Are these good pouches to start with?

[JAMMIEDODGERS]

I won a competition during December 2012 over facebook, and a few weeks later I received a Claw Gear Mag Pouch CQB.

 

http://www.baselinesupplies.co.uk/molle_pouches/ammo_pouches/claw_gear_double_mag_pouch_open_cqb_coyote_brown_P3260.html

 

I am hoping to get some decent gear by my 17th birthday this year (Going to my first game, hopefully) and I am wondering if these pouches are decent enough for a beginner like myself.

 

I'm not to sure if this is a stupid question but I would really love to know from you guys

 

Also, what other gear would you suggest would be decent enough for a beginner

 

Thanks guys.

 

 

[bigshep]

That would be completely fine. If you have not even played your first game yet then you will be hiring at first, I am assuming. If so then you can attatch these to your belt to carry an extra mag or a small bag/bottle of bb's.

 

Normally these type of pouches are attatched to molle vests or molle panels. These are basically panels with a set of straps on then that the pouch feeds through to lock it in place. But you can also just stick them on your belt for your first game.

 

When you do go just have a look around at all the other players. You will see guys running very expencive kit, and guys rocking up in a £20 vest or some old army surplus webbing, or even an old satchel. Really once you have the bug it is upto you what you want to spend on kit.

[JAMMIEDODGERS]

Thank you very much, I thought they were good but I never really knew.

If things go to plan, the only thing I will be hiring is a gun, as I would like my own kit before I start. (It sounds weird I know) And attaching them to my belt is fine.

 

I've watched various Airsoft video's on YouTube like scoutthedoggie and KhanSeb. So I know how expensive the hobby can be. But like I said before, I haven't even gone to a game quite yet, so I am yet to experience it all first hand.

 

Thanks for the reply mate. Have a good day

[Hibernator]

Yes - those are fine. They will hook over your belt until you get a proper rig, then as long as you go for molle you can use them on that too.

 

You might want to check what hire gun you'll be getting! Those are M4 pouches and a lot of hire guns are G36 so the mags may not fit in an M4 pouch! It might also be an idea to get a bigger one that will hold a BB bottle - anything that will take a small coke bottle (500ml) will be suitable, usually called a utility pouch or a small hydration carrier.

 

Baseline Supplies have some good gear and are excellent to deal with, but I usually recommend Bulle gear from Flecktarn for newbies. For £25 you can get one of these:

 

http://www.flecktarn.co.uk/sdtmb6nx.html

 

It will hold mags, ammo and snacks They are well made and make very good lightweight rigs for summer rather than a plate carrier or vest.

[JAMMIEDODGERS]

Cheers man. I think I know what my next piece of gear is

I just got the pouches just because it was a competition, so why not?

Thanks again

[Ian_Gere]

Well any free gear is better than no gear, eh?

 

Stuff to be aware of about those pouches includes:

 

as Hibernator says, they are what people usually refer to as "M4 Pouches", although actually they are made to carry STANAG mags, the standardised NATO 5.56mm magazine, so apart from the US M4/M16, they also fit in the British SA80, or L85A2, and a few other guns you'll no doubt soon become acquainted with if you're not already.

 

You can stuff G36 mags into those pouches, but they won't come back out again so easily - they have lugs on their sides to connect them together and a wide lip towards the top. It's worth noting that one of the main things which slows down mag changes is what to do with the empty - a lot of people use 'dump pouches' for this reason, but whatever you choose, nobody could stuff empty G36 mags back into those pouches using both hands quickly and, in fact, due to their bungies, putting any mags in 1 handed and quickly would be a challenge.

 

You can fit AK74 mags in them as easily as STANAG mags, but not AK47 at all. Steyr AUG mags should also fit and maybe FAMAS, but nothing for NATO 7.62mm or 9mm SMG's / machine pistols.

 

They are Coyote Brown, which exact name may not seem like an important detail, but I draw your attention to it simply because it's not the same shade as tan. Personally I would play a few times before you buy anything other than boots and possibly mesh eye protection, but if you are determined to get your own tactical gear before you have any idea what sort of role you will fulfil, what style of play suits you, and thus what equipment you will need to carry and where on your bady ( ), then bear in mind that Coyote Brown is not as ubiquitous as tan.

 

That all said, if you are going to be another M4 toting Strike Back-alike, 3 more of them on the front of your vest will see you sorted.

 

Something you should get is a good pair of boots. Preferably waterproof, but definitely with good ankle support. The debate will doubtless always rage over mesh or lens eye pro, but the plain facts of the matter are that nobody has ever lost their sight as a result of a BB penetrating mesh and lenses do fog, even though you can put stuff on them to reduce it. If your local site uses lensed goggles or paintball type full face masks with polycarbonate eye shields for rental customers, I would get yourself some mesh instead.

[JAMMIEDODGERS]

I was looking around for some decent boots, as I am on a sort of tight budget. I have also been looking around for Coyote Brown clothing aswell, most notably on the baslinesupplies website.

 

Once I become of age to buy a gun, I was going to get an M4, and these pouches would help a bit. Of course I never thought of the hiring a gun scenario. (Bugger )

 

I was going to get some mesh glasses, but apprehensive about it, because of stories and rumours and whatnot. So they'll be my priority.

 

Thanks for the advice man. Me being a newbie I never thought there would be so much thought into the gear haha.

THanks again

[Ian_Gere]

Yeah, I know that budget feeling - so much gear that looks cool, but what to prioritise...

 

Coyote Brown gear is usually worn over British Multi Terrain Pattern (MTP) camouflage, or US Crye Multicam (which two can only be told apart by experts lol), but it would work instead of tan over British Desert Dispersed Pattern Material (DDPM) or any desert patterns. It would also look fine over Olive Drab (OD) Battle Dress Uniform (BDU), I'd say, but you might be pushing it over British DPM (the old British Army camo). I'd avoid mixing Coyote Brown and tan pouches though, unless you want your loadout to look thrown together, but I think that a mixture of CB and MTP pouches works fine over MTP BDU.

 

For boots you might be in luck. If you like Coyote Brown tactical gear, your loadout could easily include desert boots - I've heard of and seen some really low prices for surplus British Army Lowas and from what people say about them you could hardly find a better boot. Not waterproof though... still, you could get some Sealskinz socks. Have a look on fleabay is my advice...

 

Big Shep and I already posted photo evidence of testing mesh at close range, but the discussion is off again currently. Ultimately it's up to you - personally I would feel weird reaching for a pair of clean undies to blow my nose on, no matter how snotty and urgent it was - it's pure prejudice and makes no sense, but there we are. If somebody knows damn well that mesh can't fail as a result of anything but vanishingly unlikely circumstances, that a miniscule fleck of paint can't come off the inside of mesh with enough energy to do their eye any damage and that, if a BB shatters against their gun it has already expended a large portion of its energy and thus, even if a tiny fragment made it straight through mesh into their eye, without losing even more energy ricocheting off the mesh, it could do them no more harm than a bit of grit blown into their eye by the wind (which type of insult the eye constantly repairs anyway) and they still daren't move into Close Quarters Battle due to irrational fear, that's fair enough too. I just wish they'd admit it rather than spreading fear mongering myths...

[bigshep]

For prices, ebay is your friend. You really do not have to spend a bucket load of cash. Turning up to your first game in a decent pair of boots, jeans and a hoodie is absoloutly fine, stick a load of surplus webbing over that at some point in the future (again ebay is your friend, for assault vest, chest rigs, surplus webbing, all good search strings) and you have a nice private contractor look going on Ebay is also good for cheap surplus kit as well.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/assault-vest-/330877161605?pt=UK_Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item4d09d0d085

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Assault-vest-military-web-tex-dpm-pattern-/170996325003?pt=UK_Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item27d02cda8b

for example

 

boots

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ARMY-SURPLUS-ASSAULT-BOOTS-BLACK-LEATHER-SIZE-8-/271159703919?pt=UK_Men_s_Shoes&hash=item3f2260b96f

 

 

For glasses or mesh then it reall is up to you. I personally use heroshark mesh and love it. Whatever you decide to get make sure it has a strap on it, as you really do not want eye protection falling of at ANY point in the day.

[JAMMIEDODGERS]

Thank you very much guys. I've been on ebay before and amazon, but for some reason the stuff I find is expensive, I'll just keep looking

I was thinking lately about a post apocolyptic type loadout. But not too sure if that would work. I think I'll just stick to Coyote Brown and British Multi Terrain. Their is just so much to choose from aswell.

I also do videos about new pieces of gear I get for other begginers like myself. Because I noticed their isn't that many airsoft begginer videos out there (Unless I keep missing them) But I digress.

 

I'll have a look on the links you posted bigshep. Thanks for help everyone