When was the 'Golden Age' of airsoft?

[Duff Beer]

12 hours ago, JimFromHorsham said:

 

Fireball weekenders .

 

happy days & fond memories

 

 

 

 

I was at the Defcon 3 weekender, and the one the year before.  Somewhere along the road I lost both the patches.  I wish I could find copies so I could have them remade

Edited February 20, 2023 by Duff Beer
Wrong Defcon number 🤦‍♂️

[alxndrhll]

Was never really one for collecting patches, but it’s still mad to think where this ended up…

 

[The Waco Kid]

When it was “Softair” and all the guns were kits. 

I’ll get my tartan booties, pipe, shawl and AMT Hardballer.

 

And just to underline it. 😁

 

Edited February 21, 2023 by The Waco Kid

[MrTea]

11 hours ago, Groot said:

The sites.. There was so many amazing sites. Ex Military, factory, entire industiral areas, shopping centers and TV Stations.

 

I'd kill for a site like this in the North East. Sounds great.

 

The majority of sites around me are either; 1: Woodland. 2: Woodland with barricades. 3: Indoor purpose build CQB.

 

I'd love to play in an abandoned MOD site, factory/chemical complex, shopping center etc.

Edited February 21, 2023 by MrTea

[Dentonboy]

6 hours ago, The Waco Kid said:

When it was “Softair” and all the guns were kits. 

I’ll get my tartan booties, pipe, shawl and AMT Hardballer.

 

And just to underline it. 😁

 

 

TM gas Browning HP. NBB, who cares?!

[Jaylordofwaargh]

"in my day...." 

*Insert old man vibes here*

 

This is a flippant comment due to starting work 10 minutes ago, however to the point

 

Any day where you go Airsofting and think - worth it, or tinker and get things 'just right', buy any kit or *that* piece of kit, new gun day, first day you bring your mate along, hell even good toy cleaning day is part of the golden age.

 

 

[Emergencychimps]

8 hours ago, MrTea said:

 

I'd love to play in an abandoned MOD site, factory/chemical complex, shopping center etc.

Have you tried catterick with Stirling airsoft? The themed games there run from 11:00am to 11:00pm on the Saturday (no enforced breaks) and are more of a thinking man's skirmish. Then on Sunday it's 7:30 (I think) to 11:00am. 

 

It's in the north east and it's the fibua site for all of the army learn at. It's also great for airsoft. 

 

[Stratton Oakmont]

[The Waco Kid]

On 18/02/2023 at 12:14, Impulse said:

 At the end of the day it's BB wars with varying levels of LARP. Like... you can't take yourself that seriously 😂

Yes it is just a strange dress up fetish….

 

There are some very good things currently.

 

I have a couple of nice special rifs. But I skirmish with a couple of inexpensive “starter” ones quite effectively. 
 

Some excellent kit from what we’re once knock off manufactuers. But then again that’s how Eagle Industries started, they were a sideline for a boat canopy maker.

 

  When I started airsoft was by default “milsim”. All the kit surplus no real option. Many of the players were ex-paintball and wanted something that wasn’t. Less competitive and day glow.

  The speed soft does remind me somewhat of paintball back in the day.

[Tommikka]

On 21/02/2023 at 00:18, MrTea said:

 

I'd kill for a site like this in the North East. Sounds great.

 

The majority of sites around me are either; 1: Woodland. 2: Woodland with barricades. 3: Indoor purpose build CQB.

 

I'd love to play in an abandoned MOD site, factory/chemical complex, shopping center etc.

Most sites around the country are woodland

 

Back in the olden days there were ‘off world’ games going on trespassing in genuine disused buildings, but illegal and dangerous.  You don’t need to these days 

 

As the emergency chimp says you can now legally play in both ex MoD sites and current MoD sites - it’s definitely much better to play in a current MoD training area with the facilities actually in use 

 

Current sites are leased by game organisers (at some expense!) and can get canceled / rescheduled if training needs change

 

Airsoft has had ‘easier’ access to MoD sites as BBs can be swept up, in paintball it pretty much began with Swynnerton with the organisers paying for the additional time before and after for set up and clean up, but more sites became available when clear paintballs could be manufactured and there was a surge.  With events in Afghanistan their were a few cancelled games and the novelty wore off a little 

There remain a couple of organisers still doing the odd MoD site paintball games

 

Former sites are easier as a site can be established with regular games, and these last until the development market hits the right time for that location

This gave us the Mall in Reading until it was developed and they have since taken on an alternative site

 

Long standing players will say how much better it was, but these alternative locations do come and go, you just need to keep your eye open in the forums and be prepared to do some travel for the right game

 

On 21/02/2023 at 08:57, Emergencychimps said:

Have you tried catterick with Stirling airsoft? The themed games there run from 11:00am to 11:00pm on the Saturday (no enforced breaks) and are more of a thinking man's skirmish. Then on Sunday it's 7:30 (I think) to 11:00am. 

 

It's in the north east and it's the fibua site for all of the army learn at. It's also great for airsoft. 

 

 

[Cannonfodder]

On 18/02/2023 at 11:22, Duff Beer said:

What about a P99?

Funny you should post that, my latest purchace was a WE P99. I did have one of the Maruzen NBB ones years ago but I hated the mushy trigger so sold it. I know what you're getting at though, half the reason I got one was to be different from all the Glock and Hi Cappas out there

 

On 18/02/2023 at 15:16, Duff Beer said:

I was always (and still am) an Arnies user.  I remember when Zeroone was a warehouse only, and Airsoft World was Airsoft Scotland.  

Me too. Christ I feel old now

 

For me I'd say the golden age was probably around the late 2000's. The ACM guns were relatively cheap but effective and social media wasn't a big thing so there was less of the egotistical bellends spouting nonsense (well there were some, but they usually ended up being put in their place). Also I was nice to not have every other player wearing multiple cameras and thinking they're the next Steven Spielburg while pushing their crappy goontube channel