The beginner’s guide to choosing kit. Where do you start and what do you buy? Thankfully, not as much as you might think.
It looks daunting at times, seeing players online dripping in thousands of pounds/dollars/local currency of gear running around their local site, but it’s largely just cosplay. Certainly when you start Airsoft, you won’t be needing anything too technical until you start working your way up. And even then, much of it isn’t necessary. Assuming you’ve played a trial game and you’re looking to compile a shopping list, I’m going to cut out the crap and go through what you really need to get yourself up and running. Because ultimately, we all want a cupboard full of cool gear.
The first thing to consider is versatility. You probably have a local site you want to go to and it’ll be either indoor or outdoor, but bear in mind you might end up travelling elsewhere. Some players get really specific with their kits and believe themselves to be fulfilling a very particular role (snipers aside), but in reality we’re all just running around pulling triggers in much the same way. Having a loadout that works indoors as well as outdoors, at multiple ranges, is a lot better than being good at one thing but crap when tasked with a different site or objective. It’s no good for example to pour all your money into a huge long Barrett 50 cal sniper rifle only for your mates to take you to an indoor site when the weather is bad. Similarly, that black outfit with rainbow fox ears and a flashing tail probably looks great in the dark at an abandoned factory but really isn’t doing you any favours outside trying to hide in the long grass.
The focus here is to put something together that is lightweight, comfortable, allows you to move freely and keeps you running and gunning for a few hours so you can learn the game.
THE GUN
Yes, we all really just want a gun in our house. I’m not going to tell you what gun to buy here because trends change daily, you’ll have your favourite gun from a film or game, or you’ve probably already picked it in your head. It’s also going to be very budget dependant as well, but honestly most of them shoot fairly similarly and if they don’t, a bit of DIY can fix that. Local laws and power restrictions will apply as well, so do your research and ask on site to have a hold of other players’ weapons (not like that) and they’ll happily talk for hours about it.
If I were to give gun buying advice, and you were to listen, it would be to stick to an easy, common platform (MP5, AK, M4/M16) because they’re much easier to repair if damaged and it’s a lot easier and cheaper to source parts and upgrades. Remember you’ll also need batteries/gas, and mags. Check online that the mags you want fit the gun you want.
Anyway, onto the more important things.
THE BASICS – PROTECTION
Always carry protection. For Airsoft, always invest in quality eye protection (some cool shades or something), some face protection, some gloves, and some good sturdy footwear. Hiking boots of any description are fine for the footwear, and gloves are essential because nothing hurts more than getting shot in the hands. Search up “tactical gloves” online and there are plenty of padded options out there to suit every budget. The brand to look for are Mechanix, I’ve had many pairs over the years, and they perform fantastically. Definitely, if you’re indoors, I’d look at hard knuckle options because things do get a bit nasty up close.
In terms of face protection, it depends on whether your site demands full sealed face protection or not. A lot of players seem to like the added bulk of something like a motorcycle helmet, but to be honest you want anything on the head to be as light and as comfortable as possible and to not restrict your vision or hearing because you won’t see threats quickly or clearly enough. Also it helps not having the bulk on your cheeks when you’re trying to aim down a gun and hit people. It’s important always to shield the mouth, and nose as well if you’re indoors or prefer it. My go-to is lonestar-tactical.co.uk who do a few different styles, and also because I’m sponsored by them so I’ll give you 20% off for reading this with the discount code STIP20. Even if I wasn’t, I’d still go for the snood styling so I can get on my gun properly and have my vitals protected without sweating to death.
In terms of eye protection, absolutely do not get anything unless it’s from a dedicated Airsoft retailer – no duff brands from AliExpress or Temu when it comes to the eye protection. You get shot there and the plastic isn’t designed for it, you will lose your sight in that eye. If you’re on a budget, Bolle safety eyewear is designed for multiple applications and won’t fail you. Just make sure that the lenses are big enough to stop any bb’s getting in at the sides – look for wraparound styles or sealed ones if you can. Airflow is important which is why I tend to buy the really big lense styles to provide coverage without sealing around my eyes and becoming a sweatbox. Some sites do insist on fully sealed (think swimming goggles), so check first. For a lot of years I’ve run some Wiley X Sabers which are pretty mid-tier priced, but look great, and I’ve never had them fog yet. Yet to find anything better.
And yes, it does help to add some padding down below for the guys – a length of neoprene cut and folded is a lot more comfortable than a hard plastic cup and works a treat.
Kneepads are a good idea too, especially the soft ones.Some tactical pants do have pockets in the knees to take more neoprene goodness, and they’re a lot nicer than the clacky plastic ones that are everywhere in Airsoft now. But regardless, kneeling on small hard plastic balls is painful.
THE CLOTHING
Ultimately this is going to depend on where you play as to what weather conditions you might face. Might be nice and warm, like Italy, or just cold wet and miserable, like Russia. And the UK. You obviously need to dress appropriately for the weather conditions to be comfortable enough to play without complaining. To go back to the comment about versatility though, if I had to choose between camouflage or plain black, I’d always pick camouflage. It’s not about looks, but when you’re playing a game of hide and seek with guns, it’s better to take any advantage you can. I know a few players now are desperate to show off their individuality or make a statement, but ultimately I’d rather not make myself more of a target.
Generally in Airsoft now we have access to the real military surplus stuff, or “replica” stuff which tends to cost more but be poor quality. There’s also top end tactical kit as well, like special forces go out and buy for themselves, but I’ve seen a grown man cry when his £280 pants ripped on barbed wire after only an hour the same as a £10 pair would have. We play in disused sites full of junk and sharp edges, so always bear that in mind when you’re working out your clothing purchases. Personally I find the cheap surplus stuff is ideal and looks way better, and it tends to be a lot more rugged (although if you do rip it, it’s cheap enough to replace). The smell of stores is a bonus too. I do tend to find that players who have expensive new gear play much more cautiously than those who really don’t give a shit and will do whatever is needed in order to win, and that’s definitely the way to do it.
Look for clothing that is “stiffer” and loose fitting to slow bb’s down. Fitness leggings and a hoody are not the answer here. Hoodies are usually way too warm to run in. And yeah, I know you can get them printed with your team logo but that’s irrelevant outside the safe zone. I’ve had ripstop jackets where I can hear the bb but not feel it thanks to the more rigid material, and definitely look for good solid canvas style materials where possible. Those combat shirts with the stretchy mesh bodies end up getting torn to shreds playing outdoors and offer as much protection as tissue paper – avoid.
In terms of headwear, much like the indoor motorbike style face protection, helmets tend to be bulky, uncomfortable and unnecessary. Beanies are great to give a little padding when crawling around and offer at least something when getting domed in the head, so too boonies (brimmed jungle hats) which keep rain and sun off your face and eye protection.
Even a snood or bandana helps keep shots off your forehead and the sweat from running down your face.
THE RIG
Ultimately, you’ll need somewhere to put your spare mags, ammo, grenades, and whatever else you need to carry. Sometimes it’s the most expensive thing you’ll buy after your gun, but it doesn’t actually need to be anything amazing.
Ultimately, it’s likely to be a belt kit or a chest rig that’s going to to have a couple of pouches on it to carry some bits while you play.
I always discount plate carriers because there’s limited space on them to expand, they’re bulky (remember lightweight and comfortable to run around in), you don’t need the bb protection because BBs aren’t that scary, and that space on the back is wasted. Chest rigs put your kit in front of you where it’s easily accessible and there are hundreds of designs out there to fit your needs, belt kits with a harness spread the weight much better and are more suited to longer games where you need to carry more kit.
Sure, you’re going to need somewhere to put mags. You don’t need 12 mags by the way, I run full weekends on 5-6 max, so don’t buy too many. What’s most important with magazines is that you have somewhere to put the empty one you just took out of your gun. You can get a dump pouch, which is basically an open top bag that clips onto your rig and you can drop it in there, but be careful while running. Much easier to have a mag pouch that is easy to slot a mag back into without looking – I find the US ALICE ammo pouches are best at this or something with a fastex style buckle that I can clip closed with one hand. Or velcro if you must. What I will say, and I’ve said a few times in blogs, is that in 30+ years playing I’ve NEVER lost a firefight because I couldn’t reload fast enough. There are some players who treat a mag reload like an F1 pit stop – “if it takes more than 0.856 secs you’re dead”. Open top bungee pouches are good for grabbing a mag out and getting it in the gun, but a pain to slot the empty back into. You can get inserts made from Kydex that keep the pouch open and allow you to click mags in and out.
It’s important though to remember that your rig isn’t just there to keep mags flowing into the gun. It’s also there to keep you going as well. You’re running around much more than you’re shooting, so food and water/monster/beer (site dependant) need to go in there somewhere too. And a radio, maybe a couple of batteries, some basic admin like maps and pens depending on the game, maybe a red “dead” rag, torch etc. So many new players only load up their rigs for combat kit; mags and grenades only. It should be 50/50 between combat kit and sustainment kit, especially during longer games. Obviously you’re not going to set up a three course meal in the middle of a game, but having some fresh energy inbetween rounds without going all the way back to the safe zone is a bonus.
Often the best players are the ones who simply run a jacket and have a couple of mags in the pockets, as they’re able to freely run around without being weighed down. At the opposite end, the worst players are the ones who look like they’re off a Call of Duty poster, with a plate carrier, belt, drop leg pouches, helmet, backpack, claymore bag and everything filled to the point that they’re simply walking around at the back of the action posing for photos.
Again, as with clothing you can get surplus stuff cheaper than the “replica” kit;
Whatever you run, just stick with it. Learn where your pouches are and what’s in where. Like a soldier would, you make do with what you get given – it’s not going to ruin your day if it’s not the most efficient place to put something but it does become an issue if you’re constantly changing gear round and forget where things are. All gear can be expanded anyway if you need a couple of extra pockets, just make sure you balance it between combat and sustainment. Also remember your combat shirts and trousers have pockets for stuff too.
THE RADIO
Baofeng UV5R. I see so many players without radios now and the UV5R is such a cheap and easy solution at all levels. It’ll do more for your game being able to communicate than it will to spend money on a laser, or tracer unit, or a mock silencer for your gun. There’s no way any player really should be without a radio.
And that’s it, without going too deep into “buy this” or “buy that brand”. There are lots of army surplus websites near you for most of the gear, just make sure the face and eye pro is from a proper retailer and you can pick up hiking boots and gloves from wherever you like. 90% of Airsoft is moving around the site, only 10% is shooting so make sure you’re comfortable moving around instead of stacking every single tactical accessory you can find onto your kit.
If you do have any questions about gear and getting started, or if you’re heading back from a milsim and lost and just want some advice, find me on Instagram and fire away
Don’t get too caught up in looking like you’re going to war for six months – you’re not as much as many of us wish we were. It’s not something you need to spend thousands on to be good at. The best players are the ones (usually) with the least amount of kit on. And go and enjoy it!
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