Questions about Vancouver's airsoft scene and gear
 

Hey ASC,

Been a long time lurker here on the forum (lots of great stuff here lol) but never really got into airsoft since legal restrictions and various other things back when I joined the forum didn't really make airsoft here seem that appealing despite my interest in it. But with the recent changes in regulations and what seems to be a growing presence of the sport in the region, it seems like a good time to finally take a step towards actually getting into the sport and local airsoft community.

Now I know about LMAG's site but ASC seemed like a better place to post and ask questions due to the larger community and wealth of knowledge so here goes..

First things first, for those of you in the Metrovancouver region I was wondering how things work around here. I have a feeling LMAG is the main group organizing games but I'm not too sure as I also know of Bellator Ent., UBC's airsoft club and a few local stores like Airsoft Gear Vancouver & Trigger airsoft organizing games according to their FB/store/forum pages. Basically trying to figure out who to approach/get information from regarding games. Quite sure a few of you guys work with the local airsoft groups/industry here so hopefully you guys can help a noob out. :D

Secondly, what would you guys recommend I acquire as a "first" primary based on factors such as ease of maintenance, parts availability, etc... I'm rather fond of GBBR's such as GHK's AK variants & their G5 somewhat but have also been looking into G&P's WOC-X kits (sr15 w/ KAC URX 3 would be a fun build). I have a feeling some people may suggest an AEG due to ease of maintenance but I'm pretty sure I'm technically proficient enough to keep a GBBR up & running. Open to other suggestions though, not set on any specific weapon platform.

And to round things off, what would you guys recommend kit wise? (ie. chest rigs, PC's, BDU's, boots, etc) I know this depends on play style, personal preference but this seems to be the one area I never really looked into or thought about too much. Quite open to suggestions though I'd lean towards a high speed/mobility, lower profile fighting load-out sorta kit, nothing too bulky. Not looking to spend that much in this area initially though so no uber secret squirrel branded operator gear lol.

Think that's it for now, though pretty sure I'm forgetting a question or two which I'd add later. Anyways, thanks in advance!

Best,
Beta678

For games, go to the Games & Events Schedules -> BC section and see what games are posted.

Info, contacts etc can be found there.


As for gear and what gun is best to start with, there's a dozen threads about those topics and the answer is pretty much always the same.

But in a nutshell, to address your concerns: yes, people will recommend an AEG as your first gun (both for maintenance and reliability); you can get a GBBR but understand while maintenance is simpler its also needed regularly (read "pretty much after every game.") Also understand gas systems don't always work reliably in cool weather and that gas mags can be prohibitively expensive when starting out (keep that in mind if you're on a limited budget). But GBBRs are terribly fun and a lot more realistic.

As for kit, read the threads. Get good eye protection, if there's one place you don't want to cheap out its there. Everything else is up to you and is likely to change with your experience and experiences.

I know the guy who runs ASG, his name is Optix (he's also an Age Verifier so stop by and check things out). Good guy. Has more stuff in his store than what he advertises online, has something for almost everyone (unless you're hardcore into playing and want to buy an FCC PTW but he does carry a G&D "DTW" and I believe can get the A&K "PTW"). Pretty much low end starters (not crosman clearsoft, but legit starter guns like JG, KA, etc.) to mid end players is what he caters to.

I'm out in Kits/Dunbar/Kerrisdale area at the moment but I'll be gone out of town this weekend and the week after that I'm moving provinces.

If you're going to get a GBBR I believe WE (Open Bolt) is still king and has the widest support for GBBR's but from what I understand the WA system (G&P WOC, WA, Inokatsu etc.) does give more kick but is a pain to maintain due to parts breaking left and right. The KJW AR's are nice and easy to maintain but there isn't much upgradeability to them other than a few parts here and there but you can just run it out of the box and have at it.

I'd still recommend an AEG though and I know that ASG has a pretty good selection and reasonable prices, and you can drop by when Optix is there to get Age Verified.

As for basic gear; eyepro, high ankle boots (I'd say minimum 6" so you don't roll your ankle), and some basic surplus OD BDU's from a place like Gorillas on Broadway near Commercial. Everything else is just extra and makes things easier for you. For example for a couple games I was running mags in my BDU pockets, it's a legitimate tactic for high speed slim profile but mag changes are a bit hard cause you have to open the pocket switch mags and put your spent mag somewhere. I'd say after you get your basic PSE (Personal Safety Equipment) the next couple things are BDU's, chestrig (or vest or panel), and a couple useful pouches (dump pouch, utility pouch, medic pouch, etc.).

BTW; you seem like a decent guy, PM me if you need any help (but please search first).

I've heard the GHK AK's are great GBBR's, but since maintenance was one of your first concerns you may want to lean towards aeg's, considering we are near the end of summer GBBR's are going to start working worse in a couple months and if you don't have an aeg to fall back to you may end up going to a game and not really being able to play.

I live in Langley and have played with the LMAG guys, they do games once a week on either Saturdays or Sundays and at either Panther Paintball or Maple Ridge Paintball. The ASG guys currently play most Saturday nights and Sundays during the day at ambush paintball in surrey, if you check out both forums you will see game times. There are also a ton of smaller clubs and some fields that host their own airsoft games.

Personally I rely on ASC for knowledge and questions, as well as the classifieds. The local group forums are usually best for organizing games though, not many BC games get posted here.

I'd suggest doing what Latency suggested and seeing the ASG store in Richmond, get age verified and check out the classifieds, there are some pretty good deals to be had.

As for gear, the camo you wear is generally a personal preference but considering the fields here you probably want to go with something green like olive drab, cadpat, woodland, etc.. Military stores are great for this, lots of options and there will be something to suit your taste. Make sure you get a good pair of boots or your ankles will take a beating. For eye protection, don't cheap out and fans are a good thing, the worst is spending an entire game with foggy goggles cause you can't take them off to clean them on the field. And don't forget to buy a red kill rag (red bandana works well and is easy to find). I'd also recommend a radio and headset, ASG sells the puxing 888 UHF radio, this is what I use and the range is fantastic. As for a rig, keep it light but get something you can change down the road, molle is highly recommended, and a hydration pack is a nice to have or you could throw a bottle of water into a bag.

Hope to see you out there sometime. :-)

Hey guys, thanks for the replies! Appreciate the time and thought put into them. I hope I'm not coming off as a noob who wants to be spoonfed information, not my aim at all. I've gone through lots of reviews on various products but basically I'm just looking for some general opinions and input from anyone who cares to offer theirs.

Anyways, I'll definitely be heading down to ASG sometime to check it out and maybe get AV'd as well but that probably won't happen until September or so. Would probably help to feel the ergo's of some of the gun's I'm interested in as well.

I know GBBR's are somewhat limited by weather and significantly affected by the cold so I most likely would be grabbing an AEG as well at some point, maybe before a GBBR now that I think about it (though I still think they sound and feel like sewing machines...lol). Mags I understand are pretty pricey compared to AEG's and might require a bit of work to make them run smoothly but I'm not too concerned about that at this point. I don't expect to run that many mags either, I'm thinking 4 mags would probably satisfy me with 1 in the gun and 3 on on a chest rig.

As for other gear, I echo many of your sentiments. I'd invest in boots and goggles and one of those low profile mesh face masks and the rest can come later. I won't bother asking about goggles etc as I know there's tons of reviews out there, though I might need help id'ing a pair of boots (my google-fu has failed me). I'll probably do a bit more research with regards to gear as I haven't spent a lot of time considering the options, though I find I'm rather fond of TMC's Slick plate carrier and the Mittsu chest rig I found on EBairsoft (yes I know EBairsoft is sketchy on shipping), not sure if it'd fit my needs though.

Anyways, thanks again and I'll hopefully see you guys on the field soon!

Converse boots are quite nice (and reasonably priced too) and you can't really go wrong with the standards like Original SWAT, Magnum, 5.11, Blackhawk, Adidas and the like.

Merrell and Scarpa make nice civvy boots as well and if you get them in a brown or black they fit nicely in an outfit. Lowa makes really nice ones but you're gonna have to pay.

Also, I've heard panther now allows sealed ballistics for airsoft play. Revision and ESS are 2 brands you should be looking for (Bullet Ant and Locust are the popular ones IIRC). If you need PB goggles, Dye makes a model that's pretty good from what I hear but JT Flex Pro's are what most people use.

I think the ASG guys are closed this weekend for a milsim they are all going to. I think they are back tuesday if my memory serves correctly.

I wear sketchers boots, probably not a common choice but I actually bought them for riding my motorbike and they slowly migrated to being my airsoft boots.

Btw, I recently got my first GBBR and I absolutely love it, but I would recommend it being the second primary you get rather than the first, that way you always have something to fall back on if it's too cold (or even too hot and you end up shooting over the limits, gas is finicky like that).

Will definitely be looking into ESS and Revision, read lots of good stuff about them plus fans are always welcomed (fogged goggles suck. alot.)

Didn't know converse made combat boots L473ncy, peaks my interest as I'm rather fond of my high-tops lol. Boots I'll definitely need to try and see which I like based on comfort and overall profile (don't want clown feet lol) so finding a pair I like might take a while. The pair of boots I'm trying to ID were worn by a CCT in a pic I found on a blog. All I know is its somewhat on the slimmer side and had vibram soles. Don't have the pic with me atm but I'll post it up when I find it again.

Lol DrunkenTeddy, I hope that doesn't happen to my motorcycle boots haha. Mine are sorta sitting in my closet until I get a bike sometime next spring. What do you ride if you don't mind my asking.

ASG and a bunch of ppl are busy w/ Op Iceback I believe (going off on memory), website said something about it but I'm actually out of country atm and won't be back til mid September so no rush there.

Once again, thanks guys.

(oh and thanks for moving the thread to newb tank Drake, honestly wasn't sure if it belonged in general or newb tank but thought the former was safer lol)

Hey Beta, If you are dead-set on getting a GBBR AK, I would highly recommend getting the GHK 2013 series. A few quirks here and there, magazines to file and loctite to the threads and you're set. I've been running mine with propylene during the ASG night games and she's been working good for me.

Like what L473ncy said, you should definitely get in touch with Julian (Optix) at Airsoftgear richmond. He's a walking airsoft encyclopedia.

For goggles I'd buy a cheap pair of JT goggles rapters are spectra so you can just rip off the bottoms and run with it

Pro flexs are nice as you can flip up the bottoms and still have some face protection and ear protection soft ears are great for both paintball and airsoft dye I4 's are nice if you have a smaller face and vforce makesma good goggle system to there my go to for paintball when I play. But always make sure you try the system before you buy t make sure they fit propperly.

Also I'd go with a king arms full metal M4 as a first gun there nice and pretty reliable from what I've seen

2005 Yamaha R6 in Red/Black. It's for sale actually, you want it? :P

Hey Kasrkin, thanks for the info, good to know they run well. If you don't mind my asking, which GHK model do you own? I read some negative reviews about the AKS-U and a few things quirks with the AK74 but the AKM's seem to operate relatively flawlessly. Oh and I may wait a while before grabbing a GHK if I do. According to the TAF facebook page GHK is reproducing their GBBR AK's due to popular demand and it looks like there's quite a few new variants, tacticool'd versions, and RPK (!!!) that are going to be available, check it out: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...8806520&type=1

*Actually on second thought, those seem to be TAF customized GBBR's... but still, gives a good idea what you can do with them.

Oh and about the mags, I knew about the loctite but magazine filing is something I missed. Is it with the GHK mags or 3rd party like the prowins?


Aj619 I feel like I want to avoid goggles with paintball masks due to the bulk and inability to cheekweld the stock. I thought about grabbing a mask for the goggles but quite a few of the goggles are kinda "raised" to line up with the mask which makes it a little bigger from the examples I've seen (might be completely wrong about this, correct me if I am). But thanks for the heads up about testing the system, actually forgot about that and was thinking about ordering a set of goggles online without trying them on.


Thanks for the offer DrunkenTeddy. Love R6's, sweet bike, but a 600 is probably too much power for me at this point. Still a MC noob; took PRS a little while back and planned on picking up a Ninja 300 as a starter but decided to wait cause I was worried about it having various issues and quirks with it being a new bike and all (Glad I did as it just had a ABS and ECU recall lol). Will most likely end up with a 300 to start with and move up. Oh and paying for insurance won't make me cringe as much for a 300 haha :P

I had started a longer post, and f'd it up, so here's the Coles Notes (sorry).

1. ASG / Bellator host games at Ambush Paintball every Sunday. You can drop in, but I recommend signing up via the ASG site and save $5. Ambush is a smaller field and it gets pretty "target rich" - more of a run and gun style of play.

2. Trigger Airsoft / Tacticooles host games at Panther Paintball every second Sunday. This is field is a huge forested area with tall grass (in summer) and allows for a more strategic style of play.

3. There are three shops that I'm familiar with in the area that are airsoft-dedicated (though there may be more that "also-sell" airsoft stuff): Airsoft Gear, Trigger Airsoft, and Milsig. I have my preferences which I'll happily share via PM, though I still recommend checking out all three.

4. As mentioned by others already, I'd recommend an AEG as your first gun. They are better in cooler weather (since we play all year round), are very reliable, and allow you to remain competitive. I only state the last part because most GBBRs are more limited in the amount of rounds you can carry. (eg: 30rnd gas mags, vs 120rnd mid-caps for AEGs).

5. Both Panther and Ambush field require full-seal goggles rated for paintball or ballistic standards. Any of the airsoft shops mentioned above will carry goggles that are field-legal. Try out a bunch and see what works best for you. I use Smith OTW Turbo Fan AND I use anti-fog wipes; this seems to be an acceptable combination.

6. I'd also recommend grabbing a mesh lower-face mask as well to protect your teeth. Yes, it will interfere with good cheek placement on the rifle, however airsoft is a game... and teeth are expensive.

7. Apart from the airsoft and surplus shops, you can probably find good used gear on Craigslist or on this board. Chances are you will change your kit as you play more and decide what works best for you. One person's favourite set-up may be complete sh*t for someone else, so there's a fair amount of trial and error... unless you're going for a sim look which is a whole different ballgame.

Hope this helps. Good luck and happy gaming!

I've attached a picture of my mask, it is a paintball mask with the lower removed and a mesh lower zap strapped on in its place. I also have 2 small fans mounted on top for air flow, they are connected to a rechargeable battery with a switch. This seems to be a very common setup for guys around here. I definitely wouldn't recommend using the lower portion of a paintball mask, they are generally too bulky and they do get in the way, but I find the combination of a paintball upper half and a mesh airsoft lower seems to work quite well. My cheek is almost pressed against the mesh allowing me to get as close to the sights as possible without leaving the lower half of my face exposed. Some people also modify the mesh lower by cutting the sides of it off so they can get even closer, but I prefer that the bottom half of my face stay protected, nothing like being shot in the mouth...

Many people are fond of GBBRs but if you are just starting out airsoft, I'd still recommend an AEG. GBBRs are limited in terms of after market parts within the BC area as stores do not carry that many repair parts for Gas guns. Obviously if you plan to work on your own guns and whatnot then that is another story.

Trigger hosts games every second sunday at Panther Paintball with Sign in and Prep at 9am and games start by 10. 20 Dollars if you sign up on their forum and 25 for drop in. It includes lunch as well (Hotdog and Fries and a can of pop)

ASG is great with Optix but Dave at Trigger is also great guy to talk to if you don't know. Ask for Dave (Schoolboy is his ASC name i think) he's a great guy to chat to and he knows his stuff well. He also the primary gun doc at Trigger as well.

GBBRs are not that popular in BC compared to the east coast. majority of players still run AEGs with hi-caps due to majority of players being quite new and fresh. Milsig might carry a few but they are notorious for their extremely high prices, and Trigger nor ASG carry them from what I know besides GBB pistols and SMGs.

In terms of fields and whatnot as many of the other guys mentioned above, we play at Panther or Ambush usually. There are games in Mission and whatnot but if you want to drive that far by all means anyway Gimmie a PM if you want to chat :)

Welcome!!

Dude, we can be riding buddies. I'm relatively new to riding as well. I took my course at Proride in Capilano. Got all the gear but no bike yet (that new 2014 KTM Duke 390 looks like the perfect first bike for me, nice torquey single and perfect for being a hooligan on, get a fender eliminator and tuck in that license plate.... :) ... not that I'd stunt everywhere though...).

Good call on the 600 but do realize that if you're easy on the throttle and responsible you won't get into too much trouble (also look at the power curves as well, a Boulevard 109 isn't the same as a race replica R6 or R1, hell the SV650 is IMO a perfect first bike if you want to get a middle weight right away).

Anyways back on topic; I didn't realize that Schoolboy (his name is David (Dave) C.) was one of the guys at Trigger, he's a good guy for sure and contributes a lot to the community, haven't played with him much because he used to go to Bigfoot rather than Panther but the couple of times I met and talked to him he's a good guy. Definitely check them out as well.

Q) Do you know what they do every May?

A) Pull over everyone with a fender eliminator/moved plate/changed signals and give them a fixit ticket. If you're sporting a N you don't want that.

I was being facetious cause those are considered hooligan bikes (have you seen the official promo videos and marketing from KTM?) but seriously though are fender kits illegal? I was under the impression and had 2 ICBC certified instructors tell me that fender kits are totally legal as long as they're DOT approved and the signal lights can still be seen (there are bikes that people toss on like a Baja street kit and ICBC does inspections on them and approves them for road worthiness). I know you usually run into problems with the second part of the requirement and have to relocate lights.

I know that tucked plates are definitely illegal though.

What about Harleys? I know some of the Dyna's (possibly other models) have "flip to side" plate mounts. It's an OEM location (and they're approved for import by Registrar of Imported Vehicles/Transport Canada) but could be seen as being moved by a regular beat cop who isn't totally into bikes and will know that Harleys are different.

If it's not OEM it's a heat score.

Thanks Kilofive, that was an extremely informative post and I honestly do appreciate it.

Drunkenteddy, yeah I'll definitely be picking up a lower mesh face mask and keep the sides on, its one of the top items of my acquisition list. I don't fancy a BB to the lip or a broken tooth.

That setup looks good, though I think goggles that size might be a little bulky on my face just because my face is on the smaller side. But yeah, I'll definitely be running something similar once I get everything in order and start acquiring the pieces I want/need over the next while.

Yeahhhhhhh more riding buddies!!! :D Totally forgot about the KTM, definitely looks sweet and would be tons of fun. Spec wise its quite similar to the ninja 300 but I haven't seen one in person yet so I definitely need to find one and sit on it before I lay down the verdict for the KTM. As for the 600, I'm actually quite smooth on the throttle so I honestly wouldn't mind getting one but starting on something smaller just gives me more peace of mind I guess. Rather err on the safer side of things when it comes to motorcycles since a lot can go wrong in very little time. I considered the SV650 as well but its heavier than the 300 and lacking some features the lil'ninja offers (slipper clutch, ABS, etc).

phloudernow, I do plan on working on my own guns as I'm confident in my technical abilities but I do understand an AEG would probably be better so I'm looking into it as well at this point.

The point you raise with hi-caps, I'm not too fond of the hi-cap BB hose playstyle (not sure if you guys play semi only or not), I'm leaning more towards real cap/mid cap, something more on the slightly more limited ammo side for that sense of realism where every shot is valuable and should be placed with thought rather than rambo-ing I guess.

I'll definitely be PM'ing and chatting with most of you guys along with Optix (Should get AV'd as well) and Dave at some point once I have access to my desktop again as I'd quite enjoy talking more with everyone.

Will check out all the fields as well and try to get to know everyone in the local community once I start playing.

Oh a little off topic but out of curiosity, are there any fields similar to CQB Buddy in Japan? (Youtube Didloaded and check out his vids they're pretty cool) Or the warehouse styled fields? I recall seeing a pic on I think a Bellator related FB group with a guy in a warehouse and caption saying something like "potential new field?". Anyone have information on that? I know the only urbanish field is at Richmond Indoor but I've played PB there and I'm not too fond of it just due to how slick the ground was even with my industrial rated nonslip shoes. Oh and if you can't find the field I'm talking about just let me know and I'll find it and link it here.

Anyways, thanks again for welcome guys!

from what I Know BC does not have any dedicated CQB fields for airsoft like Ultimate Airsoft in Toronto.

The only option atm is going to some hosted games at private sites or Richmond Indoor Paintball but its super nasty in there....

guess ambush is considered more "cqb" since it isn't as big of a field compared to fields like panther. You could however consider the field up in Mission as a "cqb" field its got a good mixture of CQB and outdoor so i guess u could say its more Urban.

I moved to BC from NZ a few months ago and I've got to say I miss indoor airsoft CQB, I played a couple of games at richmond indoor but I get the feeling they treat airsoft like a red haired step child and sadly I don't have a car so I can't even get to the weekend games :( suppose I should start looking for rides.

Back in NZ our CQB is more like warehouse clearing rather than building built indoors, I've uploaded a few video's to youtube (DorkusMorkings) if anyone wants to see how we set up things.