What would you tell your best friend?

[ColdZero]

If your best friend were to ask you, that has never played airsoft and has no clue what airsoft even is, and wanted to start purchasing gear, what would you tell him/her?

Lets start with head gear...please only respond if you have a serious answer. Please only respond to the topic at hand. I am going to start at the head and work down.

Once the discussion is over, I will write an article on what I have read through the eyes of combat vet. There is a method to my madness, I hope.

[Talon]

Required:
Goggles - Sealed ANSI rated goggles - I wear shooting glasses with foam seal by Guarder

Recommended:
Hat/Helmet - Personal preference. I wear a boonie, baseball cap, or bandana
Face protection - Playing CQB I would wear a mask. Woodland - Usually nothing, sometimes a balaclava or multi-wrap

[Saint]

Head Wear, like was said, you have to have to have to stress goggles, and other than that, it's all personal preference, but I would also suggest mouth guard if not a full mask.

[ColdZero]

Goggles are without question but let’s talk about that later. I really wanted to focus on head gear.

As a combat leader head gear is an important part of your uniform, more important than most people think. As a minimum I have my soldiers (not airsofters) have a min. of four types of head gear on them, or in there ruck, at all times. Depending on the mission dictates the head gear. For example, direct combat actions, ACH or helmet, recon, a boonie or night guard duty, watch cap (stocking cap) and last but not least the PC (Patrol Cap) which is an "all purpose" type head gear.

Now let’s look at through the eyes of an airsoft player. Does an airsoft player really need all those types of head gear...yes / no? I would have to lean heavily towards personal preference. Although most airsoft players will probably tell you that they already have more than two types of head gear.

For the weekend recreation player one or two types of head gear of there choice will more than likely be enough. But, what about the airsoft player that travels to National Tournaments such as Irene? If you go as a team and depending on what your CO or PL instructs your squad or fire team to do, should that dictate your head gear. Take OP Irene for an example. If your PL wants you to take a building and you know that it’s going to be close quarters battles and you’re not wearing a helmet should you change. I only ask this question because this sport is set around the military and is Mil-Sim and unless there is a very good reason, you bet your new AEG, we would be changing head gear.

[Arthur "Lex" Lowther]

ColdZero, Good discussion so far.

In my opinion head gear should be unit/team specific and then go from there. I've noticed over time that alot more Airsofters are gearing towards Helmets as over all headgear. At one point in time soft covers where standard all over.

Having a Soft Cover and a Helmet is a great idea. it allows you to be flexible in your responsibility in the field. MICH replica helmets are often readily available for under 40 bucks. and soft covers are for 15 and under.

When it comes down to what type of soft cover? Leave it up to the person wearing it. as long as it conforms to your units uniform SOP. Most my guys wear everything from a watchcap to boonie covers. But they all fit in the Black requirements of the team.

For some one just starting out. Go Helmet. Alot of people ask why I say this and I say one thing. Head shots sting. and when its your first time out, getting a headshot can deter most new players right off the bat.

Changing headgear for mission specific is a given if you have the ability to do so. Alot of teams stick to a specific style or duty and dont gear up for multi platform missions. If you have the capability Do it. and having a Kevlar laying around ready to through on your grape when needed is a good idea. Specially in a defensive position.

[ColdZero]

Very well said, Lex.

I have to agree with you, a good idea for a new player would be some type of helmet. I have seen a few new players not come back to the playing field do to a head shot. Maybe that's not a bad a thing, lol!

I think the head gear question has been beat to death, which brings us to the next question, goggles.

What type of goggles would you recommend? I know, I know...they must be sealed, ANSI rated goggles. Would you recommend, Paintball type, Full Face or maybe WileyX? Or, would you do a combination depending on the mission, similar to head gear?

[FLASH]

When Team PAC first started everyone wore face masks/helmets/head gear, but as we continued playing the face masks became a problem because of fogging. Most of the players stopped wearing them because they couldnt see, they fog up almost immediately, we've tried everything to stop the fogging but nothing seems to work. Taking off the mask to wipe to fog away is NOT AN OPTION when in the middle of a game and then of course it would interfer with the game. The face masks also seem to block your peripheral vision. For the new player i guess a face mask is ok. But we have moved to sealed goggles and hats of some sort to protect from the head/face shots. It works for the most part, but occasionally someone walks away with a third eye or a unicorn horn they did not have before. lol : ) It's all in good fun and once you've been playing for a while the headshots won't make you stop playing. I'm not sure anything will make you stop once your in it, it's way toooooooo much fun!!!!

[ColdZero]

I can see this discussion isn't going the way thought it would, which isn't all bad. It's actually heading in a direction to "Build an Airsoft Player"; let’s shift our focus and explore that.

Let’s modify the question. Your best friend, money’s no object, wants to get into Airsoft and his only requirement is that if there is a replica, us it and the weapon must be an M4. What would you tell him/her and why that piece of equipment?

We already got a goo start on the head gear. We have pretty much all concluded that the Airsoft player should have a minimum of three pieces of head gear in his gear bag, i.e. boonie hat, baseball cap and helmet. But, the head gear should be appropriate to the surroundings and team requirements, if on one.