New guy with questions: Helmets, covers, batteries, chargers etc

[AirCanuck]

I have some questions, and I have been searching thru the site but find conflicting info in some places as to brands, etc for batteries, chargers.

But first, helmets.

Does anyone know where I can get this in Canada?



It is an Amp Core XL BJ helmet in Multicam. Are they the same as FMAs? They look very similar (don't they all) but the have the same style padding and chin strap, and an adjustable crank in the back.

Second question about helmets. I CAN get the above helmet in tan in Canada (I have a big noggin...). How do helmet covers go? I see a lot advertised, but I don't think I've seen any in XL, and definitely none from that brand of helmet. How do I find one that will fit?

On to batteries. First I'll preface by saying I've spent 2 days straight learning about LiPos and chargers. Have already decided that until I get a gundoc to look at my new (to me) M4 I will stick with 7.4V to avoid damage, I don't think it has a MOSFET and I want to confirm how the internals are set up/quality of components before risking the extra wear of an 11.1V. Seems all I sacrifice is rate of fire anyhow.

Charger - is there a good one for ~$30CAD with shipping, with a power source?

Batteries - 7.4V for now but...
What brand provides a balance of price and quality? Where should I buy from? (eBay, Amazon, is there some Canadian retailer known for good prices?
What maH do I need? I know this is basically a measure of how long they will last, or 'gas in the tank' of the battery. Does this affect the size of the battery? Needs to fit in an M4 buffer tube... if it does affect size (I would imagine so?) what is a good size mah battery that doesn't get too bulky?
How many should I get? I am attending Rock the Ridge in July, it has a day and night event on Saturday and a day event Sunday...
Any other things I need for charging?

I've been trying to find some used at a good price from someone getting out, but I think wherever batteries/chargers are sold here must be in the AV section (which I am working on, soon! )

I am buying a low voltage warning and a voltage reader.

Misc Gear

Aside from the obvious stuff, what do I need for regular cleaning and maintenance of these guns?

What else do people often wish they had that they didn't at first?

I had a post about this with no replies but maybe this will garner some attention in a more thought out post here - what aftermarket fans to people use? I was considering using ones from the Canadian company Fanz.

Thanks, it has been a real pleasure digging through this site for the last couple weeks

[devbro]

1. helmet: if you get a plain color, you can always paint it yourself. As long as it fits your head just fine, you should be ok. It is not like you are spending 400$ just on helmet. Most of the cheap airsoft gear tend to be copy of opscore helmets. The design is the same but the material and quality would differ. If you find an FMA in a store, just test it and buy it.

2. if you get AVed you might be able to find a second hand for cheaper in classified. Other places to look for one is kijiji, hobby stores, amazon.ca. if you buy something with more function then you can use it for other things(mini cars, other types of batteries,...). I spend 70$ on a Hota Charger which I can use for my other batteries too. ebay have the cheapest price but the quality is not the best, your unit may stop working after X number of months or work for years.

2.2 mAh is simply how many shots you can get from each battery. 1200mAh should be enough for a whole day. It is better to buy 2 batteries than one battery with high mAh. That way you keep the weight down and have less trouble fitting it in the gun. if you want to order look at this:
https://hobbyking.com/en_us/turnigy-...connector.html

WARNING: Shipping cost and custom fees will run close to retail price in Canada. you may as well just buy local for batteries.

2.3 low voltage warning is a nice to have for lipos. I just let my mosfet to warn me on this

3. misc stuff: go slow, this sport can be fun and run you dry fast. Take your time, see what you like, and slowly build up your gear.

[BobbyDangerous]

Don’t think you need to be A/V’d to look at gear no? Just the Guns.

Google for the helmet. Multicam


I have that helmet in Tan

[Zfurlong]

helmets, I don't use them, I run a baseball cap.
batteries, 2-3 batteries should be fine (I have like 6 myself varying in size from 400 mah to 6500 mah (that last one is primarily for bigger guns)
as for a low voltage indicator, I don't have one. I just use my voltage reader. if a battery starts to die, I swap it out and put the dead one on charge.
when it comes to misc gear, a chrono is the one thing that I wish I had before I started doing my own upgrades. otherwise you will need to wait until you get to a field to test your guns. other than that, you should have a variety of barrels, hop rubbers, nubs, and smaller parts on hand to make quick repairs at the field. pistons, spare gear sets, piston heads, cylinder heads, tappet plates, springs, cylinders, wires, heat shrink (shrink tubing), varying weights in bbs (especially for support weapons, I mostly use a 1:2:1 mixture of .28, .3, .32 bbs pending the type of field I am playing at on a given day. if there is little to no brush and a lot of open field with man made barricades, I will use a 1:1:1 mixture for a good spread, if I am playing on a field with a lot of thick, heavy brush, then ill use anywhere from a 1:2:2 to 1:3:3 mixture of bbs). when it comes to the mixture of bbs for support weapons, make sure that you are using the same brand and same kind of bbs for the gun so as to not potentially cross contaminate the whole batch (using g&g .28 bios, with madbull .3 styrene, and elite force .32 bios for example) as the different bb brands have different ratios of chemicals to make the bbs to different standards, in addition to some brands having a type of coating on the bbs for whatever reason (heres looking at you g&g).
other than that, you will need spare mags. I would recommend having 2-3 high caps on hand, and multiple mid caps (the high caps are primarily my loaner mags/buddy mags on the field if I know I am playing with newer players that day.