Starter Gear...

[TechSeller]

Wasn't sure whether to post this here or in the Gear section but I decided to invoke my noob status.

As someone starting out I am trying to get a sense of the basics required in terms of gear. I checked the threads, which helped, but still have a few questions.

Eye protection - i did some paintballing in the past and still have a facemask but it fogs like a motherfarker. Are a good pair of goggles preferable? I assume I would need some lower face protection as well.

Do I need a vest or just a belt for mag pouches and holster. I would probably use my TF11 as a secondary if I can find a holster. Being a southpaw further complicates the matter.

Is OD a good choice for colour?

Any other must have items? Any suggestions on where to get setup in Toronto or online?

I plan to try both cqb and outdoor so it would be great to find a versatile kit I could use for both.

Thanks in advance..

[Love]

What kind of paintball mask do you have? I have a JT Radar, theyre like $20, and mine hardly ever fogs up. Maybe only a teensy bit.

[theguy]

Originally Posted by TechSeller

Wasn't sure whether to post this here or in the Gear section but I decided to invoke my noob status.

As someone starting out I am trying to get a sense of the basics required in terms of gear. I checked the threads, which helped, but still have a few questions.

Eye protection - i did some paintballing in the past and still have a facemask but it fogs like a motherfarker. Are a good pair of goggles preferable? I assume I would need some lower face protection as well.

Do I need a vest or just a belt for mag pouches and holster. I would probably use my TF11 as a secondary if I can find a holster. Being a southpaw further complicates the matter.

Is OD a good choice for colour?

Any other must have items? Any suggestions on where to get setup in Toronto or online?

I plan to try both cqb and outdoor so it would be great to find a versatile kit I could use for both.

Thanks in advance..

Welcome!

Eye protection: Almost all fields require full sealed ANSI+ goggles, unfortunatly, most of the fields in southern ontario are primarily paintball fields, therefore, their insurance dictates that all players must wear rated paintball goggles, not the full mask, just the goggle part. I use JT somethings, work fine for me, but there are tons of brands out there.

Most new players start with one or two hi-caps. In this case, you don't really need much load-bearing gear, but some new players choose to use it anyways (for the look). If you decide to go for mid or low capacity magazines (fewer rounds, but no winding and no rattling) some sort of chest rig or vest is probably a good idea.

Everyone is different, you don't need anything like that for a first game. At your first game, ask a few people about their gear, maybe you can try on a vest of chest rig, see what works for you.

If you want to use a TF11 as a secondary, there are a few over-sized drop-legs that might work, ones designed for the MP7 and Desert eagle. Finding one thats left-handed might be a bit of a challenge.

O.D. Is what I started with. Before I even went to a came, I bought a large CIRAS plate carrier in OD. Naturally, I assumed Army=green. This turned out to be wrong in the area I play in. Theres a lot of browns in nature, thats why I switched to a multicam pattern. Most people will say that the best solid color is Coyote brown, It will work over just about any colour of BDU.

Anything else? Good boots! with decent ankle support. Nothing sucks more then a rolled ankle.

Hope this helps, and welcome to the sport

[Aegiis]

Originally Posted by TechSeller

Wasn't sure whether to post this here or in the Gear section but I decided to invoke my noob status.

As someone starting out I am trying to get a sense of the basics required in terms of gear. I checked the threads, which helped, but still have a few questions.

Eye protection - i did some paintballing in the past and still have a facemask but it fogs like a motherfarker. Are a good pair of goggles preferable? I assume I would need some lower face protection as well.

Do I need a vest or just a belt for mag pouches and holster. I would probably use my TF11 as a secondary if I can find a holster. Being a southpaw further complicates the matter.

Is OD a good choice for colour?

Any other must have items? Any suggestions on where to get setup in Toronto or online?

I plan to try both cqb and outdoor so it would be great to find a versatile kit I could use for both.

Thanks in advance..

Ok.

You can try some antifog products and keep your mask. To name a few : Crapcat, Fogtech, there's some more out there. I use Fogtech, and I'm quite satisified.

A GOOD pair of boots is THE next most important piece of equipement after eye protection. You won't go far if your feet hurt, or are completely soaked.

Of course, camo of some sort.

Vest, chest rig, LBV, CIRAS, RRV, webbing...It can get complicated pretty fast, there is a lot of choice. It all depends on : Your size, your primary weapon, how many mags are you gonna carry, what will you want to have with you on the field, etc.

If you can, go to a game and ask around, even try different models if players are willing to let you. A full maritime CIRAS looks great, but it does constrain movement somewhat and can get uncomfortable during summer middays. Like your gun, it's a question of taste and comfort. But one piece of advice : DON'T CHEAP OUT. The price difference between china copies and a Condor, Flyye or Pantac rig is not worth it.

I personally have an old german P82 webbing for light/recon roles, a RRV with backpack for day-long milsims, a chicom when I play insurgent and a black V10 tac vest for indoors CQB.

A sling.
Something to carry water (camelback or belt bottle).
A radio (you could start with a simple Motorola, but get an ear piece for it)
Gloves.
Mouthguard or other face protection.
A small toolkit for some quick infield repairs. (Mine includes electrical tape, GGB and AEG oil, small needle nose pliers, small cuters, some tie wraps, a small bottle of super glue, allen keys, small flathead screwdriver, a multitool, velcro strips, an x-acto knife, etc.)
Duct tape (if it works for the real deal guys, it should for us. Saved me a couple of times).
BB loader.
Maybe a flashlight in you play indoors/CQB/night games.
Some food, like beef jerky or granola bars, that can be quickly eaten while on the move
Dump pouch
Basic medkit
For your TF11, either search the forums or have a look at a MP7 holster. These are customizable.
Gun case
A hat of some kind, heatstrokes are no jokes. And it looks badass.

And the list could go on and on...

OD is a good vest color, it goes with all camos. That or Coyote Tan. Some like Ranger Green, but it's harder to find everything in that color. Look at the fields where you are most likely to play.

I feel your pain, I'm a leftie too.

My 2 cents, hope it helped.

EDIT : took too long to write that post up, TheGut beat me to a few points...Great minds think alike I guess

[Ballcancer]

for gear dude, like mag pouches and what not it takes some experimentation.. I am not so fond (not sure if I spelt that word correctly lol) of vests and what not unless I am in a big outdoor game that is going to take a while... for me i Love belt and drop leg gear.. I find it works for me better.. I have my pistol mag pouches and other small pouches on my tac belt and my primary mags on a drop leg molly panel.. I then have a drop leg pistol holster on my other leg... this is what works for me and is most comfortable... so there is another idea... just play around.. and see whats right for you.. also a good place to get gear (the real stuff too) is the gordon contract supply stores that are located around the GTA I think there is one on norfinch avenue.. also a good place to get good boots as well from 5.11 to magnums to old swat(i think thats the name) plus other tactical gear too..have fun!

[Short Round]

I'm starting as well and here's what I've accumulated over the past months:

- Gun (no brainer)
- Paintball mask (most fields force you to wear one, so no ballistic goggle unless stated otherwise)
- Vest/chest rig (molle, maybe one with pouches if you have a specific gun like m4/m16, mp5, etc.)
- pants (playing in cadpat or any camo coloured boxers is.....well too cool for most players)
- under jacket/attire (something that matches your vest/rig)
- boots (your adidas aint kicking it right for this activity)
-ALL Attire should be matching colours our atleast correspond well witH one another. (I'm getting an ACU loadout just becuase I like it more then OD , Tan and all the rest....I'd get black but that's mostly only for indoor gaming)
- molle pouches (for your mags)
- extra mags for gun (the 1 it comes with won't cut it, get atleast 3 or more (2 high caps if you can find one that doesn't jam much, and the standard one it comes with, usually a low cap mag)
-gloves (keep your hands warm)


That's mostly the basics, I think atleast.

After that I'd get gun parts (like red dots, silencers, flash hiders ,etc.) Radios, upgrades ,etc.

[Blitzed]

Well, my first gear i purchased was a small plate carrier brand: condor. From airsoftgi.com. I decided, since my m16 will soon be an SPR Mod1, prone was going to be ideal. in this case i've mounted my holster on the chest area of the plate carrier, with an ID pouch, but i still havnt found a comfortable area for my triple mag pouch.. I cant seam to find an ideal space for it. Im thinking of just getting a dropleg platform and purchasing a double m4 mag pouch. Since the triple ak pouch is kinda big and bulky.

You just gotta purchase and experiment mate. I DO NOT suggest getting a static cross draw vest of something dumb like that. (this is my opinion on how it is dumb, dont criticize me if you are a fan of the static vests. ). This is because with molle you can actually experiment with the placement of pouches and figure out which setup fits your style of play. Dont buy a static vest just because it's like 45 bucks or so. Your best bet is to save some cash and spend it on something worth the money and will benefit you in the long run. Well, even that my plate carrier plus pouches were cheaper than anything else I've seen...

[zeshil]

Well I’m still new but for my first game if I recall right I had nothing too hardcore.

I had your basic camo BDU, Cadpat works well if you aren’t feeling CADPAT then ACU and the other camo's work well

Underneath I wore underarmor which was black but anything will work, I’ve seen some players just wear t-shirts which is also fine.

A tactical vest is good to put mags/clips in and whatever else you will have around.

Depending where you are playing a helmet is also good, to prevent you from smacking your head in low spots.

I play mostly at CQB and those guys are awesome at supplying Paintball goggles, they are always clean and good to go. I have ESS Ballistic Goggles, they fog up after a bit of gaming but I’m starting to think it’s because of the balaclava.

For my first game I wore my work boots, steel toe and all that, not a bad idea but not a great idea as they are heavy unless you have the new composite plastic ones which are light but after I got into it I started investing it stuff.

Gloves are good as they provide some protection to those nasty little finger shots, which IMO hurt more then body/head shots.

Hopefully that helps.

ASC has a great thread already on this common question
http://www.airsoftcanada.com/showthread.php?t=58784


Side note: as for the fogging up, I used liquid dish soap; works wonders however I hear it isn’t the best for the lens itself. You could try a sporting goods store and buy one of their products that prevent hockey player visors from fogging up they have all kinds of goodies, but most of the guys I know always use dish soap.

[Mr. G36!]

Originally Posted by TechSeller

Eye protection - i did some paintballing in the past and still have a facemask but it fogs like a motherfarker. Are a good pair of goggles preferable? I assume I would need some lower face protection as well.

Without Paintball approved goggles, most official fields won't even let you play. Personally, I recommend Bitter End Mesh Goggles. As for lower facial protection, it's at your discretion. I didn't wear any when I first started playing, but taking a round to the lip and having it swell up and making you look like Angelina Jolie changes a man, if you get my drift.

Originally Posted by TechSeller

Do I need a vest or just a belt for mag pouches and holster. I would probably use my TF11 as a secondary if I can find a holster. Being a southpaw further complicates the matter.

Really, most people just wear vests because they look cool. The reality is that they're heavy, bulky, and hot. Look at what you'll be carrying, and choose a rig based on that. If you're gonna be out there with multiple spare batteries, a couple of BB loaders, a First-Aid kit, half a dozen mags, and a canteen, then yeah, maybe you'll want a vest. On the other hand, if you're just carrying one spare high-cap mag and a camel-back, then don't even bother.

Originally Posted by TechSeller

Is OD a good choice for colour?

Depends on where you are, and what you're doing. I've found that OD actually works really well in rocky areas, whereas CADPAT TW is bar-none the best for any green areas. MARPAT makes you invisible in woodland areas where there's more dirt, mud, and tree trunks than grass and foliage. Multicam works well in either, but not as good as what each was designed for. I've never found ACU to blend in with much, and black, if over-used, doesn't do much either, though it's not bad for breaking up your patterns if you wear only a bit here and there.

Originally Posted by TechSeller

Any other must have items?

Boots. Scratch that; good boots. And light clothes rather than heavy canvas, otherwise you'll overheat and it'll harder to move. Get a nice pair of gloves too to keep a grip on your gun. Radios with headsets are a good investment as well if others are using them. Motorolas, Cobras, etc.

Originally Posted by TechSeller

I plan to try both cqb and outdoor so it would be great to find a versatile kit I could use for both.

Focus on outdoor more; in CQB, it really won't matter what kind of camouflage you're wearing if the enemy is ten feet away. Though it still depends on where you are. Black is alright, since it's usually darker in CQB arenas. In the long run, you'd really want to have separate kit for each though depending on what you're using.

[L473ncy]

Originally Posted by Mr. G36!

Focus on outdoor more; in CQB, it really won't matter what kind of camouflage you're wearing if the enemy is ten feet away. Though it still depends on where you are. Black is alright, since it's usually darker in CQB arenas. In the long run, you'd really want to have separate kit for each though depending on what you're using.

Not nessecaril, navy blue, or an off black colour is actually better because it's never pitch black, there still is some light so that you can see. The Nazi's actually figured this out in WWII that dark colours were better than black at hiding in the night (or at least this knowledge has been attributed to the Nazis).

Eye protection can range from ballistic glasses, sealed ballistics, paintball goggles, or paintball goggles with full face mask. I personally prefer sealed ballistics but a lot of fields due to being at a paintball venue will require paintball goggles because of insurance purposes, even if the ballistic glasses are "tougher" than paintball goggles.

As for lower face protection, it's usually your choice. I wear a "sykes mask" (not the AO2 one) and put my goggles over top of it. It's saved me once already. I took a shot in the tip of the nose from around 20 feet away (.28 at around 320 FPS). Needless to say it was a scary experience but I came out of it without any bleeders.

Some people will use neoprene masks to absorb some of the impact to save their teeth. I also know some people will do a "PMC" thing and wear a bandanna (like one of those biker ones with the skull on it).

But yeah those are all viable options and you should consider more protection at the expense of being able to look down the sight because trips to the dentist are expensive.

As for Vests, I have a clone RAV Vest. If I could do it again, I would still take the RAV vest but I would also buy a second setup for smaller skirmishes (ie. drop leg rig on one side and drop leg holster on other) or something else that will keep me quick and mobile like a very light chestrig or something.

For colours it depends but you can't go wrong with 2 rigs. One OD and the other CB (Coyote Brown) or Tan. Not only does it make you more effective depending on the type of terrain but you also can switch between teams easily if they're dividing the teams into Green vs. Tan. BUT, for now focus on getting one setup and start to acquire another setup once you have some more game time.

Final note. GOOD FOOTWEAR. It doesn't have to be military boots but they do help you "get into role" or whatever. I bought my boots from Coast Mountain Sports (McKinley hiking boots) on sale for like $90. I use them for pretty much everything, from hiking to walking in the snow, to airsoft, to yardwork. Also SuperFeet, pick up a pair of either the blue or green ones, I have a pair in my shoes and they are AWESOME.

[TechSeller]

Thank you all for replying. Lots of excellent information here to digest!

@Lythinca - The mask says JT on the bill. perhaps because I am old, out of shape and pant like a water buffalo, I am more prone to fogging. Maybe some spray will help.

@theguy - Thanks for the welcome Going with midcaps. Not impressed with the hicap that came with the MP5.

@Aegiis - Your 2 cents are very much appreciated! I will keep your list of items as reference and chip away on it. Coyote Tan is getting a lot of love and will probably start there.

@Ballcancer - I am leaning towards your preference with a good belt and drop leg setup. I have seen different styles though such as:

http://www.vtarmynavy.com/battle-belt.htm or
http://www.uscav.com/productinfo.asp...6169&TabID=548 or
http://combatgearing.com/molle-ii-sk...cb-p-1462.html

Which would you recommend? And thanks for the tip on the surplus store!

@Najohn - good start for a newby! I guess i have some spending to do. Thanks.

@Blitzed - I hear ya on the vest, and that is why I dont want to rush in on a kit. just kind of add over time and keep the setup versatile. Molle seems like the way to go. Cheers!

@zeshil - Good tip on the dish soap. Will try it out. And I appreciate the link.

@Mr G36 - Ya, if you looked like Angelina Jolie, I would certainly look at you differently ..lol Disturbing thought.

Umm..sorry, what is a camel back? Camel toe I am familiar with. And I agree, my plan is to go more with a belt setup and forgo the vest until I have enough crap to warrant it. Lots of mention here on good boots and gloves, definitely high on the to-do list. Thanks!

@L473ncy - Great info. I can see moving to 2 kits at some point. Interesting you mentioned the neoprene mask and goggle setup, as I was looking at that as an alternative when paintball mask is not required. Does it offer enough protection over a scarf or mask that you wear? Thinking about my teeth here.

Cheers all!

[L473ncy]

A "camelbak" is a water hydration system. A lot of hikers, runners, bikers, etc. will use them.

Like this:

http://burningmanual.info/images/camelbak.jpg

There are also "military" ones that have Molle systems to attach pouches and stuff to it and have camo patterns on them.

Camelbak is a brand but "Hydration System" is the name for it (kind of like "Frisbee" and "Ultimate disc").

I really have no clue whether or not a neoprene mask is enough. It should reduce the energy enough that it will probably hurt but won't chip your teeth. As for bandanna I don't think it will reduce the energy enough (or at all) but it does look badass. I know however that some people use a shemagh and tie it around their head, and because it's "layered" and "loose" it absorbs a lot more energy (like a cushion or crumple zone) when the BB is going for your face.

Please note however your mileage may vary. This is from my experience and what I know (Actively playing airsoft for 2 years and "chairsofting" for 6).

PS: If you're in Toronto, Army Issue Surplus in Port Credit (1 Stavebank Rd North Mississauga ON) will get you verified AND sell you gear too. Another place is "Huangs Outdoors Shop" (Unit 393, 4438 Sheppard Ave Third floor in the Oriental Center at Sheppard and Brimley, Toronto).

[Pirate]

Definately go with CB. I got an OD for cheap and love it with my cadpat, but would prefer a CB for TriDesert (hopefully CADPAT AR soon) and Marpat.

[SuperCriollo]

Fog is your worst enemy, i you cant see you cant shoot, as simple as that. make sure you have a good pair of fog free goggles.

my 2 cents.

[Love]

LA7, about the brands and names. You are referring to a generalized trademark. Such as Kleenex, Frisbee, etc.