Choosing that first load out

[ghostwalker]

And why is it so darn difficult.
I started off thinking current issue british infantry.
Got side tracked into a more sf look.
Wandered into the realms of costuming a stargate sg1 look.
Thought about a ww2 british airborne look.
Then decided on a late 90's early 00's british infantry look.
Now tempted by something a bit less uniform and more 'contractor' look.

So either I am doomed and will show up in desert boots, Dpm trousers, od jacket with Arctic assault vest and an Uzi. Or i need to kill the shiny kit syndrome and nail something down. My problem is always wanting to be a little 'different' but also having a fairly restricted budget.

How did you guys n girls make that all important first load out/look decision?

[Gadge Europa]

Re: Choosing that first load out

the most important thing to get is what you think looks cool.

advice from other people is great and it can be bombproof kit and dead cheap but if you dont feel comfy and think you look ok in it you'll sell it.

narrow down what you want to do really.

if you're playing open days a more modern loadout is more practical and you'll fit in more. even though im a historical game buff with a house full of retro kit i wear 5.11 and CRYE to open days as i dont want to be that one bloke who looks out of place in WWII British desert kit or whatever.

If you're motivated by filmsim and nam or WWII gaming and intend to do mainly that then go for the historical loadout.

If you need to find your feet in the game, start off cheap in case you really dont like it or its a passing thing.

If you've a budget i'd recomend either surplus DPM or surplus flectarn for playing british woodlands.

Both are designed for northern european forest a bit like the ones we have.

MTP/Multicam/ACU are designed for more arid climates so tend to stand out a bit on a wet damp british forest plantation... they *can* be great but 'multi terrain' is jack of all trades master of non whereas flectarn and dpm were designed to be use defending germany.

So surplus dpm of flecky shirt and trousers should be about £5 to £10 a piece
get a bush hat or peaked cap for about the same.
a cheap SAAV vest will carry all you need and more til you know where you want to go with your kit and be about £20 - £30

SPEND AS MUCH AS YOU CAN AFFORD on eye protection and boots.

scrimping on either is asking for foot injuries or eye injuries... both will take you out of the hobby for a long time if not permanently.

If im brutally honest you'll stuggle to do a reasonable wwii, or nam loadout for less than £100.

cold war much cheaper

90s kit you should be able to get basic brit or bundeswher kit for about £50.

The place to really get stuff cheap is at shows, loads of militaria traders there and you see stuff like current issue smocks for a fiver etc. You can also haggle at shows.

Last show i went to I got kit that would have cost me over £300 in total on an online auction site for about £150

[ghostwalker]

Re: Choosing that first load out

For cheap and effective s95 dpm and plce webbing certainly seems the way forwards on most levels.
Eye protection is something I won't scrimp on. I am thinking the Wiley glasses that can be converted into full seal goggles.

[SW_matt]

Re: Choosing that first load out

My first load out (and the one I use now apart from replaced damage bits of kit) consists of Multicam trousers, desert boots, desert chest rig (warrior), t shirt or webtex soft shell when its cold, ess shooting glasses, baseball cap and mechanix gloves. I use this for general open days and play mostly urban/cqb. For themed games i swap out the t shirt for a UBACS and plate carrier and sometimes FAST helmet and goggles for up close types.

Apart from certain bits its fairly in- expensive and I certainly don't aim to emulate any particular load out, i generally go with what works for me is comfy and most importantly looks good

Definitely spend most of your cash on decent eyewear, headwear, footwear and gloves as these tend to be the bits that will make you suffer

[Rich83]

Re: Choosing that first load out

PMC is a good choice on a budget as if you are out doors inclined you probably have the boots, trousers and a shirt or jacket for the look already. If you wanted the best loadout you could do on the smallest budget then I'd probably recommend DPM - you can get a shirt, trousers, smock and NI chest rig for about £20-25 and DPM is probably one of the best camos for the UK woods... Defo beats Multicam.

As for other loadouts: wear what you like. You want to be different but follow a theme then UKSF is a good one. Arguably there will be impressionists who tell you certain things are not "accurate" but being SF, so long as you get some core stuff right (like the gun - L119A1 or even an M16 maybe) you can wear UK MTP trousers with a US desert shirt and any chest rig/plate carrier of your choice. SF from what I understand have massive latitudes on selecting their own kit. I have seen photos of UKSF in UCP ACU's, Multicam, AOR1, DPM, US Desert... The list really does go on.

I think the "accurate" UKSF loadouts look good, but I also think the mix and match camo looks cool such as MTP trousers with a DPM smock. Wear what works for the site you play on and that's essentially what SF would do - draw from the stuff they have available to create a loadout to suit the environment they are operating in.

[m4nn1x]

Re: Choosing that first load out

My advice would be an OD chest rig/plate carrier and what ever camo you want! There isn't really a lot that you can't use with it.
DPM and OD rig? Practical
UCP and OD rig? More practical than UCP on its own
Multicam and OD rig? Sweet
US woodland and OD rig? Awesome

The list goes on 😄

You won't go wrong with a OD plate carrier mate

[Rich83]

Re: Choosing that first load out

Yeah the above post is true, OD goes with everything and even breaks up a desert camo outfit nicely. Plus, buying your webbing/rigs in block colours means that if you go from DPM to UCP to MTP and then to say a civi type loadout the same rig can be used for all of those.

I guess that brings us onto the even tougher question - what rig to get?!?!

[m4nn1x]

Re: Choosing that first load out

Warrior assault systems - buy cheap but twice! I always go for Chest rigs now, but I am a big guy (6'4" 20st prop)

I would love to be able to wear a jpc - they're proper gucci

[ghostwalker]

Re: Choosing that first load out

I'm 5ft 8 and 14 stone so for sizing I think I sit in the. Everything fits. Tightly lol.

[Rich83]

Re: Choosing that first load out

Lol you would fit a large no probs I imagine. Most chest rigs these days are massively expandable to fit over armour. The other option or someone who is short and stout is the Osprey, which comes in a lot of different height and girth fittings.

[ghostwalker]

Re: Choosing that first load out

Is there any reason aside from the molle system, that most people recommend plate carriers? Is it just for the look or as I experienced in paintball, the much more important nipple protection lol.

[Rich83]

Re: Choosing that first load out

I think PC's are for the look, and they do look cool if you have the "figure" for them, which I don't. I kinda look like I'm hiding a spare tyre under the bottom of a plate carrier, like a muffin top but forced down

Chest rigs are great tho. Simple MOLLE ones are a great place to start as they let you customise your loadout. I'll try and send a pic of mine to show you, but the WAS 901 is a good rig, but so are the cheaper Templar versions and even the cheapo Viper ones are a good start.

[ghostwalker]

Re: Choosing that first load out

Whats peoples thoughts on the plce webbing for airsoft?
Is it generally though of as too restrictive due to the pouch locations?

[m4nn1x]

Re: Choosing that first load out

I love plce - great for laying prone, which in a plate carrier or chest rig can be difficult.

If your having a day out as a marksman its perfect!

[SW_matt]

Re: Choosing that first load out

Is there any reason aside from the molle system, that most people recommend plate carriers? Is it just for the look or as I experienced in paintball, the much more important nipple protection lol.

They look mint.