TOP 5 Airsoft Mistakes With Dave the Airsoft Flannel Daddy

Don't Be Like Us. Don't Make These Mistakes

As an airsofter, we all share one common trait: We are all human. Being human means we don't typically get to be perfect and often make mistakes in our day to day lives. Whether that's sleeping in a little too long, order the extra side of fries we really weren't going to eat, or forgetting an airsoft gun for our next airsoft adventure. We asked around, looked deep within ourselves and embarked along a humbling and informative vision quest to compile a list of all of the most critical errors we've made ourselves or watched others make. Let's dive into our Top 5 Airsoft Mistakes, shall we?

1. Hydrate or Die

We've all been there. It's hot, you forgot to drink water earlier in the week because you were too busy drinking red bull and playing the call of duty to unlock that shiny new AK47. Once you get to the field to smash kids in Call of Duty: IRL edition, you drop dead from heat exhaustion because you simply didn't drink enough water. Sometimes, you prepared fine, but didn't equip that extra-thicc hydration carrier on the back of your tacticool-guy Navy SEAL vest you've been rocking and your body just couldn't handle the sweat output anymore.

Hydration is the #1 reason people get hurt playing airsoft. Don't be the next buffoon who thinks hes too cool for H20. We've all seen "The Waterboy" before. Water is the key to any good active athletic activity. Look out for your fellow players, and bring enough water for them as well.

2. Proper Packing Prioritizes Perfect Playing

Have you ever been so lost in the late night red-bull fueled Call of Duty sauce that you forgot to pack for your Airsoft game the next day? We've all been there, rushing to stuff kit into a storage box or gear bag so we can race to the field before the morning safety brief. Taking that extra few minutes the night before to get your kit ready and make sure you have everything you need is the secret to success.

We recommend setting up a checklist of all of your personal needs before a game. I keep one in the "notes" function on my cell phone for easy access, and can run through it real quick. This, coupled with what I call the "Go Box" of essentials I keep handy makes sure I always have all the kit I need. I grab the box, a couple of guns, load them into the truck and head to the field. It makes packing quick and easy, and makes sure I never have to worry about missing a key item ever again. We'll cover what I keep in my Go Box in a future blog.

SO MANY GUNS. Which do you choose?

3. Pre-Game Wrenching is a Recipe For Bad Luck

This next one is more Airsoft urban legend than scientific truth, but the murphy's law of airsoft suggests that if you spend the night before a big game working on your gun and play with it before testing properly, it is definitely going to fail. I've had this happen more times than I care to admit. One major Texas BB Wars event saw me bring a fully built up M4 to a game that I had just finished upgrading, only to have a faulty piston snap twenty minutes in. I spent the rest of the day borrowing guns from friends, and to call it embarrassing would be the understatement of the year.

If you're going to do a bunch of upgrade work to your gun, make sure you have time to properly test it before your next big event. If you don't have that luxury, make sure you pack properly and bring a spare.

4. Clear Your Dang Boom Stick

We've all seen this one play out too.

New kid shows up at the field with his brand new rifle. He didn't check to clear his hop up before he starts boogaloo-ing his bang switch in the parking lot. The next thing you know, the rear view window of his mom's 2003 Chevy Silverado has been permanently removed from it's once lofty place of reverse-image glory. Mom's upset. Kid's upset. New kid is never seen from again.
Every field has a "clear your rifle" rule at the end of a match for a reason. Many fields enforce the use of a barrel sock or barrel bag for this same safety reason. Don't be the guy that ruins it for everyone because you shot out the pro-shop window over a negligent discharge that could have been totally avoided. This is the definition of party foul.

5. Pace Yourself Before You Disgrace Yourself

Airsoft is a marathon, not a sprint.

You'll have many games to get through so you get the most out of your day's field fees. If it's a large MILSIM game you may have multiple days you have to last through. You need to pace yourself, before you disgrace yourself by becoming a heat casualty twenty minutes into the game.

This mistake is the last one on our list for a reason. It combines every single point on this list.

• Hydrate Properly, so you can stay in the game.
• Pack the right kit, so you don't have to leave early.
• Make sure all your guns work right. Don't wrench on 'em the night before.
• Don't drop a negligent discharge in the parking lot and get kicked out.

Coupled with making sure you don't burn the candle at both ends the second the game on horn is sounded, you shouldn't worry about falling out. If you bum rush the objective first thing, and don't have the stamina or energy to do so, you're going to fall out, and suffer a heat injury or worse. We can't stress enough how important it is to know your limits when you hit the airsoft field. Everyone's been there, but it should only happen once if you're smart.

There's more than just these five mistakes...

Of course there are other great ways to ruin a day of airsofting if you're not careful, but these will absolutely pull you out of the experience faster than you can scream "Hit!"

Honorable mentions go to the following:

• Setting your calculator instead of your alarm
• Not getting a good night's sleep before a game
• Forgetting to stretch
• Leaving your battery plugged in
• Forgetting to turn your red dot off

Hopefully, this covers some of the bigger eventualities we all experience as airsofters and some great ways to prevent them! Did we miss any? Let us know and reach out to us on social media! Need to pick up a few things so you are properly prepared?