How Much Money Do You Need to Start Airsoft

Playing with airsoft weapons and gear can exist a lot of fun, equally it'due south a step up from the toy guns you used to play with as a kid. But how much does it cost to play airsoft?

The reply, of course, is—information technology depends.

It depends on whether y'all're renting the equipment, or buying your own gear.

When you buy your ain equipment, it depends on the quality of the airsoft equipment you're getting.

However, you accept to take the fact that it'due south not really a inexpensive hobby. In fact, the more you take it seriously, the more serious the costs can get.

One time yous become a existent fanatic near airsoft, the cost tin exist exorbitant. Only then once again, for many it's still worth spending their coin on.

Quick Navigation

i Renting Pros and Cons
2 Buying Your Ain Equipment
3 Essentials for Accented Newbies
- iii.1 Protective Gear
4 Nice Airsoft Gear for Casual Players
v Pro Airsoft Gear
vi Conclusion

Renting Pros and Cons

Plenty of vets recommend that you lot rent your equipment the very start time you effort airsoft battles. It's much more economic, especially if you end up not liking it all that much.

Of class, the chief trouble with renting is that you don't take much of a say about the quality of the equipment. Since these airsoft weapons and gear are generic and may not adjust your gustation, it can be argued that renting makes it less likely for yous to enjoy the whole airsoft experience.

Here's a breakdown of the rental prices for the diverse airsoft items:

Standard Airsoft Admission Fees

This volition ready y'all back about $10 to $20 an hour. With the playing time of near newbie players, the admission price tallies to effectually $fifteen to $25.

Still, some of these places offer all-day passes. That'll cost you anywhere from $30 to $50.

Protective Gear

These include the mask, gloves, and eye protection. Sometimes you lot can even rent pads for your elbows and knees.

Ordinarily, information technology'll cost y'all about $5 to $10 per protective equipment piece.

Since wouldn't really feel expert about renting used protective gear (non with the always-present threat of pandemic viruses), you lot're better off buying these things on your own even if you just desire to use information technology once.

Airsoft Gun

The good news here is that y'all tin be very sure that the airsoft gun your hire is legal to employ in that particular airsoft battleground. You won't have to worry about whether you lot're exceeding fps limits.

Merely these things are invariably cheap and low-quality. It's like using the stock cue sticks in puddle and billiard halls, or the generic bowling balls in bowling alleys.

For the airsoft rifle rental, figure on renting for nigh $20 (if you're very lucky, or if the rifle isn't all that expert) to $50.

Bbs and Battery

For these things, figure on spending about $thirty each time.

Total

In general, yous can wait to spend about $100 each fourth dimension you rent your equipment to play airsoft.

Buying Your Own Equipment

It's truthful that buying your ain airsoft equipment is a more expensive proposition. If you lot don't like it after the first time yous play, then y'all're set to lose more of your money.

Just yous can rent your airsoft equipment in one case, then buy your ain equipment after. You'll then realize that it's and so much ameliorate (and a lot more fun) to apply your ain equipment.

After all, you're able to get the manner of airsoft gun that really fits your fancy. Your gear tin can fit your body size and playing style.

If you lot plan on playing several times with airsoft to get a adept feel on whether airsoft is for yous, then you should really merely buy your ain gear.

In fact, planning and picking your own equipment is part of the fun!

Essentials for Absolute Newbies

Some say that you lot can go with about $100 worth of gear to start with. While that's technically true, yous'll end up with substandard equipment that get in more probable that you lot won't have as much fun as with better gear.

And then even as a newbie, you may want to spend just a piffling scrap more. Y'all'll end upwardly enjoying your airsoft experience a lot more than in return.

Rifle

Everything in airsoft starts with the weapon, and by that we hateful a rifle. While you can cheap weapons that cost essentially less than $100, y'all're better off with a rifle costing within a range of $150 to $200.

The most often recommended rifle for newbies is an automatic electrical gun, or AEG. These are generally more affordable, while it offers excellent reliability.

Your purchase tends to include a magazine, along with your basic bombardment and charger set. A full accuse should give you enough hours of playing time.

You may want to get with an AEG that'southward a replica of either an M4 or an M16. These are popular because their magazines can fit a lot of other airsoft weapons out there.

When you go more serious in your airsoft interest and upgrade your weapon, the mag y'all already accept should nevertheless fit your new weapon.

AEGs are also simple to recharge. Merely plug them in a wall socket while y'all sleep, and you should have a full charge for the next day.

You won't take to spend more than buying extra CO2 cartridges.

Plenty of brands accept established their reputations on manufacturing affordable airsoft guns for newbies, offering terrific reliability and features for a depression price.

Endeavour the AEGs from brands such every bit Elite Force, Chiliad&G, and Lancer Tactical, and you're likely to go more than your money'south worth. Many of these AEGs are certainly better than what you can rent in an airsoft club.

Magazines

Fifty-fifty as a newbie, y'all'll desire a good magazine yous tin can rely on to feed ammo into your rifle.

Become with a high-capacity mag that tin give you lot hundreds of rounds per clip, and so y'all don't have to count each shot. If y'all're a newbie, but spray the full general expanse of your target to brand certain you lot hitting it.

An all-metallic mag is crucial, because plastic mags tend to have unacceptable failure rates. Try to go with a drop-complimentary magazine equally well, so that you tin hold the rifle with i hand, become the spare mag with the other hand, while the spent mag drops freely to the floor.

This isn't all that expensive, either. A good total-metal high-capacity mag can price only about $30 or and then.

Ammo

Cheap BBs can go at $15 for a few thousand rounds, but you may want to spend a few dollars more than to get higher-quality Bulletin board system and pellets.

The principal reason for this is that cheap-quality Bbs can break downward inside your weapon. That ends upwards ruining your airsoft rifle, so you risk losing more money as a result.

Of course, information technology doesn't hurt that higher quality BBs tend to offer greater range and accuracy, and these qualities make airsoft a lot more enjoyable.

There'due south besides the fact that some airsoft clubs don't let the use of cheap-quality Bulletin board system, since they can be dangerous in the field.

Protective Gear

There are several pieces of protective equipment yous need to consider getting:

Goggles

Just near every airsoft club out there won't let you play without goggles. Later on all, it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye.

The goggles do need antifogging features, or else you won't airsoft as much. How tin you relish yourself when you lot can barely see what's going on?

Invest in anti-fogging goggles that can as well withstand close range shots. What you don't want is a pair of goggles that you demand to supercede considering it gets scratched up whenever it gets hitting.

Likewise, these things can be useful if yous have upwards other "manly" hobbies like woodshop and working with power tools.

You lot tin can get one of these for about $20 to $30.

Total Face up Mask

This is actually essential for newbies, even if they're non mandatory for some airsoft clubs.

Getting hit right on your face won't be pleasant, especially at close range.

Even if you lot're playing airsoft but once, information technology's a skillful investment.

Also, a full-face mask doesn't add much to the cost, as you tin can spend $30 and get a nice set with adequate goggles.

Nice Airsoft Gear for Casual Players

Even if yous but play airsoft every now and then, you'll realize that you go a lot more enjoyment out of airsoft by investing a few dollars into sure pieces of airsoft equipment.

Here are some items that should complement your basic essential gear for newbies:

Airsoft Pistol

Just as soldiers have sidearms as fill-in when they go into combat, so should you.

A pistol offers fewer rounds and a closer range, but at least you have something easy to conduct if ever your main weapon runs out of ammo or fails to work properly.

Also, in some CQB cases, the pistol may actually work much meliorate than a larger rifle.

This may set y'all back merely $50 or so for an entry-level slice.

Vest

Even as a newbie, you lot'll eventually realize that you lot get hit in the chest more often. That's considering information technology'due south an easier target, as it's larger than your caput.

That'due south why fifty-fifty soldiers and cops are trained to aim at center mass. It also doesn't movement a lot, unlike heads or limbs.

Since your opponents are targeting your chest, it makes perfect sense to protect it from the sting of Bbs and pellets.

Also, the belong can take pockets where you lot tin can store your actress magazines, and possibly even an airsoft radio.

These vests tin can toll anywhere from $25 to $50, depending on the immovability and the number of pouches.

Gloves

Tactical gloves are often considered optional gear, until you're hitting with a pellet at the top of your hand.

You tin can go with half gloves, which don't embrace your fingertips so y'all're all the same able to become a proper feel for your weapons.

But some total gloves offering a barehand feel, and even allow you employ it with touchscreens.

These full gloves can cost anywhere from $30 to $60, but the one-half-gloves are more than affordable.

Elbow Pads and Knee Pads

These things don't take to be expensive at all. You tin can these for $ten a set.

Some sets contain a complete complement of gear, including elbow pads, knee pads, wrist guards, and fifty-fifty a helmet.

These are meant for roller skating, but yous tin can use them for airsoft. A skilful set up for this can cost almost $80.

Helmets

Helmets have historically been the most of import piece of armor for war.

With a helmet, you can accommodate flashlights or fifty-fifty a mounted camera.

For airsoft, you can get a good one for virtually $l.

Some facemasks fifty-fifty come up complete with a helmet, and they tin cost about $80.

Extra Bombardment and Smart Charger

Information technology's ofttimes a good idea to have an extra battery on you when you're using AEGs in airsoft combat.

That's and so if your rifle bombardment runs out of power, y'all can just put in a new one.

The cost depends on the blazon of bombardment you lot get (which is a whole 'nother discussion). But make sure you go the right type of battery for your airsoft burglarize.

Some of these batteries can cost less than $twenty, but amend batteries can go for about $50.

You may want to become a smart charger also for your AEG battery. This device makes sure you lot don't overcharge (and therefore damage) your battery.

A good smart charger can cost nearly $20.

Pro Airsoft Gear

A pro who takes airsoft very seriously may go for the following types of equipment:

Upgraded Weapons

That ways the weapons are more efficient and more reliable. You can get greater range and accurateness.

With some pros, it'due south all almost the realism of the airsoft replica. So, it should await exactly similar the existent matter for display.

Or it can experience and function much like the real thing. This is great for training for the existent weapon.

Effigy on spending a bit more, though you can go a fine weapon for only $300. Just other pros may wish to spend $500 on just the weapon.

Airsoft Radio

Some pros tin can play with large teams, and members can get separated on their own missions. In these situations, reliable communications between teammates must be maintained.

An affordable radio for airsoft can go for just $25 these days.

Weapons Accessories

These include flashlights and scopes. A tactical flashlight can cost but $25, just others tin become for $65. Scopes tin can get for but $30, only the premium scopes tin can price every bit much as $150.

Gainsay Boots

These can become for $50 to $100, though of form you can utilize it for other occasions as well.

Conclusion

Here's a quick glance at what information technology will cost y'all to buy airsoft equipment:

Newbie

Rifle. $150
Extra magazine. $30
Ammo. $15
Full confront mask. $thirty

Total Cost: $225

Coincidental

Rifle. $200
Pistol. $fifty
Extra mag. $30
Ammo. $fifteen
Total confront mask. $thirty
Gloves. $30
Knee and elbow pads. $20
Helmet. $50
Extra battery. $twenty
Smart charger. $20

Full Cost: $465

Pro

Rifle. $400
Pistol. $150
Extra magazine. $30
Ammo. $30
Full face mask. $60
Gloves. $60
Knee joint and elbow pads. $20
Helmet. $50
Extra battery. $60
Smart charger. $20
Radio. $25
Flashlight. $65
Scope. $150
Combat boots. $100

Full Cost: $i,220

Yes, it's expensive as a pro. And it'due south not's cheap even for newbies or casual players.

Simply the fun you get sure is worth information technology.

Of course, you tin but become an affordable airsoft pistol and take fun with backyard plinking.

How much does it cost to play airsoft with just a unproblematic pistol? It'southward less than $50!