Airsoft is a competitive game that revolves around shooting, teamwork, and strategy- features that make it a favorite among adrenaline enthusiasts and gun hobbyists. However, airsoft comes with injury risks like pellets landing on exposed skin. Plus, it can be frustrating to play for those who aren’t competitive enough, which raises the question, is airsoft worth getting into?
Airsoft is worth getting into if you have a passion for guns. The game is ideal for active people who don’t mind hiding, ducking, and running around for cover. It’s also excellent for people who value strategy and teamwork, specifically competitive people who don’t back down from challenges.
If you’re not sure if airsoft is for you, keep reading. I’ll discuss everything you need to know about airsoft and whether it’s worth your time. Let’s hit it!
What Is Airsoft?
Airsoft is a highly competitive sport where opponents engage in high-intensity simulated gun combat. Although frequently compared to paintball, airsoft is unique in its own way. For example, airsoft uses low-powered real gun replicas that help recreate an actual battlefield.
Unlike paintball that uses markers, airsoft uses toy guns modeled after normal firearms. The use of gun replicas makes the game more realistic, a feature contributing to the airsoft’s popularity among gun enthusiasts and licensed gun holders looking to improve their aim and overall gun control.
Airsoft can also be defined as a competitive shooting sport founded on honor. This is because airsoft uses BBs, tiny spherical projectiles that, unlike paintballs, don’t burst and release color upon impact.
Therefore, opponents must be honorable and honest enough to admit to being hit to determine the winning team.
Why It’s Worth Getting Into Airsoft
Airsoft is one of the most popular action sports out there. In this section, you’ll learn some of the factors that make airsoft appealing, which will help you know whether it’s worth getting into the sport.
Airsoft Focuses on Teamwork and Strategy
Airsoft is a game that relies heavily on teamwork and strategy. Some airsoft games are short, while others have multiple goals or objectives that award teams points. Either way, it’s a sport that relies on the coordination of teammates to achieve set goals.
Without proper coordination, winning an airsoft game is almost impossible, especially when playing against seasoned opponents. This means team members must make fast decisions and even sacrifices to outsmart opponents on the battleground.
Besides requiring fluid teamwork, airsoft is also heavily reliant on strategy. A time comes when team members split but still work towards common goals, highlighting the need to operate as a functional unit.
Airsoft game types like capture the flag and king of the hill require teammates to attack enemy territory or defend the opponents’ advancements together. Players must develop relevant strategies to defeat the enemy, thus stressing teamwork and strategy.
Therefore, airsoft is worth getting into if you value teamwork and strategy. It’s also a great team-building exercise that has been used by corporates and families alike to strengthen bonds and improve teamwork.
You Can Enjoy Near-Real Gun Experience
There’s a reason walking around with airsoft guns can land you in trouble. These guns are designed to resemble real guns and can easily be mistaken for actual rifles and handguns.
High-end airsoft guns are usually built from metal or a variety of nylon blends and can, at times, include highly realistic blow-back action that makes them even more believable.
However, despite their physical similarity to real guns, airsoft guns don’t have the power or capacity to cause even quarter as much damage that real guns can manage.
With airsoft, you’ll be dealing with 3 main types of guns, as discussed below:
- Automatic Electric Guns (AEGs): These are arguably the most common airsoft guns and often resemble rifles and machine guns. AEGs use batteries that power electric motors to allow efficient fire rates, making them ideal as primary weapons.
- Gas-powered guns: These are mostly submachine guns (SMGs) or handguns (airsoft pistols) that use green gas or CO2 cartridges.
- Spring guns: These types of guns are slowly becoming obsolete and are spring-powered, making them less effective in spraying. However, they still pack a punch if used correctly.
As can be seen above, you’ll have a variety of airsoft guns to choose from if you choose to give the game a try.
And although not every airsoft player must be a gun enthusiast, the game provides a great opportunity for players to get a feel of how guns work. This explains why some professionals use airsoft guns to practice shooting and improve situational awareness during combat.
Therefore, if you’re a licensed gun holder wanting to improve gun handling techniques and develop other combat skills, you might want to give airsoft a shot as it’ll enhance your skills as a player, which can come in handy in real-life situations.
Airsoft Offers Adventure and Battle-Like Scenario
If you’re big on adventure and combat, chances are you’ll appreciate the entire airsoft concept. Airsoft is a flexible game that can be modified to suit players’ preferences.
For instance, some of the game types you can play in airsoft include capture the flag, king of the hill, hostage rescue, free for all, bomb, and team deathmatch, among a host of other games.
These games require loads of energy and enthusiasm towards physical activities like running, crawling, jumping, and even crouching. Therefore, if you’re the physical type that doesn’t mind working up a sweat, then you’ll fall in love with airsoft.
Airsoft is also ideal if you love high-octane shooting action. Your team will aim to survive and outlive the opponents throughout the game, which is easier said than done!
You’ll be recreating a near-real military experience, only without real bullets and flesh-debilitating grenades. These features make airsoft the perfect game for adventure and action diehards.
Not only will airsoft make you feel like a soldier tasked with the impossible mission of saving others, but you’ll also get to be part of a team of like-minded people ready to put their lives on the line (although not literally).
Airsoft Promotes Honor
If you like playing dirty or cheekily tricking opponents out of a game, perhaps airsoft isn’t your cup of tea.
With airsoft, you’ll need to come clean when hit as there won’t be any splashing of paint, as is the case with paintball. In simpler terms, airsoft is a game of honor where every opponent is expected to truthfully call a hit when it occurs.
And while it’s normal for some untrustworthy people to cheat, most players are usually truthful as honor is a major part of the game.
So if you’re the competitive type that likes to give credit where it’s due, you might find airsoft appealing, especially if you end up playing with like-minded individuals.
Airsoft Encourages Competitiveness
Airsoft is a highly competitive sport with no limitations to the number of times you can play a day. With paintball, you’ll have paint all over your gear, meaning you’ll need to change before taking part in another round.
However, things are different with airsoft as the pellets don’t leave marks on your gear, allowing you to play several rounds and actively compete with your rivals. The ability to play several games in one sitting justifies the concept of honor, which is a vital pillar of the game.
So if you’re the competitive type that never wants to give up after losing, then airsoft is an ideal game to consider. The game is fairly easy to learn and doesn’t require years of experience to compete.
Airsoft Doesn’t Involve Physical Contact
While some people might view airsoft as a relatively dangerous game due to missiles flying at high velocities, it’s a great hobby if you love contactless games.
In airsoft, it’s illegal for players to make physical contact as all action is meant to be gun-based. This means less risk of physical injury and more fun spraying opponents with bullets.
The presence of referees also makes the game a lot more structured than most unofficial sports, ensuring the best players get rightfully crowned as champions.
Airsoft is a good game if you like structured sports with strictly observed rules. And while calling out cheaters during play isn’t allowed, players can lodge complaints once the session is done.
Airsoft Is a Fast-Paced Sport
You shouldn’t try out airsoft if you don’t like fast-paced games that need immediate responses. Once the game starts, all players enter beast mode — you either hunt or get hunted.
Therefore, if you love a good physical challenge that’ll work your muscles up without lifting weights, airsoft is probably a good fit. The game requires speed in both reactions and loading weapons as slow contestants are unlikely to make it to the end.
After a day of competing with friends on the airsoft field, you’ll most probably head home fatigued as a result of the fast-paced in-game experience.
But as you start to learn airsoft, it’s only normal that you won’t be as fast as experienced players. The trick is to keep playing until you become accustomed to the game’s demands, which shouldn’t take long if you’re committed to learning.
Why It’s Not Worth Getting Into Airsoft
Like other games, airsoft comes with risks and disadvantages, making it less appealing to some. From safety to environmental concerns, here are some of the reasons why airsoft might not be worth getting into:
You’re Worried About the Safety Risks
Shooting opponents with pellets is fun, well, until one hits you right on the neck or any exposed skin. Despite their small sizes, airsoft BBs can be launched at relatively fast speeds, depending on a gun’s muzzle velocity.
Some upgraded guns can shoot BBs up to 550 ft/s (167.64 m/s), leading to bruises if shot at close range. And while airsoft-related injuries are mostly minor, some can prove serious if players fail to wear adequate safety gear.
As a rule, all players must take adequate safety measures by wearing safety gear, such as helmets and airsoft goggles, to protect sensitive body parts like the eyes, ears, nose, and forehead. It’s also advisable that all players put on an airsoft vest to protect their backs and chests.
If wearing safety gear like goggles and helmets doesn’t appeal to you, chances are airsoft isn’t suitable for you. You should never play airsoft without wearing protective gear, meaning you’ll be better off not playing the game in the first place if it exposes you to safety risks.
You Can’t Cope With High-Level Pressure
You might want to steer clear of airsoft if you’re not the athletic type or you don’t fancy running up and down a field.
Airsoft is physically demanding and requires a high level of performance from all teammates to win. If you don’t like the pressure associated with putting in a shift for other team members, it’s best to consider individual games or other less demanding hobbies.
You’re Afraid About Others Cheating
There’s no solid way to determine whether an opponent is hit or not, as the game works on a truthfulness or honor model. This means that an opponent might continue playing despite you getting a good shot.
And the worst part is you can’t stop the game or make a claim, leading to unfair victories when playing with dishonest opponents.
You can also be part of the problem if you don’t own up to hits. Therefore, if you doubt your ability to call a hit, then perhaps you’re better off playing games with more defined scoring systems.
You’re Concerned About Its Negative Environmental Impact
Although biodegradable BBs have helped reduce environmental pollution resulting from airsoft, not all pellets are made of biodegradable material. This makes the game relatively unsustainable in the long run, especially if played on a large scale.
Playing airsoft in outdoor environments isn’t ideal for environment-conscious people as it strains and pollutes the environment. If you read from the same script, you might not find airsoft appealing not unless you play indoors or use biodegradable BBs.
Wrapping Up
Airsoft is a highly competitive game built around teamwork and honor principles. When playing airsoft, you’re collaborating with your teammates, trying your best to outsmart your opponents by achieving the game’s objective (depending on the type of airsoft you’re playing).
If you don’t mind physical activity, collaborating with other teammates, and playing around with real gun replicas, you should consider getting into airsoft. Airsoft is also a great option if you like fast-paced, highly competitive, and adventure-packed games.