Post by lordofwarshen3 on Jun 19, 2007 16:35:27 GMT 8
Basic equipment for a player:
The basic equipment needed to play Airsoft is protection goggles, a gun and ammunition. However, to make the game more exciting and varying the player should get some decent equipment.
Protection:
The only protection needed is a pair of goggles with or without face protection. The ammunition (bb) do not hurt that much, but if the weapon is upgraded or the distance between the shooter and the target is short, the pain increases. Knuckles, ears, and lips and similar places are sensitive and a shot can hurt quite a lot. The cloth is often protection enough but hands and face is often unprotected.
Protection goggles should not be affected buy a bb fired form under a foot buy the most power full weapon in the arsenal. Protection goggles have a tendency to fog, because the warm humid air between the face and the goggles do not disappear. The more air that flows between the face and the goggles, the less fog there will be. There are special lenses that don't fog. Thermal goggles work because there are two separate lenses and the air between the lenses prevents fogging on the inner lens. Air doesn?t transfer heat well. Thermal goggles are quite expensive though, so there are other methods to reduce fogging. The easiest method is to use a piece of cloth and wipe a thin layer of soap or similar solution on the inside of the goggles. This method reduces the fogging but the downside is that it doesn?t prevent fogging and the goggles have to be prepared before each game.
A new type of goggles has surfaced in recent years. Mesh goggles. These goggles are made for use in Airsoft and since they don?t have a lens they can?t fog. There only negative side is that in low light situations they're hard to see thru.
Yellow lenses increase contrast and the effect is that in daytime vision is improved, but yellow lenses are impossible to see thru in low light such as in the evening or night.
Clothes [Battle Dress Uniform - BDU]:
Don't play Airsoft in a suite or clothes that can't with stand rough play. Good clothes are a jacket and trousers in camouflage pattern and a pair of good boots. Military surplus and outdoor shops are good places to buy gear from. Clothes bought in these places is very hard to rip and can be cheap. Many pockets is useful, but make sure that the pockets is sealed with big buttons or big zippers, that is easy to handle with gloves or when it's cold. And don't forget to make sure that the clothes are comfortable. Camouflage pattern isn't a must; green or brown is often enough. Don't buy black clothes to use during night games. Use regular camouflage clothing in nighttime or the clothing might be darker than the night and you will be spotted. The night often isn't black, just dark.
T-shirts, shirts and socks:
During a warm day a shirt or long armed T-shirt is to be preferred over a warm jacket. Even in normal games something has to be worn under the jacket and a shirt or T-shirt is the common option.
Socks are more important than many people think, because a good pair of socks decrease bruises and cold feet aren?t good for your health. It's better to use double pairs of thin socks than one thick pair, because the two thin socks isolate better.
Boots:
It isn't smart to use a pair of sneakers to play Airsoft in. Real boots protects your feet and ankles better, and boots withstand mud and water better. Make sure that the boots is well worn in before you play in them. A tip is to use a pair of soaked woollen socks, and then walk around in the boots until the socks are dry, and then walk a bit more. A pair of boots can be considered as well worn in when you have walked about 20-30 miles in them. Though not all at one time. For people that don't like boots with hard soles there is something called SWAT boots, manufactured by Magnum Boots, that has soft soles and sides.
Gloves:
Gloves will protect hands from getting hurt and also decrease the pain felt from a hit on knuckles and fingers. Fingerless gloves are often used, because gloves increase the grip when holding a gun or obstacles. Gloves also keep the hands warm during cold weather.
Headwear:
Hats and other headwear are often used. Jungle hats, bonnie hats, caps and helmets is most common. The choice depends on personal preference, looks and protection from flying bbs. Hats also increase realism. A hat is very nice to have if the weather is bad and if it rains.
Vest and backpacks:
A good vest is very useful to carry around spare magazines, spare battery, binoculars and all the other equipment an Airsoft player uses. There are many different types and in many different patterns, so chose one that suits you. During those warm games when only a shirt is worn a vest is an excellent investment.
Backpacks aren?t that useful for the common Airsoft player, but if you have to carry around lot of equipment or food a backpack will save the day. A backpack is also good to transport your Airsoft equipment around in when you?re not playing.
Load Bearing Vests, LBV:
A LBV or ALICE (All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment) is a harness with loose pouches that is hung on, and if the user wants more ammo pouches he can exchange some of the other pouches to ammo pouches. LBV is perfect to carry around a sorted gear in that is easy to access. LBV is available in green, black and many camouflage patterns.
Camouflage:
In Airsoft its very important to melt in to the surrounding environment, because Airsoft is played over short distances, and if you cant be seen at a 30 meters (100 feet) or less, the chance to be shot decrease. Camouflage is the key if you want to blend in and camouflage patterned cloth is essential. Here are some of the different camouflage patterns that are most commonly available.
There are hundreds of different patterns around the world, so choose one that fit you environment. Camouflage that has soft round edges is better in wood that has a lot of trees with leaves, and patterns with sharp edges is better in pine and spur woods. A person that use camouflage cloth should also camouflage the other equipment to not expose them self. All cloth as hats, jacket, backpacks should be in the same pattern to increase the camouflage and because it looks better.
Ghillie:
The biggest telltale on a camouflaged human is the fact that the camouflaged human still has the shape of a human. So to better melt in and camouflage the wearer, the ghillie suit was invented in Scotland in the 1800's. A good ghillie suit makes the wearer almost impossible to see at a couple of meters distance,
assuming the wearer don't expose himself. A ghillie is manufactured to a specific environment and can?t be used in other environments with the same level of effectiveness. The manufacturing of a ghillie is a time consuming job and is a handcraft.
Snipers often use ghillie suits. As stated above Airsoft is played over short distances and a good ghillie gives the wearer an edge. The bad things with ghillie?s suits are that they're warm and cumbersome. And the user has to move slow and silent to maximize the use age of the ghillie. If the wearer runs the ghillie can be ripped to pieces and possibly snare the user. Ghillie is meant for snipers and isn't something for the average user to consider.
The basic equipment needed to play Airsoft is protection goggles, a gun and ammunition. However, to make the game more exciting and varying the player should get some decent equipment.
Protection:
The only protection needed is a pair of goggles with or without face protection. The ammunition (bb) do not hurt that much, but if the weapon is upgraded or the distance between the shooter and the target is short, the pain increases. Knuckles, ears, and lips and similar places are sensitive and a shot can hurt quite a lot. The cloth is often protection enough but hands and face is often unprotected.
Protection goggles should not be affected buy a bb fired form under a foot buy the most power full weapon in the arsenal. Protection goggles have a tendency to fog, because the warm humid air between the face and the goggles do not disappear. The more air that flows between the face and the goggles, the less fog there will be. There are special lenses that don't fog. Thermal goggles work because there are two separate lenses and the air between the lenses prevents fogging on the inner lens. Air doesn?t transfer heat well. Thermal goggles are quite expensive though, so there are other methods to reduce fogging. The easiest method is to use a piece of cloth and wipe a thin layer of soap or similar solution on the inside of the goggles. This method reduces the fogging but the downside is that it doesn?t prevent fogging and the goggles have to be prepared before each game.
A new type of goggles has surfaced in recent years. Mesh goggles. These goggles are made for use in Airsoft and since they don?t have a lens they can?t fog. There only negative side is that in low light situations they're hard to see thru.
Yellow lenses increase contrast and the effect is that in daytime vision is improved, but yellow lenses are impossible to see thru in low light such as in the evening or night.
Clothes [Battle Dress Uniform - BDU]:
Don't play Airsoft in a suite or clothes that can't with stand rough play. Good clothes are a jacket and trousers in camouflage pattern and a pair of good boots. Military surplus and outdoor shops are good places to buy gear from. Clothes bought in these places is very hard to rip and can be cheap. Many pockets is useful, but make sure that the pockets is sealed with big buttons or big zippers, that is easy to handle with gloves or when it's cold. And don't forget to make sure that the clothes are comfortable. Camouflage pattern isn't a must; green or brown is often enough. Don't buy black clothes to use during night games. Use regular camouflage clothing in nighttime or the clothing might be darker than the night and you will be spotted. The night often isn't black, just dark.
T-shirts, shirts and socks:
During a warm day a shirt or long armed T-shirt is to be preferred over a warm jacket. Even in normal games something has to be worn under the jacket and a shirt or T-shirt is the common option.
Socks are more important than many people think, because a good pair of socks decrease bruises and cold feet aren?t good for your health. It's better to use double pairs of thin socks than one thick pair, because the two thin socks isolate better.
Boots:
It isn't smart to use a pair of sneakers to play Airsoft in. Real boots protects your feet and ankles better, and boots withstand mud and water better. Make sure that the boots is well worn in before you play in them. A tip is to use a pair of soaked woollen socks, and then walk around in the boots until the socks are dry, and then walk a bit more. A pair of boots can be considered as well worn in when you have walked about 20-30 miles in them. Though not all at one time. For people that don't like boots with hard soles there is something called SWAT boots, manufactured by Magnum Boots, that has soft soles and sides.
Gloves:
Gloves will protect hands from getting hurt and also decrease the pain felt from a hit on knuckles and fingers. Fingerless gloves are often used, because gloves increase the grip when holding a gun or obstacles. Gloves also keep the hands warm during cold weather.
Headwear:
Hats and other headwear are often used. Jungle hats, bonnie hats, caps and helmets is most common. The choice depends on personal preference, looks and protection from flying bbs. Hats also increase realism. A hat is very nice to have if the weather is bad and if it rains.
Vest and backpacks:
A good vest is very useful to carry around spare magazines, spare battery, binoculars and all the other equipment an Airsoft player uses. There are many different types and in many different patterns, so chose one that suits you. During those warm games when only a shirt is worn a vest is an excellent investment.
Backpacks aren?t that useful for the common Airsoft player, but if you have to carry around lot of equipment or food a backpack will save the day. A backpack is also good to transport your Airsoft equipment around in when you?re not playing.
Load Bearing Vests, LBV:
A LBV or ALICE (All-purpose Lightweight Individual Carrying Equipment) is a harness with loose pouches that is hung on, and if the user wants more ammo pouches he can exchange some of the other pouches to ammo pouches. LBV is perfect to carry around a sorted gear in that is easy to access. LBV is available in green, black and many camouflage patterns.
Camouflage:
In Airsoft its very important to melt in to the surrounding environment, because Airsoft is played over short distances, and if you cant be seen at a 30 meters (100 feet) or less, the chance to be shot decrease. Camouflage is the key if you want to blend in and camouflage patterned cloth is essential. Here are some of the different camouflage patterns that are most commonly available.
There are hundreds of different patterns around the world, so choose one that fit you environment. Camouflage that has soft round edges is better in wood that has a lot of trees with leaves, and patterns with sharp edges is better in pine and spur woods. A person that use camouflage cloth should also camouflage the other equipment to not expose them self. All cloth as hats, jacket, backpacks should be in the same pattern to increase the camouflage and because it looks better.
Ghillie:
The biggest telltale on a camouflaged human is the fact that the camouflaged human still has the shape of a human. So to better melt in and camouflage the wearer, the ghillie suit was invented in Scotland in the 1800's. A good ghillie suit makes the wearer almost impossible to see at a couple of meters distance,
assuming the wearer don't expose himself. A ghillie is manufactured to a specific environment and can?t be used in other environments with the same level of effectiveness. The manufacturing of a ghillie is a time consuming job and is a handcraft.
Snipers often use ghillie suits. As stated above Airsoft is played over short distances and a good ghillie gives the wearer an edge. The bad things with ghillie?s suits are that they're warm and cumbersome. And the user has to move slow and silent to maximize the use age of the ghillie. If the wearer runs the ghillie can be ripped to pieces and possibly snare the user. Ghillie is meant for snipers and isn't something for the average user to consider.