Winter Games, Snow Camo, etc.
 

I've never been to a winter game before, but I love snow. Everytime I walk on knee deep snow, I think to myself, "This would be great for an Airsoft game." I'm just wondering if there are many outdoor games in the winter around Toronto, and if there are, do many people attend in contrast to summer? Also, to those with experience, is a pure white snow camouflage better or brown(tree bark)? I know different fields have different features, but which one is safer for "all around" use?

Another thing, do airsofters wear regular coats in the winter? I'm sure my BDU won't be very snow repellent in the winter, but do people buy special CANPAT camouflage patterned jackets or whatnot?

I found a little bit of dark splotches are more helpful then pure white in forest setting for shadows and trees

One of the best combos you can run is white pants and a dark top. That matches well with most cover since the white matches the snow on the ground and the dark top matches trees etc.

You can find cheap winter whites at Canadian Tire in the hunting section, and even at hardware stores if you get the light painter overall. What will work best of course depends on your local conditions and temperature. Some of the cheap ones are cotton and pretty easy to get soaking wet in the around zero zone.

I've not played Airsoft in the winter myself, but whenever I've asked about it I've been told pretty much just not to bother.
Anything plastic will be under extra stress below 0C, and will be almost certain to break below -5C.

Some will suggest that this depends largely on the quality of your gear, but I figure the risk isn't worth it unless you have another AEG to fall back on for other games.

GBBs nosedive in performance below +5C the farther down you go so they're not much of an answer to this question. If you have something that runs HPA you'll fare a little better.

As for camo, when I played with Airsoft's uglier sister I'd use cadpat or woodland on top and winter camo below unless there was fresh snow on the trees.
This will allow you to stand up and move around without being silhouetted against opposing colours as easily.

If you can find winter shells for the camo type you use, everything will fit well and you can add/ remove layers/ colours as needed without adding too much weight.

Knee deep snow is not fun for airsoft!

As pointed out above, go with a hunter camo top such as RealTree, and white pants, that'll serve you best if around trees.

I played last week at the Frozen Sniper 2 game at Petawawa Airsoft. I got myself a set of white camo from Globalarmysurplus for $40. It worked pretty well. It is made of nylon, so has some water repellency. The temperature was around -5 C, so it wasn't cold. The host had driven down the trails with his snowmobile to help pack the snow down. But, the snipers weren't on the trails, so we had to get off the trail and hunt them in the bush (knee deep snow). Its actually quite difficult to see someone when they are dressed in white and they are not moving (standing or crouched down). However, when they are moving, then the white blob blocking out the trees is a dead give away.

Just curious, are snowshoes useful? Have they ever been used in a game before?

None of the players used snow shoes (snow was only about knee deep). The photographer did put on a pair of snowshoes (the old kind made for only going forward). He found it very difficult to manouver (and he was walking around on the packed snow) and I think it would be impossible in the bush (thats where the snipers were hiding).

If you play in wooded erea, snow shoes should be brought along. You might need them.

I played last weekend and I kept them on all day. Some took them off, but they kinda stayed in the trails, wich is great for me, they are easyer to shoot.

I don't use white camo unless I will be ambushing in prone position in snow. I wear the usual camo that match with the erea. Last weekend we where in full OD and it was adequat in dense terrain. The other team was in white and I could see them moving from far away.

White camo is used to cross large open field or to travel in moutain. Not for wooded erea. It's also, depending on the light and temperature, too white and shiny compared to the snow. So people hiding using only their camo are very easy to spot.

Playing during the winter is very fun. It require a different preparation, gear wise. But it's great!

Here some winter sniping from last week. YouTube - Sniper en hiver. 2011

I've seen some really awesome shit at BassPro...reversible insulted / waterproof smock with a realtree type winter pattern on one side and a fall / spring pattern on the other. It would be rediculously effective, if not strictly "milspec", but I gave up on milspec some time ago in favor of staying comfortable.

Winter games I've been to are usually a good idea when they're planned, but they don't last long becuase truly, slogging through waist deep snow got old really fast.

+1 I've got a set of winter realtree stuff from basspro. It's like a coverall and a thick jacket to go overtop. It's probably too thick to be running around in even in extremely cold temperatures but if you took up a role that didn't require alot of movement it would be perfect. I was able to lay down in a snowbank in -25 with a good wind and it felt like laying in a pile of blankets.

You could always go to Russia if you want some practice with airsoft in the snow. But you would have to also put up with the tanks, APC's, and helicopters in the game too. Bummer.

http://www.airsoftretreat.com/forums...?topic=98342.0

http://www.airsoftclub.ru/phpbb/down...1865&mode=view
http://www.airsoftclub.ru/phpbb/down...1864&mode=view

I wear snowshoes whenever I go winter airsofting, and they help a lot. Others were struggling through, while I was way ahead of them. Try to get ones with an aluminum frame, not the wooden ones.

ho shetz... that looks fking amazing!