Load Out: Is It All REALLY Necessary?

[Caveira]

Re: Load Out: Is It All REALLY Necessary?

In the real world, plate carriers can save your life. In airsoft, they make you more likely to get "killed".

Don't forget that any increase in your bulkiness is an increase in surface area that can be hit.

Keep it to a minimum and only carry what you need for the game/s you are playing.

[NULL]

Re: Load Out: Is It All REALLY Necessary?

i normlay just have an od green tank overalls knee pads crossdraw vest and goggles and helmet

[Fizzy]

Re: Load Out: Is It All REALLY Necessary?

Like I said glowsticks can be in kit simply because they were left over from a milsim game or for urban games with dark areas. Carrying bags of ammo is because you never know how much ammo you're going to use in a day and carrying spare batteries is so you can change them in the field rather than having to drop out of the game.
All of these things can happen on a one day event.

Indeed!
Nothing worse than being in a massive firefight and runnign out of ammo, or your battery going flat 10 mins from the end of the game when you have to hold your base to win, and you end up down to the last half a mag of your secondary (yes, that did happen to me )

7.62's comments were, i think, reflecting the fact that there are some players out there who do look the part, but make themselves easy targets.

Well, it's their money so if that's how they get their enjoyment, fair play. Airsoft is about enjoying yourself!

sell it to me you bumb!

Maybe! But it's for my PMC loadout when doing CQB and I will do CQB again, honest!

[CallumM7]

Re: Load Out: Is It All REALLY Necessary?

For me its all about practicality,comfort,sound and movement. There's nothing worse than when your trying to flank an enemy position and your big ass mofo vest is impeeding your movement, its also rather annoying when your mags are clunking off each other and the noise off BB's shaking gives away your position. To avoid this i have began to use a simple belt system, attached to the belt i have a Double Ak pouch on the back for a Bag of BB's and a Tin Of Gas, a double pistol mag pouch which i put a spare pistol mag and speedloader in and finally a pistol holter where obviously i put my pistol + Mag.Because i use the A&K SVD Draganov i have no reason to carry any spare mags for it. At the end of the day as many others have said it's what works and what you feel most comfortable in, no point in thinking your going to look "Cool" and then when you finally put it all on you cant carry it.

[Evansy]

Re: Load Out: Is It All REALLY Necessary?

Indeed!
Nothing worse than being in a massive firefight and runnign out of ammo, or your battery going flat 10 mins from the end of the game when you have to hold your base to win, and you end up down to the last half a mag of your secondary (yes, that did happen to me )

I had that happen about 2.5 hours into a game. I spent the next hour and half until lunch playing with just my pistol. It was a nam game during which I managed to take out and capture the VC commander and his sniper body guard as well as help defend our base from a VC attack. God bless TM 1911's :D

[7.62mm]

Re: Load Out: Is It All REALLY Necessary?

Evansy and Fizzy:

I attended so many games between 2005 and late 2008 with just the one battery. In fact I have been to games where that single battery has lasted for 2 entire Sundays on just one charge from the day before the first game. I still have that battery and it's going strong. Just can't see the logic in carrying a heap of batteries when all it needs is a bit of foresight in charging your own before a game rather than carrying 2/3/4 all part charged ones 'just in case'. Be more confident in your basic maths skills to be able to have confidence that your battery has been fully charged in line with the simple charging equation.

I also carry spare ammunition - in the form of standard capacity magazines. I never run out and have never needed to bring a bag of spare BBs onto the skirmish field. This is also because I set my fire selection switch to single and practice my marksmanship - so that I don't have too much stuff to carry when it comes to game days.

If we use the 'just in case' or 'glowsticks might be left from a previous game' logic then we may as well all stay inside our houses 'just in case' a block of ice falls on us from an aircraft?

The simple answer is thus: if you want to wear a load of kit then go ahead, but from my experience the better players (ie the ones who get hit fewer times and manage to hit others a greater number of times (which is essentially the name of the game is it not?)) are the ones who take the bare minimum. Yes it's fun and cool to have all the kit, but that wasn't the original question raised and it's important to stick to the question otherwise a heap of intangibles start to enter the discussion that shouldn't really be there.

[Fizzy]

Re: Load Out: Is It All REALLY Necessary?

Evansy and Fizzy:

I attended so many games between 2005 and late 2008 with just the one battery. In fact I have been to games where that single battery has lasted for 2 entire Sundays on just one charge from the day before the first game. I still have that battery and it's going strong. Just can't see the logic in carrying a heap of batteries when all it needs is a bit of foresight in charging your own before a game rather than carrying 2/3/4 all part charged ones 'just in case'. Be more confident in your basic maths skills to be able to have confidence that your battery has been fully charged in line with the simple charging equation.

Yes, because both Evansy and I are stupid, oh knowledgeable one! Honestly, it's not as if either of us don't know what we're doing!!
All day games at GZ can quite easly use up a 1400 mAh battery, especially in my M249 and I prefer to stay out in the field all day. That means carrying enough ammo and battery capacity for a 6 hr game. If you can make a mini battery last 2 days maybe you need to step out the bush and join in with the game!

[Evansy]

Re: Load Out: Is It All REALLY Necessary?

The VN game I went to where my battery died billed as a limited ammo one so I started out with my fully charged 2000mah large pack using lots of semi and short bursts which quickly drained it. With it being a large that has always lasted me the day on normal games I'd not stuck a spare in my butt pack.
We were also told at the beginning of the game (well 5 mins before) that it wasn't going to be a limited ammo game any more which meant there was alot more firing from all sides and as such I went thru my 600 rounds alot quicker than normal and had to resort to filling some spare hicaps I'd bought that morning in game from my bag of ammo which was in my butt pack.
The "just in case" logic when going into a simulated combat is a good thing because you never know when something may go wrong and I dont know about anyone else but I'd rather have something to solve problems "just in case" they happen.
I've had days when soldered motor connections have come loose, when guns have jammed due to bad bbs and when gearboxes have locked up when a battery has run low as well as the usual mini batteries just running out. I've also had days when games have gotten so so hectic I've used over 3K bbs in a morning.
For the sake of less than 1kg of extra kit I'd rather carry a bag of loose ammo and a spare battery just in case I run out of ammo or just in case my battery dies. I also like to carry a pistol just in case my aeg breaks or jams for any reason and I carry extra gas because my pistol is a 1911 with skinny mags which run out after only one load of bbs.

The simple answer is thus: if you want to wear a load of kit then go ahead, but from my experience the better players (ie the ones who get hit fewer times and manage to hit others a greater number of times (which is essentially the name of the game is it not?)) are the ones who take the bare minimum. Yes it's fun and cool to have all the kit, but that wasn't the original question raised and it's important to stick to the question otherwise a heap of intangibles start to enter the discussion that shouldn't really be there.

I dont know if you noticed the pic I posted on the last page but here it is again
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v4...r/SDC10620.jpg
My skirmish kit for 90% of events.

[Caveira]

Re: Load Out: Is It All REALLY Necessary?

...so that I don't have too much stuff to carry...

...if you want to wear a load of kit then go ahead, but from my experience the better players...are the ones who take the bare minimum.

The same logic left the troops on the ground in Mogadishu with no NVG's, because "they're never needed, 'cos we're always back before dark".

You may well have perfectly charged batteries and have learned to trust them, but batteries do fail - if not this week, then some time in the future. They are a component which, by it's very nature and design, is destined to fail eventually. The day that happens, I look forward to you coming back to this thread and telling us how you got yourself out of the problem you have put yourself in.

I fully agree with keeping kit to a minimum, but prudent planning means that you allow for contingencies. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail and any basic military training you have had would tell you that.

Oops, sorry, I forgot - you haven't had any military training, you're just a "military enthusiast" (I think that was your description of yourself before, while lecturing those of us with a military background about our poor tactical knowledge.)

[amandla36]

Re: Load Out: Is It All REALLY Necessary?

7.62mm, in my experience it is the guys who have the kit who do better. For example: if you use it, a dump pouch will speed up your reload time. A plate carrier generally allows you to carry more than a chest rig, though not as much as, say, the SAAV or PLCE. I just find them much easier to use.
I usually carry 4000+ rounds of ammo with a spare charged battery into games with me, as well as a pistol with 3 mags. I also try to have a spare AEG with me in the safe zone, a set of batteries for my red dot sight as well as all the tools I could conceivably need (a case of screwdrivers and two sets of allen keys, a cleaning rod and some tissues). In the calf pockets of my TRU I carry a Swiss Army knife and a Gerber multi-tool). So far, being prepared has paid off. I have used each of those items at least once. I'm always looking for ways to thin out my loadout, but at the moment I can't find any.
Please gents, let's not let this discussion devolve into a flame war.

[Another]

Re: Load Out: Is It All REALLY Necessary?

If you use mid caps or lows, you at least need a way of carrying a fair few to be able to hold you own against the hi-caping mofo's. Best way to do that is a tac-vest, so may was well get one you like,

[nice_guy_andy]

Re: Load Out: Is It All REALLY Necessary?

In my opinion all everyone needs to worry about is this simple sentence: "take your hits & have fun!"

Forget about what people wear, what guns they use, as long as they take their hits its all good.

[DulceBellumInexpertis]

Re: Load Out: Is It All REALLY Necessary?

i'd like to add my 2 penneth. 7.62mm makes some really valid and logical points. i know from my experience here in Afghan that what hes saying is spot on (as much from his lectures to officers as part of his role with the MOD as from reading his literature (I recognise him through his writing style)). I have read the posts here on this thread and i have to say im a bit surprised at the reaction to 7.62mms comments. theres really no need to be so defensive, esp Fizzy - calling people oh knowledgeable one simply doesn't help address the original purpose of the thread, esp as 7.62mm is giving reasons as opposed to pure opinion. i think perraps too rockinrobin ur reasoning isn't totally correct. 7.62mm is talking purely about airsoft so an analogy with Mogadishu and the night vision issue cannot really be a valid place for comparison because the context was entirely different.

i just know that as someone just starting the sport of airsoft, and reading through the threads and posts, perraps im missing something about how the game is played. there do seem to be many other aspects getting in the way of a relatively simple sporting activity from what i have read. as far as im concerned when i play my first game i will know that the game is only a few hours in duration, the objective is to hit the opposition with my own BBs and to prevent myself from being hit by BBs. it's as simple as that in my eyes and in this context 7.62mm is more than covering the original purpose of the thread.

that's my 2 penneth.

[Fizzy]

Re: Load Out: Is It All REALLY Necessary?

theres really no need to be so defensive, esp Fizzy - calling people oh knowledgeable one simply doesn't help address the original purpose of the thread, esp as 7.62mm is giving reasons as opposed to pure opinion.

That's because he always tries to talk down to people and when they put their reasons forward, he talks down some more. For example, Evansy explains quite clearly why a spare battery could be needed, and 7.62's reply basically said Evansy just needs basic maths skills.
While his points ARE valid, it's the fact his dismisses other people's points, despite them also being valid, that annoys people. This isn't the only time he's been like this either. However, it would have probably been best just to let this thread die

[DulceBellumInexpertis]

Re: Load Out: Is It All REALLY Necessary?

well for me, as a newbie to airsoft and airsoft forums, that guy wasn't talking down to anyone at all. on the contrary. like u say, he makes valid points and illustrates them well using evidence and sound reasoning but the problem, for me as a newcomer here, isnt him talking down, but instead the way his comments are interpreted. as u say, a guy called evansy discussed why a battery mite be needed, but was the point of the thread quite different? I mean, spare batteires i assume could be needed, but there are so many coulds and maybes and what ifs that no matter how much planning is involved in loadouts u could end up carrying everything to cover every eventuality. i personally think hes quite rite in mentioning basic maths as i presume an airsoft event only lasts for a finite period of time and as such can be planned for and addressed with the appropriate loadout. again positionality and perspective is important i believe. when i start playing i know im going to be open minded which i must say isn't the general feeling im getting so far from this forum, but all i can do is await further comment