how much r u willing to spend on gear

[prisoner12]

hi, guys. just wondering how many of you choose what kind of gears.
I started to play airsoft end of 2007. and my gears has been always on the track of "upgrading". I mean, initially i don't use a vest, then I upgraded them to TAC vest, then changed into more expensive condor CIRAS vest, before I eventually bought the RRV build with high-quality material. Now i'm thinking about buying real stuff like eagle industry gear...

I hate to be dressed like an amateur when im in the field with my mags shoved round my pockets, or wearing some gear that could be found in movies produced 10 years ago. I'm wondering what kinda gear you guys will choose. Do you care about durability or lookings? Or most of them only have the tast of decent real stuffs?

[Ganef]

You can easily spend less than $150 and get a full kit of non-replica gear. These airsofter oriented gear companies have you kids so confused thinking you need a ciras and a million pouches to be a real american hero.

There are plenty of chest rigs and other non-armor type vests that don't cost an arm and a leg and will sustain you quite well. I have been to multiple national ops with my homebrew chest rigs and have never found them lacking.

Get it out of your head that you think you need an armor vest, unless you are active or soon to be active duty and want to train how you fight or are wearing real armor for that same reason, or are airsofter1.

Gear is not to play dress up, it is to carry your shit. Real gear uses 500-1000D cordura nylon which has superior abrasion resistance, couple that with high quality webbing and thread and you have gear that will last a long time. The materials are not cheap but if you know where and when to shop, you can find great deals. I know for a fact that most of the veterans on this forum have spent less than $150 on their current setup of real quality gear.

As for old stuff, going retro is fine if it works. My setup for my FAL uses a chest rig designed off of ones from the 70's. My AK chest rig is based off of those hadji chicoms which are decades old. I would never buy an LBV because "design wise" I think they are crap.

[prisoner12]

um.. for some part you are right ganef.
but for the airsoft games, different ppl could find different fun from it. Someone enjoys firing the BB guns, while others enjoy being dressed up and cosplaying the real hero like navy seal, USMC, or Force Recon, in an attempt to meet their psychological need for being an real soldier and experience on the battle field, sentimentally.   If airsoft is only a game of grabbing a bb projectile tool and shoot plastic white balls to someone out of 35 yards far, then it looses its relish 80% at least.  

And gear weighs heavily to meet the expectation i mentioned above. It could enhance tremendously the sence of experience like" i'm now fighting like real soldier", not a bunch of retards shooting each other with fake guns at backyards. Of course there are so many choices of what gear you wud like to wear. A set of chest rig is fine. A simple belt works well also. But if someone like to wear a CIRAS MAR or RRV with backcarrier, you can't just say, "look at the guy why he put on some many useless stuffs and impact his mobility". For someone, he wants to be USMC, so he likes to wear CIRAS.

so this thread aim at people who would regard "cosplay" as an important part of relish of airsoft game. For those only caring about how to shoot ppl with BB more accurately and efficiently, they can't understand why ppl would spend over $200 on kit of gears.   In the end, Ganef, just for free discuss, no offend to you , :mrgreen:

[TheBoy988]

i think its importaint to use practical gear in the field but i dont think spending ungodly amounts of money for gear is necessary unless your training for real engagments. otherwise replica gear will work just fine. i wouldnt get cheap replicas either because i like my gear to last longer then a season

[prisoner12]

i think its importaint to use practical gear in the field but i dont think spending ungodly amounts of money for gear is necessary unless your training for real engagments. otherwise replica gear will work just fine. i wouldnt get cheap replicas either because i like my gear to last longer then a season

so you choose 3rd category? why ppl only comment but never voting?.. :-k
anyway, thanks for replying my post~  :mrgreen:

[TheBoy988]

lol well id choose the 3rd one because of the money ive spent on or going to spend on good boots and a good radio / headset

[Ganef]

um.. for some part you are right ganef.
but for the airsoft games, different ppl could find different fun from it. Someone enjoys firing the BB guns, while others enjoy being dressed up and cosplaying the real hero like navy seal, USMC, or Force Recon, in an attempt to meet their psychological need for being an real soldier and experience on the battle field, sentimentally.   If airsoft is only a game of grabbing a bb projectile tool and shoot plastic white balls to someone out of 35 yards far, then it looses its relish 80% at least.  

And gear weighs heavily to meet the expectation i mentioned above. It could enhance tremendously the sence of experience like" i'm now fighting like real soldier", not a bunch of retards shooting each other with fake guns at backyards. Of course there are so many choices of what gear you wud like to wear. A set of chest rig is fine. A simple belt works well also. But if someone like to wear a CIRAS MAR or RRV with backcarrier, you can't just say, "look at the guy why he put on some many useless stuffs and impact his mobility". For someone, he wants to be USMC, so he likes to wear CIRAS.

so this thread aim at people who would regard "cosplay" as an important part of relish of airsoft game. For those only caring about how to shoot ppl with BB more accurately and efficiently, they can't understand why ppl would spend over $200 on kit of gears.   In the end, Ganef, just for free discuss, no offend to you , :mrgreen:

 
When Airsoft becomes Cosplay I want no part of it.

Gear is functional, or it is dead weight on your shoulders. Quality gear just tends to function better, and last longer than cheap gear.

I don't vote because I don't fit into any of those categories. Buy good gear, but you don't have to pay $500+ for it. I can show you how, as well.

[Rogue Fox]

Prisoner, in case you didnt know Ganef has been making quality gear for many of the boards members for a long time, you may have seen his logo on many of the veteran airballer's setups[CT]. Also a to keep in mind, a real soldier never carrys more than he needs, and he never does it to look cool. Youve gotta adapt to your needs and especially at major ops you dont need a ton of extra gear, and while you may look like one bada$$ mofo youll be the slowest member of the group and will spend alot of time walking back to the spawn, or even slow your team down and lose and objective. I know a few of the guys on here use very simple rigs, take Raith's setup that he showed in his"Gear and you" thread as an example.

And Im the same with a no vote, none of the listed catagories hit my mark, I spend what I need and nothing more.

Correct me if Im wrong Ganef.

[Exarach]

um.. for some part you are right ganef.
but for the airsoft games, different ppl could find different fun from it. Someone enjoys firing the BB guns, while others enjoy being dressed up and cosplaying the real hero like navy seal, USMC, or Force Recon, in an attempt to meet their psychological need for being an real soldier and experience on the battle field, sentimentally.   If airsoft is only a game of grabbing a bb projectile tool and shoot plastic white balls to someone out of 35 yards far, then it looses its relish 80% at least.  

And gear weighs heavily to meet the expectation i mentioned above. It could enhance tremendously the sence of experience like" i'm now fighting like real soldier", not a bunch of retards shooting each other with fake guns at backyards. Of course there are so many choices of what gear you wud like to wear. A set of chest rig is fine. A simple belt works well also. But if someone like to wear a CIRAS MAR or RRV with backcarrier, you can't just say, "look at the guy why he put on some many useless stuffs and impact his mobility". For someone, he wants to be USMC, so he likes to wear CIRAS.

so this thread aim at people who would regard "cosplay" as an important part of relish of airsoft game. For those only caring about how to shoot ppl with BB more accurately and efficiently, they can't understand why ppl would spend over $200 on kit of gears.   In the end, Ganef, just for free discuss, no offend to you , :mrgreen:

 
When Airsoft becomes Cosplay I want no part of it.

Gear is functional, or it is dead weight on your shoulders. Quality gear just tends to function better, and last longer than cheap gear.

I don't vote because I don't fit into any of those categories. Buy good gear, but you don't have to pay $500+ for it. I can show you how, as well.

Any chance you can show me how as well?  O:)

[Ranger_Robby]

Everyone is different. Buy what suits you in your price range. Real stuff keeps value, replica might not. most real gear may also have warranty and might last longer (real cordura compared to replica with cheap material). What you have for gun and gear isn't supposed to appease those you play with but be functional and convienent to use for you, your style of play, and personal preferance. Also how much you spend is up to you, noone else will care if you blow 500 on an Eagle Ciras unless they are borrowing it from you.

[oldgamefreak]

Everyone is different. Buy what suits you in your price range. Real stuff keeps value, replica might not. most real gear may also have warranty and might last longer (real cordura compared to replica with cheap material). What you have for gun and gear isn't supposed to appease those you play with but be functional and convienent to use for you, your style of play, and personal preferance. Also how much you spend is up to you, noone else will care if you blow 500 on an Eagle Ciras unless they are borrowing it from you.

Or looking at someone’s really hot girl friend in one!!!!!!  :mrgreen:

[Airsofter1]

I had a replica Phantom (Pantac) CIRAS.  It was pretty awesome and I wish I never sold it.  I felt it was very solidly constructed, pretty much the same way as the Eagle made one.  So much so in fact they can't sell them to the US anymore.  Since then I have mostly spent the extra dollar getting the expensive stuff.  But I would not rule out another Pantac made CIRAS should one come across my path.  If you want something solid and well built you just need to look around.  Replica or not, what ever floats your boat.

I have a bunch of different gear setups depending on my mood.  How cool it looks influences 60-70% of the reason I choose a kit.  And all of them work.

[-MAD- SARGE]

I have a bunch of different gear setups depending on my mood.  How cool it looks influences 60-70% of the reason I choose a kit.  And all of them work.

You could say that again  :lol:

I'm on the other hand are just the opposite. I’m 90% functionality vs. looks. It just so happens that most of the stuff that works well, looks good too. Well that could be argued but I digress.  If it doesn’t work for what I want it to do then I am looking for an alternative. Gear has to  work for the specific assigned task which can include: allowing you to perform the required physical tasks, grant speedy access to equipment, be comfortable at all times, and be able to carry all your primary and secondary line gear. Finally the gear has to be durable enough to take your punishment over time and time again and still function flawlessly.

So I don't care if it is a cheap knock off brand, though my experience is they are seriously lacking, or if it is a top of the line brand. The gear just has to work to meet the expectation. I have seen some crazy ideas from some top manufactures that have a product for a very narrow niche. That's great if you’re in the niche, which the product works for, otherwise it is useless. Don't fall into "ah I got to have this because this is what all spec ops or whatever use." Use what works for the tasks you want to accomplish and what best compliments you.

Cost is irrelevant to me in terms of performance. If a $50 item can perform just as well as the $150 item then so be it.  But if the $150 item out performs all other options for my assigned task then it is the $150 item. The thing for me is I don't have the luxury/money to buy and try out a ton of different options.  So I move very slowly when making gear purchases so I can think of everything I need to have improved on and try to esure I get what I require for my next purchase.

[Kodiak]

Boots: $7- from goodwill, and pretty decent ones at that.
Camo/other: $70- Berezka camouflage, Telnyashka, hats from Russia (the real stuff)
Pouches: $15- AK mag pouch with room for 6 mags plus a few tools or batteries.

Everything else: free- shoulder harness/belt (just something to hang the pouches from), gloves, and misc. stuff myself or others just had lying around or didn't want.


 I have other stuff I payed for, but the above is what I use most of the time. So it's very possible to get real, functional, and good looking gear for a little less or more than $100. But I'm one of the people who doesn't take much into a game at all.

[deathbydanish]

*looks at closet full of gear*

 :oops:

I fall into the I'll spend $500 on Eagle Industries stuff. Ok technically speaking I got my CIRAS on sale, so I really only paid about $400 for it. But I'll echo everyone's sentiments, buy something functional that you'll use, not whatever happens to be trendy at the time. I honestly like my SOTech Devil Rig a lot more due to the weight savings, built in hydration, and the cost (about half the cost of a full priced CIRAS).