Does Airsoft Hurt ? Complete Newbie Question - Kids Looking to Get Into Sport

[madkevin]

Hello everyone, i had a few questions and was hoping someone could help me out.

I have 2 young boys aged 8 and 11 that really want to get into airsofting.   I have no clue about the sport, nothing.

First off i was wondering if pellets (if thats what you call them) actually hurt when you get hit by them ?

I have found this article but not sure how valid or correct it is , maybe someone can help me out on that.

https://www.airsofttribe.com/does-airsoft-hurt/

 

Also what kind of gear should i be looking at getting them if we go forward with this, i dont want to buy them junk but i dont want to spend a  fortune if they dont like it.

 

Sorry for the basic question but i cant just go ask around with all this covid stuff..

 

thanks for your help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lozart]

Hi there, welcome aboard!

 

First off there may be an issue for some sites regarding the age of the boys, plenty of them have minimum age limits for insurance purposes and 11 might be OK but I don't know of any that would take an 8 yr old.

 

As far as does it hurt goes, it certainly can but it really depends on what sort of site it is and how close you are. A CQB site tends to be much closer but FPS limits are generally a bit lower (sometimes) but this statement from your linked article would be about right:

Quote

Around 350 and closer than 45 feet: Moderate pain and there will likely be a bruise;

 

Now obviously the level of enjoyment your boys get will depend on how much tolerance they have to that.

 

As far as gear goes, pretty much anything you'd be happy with them knocking about playing in will be fine you don't need to go buy a bunch of kit straight away although a pair of boots with ankle support wouldn't go amiss. The one thing you absolutely WILL need is eye/face protection. Most if not all sites stipulate that under 16s have to wear full face protection so something like this https://www.defconairsoft.co.uk/product/hood-mesh-protection-mask-tan/ at a bare minimum.

 

You'd be best off having them rent kit to start with, so in a similar fashion to paintball, you pay your money and rock up to be provided with the gun, some ammo and in non-'rona times facemasks etc. That way you can see if they're going to actually enjoy it before you splash out on guns and kit!

 

[GeorgePlaysAirsoft]

Depending on where and what you get shot with it can certainly sting, draw blood, and leave marks and blood-blisters, but I've found it to fade away quite quickly and as those who know me will attest, I hardly have the greatest pain threshold. I'm not sure I quite agree with all of that article, and certainly metal bbs is not something to worry about at properly organised skirmishes. I started airsofting at 13 and my brother 11 and we both did ok - though there will be tears, in the same way getting knocked on the nose does, so hardly sobbing. It does seem that children have more pain receptors or whatever but I think the crucial thing is the reaction to pain, which comes with maturity, which as we know is not the same as age. Most injuries in airsoft are ego related, I think. 

 

I think 8 may be slightly too young, and of course it will depend on what ages sites will allow to play. Kit is another matter, but first I would investigate airsoft sites that you are likely to go to, and see what they offer - for example some may offer lasertag/nerf/ and "splatball" which i think is like low impact paintball, and I'm minded to think this is the best way to test the waters. After that I would suggest some "junior days" though I'm not sure how common those are.

 

Thanks 

[Chev Chelios]

Are they big for their age? Coming from someone that looked after gaggles of rental kids for years due to the size of the guns involved the smaller ones had issues with carrying/using them and sapped a lot of the fun out of it for them. Our insurance would only cover 13 +. It only hurts from close range and on bear skin. Some people just wear shooting glasses and get hit in the face and don't care if that's and indication for you.

 

You can rent at almost all sights, best to do before looking at anything gun shaped to buy. Airsofts love showing off their kit and if you ask will be more than liking to let you have a few shots. 

 

Depending on venue I would get them some footwear with ankle support, a pair of seal skin socks (if outside), cloves/hat and get them to wear sports type clothing in layers for your first time. Take some wet wipes, kitchen roll and shaving cream to tell with clean up and keeping your goggle free from fog.

 

 

[EDcase]

Pretty much has all been said.

 

Personally I would say a good age to start would be 13 up

 

Pain is subjective but yes, it certainly can sting if hit on skin.  (I have bled a bit from a hit on the forehead)

Also bear in mind that players can be quite intimidating when attacking.

If they're kids that aren't bothered by scrapes and bumps in everyday play then they should be OK.

Most sites will require them to have full face protection.

 

Don't buy anything except good ankle support hiking boots.

 

Rent for the first 3 game days.  (Face protection, clothing and guns provided usually with some BB's included)

This will make sure you don't waste any money if they don't like it AND after you play 3 game days you can be registered with a UKARA number which will allow you to buy realistic black guns (Realistic Imitation Firearm [RIF]).

If you don't have UKARA membership then you will not be able to buy a realistic black gun but only one painted red, green or blue (Imitation Firearm [IF]).

[madkevin]

Wow , thanks for the quick response's , i am gonna start calling around to see what age the places will allow and if they rent the gear.

I didnt know you could rent it, thats a much better option.   Kids are pretty tough so i think they will be fine to give it a go.

 

excellent site, thanks everyone .. 

 

[Tackle]

By the time I played my first game I already had a decent gbb pistol & a couple of AEG's, but I didn't want to go out there & squeal like a piggy the first time I got shot, so I suggested to my missus that she should shoot me from maybe 50 feet in the garden so I'd know what to expect........

Needless to say she was VERY keen to "help" & shot me multiple times, until I ran & hid behind the shed lol.

Maybe you should consider picking up a pistol or AEG s/h, as well as some facemasks, & try this with the boys, if they can handle it & want to then play at sites then you've already started collecting the necessary kit, or if they run away screaming "fuck that" then just sell the kit on here in the classifieds. Simples.

[Shamal]

Maybe it would be a lucrative venture,when this is all over,for a site owner to run introductory games for under 13's to get them used to playing.

As@EDcase quite rightly said,it can be quite intimidating when a six by six lump of man mountain is charging accompanied by cries of geronimo and other unsavoury expletives! 

Scares the hell out of me!!

I remember one time down the ucap bunkers not long after I started playing some one threw a fuck off loud mk4 outside room i was stacked up in with three of my team.I jumped,yanked on trigger and full autoed chappy in front of me in the back of the head!! He had a lovely chat to me about it lol🥴

Regards 

 

 

[alxndrhll]

Same as the others have said with the addition of, it'll hurt your wallet more than any BB could ever hurt them*.

 

*Assuming they have good quality eye and face pro, which they will... courtesy of you.

[Greg147]

I think it's important to consider how mature they are as kids as well. It's not just about if they can take getting shot, it's also about whether they're going to be able to be safe whilst playing. 

 

Airsoft guns are toys but they're still more than capable of knocking a tooth our or blinding someone if they're not used responsibly. There was an incident a year or so back of a child who was blinded in one eye when his mate shot him point blank in the face in the safe-zone between games. He didn't realise the gun was loaded, and was only messing around. Since then there have been a lot stricter rules on handling airsoft guns in the safe zones (at least, at any reputable site), but it doesn't change the fact that it was immaturity that led to the incident happening, and it could happen again.

 

Additionally, I've seen on numerous occasions children negatively affecting the flow of gameplay through either not understanding what's going on, or simply not being mature enough to do it properly. I've seen kids of that age cheating by not accepting their hits, and I'd wager that it's because they're new, so are not doing as well as they'd like, but want to keep shooting at people. So they ignore their hits because they think they can get away with it, and they want to be as good as the people they see on Youtube. I also had an incident(s) last game I played, where someone who couldn't have been much older than 9 or 10 was constantly (literally constantly) shooting people of his own team, and no matter how many times he was told, he didn't seem to understand the concept of armbands and checking your target before you shoot. 

 

In these situations, they might be having a whale of a time, but they're diminishing the experience of others who have paid to be there (whether they realise it or not).

 

I'm not making any assumptions on the maturity of your kids, nor am I saying that kids shouldn't play. I've only typed that because very occasionally there are instances where I think a kid simply isn't ready for a game like this.

 

And if they are mature enough that the above won't be any issue, then I'd recommend going with Tackle's idea above, and also feel free to ask here for gun recommendations 😁

 

 

[AlphaBear]

We do have youngsters playing at our site too as a matter of fact. I think the youngest is 8 (my mates kid as a matter of fact). He was on our team (of course) and he famously held off a flag capture point single handed. Although he was shooting at anything that moved regardless of which side they were on. The point is he had all the proper protection as us big boys use and he enjoyed his day. Oh he did lose a mag or two and some how managed to lose a slide of a pistol but that’s nothing in the big scheme of things. Well not to him anyway. He’s dad thought otherwise! Lol

[Druid799]

Plus , plus , plus to all the above comments, from my personal experience as an Airsofting parent I’d say your 8yr old is too young and the 11yr old is just on the edge as long as he’s in too physical sports and not afraid of getting a few cuts’n’scrapes . Both my boys started at 12 and both played rugby (we are welsh after all !😉) and they where both full in from day 1 ! BUT a few mths in to it my youngest brought his friend who was what I’d call your ‘average’ (trendy hair cut , superdry jacket and skinny joggers)type kid and he was NOT happy when he got shot to buggery trying to follow my son in to a bunker , and on the further occasions he got shot he did whine a fair bit how much it hurt , and never came again . 
as to maturity affecting how they play , then I’m definitely of the opinion depends on the kids home environment , I’ve seen 12-13yr olds behave wonderfully AND seen the same age group behave like utter twats and spoil the whole day for everyone else there . Was an incident earlier this yr at my home site where a 14yr old repeatedly walked in to the safezone with the mag still in his bolt action sniper rifle , after the third time the head marshal got him to phone his parents to come and pick him up (he’d gone with a friend and the friends adult brother) and threw him off site , now the friend he’d come with was a cracking lad and spent the entire day apologizing for his friends actions , we did all tell him not too worry as we knew it wasn’t his fault(quite frankly I trusted him a lot more than a lot of adult players !🤦‍♂️) Just goes too show age means nothing really . 

[Leonine]

Does Airsoft hurt? Based on personal experiences yes and no. I have only been hurt by a BB in CQB when I got shot in finger nail (That’s when proper airsoft gloves come in I learned). & when I got shot in my hat by a sniper giving me an instant headache but that’s why I wear helmets now. So it’s about having the right equipment. If geared up properly the Pain will be fine, you may not even call ya hits it’s that normal! 😛😂 

[Shamal]

31 minutes ago, Leonine said:

If geared up properly the Pain will be fine, you may not even call ya hits it’s that normal! 😛😂 

Oh so now we know! @Leonineis soo well geared up that he doesn't call his hits! Lol.

I'm gonna get some of that bb repelling gear.yay👍🤭😉

Regards 

[Leonine]

9 minutes ago, Shamal said:

Oh so now we know! @Leonineis soo well geared up that he doesn't call his hits! Lol.

I'm gonna get some of that bb repelling gear.yay👍🤭😉

Regards 

I know it’s strange when the revive area is so far away, you can only hear the pings of bbs off the helmet! 😛😂

[BigStew]

Airsoft does hurt but it's a sliding scale, in 20 years i have seen many teeth shot out ( under 18 must wear a full face mask at most if not all sites) i have seen BBs stuck in peoples skin, i have personal got a few scars from being shot and have come home covered in welts, i have shots that sting all day or a few seconds. surprisingly the pain of being shot in the genitals goes away very quickly. I have taken shots that i have heard more than felt but in the end the greatest risk of injury is loosing your footing, breaks, dislocations, torn ligaments, sprains. 

but 90% of the time it just stings for a bit. however airsoft is most definitely not for 8 year olds and even though some sites let 12 year olds play i would say unless they have done some serious growing minimum age for airsoft should be 14.

[Groot]

Depending on who you ask.

Speak to an OG Airsofter and they will tell you "no, it just stings". Since we started playing when guns were often hot and everything was full auto, everywhere. Joule creep what?

Speak to the new wave of pussies, who will tell you about all their friends who had their teeth shot out and run full body armor with dye masks, at single shot only sites. 

[Leonine]

19 minutes ago, Groot said:

Speak to the new wave of pussies, who will tell you about all their friends who teeth were shot out and run full body armor and dye masks, at single shot only sites. 

“A new wave of pussies” that hurt, I’m telling a Marshall! 😂

[quango2k]

36 minutes ago, Groot said:

Depending on who you ask.

Speak to an OG Airsoft and they will tell you no, its just stings. Since we started playing when guns were often hot and everything was full auto, everywhere. 

Speak to the new wave of pussies, who will tell you about all their friends who teeth were shot out and run full body armor and dye masks, at single shot only sites. 

"Muuuuuum"

[Tommikka]

4 hours ago, Groot said:

Depending on who you ask.

Speak to an OG Airsofter and they will tell you "no, it just stings". Since we started playing when guns were often hot and everything was full auto, everywhere. Joule creep what?

Speak to the new wave of pussies, who will tell you about all their friends who had their teeth shot out and run full body armor with dye masks, at single shot only sites. 

As a paintballer, if you ask me, airsoft doesn’t hurt at all.  I’ve been marshalling and players have apologized to me and I’ve not noticed that they had shot me.

 

There is one occasion where I was knealt down just inside a large doorway taking photos, and I let out a Yelp when a player ran in and shot the back of my head.  Then after the surprise I noticed it didn’t hurt.

 

I’m well hard though*, and pain is relative.
 

* unless you shoot one of my fingers**, then I’ll scream like a baby

** unless you shoot a specific finger tip nowadays, as I’ve got a nerve condition.  Even lightly brushing it can sometimes put me in major agony

@madkevin:

 

Pain is relative, and for children maturity can vary.

The 11 old may be perfectly fine.  I first took my nephew playing at 11 when he was ‘underage’

Guidance in paintball used to recommend it from the age of 13, it was revised to 12 but that is on the theory that a 13 year olds birthday group can cover 12 year old schoolmates.

Without knowing the children I would guess the 8 year old is too young for normal airsoft and paintball.

 

Airsoft is generally in mixed groups of various ages and abilities.  Routine business is generally the local crowd.

Typical paintball sites are aimed at rental groups and will separate recreational rentals from the more experienced ‘walkons’ with a walkon day generally being once a month and rental groups on most weekends.

A decent sized group can normally play exclusively on there own.

Sites these days diversify and there’s a variety of activities.

Good ideas are laser tag or pump action springer .50” calibre low impact paintball which is suitable for younger ages.  .50” may sound like a kids game (and it’s great for them) but it’s good fun and ideal for parents & kids to play together 

 

 

 

I describe the pain in paintball as similar to a slap, it’s a sudden pain and then it’s gone.

For airsoft and paintball, if you’ve got into the game then adrenaline protects you, if you’re cold and miserable then it’s going to hurt.

To mitigate wear loose clothing, then it absorbs impact, under 18s must wear full face protection, for over 18s in airsoft it’s your choice as to whether you have full face or minimal eye protection.   As a paint baller I always recommend full face

[Shamal]

1 hour ago, Tommikka said:

 

 

 

 

I describe the pain in paintball as similar to a slap, it’s a sudden pain and then it's gone

You have obviously never been slapped by my good lady!!😫 lol

Regards 

[lilredmachine]

I have only ever played CQB. First time I went, in the very first round I took a BB directly to the second joint on my index finger (I suspect this gun was also hot FPS wise) and it instantly ballooned to nearly double (no joking here) the size. As it was my first time I'd neglected to wear gloves seen as I thought it was probably unlikely I'd take a hit there. But alas I did and I donned my extremely non dextrous motorcycle gloves and limped through the rest of the day. I loved it though, but first on the list of things to do when I got home was decent gloves, eye pro/face mask and an armoured baseball cap, because I can also tell you getting shot in the forehead from 5 feet away with a 350fps gun does smart like holy hell. 

 

Whether it hurts or not is subjective, I've taken many a shot that I genuinley didn't feel, and others that have stung like hell. I nearly lost the bottom of an earlobe to a shot recently. Looked like I'd had an amateur self piercing incident. 

 

I'd say 8 is too young for a full bore game, 11 is debatable but if mature enough to wear a bit of sting without flouncing then I say go for it. Outdoors fields with minimum engagement distances are also fairly friendly toward younger players.

 

I would not go near a CQB though. Haha. 

[Sucregirl]

I am glad on how our experiences are helping us make suggestions. They have quite said it all. I still feel it hurts though sometimes like the analogy of a slap. But not forgetting pain is relative. lol

[Adolf Hamster]

as others have mentioned, it depends where you're getting hit and what you're getting hit by.

 

aside from the obvious eyes/face (which is why eyepro is mandatory and facepro is required for younger players) the 2 areas worth focusing on are ears and fingers. the latter can really smart if you get an unlucky hit.

 

however if you're well wrapped up with decently heavy clothing and you're not trying to push right up next to the other team the vast majority of hits aren't going to be much more than a sting that fades away pretty quick.

 

if you're engaging at the very edge of someone's range it's entirely possible for a hit to be so light you can barely feel it, i've played games in heavy rain where it was hard to distinguish between being hit by a raindrop and a bb.

[EDcase]

Being hit through clothes is generally not painful though it can hurt a bit.  (I've been sprayed in the back and even with a DPM smock it left marks)

 

If hit on the skin its like a bee sting that goes away after a few minutes and can leave red marks for a couple of days.

If hit at close range on the skin then its a big sting that can break the skin but this is rare.