The Airsoft Gear

There is plenty of gear that you have to think about. For the sake of simplicity, from our list you only find the practical gear. The more propping oriented gear is listed on our other articles.

Headgear
As you will use your head (hopefully!) for surveillance and aiming it will be exposed to enemy observation and fire more often than any other part of your body. You need to pay extra attention how to protect your face against hits and how to camouflage your head properly.

Protective goggles: Essential equipment for all airsoft players. These will protect you from eye and facial injuries. Airsoft manufacturers provide some very strong goggles, but these are now essentially completely out of questions as real tactical goggles are now readily available and they blend perfectly into airsoft outfits (allowing more realistic appearance of the player). For beginners mesh masks do provide some very practical protection in half price.

Bolle is household name for airsoft players and this French manufacturer of tactical goggles provides good selection with affordable price. They are often carried by most airsoft retailers.

Goggle fogging is common problem and manufacturers like ESS include various anti-fogging features in their range.

Helmet: Lightweight helmet such as ProTec skating helmet (as used by Delta Force in Somalia) actually protects your head in case you get flattened in course of game (very possible in frantic CQB). Others, such as PASGT (pictured at left) helmets serve primarily in propping purposes. Helmets are also available as replicas with much more affordable price than real ones.

Some well-known Asian makers of good PASGT replica helmets are TOP (Japan) and JUST (Taiwan).

Surplus stores carry wide range of used and new US, NATO, ex-Warsaw Pact and Russian helmets with low price tags. They are also worth checking out if you are playing major event with specified nationatilities.

Camo face colors: Essential tool to give basic camouflage. Normal skin is visible far away and easily detectable by enemy observation. Readily available from most military equipment retailers.

Camo netting: Excellent and affordable tool to break the very recognizable shape of human head. As you cover your head with camo netting it will blend into forest background. Alternative tool is e.g. Stalker 3D headgear.

Balaclava: Fire protected balaclavas are favored by Special Forces around the world for added protection against heat and to prevent personnel identification.

In airsoft world, you get advantage of lesser need to play around with the face colors and slight protection against BB hits that can be painful, if not damaging, from close range.

Uniform
There is plethora of various camos in the market. Here is quick guide what might turn out to be useful for you.

Battle Dress Uniform (BDU): The most common uniform in most parts of the airsoft world. Woodland camo provides flexibility to most environments although you can find patterns such as desert, urban, tiger, smokey, etc. readily available in most tac gear retailers. Rip stop versions might come handy for you they are not so prone to cloth tear.

Flight Suit: Flightsuit is less obvious choice for airsofters, but in fact, because of it’s fire resistant material (Nomex) it is popular among real Special Forces operators. Flight suit is quite handy for airsofters as it can be quickly pulled over or taken off (often it is troublesome to change the gear in the field). Less expensive versions, that are made without Nomex material, can be bought from most military stores.

Other tactical suits: These days there is quite few tactical suits in style of flightsuits that are made by Asian airsoft gear manufacturers. These non-authentic tactical suits sport various features that are specifically designed for airsofters. There might be impact protecting padding in knees and elbows, integrated pouches for magazines and other airsoft related features.

Ad-hoc: You can show up at local field with ad-hoc uniform combining civilian and military clothing although it is likely that you will be looked upon by already mentioned MilSim and hardcore players (unless you have managed to make yourself look like say "undercover" e.g. Delta operators in Afganistan). However, if you are newbie then this is one way to let the others know about it and no one’s expectations will run too high (which could happen should you be sporting big bucks outfit right from the beginning).

The whole ad-hoc theme is currently very popular and makers like 511 are making custom made civilian-type vests for real Special Forces operators and intelligence agents. Few scans to mass media and airsoft magazines should uncover photos of above mentioned operators in latest hot spots.

Tactical Gear

Tactical vests: Essential real operator gear for any serious MilSim and airsoft player. Modern tactical vests can carry truckloads of magazines, grenades, pistols, radios, knives, ammo, compasses, night vision goggles and other tools for the hardcore individuals.

As more and more tactical vest makers appear, the selection is improving. Most of the really scarcely made and pricey high-end tactical vests is grabbed by Special Forces guys before they even have chance to get into open market. There is clear difference in quality with the sometimes "hyped" high-end tactical vests and imitations from Asia. It is different matter what is your personal requirement, Milspec or Airsoftspec. In the end you get what you pay for.

Harnesses, web gear: Regular army load bearing equipment that will come considerably cheaper than Special Forces tactical vests. There is a great numbers of surplus web gear available from militaries around the world.

Boots

Sneakers: Rarely seen in airsoft field, but in some respect useful. Good for quick running in flat terrain, but completely useless in rough terrain.

Outdoors: Usable, but then again, won’t fit with your military gear unless you are using irregular or security outfit.

Standard issue military boots: Cheap, easily obtainable. Good for most outfits and rough terrain.

Special forces grade military boots: The best money can buy. Regardless of the price, these boots will provide the best protection and comfort for your feet (never mind the ankles…). There is plenty of selection from manufacturers ranging from CQB-oriented tactical boots to . You can find many of these from our gear database and gear retailers intel.

Other

Backpacks, Rigs, gun bags: Useful to carry large number of gear to field. Rarely needed in the actual game unless you are going to be in big op.

For true MilSim you would need to haul lot of equipment, but usually most events are limited in duration (up to 24h) and provide secure base areas, so you should be fined with basic supplies. It is best to check with event organizer what they provide and what you need to bring in. Often it does happen that supplies of every kind are running low (BBs, batteries, gas, food and water) so if you would happen to go to anything more than 24h then all of the above should be brought in more than sufficient quantities.

For tactical backpacks, rigs and gun bags they are often provided by very same tactical gear manufacturers that make vests, pouches, etc. Surplus equipment in this area, unlike in some others, comes with good quality and with extremely low prices, if you know where to look from.

Gloves: Tactical gloves provide protection against injuries and BB hits. Look for halfcut gloves with leather reinforced palms for better weapon grip. Many of the high-end gloves provide Kevlar or Nomex protection, but these are not obviously needed in airsoft.

One of the most popular gloves at the moment are Aviator Nomex-protected gloves, which are frequently used by US Special Forces for protection against fire and heat.

Ghost, poti sa postezi adresa firmei de unde pot sa cumpar uniforme?

te referi la targu mures? Ei nu au site.

La iesirea din Tirgu-Mures spre Reghin,dupa ce ai trecut de indicatorul care delimiteaza orasul pe partea stanga;zona este doar de case asa ca te descurci...(se vad diverse lucruri scoase la strada).Preferabil dupa-masa zicea omul;ar trebui sa va si grabiti pentru ca stocurile sunt pe terminate.

Nu, spuneai sambata la joc de un magazin ce are tinute la 58 lei, parca...

salut! nu vreau sa ma bag peste, dar eu stiam de http://www.kaki.ro au si noi si second. sper sa nu se supere nimeni!

Nu avem de ce sa ne suparam dar avem chiar in Sibiu un magazin,uite varianta online: http://www.capitano.ro/Products/vmchk.html .
Noi si uzate...

The Fucker a scris:

La iesirea din Tirgu-Mures spre Reghin,dupa ce ai trecut de indicatorul care delimiteaza orasul pe partea stanga;zona este doar de case asa ca te descurci...(se vad diverse lucruri scoase la strada).Preferabil dupa-masa zicea omul;ar trebui sa va si grabiti pentru ca stocurile sunt pe terminate.

Salut baieti,magazinul ce e la iesirea din Targu Mures,nu prea mai aduce haine militare.mai sunt pe stock doar marimi mici,si foarte mici.
Doamna ce se ocupa de magazin s-a imbolnavit din cate am inteles iar sotul dansei nu prea se ocupa de magazin,mai mereu e inchis,dar daca vor aduce marfa va anunt.
o zi faina sa aveti

Stai linistit ...doamna respectiva a decedat,domnul nu se mai ocupa.Dar noi avem deja aici in Sibiu,un magazin bine aprovizionat cu flecktarn.Am dat link mai sus.. www.capitano.ro
Mersi oricum!

The Fucker e bine informat Nu se mai aduce in Tg. Mures alta marfa, doar se lichideaza stocul. Daca totusi treceti pe acolo si e inchis sunati la sonerie si e posibil sa deschida.