These Boots we're made for Walking (and Airsoft hopefully!)

First review.... theres a lot riding on this.  For me anyway.  I started this blog to enable me to document my experiences getting started in Airsoft both good and bad and to review the kit that I buy.  When I sat down in a local cafe with my latte and started to write this it dawned on me I'd never actually reviewed anything before.  If I stink then I guess the blog probably dies here and my hopes of taking Blackjack to Youtube probably go out with it so lets raise out latte mugs in a toast ........ to not stinking!

So with this first review comes the first thing I bought which was my boots.  I know from days of hiking and my first experience wearing old work boots that a comfortable pair of boots is essential.  I also know that through the years I've gotten started in hobbies and then drifted away over time so I had to fight the urge to buy the best boots out there and temper my enthusiasm by buying inexpensively but wisely.

Now doing my research theres lots of boots people will recommend but nothing in that "just testing the water" range so I guess that's where I fit in here.

The boots I bought were these bad boys...

They looked like this for 5 mins

I knew I wanted tan boots purely for the aesthetic of them and that I wanted the higher style (8" I now understand) rather than more of an ankle boot so that narrowed down my search.  After checking out every website going and seeing boots ranging from £15.00 to £215.00 I was a little worried about buying online and them not fitting then having the hassle of sending them back so that led me to look local where I could try before buying.  That proved fruitless so I took back to the inter webs and found these on Amazon.  As a Prime member I'm always keen to take advantage of free next day delivery and free returns so I thought I'd take a punt on these.  They look very similar to the Kombat UK ones ... possibly even the same?

how they look after a couple of outings

The customer reviews on Amazon were positive in general although they did mention about being slightly large fitting.  I took a chance on my normal size 9 and intended to insert a gel insole and thicker socks.  The price was £27.99 so cheap enough to throw in the car for muddy days if the Airsoft bug left me and not so expensive that I'd regret buying only to upgrade later when the bug really bites (as I expect it to).  Order placed and fingers crossed I waited.

Well initial thoughts as I opened the box was...... positive.  They looked solid enough.  The uppers are made of a suede cow leather with heavy duty 1150D Cordura nylon on the sides.  This does help with flexibility when being worn.  I wasn't sure how waterproof they'd be so I did cover them with NikWax prior to first use (remembering my old Boy Scout days!).  The stiching looked strong and probably the only negative at this stage was what I would say were probably cheap laces.  They seem a bit stretchy and this makes it difficult to lace the boots up tight but no reason not to buy.  I also bought some gel insoles from Sports Direct which I'd used previously in running shoes and buying on the cheap side I assumed they wouldn't be the most cushioned.  The insoles in the boots aren't that padded so I'd recommend adding some in.

Look rubbish - comfy as hell

So down to the nuts and the reason you've read so far ..... what are they like to wear on game day. 

Well I've worn them twice for full days Skirmish which was a combination of outdoor CQB and woodland and I can honestly say I'm impressed.  They're comfortable, they support the ankles well, the treads grip the track and the rocks paths and give confidence that they'll not slip and best of all they look badass!  The inside and the tongues are well padded and really do feel comfortable.  My feet felt great when I took them off.  No blisters and not overly hot.  How long will they last?  No idea but at this price and given I'm just starting out I'm more than happy.  I'll probably replace the laces at some point but given the value for money I can really recommend them for someone just looking to get some boots to start out.  I agree they probably are a little bigger than standard sizing but with my extra insoles and thicker socks (which I intended to wear anyway) they fit great so bear that in mind.

Cant faulty them at all but will review again once I've got more usage under the belt.  I've only played on dry days so far and I also NikWaxed them so can't comment on what they're like on a wet day but time will tell.  Even better is they've dropped in price since I bought them so can be picked up for £25.99.  Well worth it if you just want a back up pair or a cheaper tan pair.

Boots - one left, one right ..... nun said!

If you want to check them out heres a link to the Amazon page  http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0114PPV3U?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00

What Did I Learn from Game Day #1

Ok so maybe I got a little side tracked on yesterdays blog post but I just wanted to get across that Airsoft isn't just a hobby where you pick up a cheap gun and head out.  There is a real sense of safety, responsibility and honesty associated with Airsoft.

So .... where was I?  We've signed up for an annual membership, I've filled out all the forms and as part of my membership I will receive (when they're back in stock) a patch, a wristband and a mug (which I actually do have! yeah for mugs!)  I go pick up my hire kit which consists of a bottle of 2800 BB's, a paintball style full face mask and a G36 AEG with mag.  I grip that gun like Private Pyle (if you don't know go watch Full Metal Jacket!) and stride off to fill up the mag. 

It's actually scary how much this could be me

Ok so it seems that Airsoft to me anyway is very cinematic.  I'm a huge movie lover, big fan of online gaming and whilst I have a senior job day to day I like to let my hair down (ahem, what hair?) when I'm not in the office.  Airsoft seems to bring the best bits of all of these together for me.  The action of Black Hawk Down, the thrill of Call Of Duty and camaraderie of playing 5-a-side footy with my mates....happy days!

We played a morning of CQB fighting where I really got up close and personal with little plastic balls flying at my face.  I managed to take a massive (well it felt massive to me!) hit to the shoulder during an early game.  Imagine the scene... I'm snaking around a kill house building like something from Rainbow Six, I get to the doorway and our eyes (well masks) meet.  I have no idea if he's on my team or not.  I see him reloading a gas cartridge into his hand gun. I ask him "are you red?".  He hold s up his hand as if to signal "your ok mate, we're in this war together" so I turn to my right to look the other way.  It's precisely at this moment that I feel the thud of a BB hit my left shoulder and I turn to see my Brother in Arms pointing his handgun towards me.  I wont lie ..... it f***ing hurt!.  I still have the bruise on my shoulder 2 1/2 weeks later.  Next time I'll shoot and ask questions later.

Tis but a flesh wound!

So the million dollar question I had before I started playing.... does it hurt and will I cry like a 4 year old girl whose lost her teddy.  Well the answer is yes and no.  Can you feel it - definitely.  Does it leave a mark - usually.  Does it stop you playing - no.  It hurts enough that you don't want to get hit but not so much that you think "bugger this" and walk off home.

Into the afternoon and we played out in the woodland and this felt a very different game of soldiers.  Much more hiding in woodland, much more spread out and much more reliant on how far your hire gun could shoot vs their £300 Krytac..... or something like that.  I felt here that my aging eyesight coupled with lack of range really went against me, where as in CQB I felt I got shot cos I was crap at stealthing around.  I'll get better at both over time no doubt however, I came away that first day with a smile, a few bruises, a passion to buy everything I could lay my hands on and two very happy sons.  It was the first time in a long time we'd spent the whole day together, not picked up an Xbox controller and had stories to tell each other on the journey home.

So what did I learn from that first day of Airsoft. 

• Trust no-one - If you're not sure just shoot them!
• Paintball masks are a very sweaty affair - I need to invest in some goggles and face mask.
• Finger shots sting like hell - I need to invest in some gloves.
• Old work boots are shit - I need to invest in some decent boots.
• Not everyone calls there hits - you know what, so what.  You get cheaters in life too but they always get found out eventually.
• I had a the best day of fun with my kids - best day I've had in a very long time.

And so begins my journey to bankruptcy as I eye up and put into my virtual basket every last item known to man that has any link to Airsoft.

I'm quite fortunate that I have a good job that will support this hobby, an understanding wife who encourages me to enjoy my free time and time with my sons and that I have weekends free to actually get out and play and that brings me on to this blog.  

I'm writing it, along with my twitter and facebook page (shamless plug www.facebook.com/BlackjackAirsoftUK and https://twitter.com/blackjack_Air) to document my journey, the highs and the lows, to share my experiences around it and to meet other Airsofters.  I plan to eventually launch my YouTube channel with game day footage and product reviews from someone who hasn't been tainted by £2000 sniper rifles and £300 camo trousers.

Airsoft or this .... Airsoft or this??

Sometimes in life its the little things that make you happy ...... and other times its the really expensive all consuming things :)

UKARA Be Joking?

My first Airsoft session had arrived.

I had my MTP camo clothing, an old pair of steel toe capped boots from a job I hadn't done in 8 years and a baseball cap. I was ready for war! 

Oh Yeah? You and whose Army??

Myself and the boys turned up, I signed us all up as members so that I could start working towards getting the required number of games in so I would qualify for my UKARA number.  UKARA  for those that are new to Airsoft stands for United Kingdom Airsoft Retailers Association and is a database of people who have an legitimate defence to purchase an RIF.  Defence?? RIF?? its all getting a bit complicated now isn't it!  OK ..... lets take it in steps.

• RIF - this is a Realistic Imitation Firearm.  As Airsoft guns look very much like the real weapon they are intended to imitate they are categorised as RIF.  With this comes its own set of complications.

• Defence - this is where it gets complicated.  Under the VCRA (Violent Crimes Reduction Act 2006 - a UK legislation set up to reduce violent crimes surprisingly!) it is an offence to manufacture, import or sell a RIF in Great Britain.  Ok so no Airsoft guns then?  Wrong.  There are exemptions from this if you can provide a suitable defence (reason) why you want to sell or import a RIF.  Now those exemptions are for :-

1. the purposes of a museum or gallery;
2. the purposes of theatrical performances and of rehearsals for such performances;
3. the production of films;
4. the production of television programmes;
5. the organisation and holding of historical re-enactments organised and held by persons specified or described for the purposes of this section by regulations made by the Secretary of State;
6. the purposes of functions that a person has in his capacity as a person in the service of Her Majesty

Where does that leave us then?  Well there was a further amendment made which allowed Airsofters to purchase a RIF.  Job done then eh?  Well not quite as it is the responsibility of the retailer/seller of the RIF to be certain that the person purchasing the RIF is a legitimate Airsofter and not just some kid who fancies flashing a real looking gun down the park.

Well first of all its illegal for anyone under 18yo to purchase a RIF or to sell a RIF to anyone under 18yo.  So  assuming you're over 18 how does the retailer know you're a serious Airsofter?  Well that's where UKARA comes in.  In order to qualify for a UKARA number you must have played Airsoft a minimum of 3 times over no less than 2 months at an insured Airsoft site who, in turn, are registered with UKARA.  So you can play 6 times in 6 weeks but you still need to wait the required 2 months.

UKARA Police - may or may not be an actual thing

In order to get me ready to be able to purchase a RIF for myself and my boys I signed up for a membership at NTAC and started to log my games.  I know I said its illegal to sell or to buy a RIF if you're under 18 however it's not an offence for me, with a UKARA number, to purchase 2 RIF's and gift them to my under 18yo sons.  They'll be locked away at home and only brought out for game day.


Phew ...... I didn't realise it was such a legal minefield when I first took the kids that first day however after seeing the guns in the flesh I can understand how they'd be mistaken for a real firearm.

Getting Ready for my First Skirmish

So after reading, watching and listening to everything I could on Airsoft I booked to go back to NTAC with my two boys.  Now what I failed to mention was that my boys had such a good time rolling around in the forest and diving behind cover in the CQB village that they wrecked 2 pairs of perfectly good jeans with grass stains that just wouldn't shift so after deciding I was going to commit to this hobby I decided to buy myself and the boys some clothing ...... yes before even picking up a gun ..... I know, I know.

Theres a subtle difference between looking the part and looking the prat

One of the draws for me was the sheer volume of kit and loadout you can buy and so as part of my research I'd been looking into the types of clothing and the array of camo available.  I'd certainly settled on the MTP (Multi Terrain Pattern) camo for myself as I just really liked the look of it along with the tan/coyote kit and so I set about the task of looking for somewhere to buy this stuff.

MTP Camo

Now this was really the point I think I realised that theres not actually an awful lot of places local to me where you can just wander in to a shop an pick up this stuff.  Airsoft whilst always gaining in popularity is still a relatively niche hobby.  I found a few places online that were based Manchester (where I work Mon-Fri) so I though I can just pop in and try this stuff on.  That however didn't appear to be the case.  Both companies I emailed got back to me and said they were online only so couldn't try stuff on.  One said I could order through their website and collect however the other wouldn't even let me do that.  Plan 1 failed!

As I was looking for MTP clothing which is what the British Army use I thought I'd try and find some local Army Surplus shops.  I remember being a kid in the Scouts and buying loads of gear from them so that shouldn't be so hard.  Well it appeared that even they weren't so popular as they once were.  I did find a couple but as it was surplus gear it wasn't obvious what they did and didn't have in stock.

The Army Shop - Washington

It was actually completely by chance that after liking a few Facebook Airsoft pages I saw a link to a page which was suggested as similar.  This took me to The Army Shop - https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Army-Shop/143007509063778?fref=ts which was an Army Surplus store based in a shopping centre in Washington (the Inshops at the Galleries if you're familiar with the area).  Looking at their Facebook page it appeared they had a decent amount of surplus clothing and as it's not too far from my home I thought I'd have a drive there with my boys on the Saturday morning.

So we found the place no problem.  Parking was a nightmare but it was Saturday lunchtime at a shopping centre and low and behold they had loads of MTP stuff from trousers, UBACS (under body armour combat shirt for those new to this stuff), shirts, jackets and hats.  They even had stuff in kids sizes too so I managed to try some stuff on to get the right sizes for both me and the boys as I'd read that the British Army stuff was a little less generous than shopping at Next and we walked away from the shop with a pair of trousers  and a shirt each all for a very reasonable £90.  Certainly cheaper than replacing 3 pairs of jeans anyway.

For those a little further south in Teeside they also have a sister shop called Buckshees Military Surplus - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Buckshees-Military-Surplus/143787915643009 so feel free to check them out too.

I went home and tried my stuff on, looked in the mirror and already imagined myself as an extra in The Hurt Locker.  That was when my dream was shattered by the sound of my wife's laughter and her telling me I looked like a big Action Man.  Ah well ........ for a second I was a action hero not an action man.

A Week is a Long Time in Airsoft

So that first experience (albeit a visual only one) definitely piqued my interest in Airsoft.  I spent the next 7 days trying to absorb as much information as I could, signing up to forums,  subscribing to numerous YouTube pages and scouring iTunes for podcasts.

Now I've been into different hobbies in the past but the one I stuck with for a good number of years was Miniature Wargaming.  So you could say I've gone from playing with toy soldiers to actually pretending to be a soldier with toy guns.  Now granted mini wargaming  is a fairly geeky hobby (as I've been told on numerous occasions by 2 sons and 2 wives (the 2 wives were not at the same time I hasten to add!) and its not the kind of hobby you chat to with your mates down the pub however what I enjoyed about it as much as the actual playing was the community.  

That's not exactly what I had in mind.

Theres a big following on twitter, loads of bloggers and a good number of podcasts to listen to.  I live in the North East however I work in Manchester so spend 6 hours a week driving to and from the North West as well as spend my evenings in a hotel so I find that I can also enjoy my hobby whilst I'm on the road or away from home.  What I've found so far is that Airsoft is a little different.  Well it seems so to me at this early stage however I'd love to be proved wrong.  

When it comes to Podcasts I've found a few but most seem to have fallen by the wayside over the years.

Airsoft Social Podcast - https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/airsoft-socials-podcast/id685928131?mt=2

I've started with this one as it was the only UK based podcast I could find.  Started with episode 1 in Aug 2013, had a bit of a relaunch in episode 2 Apr 2014.  It then died a death at episode 4 in June 2014.  First episode was full of promise too...... oh well.

Deadrag Airsoft Radio - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/deadrag-airsoft-radio/id251555133?mt=2

This one I'm currently working my way through and enjoying more as the episodes go on.  These guys were a Texas based podcast and it had 20 episodes which lasted from Mar 2007 until Aug 2009.

Airsoftology Airsoft Radio - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/airsoftology-airsoft-radio/id302825271?mt=2

Airsoftology Airsoft Radio lasted (from what I can see) for 57 episodes from Jan 2009 until Feb 2013.  Again its a US based podcast however judging by the success of their YouTube channel I think they've just gone on to bigger and better things.

Gorilla Airsoft Radio - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/gorilla-airsoft-radio/id352110774?mt=2

These guys are still going strong at 121 episodes (the most recent being uploaded 22nd Aug 2015).  I'm yet to give these guys a listen but they're next on my list.

So I guess I'm putting it out there to you fellow Airsofters.  Why have we not got a UK podcast?  Which ones worth listening to have I missed so far. 

Welcome To Blackjack Airsoft

Where to start? 

I'm a 30-something (ahem almost 40 ahem) year old guy from North East England who has just gotten into Airsoft and so I thought what better way to keep a track of my journey and share my experiences as a new player than to blog about it.  I chose the name Blackjack because I love to have a flutter in the casino and Blackjack is my game of choice.  I love going to Vegas and when I got married this year my wife bought me an Ace of Spades tie pin for good luck so Blackjack it is.

I'd never even heard of Airsoft until about 6 weeks ago when my twin 12 year old boys asked me to take them during the school holidays.  I asked what it was, where was it and how much does it cost (typical Dad like questions).  This led to them frantically searching to find there nearest site and dig up some information to convince me that Airsoft was a cheap and cheerful day out.  Oh how naïve I was!

Shut up and take my money!

They found a site that wasn't too far away from us (I've since discovered there was at least 2 closer but that's a story for another day) and that we could hire equipment and have a full day of fun for a mere £35 each.  I looked at the website and started to read up a little about it.  As a caring father who doesn't want to see my kids injured I obviously had lots of questions the boys couldn't answer.  Does it hurt?  How safe is it?  How old do you need to be?  How many people will be playing?  Do kids and adults play together? 

We'd played LazerQuest and had also been to a local outdoor laser gun place called Battlefield Live http://www.battlefieldlivesouthtyneside.co.uk/Pages/default.aspx and had a really good day out but this all seemed very much more serious.  I've never been paintballing but have been hit with one during a 10K Assault Course I did and I know that it left a hell of a bruise on my rib so I was obviously a little apprehensive of throwing my boys into this.

The site the boys found was NTAC (Northeast Tactical Airsoft Club) in Shildon, Durham http://www.ntac.co.uk  I emailed the site and asked if my boys were old enough to play and about hiring equipment.  The guy got back to me straight away (I later found that this was Andy the owner) with the relevant info.  I could bring them along, stay with them for the safety briefing then either leave them for the day or hang around and that there would be free tea and coffee to keep me going or alternatively I could play. 

I have to admit that I fully expected my boys to get out on the Airsoft field, get hit on the back of the head with a BB pellet, have a few tears and want to come home so the thought of paying £105 for the 3 of us to play for 5mins felt a bit much so I opted to take the boys along that weekend and just pay for them to play but hang around to see if they wanted to come home before I'd even gotten out of the car park.

I also found out that in order to play the boys would need boots and so being typical 12 year old boys they own only school shoes and numerous pairs of trainers so I found myself having to buy them some boots in order to play.  So lets add another £50 for a couple of pairs of relatively cheap hiking boots to the £70 day out ...... they better bloody enjoy it is what I was thinking and also how many coffee's do I need to drink to get my moneys worth!

So NTAC only play on Sundays so that Sunday morning we got up, sun was blazing and we drove the 35mins to Shildon.  The directions on the website were great and helped by SatNav we found the place without any fuss.  We were advised as it was our first time and because we needed to hire kit to turn up around 9:00am with a safety brief at 9:30am followed by the game starting at 10:00am.  I expected to find the place pretty quiet and wasn't expecting the sight that greeted us.

Real Camp Bastion - Not near Durham

As we pulled up the farm track towards where I could see some portacabin/container buildings I thought I'd taken a wrong turn coming down the A1 and ended up in Camp Bastion.  I knew it seamed a little more serious than LazerQuest but this was like a military compound.  There must have been approx. 70 people there all in full camo clothing, holsters strapped to legs carrying handguns, rifles slung around necks, helmets, gloves, tactical vests ...... these guys were kitted for war.  In contrast my boys had shiny new boots, jeans and an AC/DC t-shirt.  Never had a pair of noobs ever looked more out of place. 

Not exactly wearing the right gear are you son?

This actually didn't phase the boys and rather than be put off they just thought it was an even cooler thing to do and my level of Best Ever Dad points rose by a couple.  We quickly got sorted, signed the waivers and then waited for the safety briefing looking like 3 lost refugees.  Safety briefing completed, which was both obviously very serious but delivered really well and made sure everyone fully understood what was expected, the boys went to get their kit for the day.  Kitted up in camo jacket, full face paintball style mask and rifle in hand the boys headed out of the safe zone and I made myself that first cup of coffee.

20 mins later or so the boys came back and I prepared myself to kiss goodbye to never sleeping for 6 months due to drinking £100 worth of caffeine when they said "This is awesome! Can we come back again?".  This it seemed was just a quick break to get a drink as the heat was really building up.  The boys were loving it.  They went back out and I continued on the coffee in the baking 28degree sun.  One of the Marshalls there came over for a chat and said "its much less boring if you get kitted up and go out with them you know!  That's how I started".   I knew he had a point but not having any boots with me this wasn't an option today.  Lunch came and the boys were telling me how much fun they were having.  This from 2 boys who spend most of their lives plugged into an Xbox or a PC like a life support machine - I was genuinely happy they were having a great time.  The Marshal I'd spoken to early came over, handed me a hi-vis jacket and some eye protection and said "come out with me this afternoon.  At least you can see what they're up to but be warned - you might still get hit".  I then followed him out for the afternoon session and watched the game with interest.  He told me how he'd got started, bringing his sons along much like me and how long he'd been playing and I have to admit I was really sorry I hadn't joined in. 

NTAC on the day the boys played - very welcoming bunch

As he'd explained I did get hit.  A few times in the leg and once on the chin however at least I knew what the boys were experiencing when it came to the did it hurt question.  I asked him loads of questions and right there I was hooked.  I'd not fired a gun but was convinced I couldn't wait to play next time.

And so this is how I got started in Airsoft.  I intend to talk about my journey, my experiences, the kit I'm buying and the games I'm playing in order to give anyone just starting out some info from someone equally as clueless but equally as excited by being shot at with plastic balls and having to explain the bruises on my legs to my wife.