To carry all your guns, magazines and to look cool, you need the proper gear. There is a lot of different systems to choose from. But which carry system will work for you?

It all boils down to how much you need to carry and how much looks matter to you. Airsoft is also a fashion show after all.
Let’s start with the two most popular carrying systems out here: The Plate Carrier and the Chest Rig.
Both have their own advantages and disadvantages, here is a quick summary for both systems:

Chest Rigs and Battle Belts

If being lightweight and breathable is a priority to you, the chest rig might be just the perfect choice. While offering less protection, they are not only cheaper but also easier to adapt to your body. Compared to a normal plate carrier, they are also easier to take on and off, which comes in handy for breaks during the day.
Some people may not like the looks of it, but it is entirely up to your personal preference because both will give you enough space to put pouches on. Now let’s talk about other options.

If maximum efficiency is important to you, consider getting a battle belt without a harness. While sacrificing a bit of space to attach other stuff, you gain a tiny bit of manoeuvrability and save some weight. Our Battlebelt has a unique velcro system that stabilizes it during running and other crazy stuff that happens on the field. This is one of the best features!

What’s the conclusion? If you don’t plan on carrying a lot of gear, get the battle belt without a harness. That’s how we do it most of the time. You can also get the Battlebelt + Harness setup for more support. For maximum space and ultimate looks, a plate carrier combined with a battle belt will make you look like you came straight from the coolest video game! You will have more than enough space to put everything you might want to carry on you during a Milsim.

Plate Carriers

This system is known for being very customizable and being better at protecting the fragile human body from those painful BBs. Not only does it protect you, but also keeps you warm during the winter due to better insulation.

While this might be a pro during colder temperatures, it becomes an issue during hot weather. This brings me to the disadvantages of the plate carrier.
Unless the system has good breathability like our plate carrier, you will cook in hotter temperatures due to the lack of ventilation.
Another con is the fact that it might be not that comfortable for some people. Weight could also be an issue with some other manufacturers.

However, this system is the best at customization and overall capacity. It provides a lot of space to attach stuff to. As mentioned before, adding a battle belt to your carrier is the ultimate load-bearing solution.

Before you buy

From our experience, the best way to start with gear is to get a battle belt first. After you played for a while, you can add more stuff, like a plate carrier or chest rig harness, if you feel the need to do so. By that time you will know your needs and wants, so don’t waste money on products that you will not end up using anyway. Start slow and build up your gear!

Pouches and Accessories

Now that you know about the different carrying systems, let’s move on to the pouches you will attach to them.
First of all, the magazine pouches. Depending on the length of the game, you will carry between two, to 5+ magazines for which you need suitable pouches.
It is unnecessary to carry that many magazines for shorter games, but if you plan on going to 30-hour Milsims, you should obviously consider taking a few more mags with you.
Do not forget to bring pistol pouches, if you have a sidearm. Two to three pistol pouches should do the job unless you plan on running pistol-only games.

Remember to have at least one utility pouch, to carry tools, additional BBs, speedloaders, and other stuff. To make sure people know that you are hit,
and you won’t get hit again, you should get a dead rag.

How do we do it most of the time? 3-4 Pistol pouches for 2 magazines and speedloaders, 2-3 rifle pouches for your rifle of choice, 1 utility pouch, 1 hitmarker (dead rag), pistol holster. Optional: radio pouch, dump pouch.
That should get you through a normal pick-up game easily. Might not be enough for a Milsim.

Safety

Safety should be your number 1 priority in Airsoft, after all, we only have two eyes. The most important piece of your loadout will be your glasses. Here, you will most likely encounter the problem we all airsoft players hate the most: Fogging.
Due to this being a hobby that requires you to move around and sweat, the condensation inside your goggles will make you blind and ruin your experience.
There are different solutions for different people, but make sure to not buy the cheapest set of goggles to protect your eyes. We have a selection of goggles that have an anti-fog layer inside and have proved to be quite hard to fog up.
If you have glasses, the best solution would be to use contact lenses. Alternatively, you can use prescription glasses inserts, which will fit inside of the safety goggles. We also have this option in our shop.

Even with free healthcare like here in Austria, most people don’t risk their teeth being shot out by airsoft guns. (yes, that happens) After all, skin can heal, but your teeth can’t.
That’s why face protection is highly recommended, although it might not be required in all fields. A standard Mesh Mask should do the job just right. You can also check this version.
If you watch our videos, you will know that we found a different solution to protect his teeth. A regular boxing mouth guard is also a way to do it. Depends on what you prefer.

Need to be stealthy?

Camouflage is important, especially if you play in an environment with a lot of vegetation. Classic ghillie suits are not the best for airsoft for several reasons. They might be bulky, poorly ventilated, colors can be completely off or the overall quality is just not meant to withstand active airsoft playstyle. We took care of all these problems with our 3D Ghillie suit selection. Not only that, you can customize everything to your environment thanks to our Artificial leaves. This combination will allow you to stay hidden anywhere you go. Moreover, it doesn’t limit you in any way. It supports your playstyle!

Who doesn’t like Accessories?

There are A LOT of little gadgets and accessories you can use on the field. But there are only a few we recommend. For starters, a Hitmarker or Deadrag is a must, unless you like to be shot in the back while walking back to the respawn. Equally important are proper gloves. Not only will they protect you, but also keep you warm if you plan on playing in winter. Speedloaders, don’t forget about them! Buy more than one because these things are super useful, plus you will be able to sort different BB weights in different speedloaders. If you get better at flanking your enemies, consider getting a knife. (A fake rubber knife, obviously)

What about guns?

Alright, that’s everything about the stuff you wear during Airsoft games.
What about your guns?
To make sure it performs as it should, you need the right ammunition, batteries, and gas. Do not forget about regular maintenance too!

Let’s start with ammunition. The most important factors are quality and the BB weight. Every gun is different, and you should always pick the recommended BB weight.
A rule of thumb is, the higher the FPS / Joule a gun has, the more weight the BB should have. This is why standard AEGs use 0,25-0,30g BBs, and sniper rifles use heavier BBs, upwards of 0,49g.
When it comes to quality, that’s pretty self-explanatory. The better the BB, the more accurate will your rifle be. Cheap BBs can even jam your gun.

Where does that power come from?

Unless you have a spring-powered sniper rifle you will need to supply your gun with energy to sling these BBs at your enemies. This energy comes in form of electricity or gas. The new standard for electric rifles is the LiPo battery (Lithium polymer battery).

Here you can find batteries with different voltages, the most popular being 7.4V and 11.1V. To put it simply and not overcomplicate things, the 7.4V LiPo Batteries will work in most stock guns. However, a significantly smaller amount of stock guns can handle the more powerful 11.1V batteries. Remember to choose a battery that has a big enough capacity and has the right C-rating.
Also, a charger will be needed to charge them safely.

If you plan to own a gas-powered pistol or rifle, you will need to purchase the correct type of gas.

When it comes to CO2, you will not have to search for the correct gas for long, because there is little to no difference between the manufacturers,
since there is one standard size for CO2 capsules used in airsoft (generally speaking, there might be rare exceptions we don’t know about).

When it comes to green gas-powered platforms, things get just a little bit more complicated. You need to have the right gas for the right temperature.
For the normal average sunny day, standard green gas will do its job just fine. However, if it gets colder, the gas becomes less effective.

This is where higher pressure gases like red and black gas come into play. They work better in colder conditions, but if used in warmer temperatures, they could damage your magazine and pistol. Make sure to always follow our gas recommendations.

So, that’s for the basics when it comes to gear in Airsoft. If you have any other questions, a quick search in Airsoft Forums will have you covered. Do not be afraid to talk to people on the field too!
Go out there and have some fun!