Why Do I "Need" Boots
 

Yeah I was wondering about this
Ive been reading the n00b guide dealio
and some other things that all recomended bootz
is that really necessary, cause I run through forests and hike
and stuff like that a lot
and my merrel shoes have worked for all of that dont see why I need boots
also Im not a fan of them
(I was also gonna start a thread about goggles and the like but I figured my V-force profiler mask from paintball would work)

This isn't hiking, this isn't running. This is putting your feet through absolute hell and back. If your shoes can survive a 2ft dip in a bunch of mud or bog without coming off and support your ankles when you climb rocks and fall over then you have some pretty awesome shoes. Most shoes however can't do that.

Three words sum it up: You'll hurt yourself.

Just buy boots, you've no idea how many people try shoes to find out it's a shit idea, you need the ankle support just buck up and buy a pair of magnums or something if you don't want to spend much.

do you like your ankles? proper ankle support is a must for many fields we play in. you can't get this from a pair of sneakers. no one here wants to help you off a field and to a hospital if you badly sprained your ankle or do something worse. (but we will as it'll suck listening to someone screaming at us while we continue on playing.)

Seriously?

Apart from the safety aspect, Nike Air Force One's and Camo don't really go together do they?

Duct tape?

Often (though hard to believe) it needs to be said or else hosts will have guys show up in running shoes. Once, I actually saw someone show up for indoor, no minimum engagement distance CQB in Tevo sandles (not sure I got the brand right...the summer at the cottage strappy hippy brand)!!

I've also played at several "wild" outdoor fields where there's a lot of sharp, pointy things...glass, barbed wire, and machete cleared brush (that tends to leave punji pointed sticks poking straight up).

Comments on foot wear aren't for a fashion-ista look/reason...it's about safety.

So, what's safe to say from a hosts perspective?...wear boots with ankle support.

If the host doesn't care and is ok with you playing in whatever you've got...great.

Don't like the hosts rules...don't play.

Oh man if I saw someone in sandals on the field...toe shots anyone?

Gato has it.

2 words: Ankle Support. real ankle support that no shoes can offer.

no. 40mm king! them feet will look like they broke out in hives!

Lol

My advice is don't wear boots, learn the hard way. Its your feet, your ankle, but my time when you interrupt our game because your ankle takes a dump because wore what you "thought" would be okay, instead of wearing what others who have played the games for years tell you to wear.

Sprained ankle=bye bye airsoft season! Come back and try again next year!

Which is why after getting a gun, Boots where the first thing I bought, but if you don't "like boots" do as T_A_N_K said and learn the hard way.

I've been playing in the forest all my life. Running off-trail in boots compared to hiking shoes does not compare.

Boots all the way!
I would risk going with mountain boots that goves over the ankle, like lower than a typical army boot. But that would be as low as I would dare.

And with shoes, even the off-trail variety, you will get a lot of water/dirt in them. That will sux if you have to walk in mud.