Is Airsoft the answer I've been looking for?

[Crashtest33]

The familiarity I'm finding on this forum is both refreshing and hilarious!

Apparently devoting ALL your time, money, love and attention to the wife and kiddies is not a "hobby" and not "healthy" for my sanity or "our" relationship! Lol.

Rugby was getting too "dangerous". "If you injured yourself, you can't work", blaa-blaa.

Basketball after a 15yr absence killed my Medial Collateral (again) and Head-Fi (Headphone hifi) is too "nerdy" and doesn't ivolve any fitness. (I taught skiing in the French Alps for 10yrs and willingly retired when I met my wife to take up heating engineering), I digress.

I've chuckled to myself on this forum on many occasions drawing hilarious similarities between myself and others on here.

It is a shame that like a lot of "hobbies" these days, things are expensive and being 12yrs old and saving up for a TM single-shot Glock 17 to happily cover your best mate in 'welts' in his back garden are a thing of the past. Seems like you need to be 30+ with a decent income to do anything these days. Anyway, I digress again!

So you want a hobby that's not dangerous, not too nerdy, very social and fitness based?? Is Airsoft the answer I'm looking for??

 

How did you get into this sport?

 

I'm normal. Married. Deplore violence and love a good Rom-com however I do like a good gun. For me, 80's movies got me fascinated with them. 'Die Hard' specifically.

I couldn't believe how futuristic and small Hans' H&K P7M13 was and in 'Die Hard II', loved it when John reloaded his Barretta 92F under the scaff and the noise when he chambers the slide with his thumb. Awesome.

Had the lame SWAT leader realised he was talking to the future T1000, he may have taken more evasive action when raising his MP5 in anger.

"Hey, what do I look like to you?!"

 

"A sitting duck",.. What a line.

[skarra333]

So you want a hobby that's not dangerous, not too nerdy, very social and fitness based?? Is Airsoft the answer I'm looking for??

 

 

 

Not dangerous...? I regularly get category 3 boo-boo's, nettles are abundant across most Woodland sites, and a bad fall can put your knee out for decades.

Not too nerdy...? Have you listened to safezone conversations?

Very social...? Haven't seen what Airsofters do to the only porta-loo on a game day have you? Social creatures they aint.

Fitness based...? Most of my games are an hour long tops at most as people need to get a good sit down, cuppa tea and a drag on their roll-up or a puff on their vape...

So to answer your question - probably not...

 

But to answer your question again - yes - it's all of those things . Airsoft is largely a sport that gives you what you put in.

I think you'll fit right in.

[Jedi_Master]

Simple answer - Yes.

 

As a hobby it has a wide range of players, from 30 year olds needing extra-marital adventure, snot nosed kids, students, old and bold (or maybe bald) chaps, military, ex-military, walts, chairborne warriors, etc. Airsoft could be considered as care in the community. There are also plenty of tech-heads in the game. Even going to a site solo you soon get talking to other players; I have not met anyone yet who does not like talking about guns and gear. Overall it is fun, whether skirmishing or trying milsim. Play fair, take your hits regardless what of the other team does, and get stuck in. You may get lit up like a Christmas tree and have plenty of welts for the wife to laugh at, and ache like crazy for the next day or two but you will take away memories of epic moments and classic fails.

 

I began airsoft after a visit to my brother, where my nephew was packing his kit for a weekend away with mates. I had a look at the guns whilst he explained what airsoft was. In an instant I knew that I wanted to take up the hobby. Then began the process of researching and reading all about airsoft, and joining a forum. Just wish that I had known about it years ago and gone to my first game sooner.

[Fumps]

Hi Crashtest

In answer to your question the hobby is a very social hub in my experience. In the two years I have been into Airsoft the community & circle of people I have met (and now regularly contact) has literally changed my life.

I now speak to more people who I have met through Airsoft than the mates I have had most of my adult life. I often get whatsapp messages by drunken fellow airsofters on the Friday night before the next days skirmish just to say hi & ask me what I'm up to. As a matter of fact the community is one of my favourite parts of the hobby.

 

Fitness wise its not up there with my other hobby (mountain biking) but then again what is? If you are looking for a load of grown ups that are old enough to know better dicking about with toys guns & having a laugh, look no further. If you are looking for a serious sport where winning is everything you've taken a wrong turn at Tesco's.

 

I'm similar to you mate, I do have a good level of fitness, I used to box in my youth but nowadays hate violence of any kind. Airsoft isn't like I thought it was going to be at all. My image was of loads of ex military guys who were still in the mindset and the sport being highly competitive, what I met was a load of guys having a day away from their wives while playing silly buggers in the woods, I've never looked back mate.

 

If you don't take yourself too seriously then come aboard mate, welcome to a future doing tactical clearances of your bedrooms in your socks, pretending your new gun is the one you have had for ages & eyeing up kit you don't have any use for but you still want it anyway. Leave you bank card at the door because its going to get abused for a while

[Baz JJ]

Lifelong involvement with guns.

 

Discovered airsoft late in life and found it a good way to get fresh air and exercise.

 

Quickly got disenchanted with skirmishing and as soon as I got a UKARA defence and my first RIFs, started moving into milsims.

 

As to not being nerdy, its probably not, but be sparing with who you tell.

 

Most non-airsofters either think you're sad or a homicidal maniac.

[Mr Monkey Nuts]

Golf

[Sacarathe]

I got into it for exercise, I've not been let down.

[Sitting Duck]

What is "normal" ???

 

I love being weird / odd / unique - lets face it

Anything us blokes are into - most of out friends & other half's/women will thing a bit strange

 

Thank f*ck for being that bit weird / odd / unique

I wouldn't like to be too normal anyway

I like being unique or weird

 

Airsoft - toy gun nerf upgrade outdoor COD, reliving my youth long gone by

plus it is just another dumb ar$e hobby to spend money on according to missus - hmmmm

I like messing about with stuff - always interested in how stuff works or what have I just broke

better that pi$$ing it up down the pub, gambling, or couch potato etc....

 

Am I going to grow up and act my age - nope being a (skint) big kid is just too much fun

[Samurai]

If you are looking for a good community, then go to airsoft events and check the forums. But. Avoid. Airsofters. On. Facebook.

Welcome, have fun. You certainly will.

[Verz]

Do it, just go for it. At least try it. If you're going to turn up at a site on your lonesome, fear not. I did it and got chatting to the characters that were regulars. Everyone was very welcoming. I even met up with Fumps there.

 

I went for very similar reasons, to get into a new hobby, to have something to look forward to, get outside and get some exercise, whilst having an excuse to blow my wage

 

I would say at least go once to see if you like it. But, be prepared to start shopping the minute you walk back through the door after your first skirmish

 

I've had one game day and have been counting the minutes to my second. Which is Saturday.

 

It's simply so much fun. But, I wouldn't say that there are no dangers involved. Any active hobby/sport have dangers.

 

So, one newbie to another. Book yourself in, get your hire gun and have fun! Let us know how your first time goes

[ImTriggerHappy]

So you want a hobby that's not dangerous.

 

Haha that comment could bite you on the arse.

[djben9]

just do it....dont look back, wish i had years ago.....great way to get away from the family for a few hours and talk guns...err toy guns and stuff

[Bencupra]

Answer is definetly yes mate. I've recently started up again after years away from it and have already made some good mates and I am now in a team our first outing is 10th May. If you're anything like me the initial start up is expensive if you buy a good gun etc but I done it all in one go lol. I keep adding to my list every week lol. If I wasn't doing this I'd be going out and pissing it all up the wall and being hung over all day. Now I have things to show for my money other than a hangover and have a laugh with like minded friends. I enjoy the skirmishes I love the guns and kit and I love searching for new things to buy and adding bits to my rifle. Do it you won't be disappointed.

[Connieboy]

I've only just began getting into airsoft, I normally spend money/time on Obstacle course events/fitness etc, my 15yr old son did a day airsofting for a mates birthday and told me how much he loved it, and seeing a good chance to drag him away from the xbox I thought I would join him, I did think i would be it would be full of people that were shouting at each other because they didn't cover/or are in the wrong place etc ....I'm only out to have a laugh with my lad so I'm not interested in the competitive side of things, just like when I do an obstacle course, I just want to have a laugh and get outside, ..so airsoft seems good all round.....I know nothing about guns/equipment etc but I'm sure I'll pick that up from chatting to people.

If it means me and my lad getting out into the fresh air....its a big yes from me

[Baz JJ]

Initially, I tried to start airsoft with my son, but he kept prevaricating so I went alone in the end. He now has his own rifle and plays very occasionally but Ive just gone on to do it and he comes along if he wants.

 

The other day I suggested I buy his rifle off him because it gets so little use and he started making excuses so there is hope.

 

I've only just began getting into airsoft, I normally spend money/time on Obstacle course events/fitness etc, my 15yr old son did a day airsofting for a mates birthday and told me how much he loved it, and seeing a good chance to drag him away from the xbox I thought I would join him, I did think i would be it would be full of people that were shouting at each other because they didn't cover/or are in the wrong place etc ....I'm only out to have a laugh with my lad so I'm not interested in the competitive side of things, just like when I do an obstacle course, I just want to have a laugh and get outside, ..so airsoft seems good all round.....I know nothing about guns/equipment etc but I'm sure I'll pick that up from chatting to people.

If it means me and my lad getting out into the fresh air....its a big yes from me

[Crashtest33]

Lol