Absolute Airsoft in Reading. What Is it Like?

[Groot]

Hey

Looking to play in a few weeks. Anyone used this site before and got any feedback?

We had found another site just about London to visit but a friend said it was a great site filled with absolute twats, so we are avoiding that one

Cheers

 

[EDcase]

Absolute is OK but not great.

A better place nearby would be Skirmish Wycombe Airsoft in High Wycombe or a bit further is Red Alert Newbury

[EvilMonkee]

Or even better Gunman Eversley down the road in Hook.

[snuff]

Played all the above (with ED..o),Absolute has it's positives and negatives,same as anywhere.

Pros.=Big fields.Mixed scenarios.Barrel socks.cheap with lunch included.Good marshalling.Friendly atmosphere.Cheap kit/guns.

Cons.=No strict chronoing in place.Large player numbers.Lots of walking..(I'm old and knackered).

Go make your own mind up but be safe.

[GAMBLE]

@Groot 👋

It depends on how far your willing to travel? 
Been to Absolute not my favourite site, for various reasons, but do have a few good memories! 🤔

I’m planning to go back to Red Alert, it’s my main site, they are planning for next month, I’m going on the 2nd! 🔫👍

If you do go, might see you there? 
If not, enjoy your day, at which site you choose! 🔫😜👍

💷GAMBLE💷

 

[Sneaky]

Gunman is the closet to me followed by Absolute, then Red Alert.  Each person has their favourite, but me personally, not going back to Absolute.  Read alert has been great and I continue to go there.  I like Gunman as it is very close.  Best thing to do is to check them out and you make your own decisions.

[QuackyBoi]

If you want to go somewhere to mess around and not take it too seriously, then it's okay. There's lots of running/walking about since it's an open space. There are lots of problems with the site and it's history. They don't chrono any guns, they say they do random chrono checks, but I've never seen them do any. A kid also lost his eye there a few years ago because of their non-existent safety rules at the time, and their rules aren't much better now.

 

Here's a news article:
https://www.sloughobserver.co.uk/news/17601363.iver-teenager-blinded-bb-gun-airsoft-game-marlow-launches-200k-compensation-claim/

[Cannonfodder]

I went once years ago and I don't think I've ever had a worse airsoft experience. Here's why

Rediculous amounts of cheating done in front of marshalls who did nothing. For example one game had a single respawn fir both teams and a click divided into coloured sections. If the minute hand was in your teams colour you can go back into the game. One player (with a Marshall watching) moved the hand to put it in his teams colour and the Marshall did nothing. 

 

Marshalls more interested in the supposed status of being staff than doing the job. 

 

Rules made to give their regulars a massive advantage

 

Rules changed I'd game whenever the regulars started to get beaten 

 

Stupidly long wait between games. Anything up to half an hour

 

Lastly the owner is a cunt who'll be your best mate to your face but start slagging you off behind your back. He's also a thieving shit who'll take money for guns he doesn't have, just search any social media for special airsoft supplies to read up on the bullshit this guy has pulled

Edited July 5, 2021 by Cannonfodder

[EvilMonkee]

Never knew it was the same bellend who ran Special Airsoft Supplies!  That puts it straight on the avoid list for that alone to be honest.

[Samurai]

20 hours ago, Cannonfodder said:

I went once years ago and I don't think I've ever had a worse airsoft experience.

I had the same exact experience not that long ago.

[CosyCreature192]

Been there today with 3 of my friends.

 

Cons:

The worst, there was no "chrono" in place, so every shot I took HURT. I could very well show up with an 8 joule gun and start destroying the place. 

 

The 2nd worst, the regulars. They cheated and got away with it. Rules changed mid game to suit them.

Incident 1 : Shot a guy from 10m, he took 4 bbs to the shoulder, he crouched and then ran off into the bushes.  Never seen again.

Incident 2 : Snuck up behind a  sniper, tapped him on the shoulder and said " knife kill ". He raises his hands up and says he surrenders. I lower my gun, he shoots me in the face from about 30cm. The bb shattered through my mask and I had to spit the fragments out.

 

Please stay away from this place, there is a horror accident just waiting to happen. The people who play here have no concept of sportsmanship.

 

Edited October 31, 2021 by CosyCreature192

[Sneaky]

Nice to see that the consistency of that site is still the same unsafe place….

[furylemon97]

I'm pretty new to airsoft and this is the site I've been playing at I've never had a problem with any of the staff or people massively cheating (do get some people who don't hit call but I'm sure that's the same with most sites) like mentioned above i don't think I've actually seen them chrono a gun but I've never found that anyone's guns to be firing super hot (that i can notice) always had a positive and pleasant experience with this site. Only thing i have noticed is the way they split the teams at the start of the day usually most of the regulars go on one team and if there aren't that many people there usually the other side gets stomped but if it is really one sided they do split the teams up after a game or 2. Saw someone mention above that the breaks in-between games can be up to half an hour that just isn't true from what I've seen its always 10mins in-between each round except for lunch which is an hour. 

 

all in all i like the site people and enjoy the games. 

[EDcase]

@furylemon97, try somewhere else to compare.

Absolute was actually my first site and got my first UKARA there. 

I thought it was OK until I tried other places.

'Red Alert' is good nearby and so is Skirmish Wycombe' a bit further.

[snuff]

On 05/07/2021 at 15:23, QuackyBoi said:

A kid also lost his eye there a few years ago because of their non-existent safety rules at the time, and their rules aren't much better now.

 

Here's a news article:
https://www.sloughobserver.co.uk/news/17601363.iver-teenager-blinded-bb-gun-airsoft-game-marlow-launches-200k-compensation-claim/

He lost his eye because he and his mate were fucking about with no eye-pro on.I'm not defending the site but this wasn't their fault.The father tried to take legal action apparently until they discovered what they'd been doing.Poor fucker but "WE" are also responsible for safety,everyones safety.

Most of the negative comments are rightly deserved and witnessed by enough people.The chronoing really gets me,surely they "should" be chronoing,doesn't an overpowered rif become illeagal? and therfore render the site liable for prosecution in the event of an injury.

 

Edited November 2, 2021 by snuff
Spilling

[Cannonfodder]

Didn't that also happen in the safe zone? If so then imo the staff are responsible to a point as they should be making sure nobody is walking in with a mag in the gun

 

Edit: just read the article and I agree that the site fucked up big time through negligence

Edited November 2, 2021 by Cannonfodder

[snuff]

20 minutes ago, Cannonfodder said:

Didn't that also happen in the safe zone? If so then imo the staff are responsible to a point as they should be making sure nobody is walking in with a mag in the gun

 

Edit: just read the article and I agree that the site fucked up big time through negligence

He didn't have a mag in,apparently he had one on the chamber,obviously he didn't fire off after removing his mag.I never said they were totaly blameless but they give direction where required,the last few times we went they definately checked mags were removed from guns in the way back into the safe zone.I will admit when I've played there I usually face into netting with my back to other players at the start of the day until I familiarize myself with the crowd,it does put you on edge when people dry fire in the safe zone,even if marshalls react the damage could already be done.Of course marshalling was an issue there again as mentioned previously.

[Cannonfodder]

Well they should also be making sure guns are cleared too. As a business they have a duty of care to paying customers (especially under 18s) and should be actively enforcing safety rules, rather than just paying them lip service. By being proactive and stopping potential incidents they wouldn't have to worry about reacting after any damage is done

[furylemon97]

On 02/11/2021 at 10:33, snuff said:

He lost his eye because he and his mate were fucking about with no eye-pro on.I'm not defending the site but this wasn't their fault.The father tried to take legal action apparently until they discovered what they'd been doing.Poor fucker but "WE" are also responsible for safety,everyones safety.

Most of the negative comments are rightly deserved and witnessed by enough people.The chronoing really gets me,surely they "should" be chronoing,doesn't an overpowered rif become illeagal? and therfore render the site liable for prosecution in the event of an injury.

 

i guess this is why they use barrel socks in the safe zone now 

[Rogerborg]

On 02/11/2021 at 17:52, snuff said:

I never said they were totaly blameless but they give direction where required

 

Well, they do now.  I didn't see a resolution to that case one way or the other, I'd assume their insurers settled at the courtroom door.

 

 

On 02/11/2021 at 17:52, snuff said:

the last few times we went they definately checked mags were removed from guns in the way back into the safe zone

 

And reminding people to fire until clear?

 

Barrel socks will come to every site eventually, after the dry-firing fun and games turn into someone losing an eye.  I've taken to wearing basic ballistic glasses in "safe" zones now too.

 

No chrono, even after being on the sharp end of a negligence suit, is astonishing. While I'm the first to point out that pre-game chrono is largely just theatre, not doing any sort of chronoing at all is appalling, and I would have no doubt that some regulars will be rocking Section 5s or billion-Joule snipers.

 

 

On 31/10/2021 at 18:25, CosyCreature192 said:

Snuck up behind a  sniper, tapped him on the shoulder and said " knife kill ". He raises his hands up and says he surrenders. I lower my gun, he shoots me in the face from about 30cm. The bb shattered through my mask and I had to spit the fragments out

 

And I'm the last to suggest escalating situations, but I think that might result in a roundhouse swing with whatever RIF I had to hand.

 

Did you bother even bringing it up with the site?

[Cannonfodder]

4 hours ago, Rogerborg said:

 I'd assume their insurers settled at the courtroom door.

 

Probably knew they didn't have a leg to stand on. I wonder how many people the thieving cnut has had to rip off to pay that off

[snuff]

Damn you, you're making me defend them...🤪...they are the only site I've been to that uses barrel socks.I can only relate what I've experienced.Would I tell anyone else to visit there?Not without warnings regarding the chrono especially and as advised there are definately a few regulars who abuse the lack of chrono.I have pressed them about the lack of chrono use at every opportunity,but saying that I haven't been for quite a while.

The reason people play there is the same reason they buy kit off of him.......cheap.

 

 

[Rogerborg]

2 hours ago, snuff said:

they are the only site I've been to that uses barrel socks

 

Well, I'm not aware of any other sites where a child has been blinded.

 

I'd actually be fine with barrel socks, if they were actually enforced, starting with the site owner, marshals, marshals' mates, and regulars.

 

Are they though?

 

The only reason I'd go to that site would be to run a 4J sniper and nut-shot anyone wearing a hi-vis.

[EDcase]

It may be coincidence but this is the only site where I've been hit (in the eyebrow above my eyepro) that actually drew blood.

It was a 10m shot from a pistol (probably Co2)

Pistols don't generally get tested at sites I know but Co2 ones are not allowed.

 

Edited November 5, 2021 by EDcase

[HeMan]

I feel I should say something as there seems to be a lot of hate for this site and I have been playing there with my kids for about a year now and have no problems at all.  I have been to a couple of other sites, although I must admit, none of the recommended ones above.

 

But they are VERY eye-pro strict in the game area and there is absolutely zero dry firing in the safe zone, which is also a mandatory barrel-sock area.

 

The game area is large enough for there to be several distinct zones, each with different landscapes and features, the marshals seem good (albeit a little strict at times) and the pace between games is brisk.  There is a generally very friendly atmosphere as well.

 

It's not perfect, there are pros and cons, as with anywhere.

 

People above who say the dry-firing in the safe zone puts them on edge or questions whether they enforce their barrel-sock rules have clearly not been there recently (if at all).  Perhaps their current safety policies are in reaction to the accident and being sued (although I see no evidence a case was ever actually brought, let alone adjudicated on; we can speculate if their insurance settled, but really, it seems unlikely) but the accident was 5 years ago now, so I don't think it's lip-service; safety is now part of the culture of the place.

Edited November 7, 2021 by HeMan