Would Like to Take up Airsoft but Is it for Me

[Porky]

Hi There

i will be blunt I am 50 next year and am quite over weight and i would like to take up Airsoft as i watch many videos online people have taken whilst playing

i have had a search on here and not worried about the age thing but more about fitness levels required to play properly

I am in Stroud Gloucestershire and any advice would be welcome before i look at spending some money on equipment

as i am guessing site wont be renting gear out at the moment with Covid if they are running at all

[heroshark]

You'll fit right in.

[Shamal]

Hi Porky.

Dont worry about fitness levels cause you just play at your own pace.I'm about as fit as a dead butchers dog but I just take it slow and tell myself I'm being stealthy! Lol

Just get in there fella 🙂

Regards 

[Impulse]

I'm still one of the younger players at my local site. I started when I was 14, now I'm 29. There are a lot of guys around your age in a similar predicament who play regularly.

 

I was obese when I got back into the hobby last year, now thanks to diet and airsoft I'm merely overweight. Looking to be in tip top shape in 2021 (martial arts still closed. Damn it covid!). Just take it at your own pace and play how you want to. When I first got back into it I didn't run at all, just taking it slow, setting up ambushes, sneaking through bushes etc.

 

Gear rental varies from site to site. My local site does it, but it's limited to a certain number of rentals as they sterilise the gear the night before.

[AlphaBear]

You are only as young as the opposing team members youngest player that you're shooting at... this hobby has no age limit... You can move around in a gentlemanly fashion or sprint like Usain Bolt if you chose to do so... This hobby/sport/pass time/getting away from the missus/whatever you want to call it is so much damn good fun.... Plus you make new friends and get to hang out with us lot on here too....

 

[Albiscuit]

You don’t like a large majority of players to be fair   
fitness need not be an issue, as long as you can walk, or shuffle your fine. You won’t be able to catch up with the runners or sprint for the objectives etc, but there’s always a mixed bag at games so you won’t stand out in that sense.

Sites are indeed running and renting, but I would personally buy my own mask if I were to rent at the moment.

Get I’m touch with a local site and give it a go 👍 
Rental is the way into the game tbh. Try it out and see how you get on. Let us know how you found it too

[AlphaBear]

 

Oh, wait till you start buying the RIFS/AEGS/GUNS/PEW PEWS, the list is endless and there is budget to suit all tastes..... 

Oh Oh, Gloucester Prison is an Airsoft Site.... it's mental and supposed to be so much good fun... Google it.... 

[Shamal]

17 minutes ago, AlphaBear said:

 and get to hang out with us lot on here too....

 

Dammitt! That's enough to put anyone off!! Lol

🤭

[EDcase]

Welcome Porky

 

As said, best thing is to contact your local site (search "airsoft" in google map) and see if you can rent.  (Buy some Isopropyl Alcohol to put in a little spray bottle to make sure things are clean)

 

I've met a player who is 70 and seen all shapes and sizes have fun.

 

Just give it a go and then you'll know 😉  (I should put that on a T-shirt 😆)

[Old Guy]

I had my first game  two weeks shy of 64 years old and had a blast. Of course, I ached for a couple of days but I shall go back and I shall make sure, next time, that I am loosened up for the bending and ducking. My advice: Get good eyepro. I bought a pair of safety goggles from Screwfix for under a fiver and they work fine but they do stop me getting onto the optic of my rifle so aiming became just pointing. Nonetheless, I had a great time. You could use the winter period to stretch a bit and loosen up ready for the spring games.

[MiK]

There’s nowt wrong being a 50+ chunky monkey wanting to have fun pew-pewing, I had the same concerns being a “flower-power” child (69) before I started up..

As @Old Guy said it does pay to “limber up” a bit beforehand - my pregame routine is finishing up my brew from my travel mug and asking friends what new gear they’ve got !!

You’re gonna ache like a bad-un in the morning but by hell your gonna sleep like a baby  

 

My motto “Have Fun and if anyone tries to put a downer on what your up-to ...........FUCK’EM!!!”

 

ps Welcome

 

/edit (69) is the year not my age

[Shamal]

2 hours ago, AlphaBear said:

 

Oh Oh, Gloucester Prison is an Airsoft Site.... it's mental and supposed to be so much good fun... Google it.... 

Gloucester prison is run by my club,ucap. Not been yet but the guys say it is crazy.🤪

Will try and get there when this damn awful war is over!😉

Regards 

11 minutes ago, MiK said:

There’s nowt wrong being a 50+ chunky monkey wanting to have fun pew-pewing, I had the same concerns being a “flower-power” child (69) before I started up..

As @Old Guy said it does pay to “limber up” a bit beforehand - my pregame routine is finishing up my brew from my travel mug and asking friends what new gear they’ve got !!

You’re gonna ache like a bad-un in the morning but by hell your gonna sleep like a baby  

 

My motto “Have Fun and if anyone tries to put a downer on what your up-to ...........FUCK’EM!!!”

 

ps Welcome

 

/edit (69) is the year not my age

My pregame routine is coffee,fag,coffee,fag,piddle,coffee,struggle into gear,get tangled in comms,swear!fag,chat then get hollered at by some ex sergeant major yelling 'BRIEFING FOR FUCKS SAKE'

great fun lol

🤭

Regards 

[Big Daddy Vladdy]

3 hours ago, Porky said:

Hi There

i will be blunt I am 50 next year and am quite over weight and i would like to take up Airsoft as i watch many videos online people have taken whilst playing

i have had a search on here and not worried about the age thing but more about fitness levels required to play properly

I am in Stroud Gloucestershire and any advice would be welcome before i look at spending some money on equipment

as i am guessing site wont be renting gear out at the moment with Covid if they are running at all

 

There's strikeforce cqb in Gloucester, everyone's really friendly there and you'll have no problems getting around if you're worried about fitness. I usually go to the Thursday night games. There's also a place out in the forest kinda near Lydney too called Forest of Dean Paintball and Airsoft if you want outdoors or the ppl who run strikeforce have a site Swindon way which is also outdoors. Haven't tried out the outdoor places yet.

[Rogerborg]

All of the above, you'll be fine.  Someone in stripey socks will rush the objective while you hang back and lay down fire.

 

There are loads of ways to play airsoft without being at the sharp end.  You can get a LMG and a box mag and just dump loads of 0.2g BBs downrange.  Or you can get a bolt-action sniper or a semi-auto DMR with a zoom optic (2x to 4x is good enough for airsoft) and hang a bit further back, if your toy gun is consistent enough.

 

One of the most enjoyable days I had was at a film-sim where most of my time was spent looking down binoculars or a sniper scope and calling out targets verbally and on a radio, rather than actually shooting at them.  At the end of the day, if you had a good time, you've won.

 

 

[Shamal]

35 minutes ago, Rogerborg said:

 Someone in stripey socks will rush the objective..

 

 

Haha

[Jedi_Master]

Welcome .

[CrackCommandoUnit1972]

A brisk 15min walk 3/4  times per week will get your fitness going in the right direction.

 

 

[Brophy]

Welcome to the forum, you'll find the majority of guys in airsoft and especially on this forum are really decent guys.

 

Have a look around (even if you need to travel a little bit further than your neck of the woods), some places are still doing hire kits (west mid airsoft are still doing it via sixmil), just so you can give it a go and see if its actually for you.

 

Might be worth finding a CQB site if fitness is a factor, until you raise your stamina.

 

Good luck and hope you enjoy it!