eye protection is mandatory

if you want to destroy your ankles, boots are optional.

camo is optional.. vests are optional... however they help.

go out, have fun.

end of story.

You, good sir, win.

Wow. Just 'cause i'm not interested in the gear, airsoft isn't for me? Sweet.

I had similar reservations when I started airsoft six months ago. But after playing some casual games on a friend's property I quickly realized I could blend into my environment much better with some camo. The black I was wearing made me stand out quite a bit, especially because there was snow. Once I get more comfortable with the game and the people playing it I will have more fun. I have been experimenting with a Neo-ish(from the Matrix) kind of gear that involves a black gothic trench coat with a basic mag/equipment belt or a basic black chest rig. It would be fun for our dimly lit indoor but probably a bb magnet for any outdoor game. There's more flexibility with indoor games because you don't need to carry water or tons of ammo. Someone was rocking dual pistols last night, you wouldn't seee that in real life.

Maybe the guy just wants to do competition shooting and explained it poorly.
If so, Ft Mac is not the place to do it for airsoft.

Wow, two hockey analogies.
Canadian much? :D

While his statement was a bit blunt, I do have to question what you intend to do in airsoft (serious question, what are your expectations?)

You mentioned serious gaming; but for all but the most informal skirmishes, many (if not most) places won't even let you play in civvies (unless its some scenario and there are civvies -- terrorists, robbers, zombies, etc).

IPSC style shooting also has civilian attire.

But otherwise I'm not sure where you're going with this. What do you plan on doing, running around in flip flops, bermuda shorts and a hawaiian shirt with a couple of mags in your pockets? Do you plan on just shooting at targets? (if so, airsoft is a really poor choice -- you'll find yourself frustrated with the accuracy in no time).

I think you need to expand your original question a bit to clarify what it is you want to know.

Truth be told, I started airsoft with a pistol. I wore a hoody and cargo pants. Admittedly, I played indoors at TTAC, which is a smaller CQB venue in Toronto, but the point still stands. I never used any gear, ran around in sneakers. I didn't need much more than that, realistically, particularly because I wasn't running around in the woods.

Until it became obvious that I could do much better by having something to hold the extra magazines in, so they didn't keep falling out of my hoody pocket. So I bought a belt-mounted magazine carrier. Then I realized I'd probably like a holster, too, because it would allow for some better handling when I wasn't using my pistol. So I bought a holster.

Fast forward to today, where I have a lot of fun outdoors as well as indoors, and have bought a number of rifles and other pistols. I will buy the gear that I feel I need to continue to fight as effectively as I would like. I'll buy the gear that I think is most effective to achieve the ends that I would like to accomplish.

I'll still run out into the field, whether it's indoor or outdoor wearing nothing but jeans and a hawaiian shirt, stuff the magazines into my back pocket and still have as much fun as I do with all the gear, but that's a situational thing. I wouldn't want to do that for a longer event, or over night, for example. I've also lost things that I'd rather not have lost, due to not having sufficient gear to prevent such losses.

In some venues, it's better to have kneepads than to skip them. In some venues still, kneepads, a helmet and long sleeves is the right idea, just in case.

What it comes down to is that it's entirely up to you, what sort of games you'd like to play, what kind of expectations you have of the game, what environments you'd like to play in. If you're interested in milsim, but you don't want to buy all the gear to try it out, there are many options. A lot of milsim games will have an insurgent/terrorist/whatever team that doesn't require any sort of uniform, and in fact asks you NOT to dress like a soldier. Another option is to simply get out to a few games, make a few friends, and ask to try some of their stuff out, see if you like it.

If you're interested in something more like a skirmish, then you can probably just show up wearing whatever you like, so long as you adhere to the game host's specifications to make team assignment easier. Talk to the host beforehand, ask him what he/she if you can show up how you'd like.

In fact, I recommend that you do so before you make any purchase, get into contact with a game host whose game you'd like to try, and work from there!

Really?

one of the best Shooters I know played his first 3 years in jeans and a hoodie..

he is one of the most committed players I know, But he is not much for gear..

now he does have a solid basic set up ..5 years into the game, but he is by no means a "geardo"


oh.. and look .. he posted up just ahead of me

Alright, fair enough. I guess my question has more to do with reservations with wearing gear than the use of gear itself in airsoft. I've never worn anything camo, and the whole "army stuff" has never interested me. I guess I would feel like a ... "poser" when wearing all the gear when I am well aware I could never "hack it" in the army.

I guess I'm just going to have to pick up some gear, try it out, and see how I feel. I am interested in airsoft to compete, and play against others. It has been a long time since i've competed in anything; I guess if I want to play the game, I should have to wear the uniform.

Talon is one of the go to guys with regards to low gear tactical shooting. He has been doing it longer than I've been in the sport, and I have subsequently dropped a lot of gear because he has shown how effective it is to reduce load/bulk and simplify a rig/belt setup.

Personally I've been using kydex rigs recently, and I don't see myself turning back anytime soon. They reduce a lot of space needed to carry bare minimum setups. (2 pistol mags, pistol and an AR mag is relatively light on the belt, about 1.5KG) and is a good place to be for civilian gear fighting.

Hell, even doing everything out of jeans is doable (I find that fighting from BDU's is actually harder, as the slant of the pockets tends to eject mags instead of retain them). I've run 8 AR magazines out of Jeans (and just dumped the mags when finished).

As said before, gear does not make the player, but small amounts used properly will make him far more efficient.

EDIT: If you're looking to avoid the "whole army thing", you can dress like a civilian shooter. Picture attached. High speed civilian clothing is available, and the US market has tonnes of tactical civilian load outs (home defense, extreme hunting...). So don't feel carrying a gun is for the military, it's common in many parts of the world.

Magpul Picture (lulz)
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y25...cs_Day2003.jpg

Mindgames!!!!

Well, airsoft isn't the army per se. Though same basic discipline applies when running a game. Many people who play don't have any military expertise. But just like the military, airsoft players can be bred to play the part with training and practicing and going to games and mentoring from guys on the field and all that stuff. Some are more easy to teach while others take time to discipline.

Put in some work and you wont 'feel' like a poser.

Some good advice right there.

I have one set of BDU for almost twenty years, in fact I'm on my third set since I started in 89. This isn't the prom where you hav eto get guccied up, play in spandex and tank tops if it make you comfortable I personally don't give a shit but if you are showing up for a milsim where uniform is a must then respect the host or don't play. most milsim game now have quite a few civilian action anyways, just don't cheapen out on goggles and other safety equipment

I have to agree with talon, Brian and shelledpants. I was the same way as them when I first started out. And I still run that way. Jeans, t-shirt/button up shirt what ever. Play in what you are confortable in, and have fun. I have slowly gone the same way as shelled in terms of kydex for my belt rig, not because it's light (gear weight doesn't bother me), but because i find them easier to do mag changes with or to draw my secondary. Believe it or not you can get away with a lot of civvy attire, even at big games, it just depends on what you wear. I don't even own a set of BDU's though I do need to start buying some for the 24 hr games however....

If you are interested in "competing" against people then you might want to play paintball instead. Airsoft, especially the more MILSIM oriented events is more about the experience instead of counting up your kills. Yes you are engaged in a force on force scenario, but if "winning" a "competition" is what concerns you , this might be the wrong sport. When people play airsoft to win above all else, they start to cheat and as this is an honor sport, it causes nothing but problems.