Author Topic: Hi, hoping for some insight.  (Read 1347 times)

Offline Dayton

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Hi, hoping for some insight.
« on: December 14, 2010, 11:15:58 AM »
Hi,
I'm Dayton. I am new to airsoft, very new. I just bought my first gun, and am really looking to get into this sport, super excited.

Little background info; I'm 23, 6' 3" and 250lbs. I'm a Commercial HVAC Technician, have been for 5 years now. I love riding dirt bikes, (not competitively, just trails and practice days at the track). I've never played any airsoft games before, and you'll probably think I'm crazy for buying a expensive AEG to start off with, but I really like the TAR-21. :)

Anyways, could anybody help me out here? I'm trying to figure out what kind of gear I need to get started?  Vests, what color of camo, how many mags (hi, mid, or low cap?), how many batteries I can expect to go through in a day of playing, etc. Do I need a radio? (what type would you recommend?) Is a pistol necessary or just good to have on hand for CQB?

Is there any (mature) person or team here that would be willing to show me the ropes during a game or two? I really know nothing about this sport other than "Shoot them and try not to get shot in the process." :D  I'm great at following directions, and am a good leader when needed. I would most likely be available on Friday afternoons, Saturdays anytime, or Sundays as long as it's not too late, (work starts early for me).

Really hoping to get into this, thanks for any replies.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 05:00:00 PM by Guest »
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Main: JP Polarstar, Magpul PTS ACR, ARES Tavor TAR-21
Side Arm: KWA HK45, KWA Umarex H&K MP7
Other: AT-4, Defusable Bomb, Mortar

Offline CBDennis

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Re: Hi, hoping for some insight.
« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2010, 12:55:35 PM »
Welcome to AA. I'll try and answer most of your questions the best I can. As far as gear goes it’s on the shooter, no one vest will work for every shooter. You might like a light rig and just run with a chest rig, or light vest instead of a plate carrier. Another thing to take into effect is what all you want to carry on your rig and how you play. Color is up to the shooter, I would suggest something that matches your camo and environment, especially if you have two types of uniforms. For example my team runs ACUs and DCUs so we use Coyote brown vest. Your next question was on camo. That too is on the shooter and where you play. If you play mostly CQB it doesn't really matter. Most common I see is ACUs, DCUs, Multicam, and the 2 Marine Corps digital patterns. Next were magazines - I would suggest mid caps, that way you’re not stuck if you go to a game that only allows mid or standard magazines. As far as how many, that is how you play and how heavy on the trigger you are, I would suggest a combat load of 7. Next were batteries - I run Lipo batteries so mine last all day, if you stay with NMH batteries I would say get two maybe three and a smart charger. Next was radios - You don’t "need" a radio right away, save that for last. If you get one I recommend an ICOM F4S. Next was a pistol - that again is on the shooter and how they play. I run one because that’s what I’m use to. Try and play a few games without one and see if you have a need for one with the style of play you use before you spend the money on one. As for your last question about a mature team or people to play with, if you like you can run with us one day and see how we play to get a feel for the game. We are more of a mil-spec team since we have many vets and active duty members. PM me if you like we are going to the game this Sunday at MTT and fighter town next month. I suggest you ask around before play with some teams, there are some teams and people out there that put a stain on AA. Hope I helped you, see you on the field.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 05:00:00 PM by Guest »



Offline axisofoil

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Re: Hi, hoping for some insight.
« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2010, 01:02:09 PM »
Well, I won't say you're crazy for buying an expensive gun right out of the gates. Just crazy for buying one that has been shown to be unreliable in many people's experience.

There are lots of threads on these same subject on the forum already.

Summary:

Gear:
Tans/browns/grays work well. MOLLE is nice. How much/what type of gear depends entirely on you, what you need to carry, where you want the weight, if you want it to look cool or be effective (most players compromise one of these for the other), and how versatile you want it to be as far as changing in the future, how much you have to spend/want to spend, and many, many other factors. This one boils down to you. Don't buy too much until you know what you want it to do, unless you have a ton of disposable income to throw at buying new gear once you figure out what you need/want.

How many mags you need:
Depends on game format and how you shoot. If you like full-auto for the whole game, and play single-run, all-day scenarios, you will need a lot more mags than someone with a DMR, firing slowly on semi-auto in 1-2 hour long games.

What type of mags:
If you don't like reloading or going to big games, hi-caps are for you. On the other hand... if you don't like the idea of having bb's rattling around in the bottom of a mag, don't mind reloading, and don't shoot 10,000 rounds in a day, then midcaps are often a more reliable choice.

Radios:
Highly recommended, not always necessary. Just grab a cheapy from walmart or radioshack or ebay (Lots of the base-model motorolas running around)... and a headset is highly recommended if you do have a radio. Again, cheapies work (except for throat mics... cheap ones NEVER work right) until you know exactly what you need/want out of your setup.

Batteries:
Shouldn't go through more than one. Maybe have a backup. Depends on battery type, and again, how much you shoot.
Get a smart charger for your batteries, it will save them from lots of bad things, and always make sure they were fully charged.

Pistol is neither necessary, nor ideal for most CQB. They're nice to have if your primary goes down, or if you have a gun that falls into the DMR/Sniper categories and you have large minimum engagement distances <--depends on the games you go to if these are even allowed.

People willing to help newbies:
Depends on where you're located, but Steelworks, Rebel Union, and Desert Hawks are always the first that come to mind when I think of willingness to help people learn the ropes. Lots of other people are more than willing to help.

Most games seem to occur on Saturdays, so you're in luck there with your work schedule.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 05:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline Toast

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Re: Hi, hoping for some insight.
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2010, 02:32:11 PM »
Lots of good point in the last two posts!
I would add a few more things.
Hydration pack. You can get new surplus one for under $30
Footwear. If you have a pair of hiking boots you're good to go.
Eye-pro. Get a good pair of goggles or if you have a pair of ANSI rated sunglasses, such as Oakley's, you're set.
Remember you don't have to buy new stuff. I've seen some nice AEG's and Rigs on these boards for great prices.
Don't worry about what people on any forums are saying are popular or junk etc.
Most of them don't even own the gear they criticize.
Go to Gearbox in Tempe. Most of them have been in airsoft for 10+ years.
As for games, sign up, show up, TALK to people, and learn the idiosyncrasies of the game.
Oh, and have a fun time. That's what it's ALL about.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 05:00:00 PM by Guest »
"Oderint Dum Metuant"

Offline CBDennis

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Re: Hi, hoping for some insight.
« Reply #4 on: December 14, 2010, 02:36:58 PM »
+1 on gearbox and having fun
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 05:00:00 PM by Guest »



Offline Dayton

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Re: Hi, hoping for some insight.
« Reply #5 on: December 14, 2010, 05:07:15 PM »
Awesome, thanks for the tips guys. I'll definitely go check out gearbox when I get a chance.

Any recommendations on where to get some cheap gear to start out with? (camo, hydro packs, etc) You mentioned being able to pick up a Hydration pack for under $30, haven't been able to find a camo one under $50. Found a couple places for camo apparel at an average of $20, is that a pretty fair price?
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 05:00:00 PM by Guest »
Fox Company | Tournament Locks
Main: JP Polarstar, Magpul PTS ACR, ARES Tavor TAR-21
Side Arm: KWA HK45, KWA Umarex H&K MP7
Other: AT-4, Defusable Bomb, Mortar

Offline CBDennis

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Re: Hi, hoping for some insight.
« Reply #6 on: December 14, 2010, 05:32:11 PM »
Allied Surplus on Northern and 43rd Ave. And Ron has some gear and Camo at Gearbox aswell.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 05:00:00 PM by Guest »



Offline XavierMace

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Re: Hi, hoping for some insight.
« Reply #7 on: December 14, 2010, 05:54:13 PM »
The question is really more a matter of what you can afford than what you NEED.  You already have most of what you NEED which is a gun and magazine.

1.  Decent quality AEG

I'm sure the Echo1 club will chime in shortly here, but here's my issue.  While yes, some Echo 1's last a very long time, for the most part they are very hit or miss.  This becomes more of an issue once you have to worry about upgrading/replacing parts.  You will find issues with parts not fitting properly are far more common on E1's and other Chinese guns than they are on Taiwanese and Japanese guns.  Secondly, E1's also shoot too hot out of the box in most cases which means right off the bat you either have to take the gun apart or pay someone to do it.  That said, Gearbox will do it for you for a reasonable cost.  Here's my recommendations, brand wise.

KWA - They start at the higher end of the price bracket ($350) but I've yet to own an AEG that performed better out of the box than my KWA SR-10.  This is from someone with 30+ high end AEG's.

ICS -  Anyone who has been around any length of time knows I like my ICS's.  They are by far the easiest M4 platform to work on, they are extremely reliable in stock form, and they are reasonably price.  Proline models start at $250, Sportline models start at $150

Ares -  Extremely nice externals (most of the time), very reasonable prices (most of the time).  I personally however, haven't been terribly pleased with the performance of any of the 4 Ares guns I have owned.  Their assembly process is entirely devoid of any sort of QC.

G&G -  Their Combat Machines (aka Sportline) models are very hard to beat for the price and look pretty nice.  Unfortunately they seem to have some QC issues.

Now that I re-read your post, I realized you already purchased the gun, so ignore that first part.  However, if you end up purchasing a second gun, it still applies.

2. Battery

I'm pretty much with Axis on this.  Even if your gun of choice comes with a battery, get one GOOD battery and a GOOD smart charger.  If you stick with the sport, both of these will last you years.  If you drop out, they can be sold pretty easy.  Having a spare battery never hurts, but unless you are really trigger happy, one battery can get you through a game.  Expect to spend about $100 on a good battery/charger combo.  If you do any RC cars/planes your existing charger will work.  Battery may work as well.  As long as you are aware of the risks before hand, I recommend going with Lithium Polymer (LiPo) batteries as it's cheaper to start with them than to switch to them later.  The prices have gotten low enough that you can get a good LiPo charger and battery for about the same price as NiMh/NiCd.

3.  Good Eyepro

Do not skimp on this.  Regardless if you go with Goggles or glasses, make sure it's rated.  You can get a quality pair of goggles for $20-$30.  A lot of fields require sealed eye protection and indoor field often require a full face mask, so keep that in mind when choosing your eye protection.

4.  Gear

I'm going to have a little different view point on this than the other recommendations.  Hold off on gear until you know you want to get in the sport and are happy with your platform of choice.  I haven't seen anyone address where you are playing but at indoor games and some of the smaller games, you can get by with no gear at all.  I've shown up to some games where I was one of only 3 people actually wearing a vest.  At most get a cheap load bearing setup with the appropriate pouches.  You can end up spending hundreds of dollars on gear once you get into it.  No point in buying a $150 vest only to decide in a month you don't like the sport or need different mag pouches.  IE, you buy M4 mag pouches and then decide to buy an AK.  Hydration is the only piece of gear I would say is a necessity if you are playing anywhere other than indoors.  I've played games before where my gear consisted of a belt with a canteen and drop pouch.  I just shoved a few mags in my pockets.  No, it's not tactical and you'll probably get laughed at but it works.  If you've got the money to burn, by all means, buy some gear but it's not a REQUIREMENT to play at an airsoft game in most cases.  Even after 8 years of playing, I'm still running with cheap gear.  I personally don't see the reason to spend $200 on a vest when my $50 vest does everything I need it to do.

5.  Uniforms

I'm putting this in a separate category from gear as it's a little harder to get by without but once again, not impossible.  For many games, you CAN get by with tan or green colored clothes.  However, BDU's (especially Woodland) can be had for pretty cheap so there's no reason not to have some.  Multicam is my preferred pattern since it blends just about anywhere, but it's a bit pricier since you can't just pickup some surplus gear.  As with the gear, I'm not into the whole gear whore/impressionist thing so I just go with whatever works.  If you want the good stuff or want to replicate a certain look, more power to you, it's just not my thing.

For both gear and uniforms, Army Surplus is a good place to start.  Gearbox also has a pretty good selection of "entry level" gear as well as some surplus uniforms which is what I run with anyways.

6.  Footwear

This somewhat goes in line with gear.  While boots are good, I wouldn't say they are necessary unless you are playing in the bigger out door games.  If you are playing indoors or at smaller games, you can get by perfectly fine with a quality pair of sneakers.  Once again though, if you have the money or if you are playing in rough terrain, pick some up.  I've had the same pair of Bates boots for a few years now and love them.  I'd pick up a good pair of boots before gear as gear is a convenience, boots are for safety.

7.  Radios

Once again, unless you are going to be hitting up the big games right off the bat you get by without a radio with no problem.  Most of the vets run ICOM F4S radios but you can certainly get by with a cheap Motorola.

8.  Mags

As with the previous points, this isn't something you should be stressing about for your first game.  You gun will include at least one high capacity mag.  While they are frowned upon (I usually just give mine away), it's pretty rare that you will be turned away from a game because you only have a high cap.  The only games that will do that, mention that in advance.  That said, a box of MAG brand mid capacity mags will run you about $70 and then you are set either way.  Just keep in mind you will want a good speed loader if you get mid/low capacity mags.  Get an M4 style speed loader as they hold more BB's and fit in M4 mag pouches when you end up getting gear.

9.  Side arm

Excluding times when I am running with a sniper rifle, I can count on 1 hand the number of times I've HAD to use my side arm.  That said, I recommend AEP's for a sidearm.  They are cheaper and more reliable than most gas pistols.  They are easier to maintain and less of a hassle to use.  That said, they are much more lacking in the realism department.  Cyma CM.030's (Glock 18 AEP) can be found for under $100, sometimes as low as $50.  I do recommend getting Tokyo Marui brand mags rather than the Cyma mags however.  That said, they are still cheaper than magazines for gas guns.  At CQB games, I'll often run with just an AEP (either MP7 or G18) because of how light and maneuverable they are.  Unlike gas guns, they also function in pretty much any temperatures.

That's my thoughts anyways.
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 05:00:00 PM by Guest »

Offline Ziolko

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Re: Hi, hoping for some insight.
« Reply #8 on: January 14, 2011, 03:19:21 PM »
Welcome to the forums, I would put in my 2 cents, but I believe that everyone who has already posted on this has given you great advice. Like they stated, your loadout is really based upon your personal preferences, just pick things up as you go, no need to have a $1000 load the first time you step on the field. [smilie=armata_pdt_12.gif]
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 05:00:00 PM by Guest »
V/R,
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Offline Dayton

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Re: Hi, hoping for some insight.
« Reply #9 on: January 14, 2011, 03:23:49 PM »
Well, your a month behind, but thanks anyways.  [smilie=armata_pdt_01.gif]
« Last Edit: December 31, 1969, 05:00:00 PM by Guest »
Fox Company | Tournament Locks
Main: JP Polarstar, Magpul PTS ACR, ARES Tavor TAR-21
Side Arm: KWA HK45, KWA Umarex H&K MP7
Other: AT-4, Defusable Bomb, Mortar