[pizzainthemorning]

I see one vest it's 50 bucks, I see one that LOOKS the exact same and it's say 800 bucks. Now... I'm sure the more expensive real "Black Hawk" or whatever vest IS better, but in most cases, is it in any sense worth it?

They're probably made with better stitching and better material, but sometimes the price difference is phenomenal. I have a vest I bought for 60 bucks. I load it with about 40 lbs of gear and I play regularly. I've had this vest for a few years now and not a single problem.

Pretty much what I'm getting at is that airsoft is a replica sport (even moreso for those into mil sim). Some of us load up with extra weights and gear, not because it's practical to carry around those extra few thousand bb's, but because we feel like we should carry the "proper" load. We dive, we run, we crawl, we subject our gear (our replica gear) to most of the rigors that I think authenic gear would face. And if any of you out there are like me, your gear holds up just fine at a fraction of the cost (or am I just lucky?).

Authentic gear, I don't get it. Someone fill me in.