Replica vs. Authentic Gear

[The Saint]

I'm on my 4th vest in less than 2 years of airsofting. Forget brand, forget price, for the love of god, try the vest before you buy.

[H-G]

"All I need to play airsoft is one highcap, MAYBE two"

Fuck off and play paintball then. Why do you bother with airsoft in Canada?

Think about that question, think hard.


This isn't Hong Kong, this isn't Southern California. Airsoft is not a fashionable thing to do in this part of the world, it's rarely a social thing, and it sure as shit isn't something that people pick up on a whim.

When you order a new gun or piece of gear, are you excited to add it to your personal collection, however small or large it is? Do you look forward to it's arrival in the mail? Do you drive over an hour to pick it up? Why? What do you like about it?

Do you look forward to running out in a field and plastering a stranger with pellets? Maybe you like the idea of your wallet buying you a tactical supremacy in the game, being able to out range and outgun anybody else. It makes those paychecks sweet, doesn't it.

That's not all though, is it. Airsoft has a certain aesthetics value to it, one which paintball seems to have had little interest in replicating. You like the idea of your gun looking like a gun, feeling like a gun, and shooting like a gun. Go on though, what else is there?

Maybe you like to take the aesthetics further than your gun. You wouldn't be the first. People have been dressing the part since people have started playing it. And there are practical reasons, thats probably what started you down this road- hell, when I started playing paintball in the woods, I was against using anything current issue. Throw on some cammies here, knee pads there, maybe even a belt to carry all that ammo you're sending downrange. Hold on- you're starting to do someting.
At this point you're more than capable of playing a game of airsoft or paintball, but you keep going. You keep going, and the airsoft market relies on people like you who keep going. Does everybody own just one gun? Are they happy with their plastic weapons? Do they want a weapon that performs better, or is more ergonomic?

I think it's very clear that the VAST majority of the airsofting community, at least the portion of which that communicates with one another online (and airsoft never would have taken off without the advent of the Internet), is not satisfied, or even interested in the bare minimum of equipment that playing a game of airsoft requires.

Enough of that though, let's get on topic. Replica gear, real gear, what's the issue? Why bother with one thing, when you can get the exact same thing for a fraction of the cost?
The easy answer to this question is that it's not the same thing. Now are people just splitting hairs here? Is it just a label thing? Maybe not. It seems that the participants of this discussion have assumed a separation in levels of quality between military, and reproduction manufacturers. Not only that, but another poster, Groombug, has been kind enough to write a lengthy post which explains the cost of all the equipment in question.

So, why do airsofters bother with the real stuff? Everybody has their own reasons, there's no one definitive answer eluding you. I couldn't tell you all the reasons others have, but I'll try to share some of my own. First of all, I like collecting. I don't mean buying shiny new pieces from optac or wherever you crazy Canadians like to get your fix- I mean tracking down hard to find pieces with a history behind them, or at the very least replicates that history.
There's also the bling factor- I hope I don't have to explain this one. I've worked for everything I own in airsoft, and I've worked damn hard. I want to be 100% content, maybe even a little proud of what I have done with my time and energy.

Once again, aesthetics come into play. How does this gear look on me? How does it stack up against cooler pictures of people with gear on. What can I do to improve the look, feel and performance of my gear? These questions generally lend themselves towards spending more money on more expensive stuff.

One bonus to buying all this quality equipment is that I never have to worry about my stuff breaking, and when I want to sell it, I know I'll be able to make a profit off it. That's just plain smart if you ask me.

Gear turns into an interest of its own. After a little, you find yourself scouring the internet for new pictures of the stuff in use, staying up late at night to plan your next setup (which will probably never be fully completed) or looking through gigs of old pictures, trying to figure out who used what where and when, and most importantly, why. If that stuff doesn't interest you, don't be surprised. That may not appeal to you, but there is a whole community devoted to this hobby.


These are all things that appeal to me about my purchases in the world of tactical nylon, fastex, and kydex. I know I can't speak for everybody, but I hope I've been able to shed some light onto this topic.

If at the end of the day, you can't justify spending hundreds upon hundreds of dollars on gear, or quite simply don't want to, that's your choice. Go along playing airsoft, follow your bliss. Maybe you like your guns- maybe you like a whole lot of guns! Take that interest with you, and add something positive to the rest of the community.

If you just want to spray somebody with a highcap while you're in a t shirt and sneakers, you're on the wrong forums. In my experience, enjoyable airsoft has never been about function over form.



Now, if my whole post was too long for you to bother reading, please take at least one sentence with you.

Why do you bother with airsoft in Canada?



PS- Soldiers in the US spend quite a bit of their income on go faster gear... that's not really a debateable fact. Saying that the Army equips its soldiers with the right gear for the mission is plain ignorant. There's a reason they spend so many of my tax dolars on new pieces like the IOTV or the FROG gear.
PPS- $400 for a MICH?!?!?! I really should start selling to you!

[Ronan]

Couldn't you just have posted 'I play airsoft because it gives me that tingle that i love when i'm playing and buying/using guns/gear'?? Cuz thats why i play

[Moz]

man, yuxi is trolling this shit up.

Someone trash this thread before it starts to stink

[Mantelope]

Originally Posted by Koopa

BTW.. i started with a green civi jacket and white K-Swiss running shoes

Last time I saw you at FR you were still wearing your K-Swiss I'm pretty sure.

[SINN]

Originally Posted by Moz

man, yuxi is trolling this shit up.

Someone trash this thread before it starts to stink

It appears to me that Yuxi is part of the discussion.

[Hawkeye_CJMC]

Personnally, I think authentic gear looks and feels great. Though, for somebody who doesn't have a ton of disposable income to buy $300+ vests and rigs, I make do with what I can until I get to that point. I'm sort of a mixed bag right now, having authentic BDUs that are military and special forces grade, but my vest is a cheap $50 knockoff. It has worked well so far with 2 seasons behind it with heavy use (including lots of crawling through heavy brush, I usually play the role of recon) and still looks great. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm one of those guys that buys cheaper stuff to look the part faster, but will eventually replace that with authentic gear when I can afford it.

This is my path:

Buy AEG -> Buy cheaper gear and rigs -> Upgrade AEG -> Upgrade gear and rigs -> Buy more stuff

People may have their own path that works for them, but my path works for me and I still fit in with our local community. Nobody seems to have any negative opinions about my gear, and when we split up roles for contractor vs military, I'm authentic looking enough to be grouped in the military team.

[Lerch]

Originally Posted by Ronan

Couldn't you just have posted 'I play airsoft because it gives me that tingle that i love when i'm playing and buying/using guns/gear'?? Cuz thats why i play

You get stiffies for gear too?

[pizzainthemorning]

Originally Posted by Scarecrow

I would suggest that if you have money, experiment, but listen to those in the community who've been doing for a while and who have already thrown a pisspot full of money away trying to find the right 'stuff'...

Ultimately formulate your own opinion and then use your budget to meet your needs.

The above speaks perfectly.

If any of you get offended, or have your feelings hurt because you spent a lot of money on authentic gear and I'm only asking you why:

1. Don't be so sensitive and an idiot, a question like that shouldn't bother you.
2. Don't call me a newb or inexperienced, I've been playing for 4 years.

Bashing somebody for being out of airsoft "fashion" is ridiculous. Sorry I'm not cool enough to wear Nike shoes too.

Bottom line is, wearing authentic gear in airsoft, from a pragmatic standpoint would be like wearing a nomex fire suit, specialized safety harness, and helmet when you drive your ordinary car. Sure, it won't hurt any and it's all great stuff, but it's designed for race cars. Airsoft is a replica sport, with replica guns, and it makes sense to at least be allowed to wear replica gear. If you're talking real life, with real bullets, that deserves real gear. There is nothing wrong with wearing authentic gear in or out of airsoft. There is nothing wrong with wearing replica gear in airsoft. That's absolutely as clear as I can put it, and if there's any argument after that then something has gone over somebodies head.

Mods, feel free to trash this, I should've known better than to post a thread with "vs" in the title.

[Lakonian]

Ronan.. have you ever seen, or even held an Issue T-V? No? Well let me tell ya.. it's a piece of shit.
... And that's just the tip of the shitberg

[cdnbmb]

How many m4 mags can that thing carry, IRC it was like 4 or so in the main pouches ? Or are they double pouches ?

Either way, when Im fluid I pay proper for proper gear.
The most important thing is knowing what you want first before going out and buying stuff randomly.
I have spent thousands of dollars on gear, only to realise that no matter how hard I try , I like crossed shoulder chest rigs better than vests ( exception beeing the LF Warhammer )

[Beazer]

Wow, thought I was reading essays.
Man some people have waaaaay too much free time.

Get the best gear you can AFFORD is what i say.
I can afford to buy a guarder MILCS eagle replica but not the real thing.
However I am slowly buying Eagle pouches and eventually will get the real thing.
For some reason though this replica has lasted almost 2 years of weekly intense airsoft. So it is definitely worth it, unless the chance that a LAV runs over it.