chronograph, but a coke can. It made 2 holes, so I know it shoots 350".

 

[sp00n]

don't get me wrong, if there is a forum review, i will read it.

(taps foot waiting for a A&K m249 review)

that said sometimes i want to see how the gun looks in someones hand, or the action of a gun, or hear it, that is where youtube comes in handy .... yeah there are a lot of useless reviews, that said don't write it off, as it is a nice tool if use wisely

 

[SheriffHD]

ahh yes the epic crazyncman vs jarak4 video stream. there is alot of amusing reads at the idicacy of jarak4, simple as the kid poses on forums how he has played arsoft in almost 300 countries with 1000fps rifles and has a clas 3 firearms licence and has modded his real steel guns in x y z ways. basically lying out his ass, but not video worthy just fun to laugh at. (and the guys on the forum he was posting in were doing just that)

i think more of the rage came from how jarak4 does business, which is badly. he had alot of customers getting broken guns or not getting their guns at all and then having a hard time getting a refund or a repair, and whole his forum is run by power hungry kids who ban every one just wants reliable information.

In fairness there was a good way that ncman could of gone about letting people know about the kid, but he went about it the total wrong way.

Although on the topic of the 6 month review vs out of the box review. NC man has done this, which i think is pretty good. for how ever a massive douche the guy is, he has some pretty good stuff for the sport stateside. he will send rifles out around the country to be tested used in games and allows for smaller youtube channels to review them in his battle report. so that you get a clearer picture o how the rifle handls over a period of a few months use.

I thin at the moment now, the only video i watch are from Airsoft GI and Evike (I wish there was an evike store in england) they have some entertaining videos. and although their reviews are ou the box, they go over the riles prety well. I mainily wath most videos just to see where the battery will go in the damn rifle and what battery it will fit.
Bread down guides are also good, dont see many of those but they have proven very useful.

forum reviews are bloody handy too, but I rather have a video open that i can watch on one screen while I game on the other.

 

[Ian_Gere]

I watch them for guns i'm interested in, just to see if there's anything obviously shight about them, and as above, for the comedy. The only other thing I want to add is that Ed's characterisation of CrazyNCMan is a calumny on the monumental dick community!

 

[beermonsta]

I been watching a lot as I am a noob at this and have to say the recent reviews on the new 417D have me sold.

That said there is no way (In the next 2-3 month once I got my games in) I would buy 1 without speaking to you guys first. It looks to me like there is more knowledge on this site than you can shake a very big stick at and most people know what they are talking about (Or are bloody good at talking utter bowlocks and have me hoodwinked)

Review vids have their place but no substitute for experience.

Now the idiots being idiots with guns on youtube help none of us.

 

[Unrustle_Thine_Jimmies]

Forum reviews are my way to go. Arnie's airsoft reviews are very reliable in particular. I use them to get an idea of the reliability and quality of the gun. EpicAirsoftHD is good for an accuracy test and a more honest out of the box opinion. I don't really believe their range is thirty meters,I'd say more like 25 or 28 and then having no benchmark BB weights. However,they are moving to a new place with a larger range which will be nice.

CrazyNCman's skirmish review project idea was good while it lasted,he had decent reviews but now he spends them ranting about other reviewers and then saying ''yeah,um this is kinda good,this is kinda bad,*No real straightforward opinion* here's a shooting test on uneven ground and windy as fuck conditions''Like I said,skirmish report was a stroke of genius.

It's a shame he's a phenomenal douche.

Jarek is mediocre at best,same level as the crazyNCman fellow but sort of draws reviews out a lot.

I missed AATV's reviews,they were hilarious,not very informative but surprisingly honest.

But otherwise,reading Ed's frustrations on his Ares 338 and such and really in depth Arnie's reviews are my main source,backed up by EpicAirsoftHD for a nice accuracy test.

Better than watching clueless 12 year olds with shaking hands trying to review guns.

 

[murph]

I watch EpicAirsoftHD just for fun.

CrazyNCMan is, in the words of Ed - a monumental dick.

Jarek4 is almost certainly a liar, he apparently got an A&K Masada with a half - decent hop.

The RedWolf vids are alright too, but it just isn't the same without Arclight *sob*

 

[Stormhall]

Why don't you guys subscribe to my channel???? (type TRenforcer in the search bar) I'm basically LevelCap but with less money and I'm 15. I do video games AND airsoft. So come to my channel and don't forget to Like, Comment and Subscribe. Stormhall Out

P.S: Yeah I know shameless advertising but hey you've got to start somewhere and you've got to get yourself noticed.

 

[TPI]

...

Spoon if I had one (Better yet my old CA) I'd take some pic's and do a review for you no prob's well I'd take the picture's and VT but the word part would probably barely make half a paragraph...

 

[Ian_Gere]

you've got to get yourself noticed.

I recommend turning up to a skirmish wearing a stripey top and tutu!