Airsoft is a thrilling, competitive, and team-oriented game that’s quickly gaining popularity in both Europe and the United States. Both military and sports enthusiasts can find a lot to love about this game: its competitive matches, the realistic gun replicas, and the physical requirements. It is the perfect way to pass the time if you’re looking for a new sports, military-oriented hobby.
But how do you start with airsoft? How do you choose the right equipment? As a relatively recent game, there is not a lot of information out there, and what’s there is often contradictory and unreliable. So, a lot of interested people don’t know how to start. In this article, we aim to fix that by answering some of the core questions all airsoft beginners will have.
How to Choose the Right Airsoft Replica?
One of the key decisions, before you start playing airsoft, is choosing the right airsoft BB gun. The type of replica you choose will be one of the deciding factors in your enjoyment of the game.
When choosing the right replica, there are a few things you need to consider before you make your final decision:
- Personal taste: your decision should factor in your tastes, because, ultimately, the goal of playing airsoft is to enjoy yourself. What kind of weapons do you like: assault rifles, sniper rifles, pistols, revolvers, or something else entirely? One of the main attractions of airsoft is that you get to play with a realistic replica of your favorite gun, and you shouldn’t discount this.
- Handling difficulty: airsoft BB guns can be heavy and difficult to handle, especially if you don’t have any experience with the game. Of course, this varies a lot from model to model: a high-powered assault rifle replica will be far harder to handle than a pistol. That’s why it is usually a good idea to start with an airsoft pistol or easy to handle replicas.
- Cost: Cost is also an important factor that you can’t neglect when choosing the right replica. Replicas can get quite expensive and run you thousands of dollars, and a lot of people can’t justify investing that kind of money into a game they’ve just started playing. Ideally, you should scale how much you’re willing to pay for a replica with how committed you’re to playing airsoft. If you’re just testing out airsoft, you should go for a cheaper, more affordable replica. If you’re going to play airsoft professionally and competitively, you obviously need to invest far more.
How to Choose the Appropriate Gear?
Airsoft matches can get a bit hardcore, airsoft replicas can fire pellets that are quite powerful, and airsoft is quite a competitive game in general: all this means that you have to wear appropriate gear before playing an airsoft match. Gear and accessories can help provide additional safety, offer a tactical advantage, and enable effective teamwork.
Protective Gear
- Helmets and goggles: airsoft BBs can be quite dangerous if you’re not wearing protective gear. This is especially true for your eyes and your head, as they are your most sensitive areas. That’s why you need to buy a helmet and goggles before you play airsoft matches. Thankfully, they’re widely available.
- Vests: although not as vital as helmets and goggles, vests are also quite important if you care about safety when playing airsoft. Bulletproof airsoft vests will protect you from airsoft pellets and prevent injuries so you can enjoy your matches in full.
- Uniforms: not only are airsoft uniforms important so team members can recognize each other, but it is also important if you want to perform well in the game. During an airsoft match, you’ll run around, you’ll take cover, and you’ll engage the opposing team in combat. During all these, you need a reliable uniform to protect your body and not obstruct your movement.
Tactical Gear
- Magazine pouches: in most airsoft matches, players usually use, on average, around 5 mags. And unlike real guns, airsoft magazines hold small pellets, and they can’t be refilled on the battlefield. That’s why players need to carry additional magazines during matches. But how are you going to carry all these additional magazines? How can you ensure you can easily reach out and grab a mag when reloading? The answer is airsoft mag pouches. Equipping mag pouches is a great way to ensure you have adequate storage for your additional mags and ensure you can access them easily.
- Gun holsters: like paintball, in airsoft, you usually play in a large field and you have to move around a lot during the match. Having your movement unobstructed is paramount if you want to excel at airsoft. A great way to do that is by buying an airsoft holster. This will allow you to carry your gun neatly and have it at your fingertips at all times. If you’re just starting out with airsoft and going with a pistol, then you should definitely check out airsoft pistol holsters at Taiwangun. They’ll make your starting matches easier.