Why Airsoft?
 

Being a bit older than the average player (in Canada at least, seems Europe is a whole other cup o tea) a friend of mine asked me sort perplexed - "why the hell are you doing this?!"

The answer was prompt and simple: "It's a whole sack load of fun, it's exercise, stress relief, you get to shoot some pretty cool looking guns, live through combat (lol) and, no, it's NOT easy to survive in a skirmish."

I have had my butt handed to me a few times since I started (and got my arse whooped in an arm wrestling match by a guy 20 years younger than me to boot last game - (It was all my opponent, I was just trying to not let him beat me in record time lol)) and you know what - I don't care! It's not important, other than, it is time to have some fun, drop the weeks troubles behind you and run some rounds down field.

How many activities do we take part in every week where, when your in the act of doing it - there is nothing else going on except the doing?

So, this got me to thinking - why do you play? What's your reason? There is no wrong or right here, just, what drives your interest in the sport and what keeps you coming out to events? Be interesting to know!

Because i'm a depraved young individual with nothing better to do.
http://i0.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/.../216/7nTnr.png

It's a hobby in common with my sons (there 31 and 28) plus the usual reasons

I just love guns and pretty much everything military so......

Same here, a hobby in common with my sons youngest son, a big stress and anxiety release, and getting to play against all people at different levels, but mostly spending time with my son

oops, a hobby in common with my youngest son

A hobby which is a bit different from the usual golf, tennis, hockey.........

+1!

It's different, but at the same time, I still haven't found a hobby which allows me to combine guns, shooting, a military touch and all the rest in a legal activity!

^ This.

All my hobbies are on the odd side (some more geek than others) - airsoft, book binding, target shooting, miniature sculpting, JRPGs, PnP RPGs, 3D model building, writing software utilities for "dead" games, etc.

But really, airsoft is modern-day "cowboys & indians" with cool gear and guns.

Zombie apocalypse training:D

Some great reasons so far - keep em coming! I met some local fire fighters (thanks boys) at one game, and they basically said they can't stand golf :)

That is something I can relate too :)

LOL at zombie training - I should really try one of those games out :)

Mainly for personal pleasure. Getting away from the house, and also because I love militaria and the whole bit.

I like the Military. And I can take my developed reaction times, reflexes and general active life style back to hockey, and from hockey to this. Its also a shit ton of fun.

A sense of Brotherhood among fellow peers, while enjoying the same interests, and hobby. I mean, c'mon! Don't tell me you don't feel all mighty badass when wearing your gear, and running around yelling "Get some!"? ..no?

It's the natural evolution.

Water Guns. Nerf guns. Cap guns. BB guns.

Cowboys and Indians. Cops and Robbers. Playing Army. That sort of shit.

That and I helped a friend move once and stumbled onto a G36c... Spent most of the evening after the move going room to room like a nerd.

because opfor doesn't really take kindly to real bullets. :D

what other activity can you shoot your opponent and 5 minutes later shoot them again? Without wiping pink and orange goop off their shirts first!

it's like hunting but instead of going after that one trophy, you shoot them all and then do it again. ;)

Because after buying all my gear its way cheaper to burn off 2000 rounds of BB's than it is to burn off 2000 paintballs

what he said. plus skeet shooting just doesn't do it sometimes...

I always loved military stuff. It's really nice to find people with the same interest.
I enjoy the tactics against a live opponent instead of a predictable NPC.
It relaxes me. I feel the pressure go away, even just working on my airsoft at home.
I enjoy collecting the equipment and adapting it to my needs.
I enjoy the friendship and solidarity with my team and other players.
I get to do guy stuff which is getting harder and harder in our society.

The local team I'm on is all friends, so it's a great hang-out activity where we all have fun, then brag about our trophy shots at Arby's after the game.

For me personally, it's a good source of exercise and it's a constant learning and adaptive game that you never really master.

Because I can use allot of 7 years worth of training and knowledge to play the sport and about 80% transfers into the sport of airsoft. It allows me to have fun with that training and use it to my advantage, that said it can seldom be applied else where.

I get too shoot at guys and have no actual real damage done too them and then shake their hand after the game, not many sports or games are like that. It doesn't get much better then that in my opinion!! Most trng scenarios are blanks or occasionally sim and airsoft is a good in-between. Plus I can be a fool and joke around while playing if I choose or treat it like the opposite and play smartly with a team to achieve our missions and have fun with a good community of players!!

plain and simple its fun!!

My therapist recommended it... sometimes its the only thing that will stop the voices.

Teamwork and the people I meet along the way.

Because i didn't get enough of Cowboys and Indians as a child, nearly 40 years ago :p

It's a great release - a way to combine nature and the outdoors, hiking, a social and competitive activity, and to challenge yourself physically and mentally in the process .. all the while enjoying it. There are just not that many activities that involve so many diverse skills, experiences and opportunity for exercise in a fun package, as airsoft provides.

I'm in my mid-40's now .. never did paintball, and only started this airsoft thing last year. I only wish that airsoft had come up on my awareness radar a long time ago.

+1
I have the same problem with voices:

Did you buy some bread like I asked you?
Don't look at other women!
Dad can I borrow the car?
I didn't do it, it was him, No it was her!
You never said that!
You always take his/her side!

On and on and on, until Airsoft time;P

It is the only place I can shoot people legally without the real bullet to fly over your head,
it is also training for futur war if needed, better be excercise against live opponent who have experience and better tactics and lern from them because when you get real it's not the time to learn. it's time to win

Plus awesome looking gun are cool too XD

its OK if you hear the voices in your head.....it's when you start talking back to them when you have a problem ;)
I got into airsoft because i played paintball but was sick of the mess and costly ammo.
Lucky my buddy played and so did his older brother sticks played. I bought a g36 from him then the rest is history. I just like the realism of it really.

Pretty much like everyone else here; get to shoot people for real without the consequences of say death...and we get to do it for cheap!

I also figured I wanted to try something different; took karate for 12 years but I didn't have the time for it anymore. Also wasn't learning anything new. Computer games, well it gets costly when you add in building a new rig every once in a while. Cooking/Baking, I do this for work so why the hell would I turn it into a fucking hobby?

Learned a lot along the way to keep me hooked for a long time.

cheaper ammo vs paintball

I hear them too.

It's keeps the kid part in me having fun with toys guns and gear I only dreamed about watching Rambo and Commando as a boy.

And hanging with the guys after a game, talking about all the good and bad moves, with a cold one in hand. Priceless

You guys gear those voices too? I thought it was just me. I just tune them out cause whenever I listen to them, I get in trouble.

Why airsoft?

I dont have to play with kids/paintballers.

- Love of militaria.
- That feeling of being a kid playing war in the woods with a stick shaped even remotely like a gun.
- Many members of the community, some of whom over 11yrs of playing have grown to be considered some of my best friends.
- The after game beers with the team where we tell our war stories and laugh about what unfortunate place we got shot this time.
- That feeling, that little squeeeee feeling when you toss on all your gear, grab your rifle of choice and place that first step onto the field.

This

For me it was a natural progression from First person shooters to the next step. Physical combat. I've learned a lot along the way as well. There's nothing like being the first guy through a door when assaulting a room. Some games can give you a tinge of that feeling but nothing truely like it.

Also I've met some great people along the way and that alone is worth the $$ I've dumped into this sport.

Why airsoft? Whether your 5 years old or 55 years old, people are drawn to shooting bb guns, shooting them at each other with no serious consequences is all the more better. It doesn't hurt that they are realistic too.. That's why.

Why airsoft ? I've been in the Forces for 4, almost 5 years. I played airsoft before being in the Forces in 2003, and decided to get back into it this year.

Airsoft keeps me attached to my old military life; guns and gear, sense of emergency, reflexes, adrenaline, organisation, and so on.

Also, I don't have any other hobby, so it was a good reason to start back. One more thing that I like about airsoft is brotherhood. You make good friends, enjoy their presence during games and share experiences.

Grew up in a LEO/Mil focused family.
Enjoy getting out into nature.... With guns.
Much better at shooting 6mm bb's than shanking golf balls. Also was sick of the yuppies on the golf course.
ASC is a nice reprieve to my day job.
Used to be really into playing neighborhood "war" with my early childhood friends... Now I play airsoft with those same guys! Also pretty much the only chance we have to hang out now that they have kids.
Where else would I have gotten to fly around in a helicopter with a rifle? Well... Besides the obvious.
Plus I've met some pretty cool and interesting people along the way that I would have never otherwise met...

Fly 9's sig: "Airsoft - There's nothing better than getting out in nature, away from everything you hate, and shooting at your best friend" - amen brother

Age
 

Well I'm turning 50 in a couple of months and after reading a few of the comments I feel a whole lot better about my age in this hobby. My passion for Military History, my family tradition of service in time of need, and my love of shooting my buddys who are better than I'am at more conventionaly accepted sports. Playing this in the great outdoors with friends of all ages keeps me young and I LOVE IT!!!

Airsoft is my "me" time. Me time to hang with my friends, me time meeting new friends, me time sitting at a table with a mechbox open, me time when the phones get shut off, and I get to pick up a gun or two or three and sweat some of the fat off thats been collecting all week.

Meeting new and exciting people.....then shooting at them

Some great responses here, just the types of things I had expected but wasn't sure about.

I really dig getting out and having those exchanges of fire with other players, looking for that advantage, that on edge feeling trying to spot your opponents... I mean the list goes on.

A year ago I would never have touched a gun, never heard of this sport nor would I have even tried it. My, how things have changed.

Last outing I was on a team of 3 defenders against the rest of the players, I got pinned and eventually tagged but damn it was a highlight of the night. I don't have to win, I just have to learn! The curve is still pretty steep, but it's coming a step or 2 every time I hit the field.

Thanks to all for responding, keep em coming :)

Er...... Ok don't keep em coming! Lmao ;)

I was wondering how many people did it for the simple fact that for whatever reason they couldn't join the military.

I wanted to fly a fighter jet. But because I need corrective lens I am not even a candidate to wash a military pilots skivvies.

I saw all these threads on what people didn't like and just thought a space to yak about what we do like about the sport would be a welcome site. And Im glad for some it was.

I had a great time out cqb'n last night - even had a round where I put people down multiple times without getting hit. Tons of fun!

I like to hunt humans.

Many , many reasons ,...but everyone loves one of funnest ,...
someone comes over to your place for the first time & you get to see the reaction when you say "Oh hey ,...Wanna see my AK ?"

I plan on invading Cuba all by myself so I'm just trying to get some trigger practice.

but seriously...why not play it? To each their own. But I suppose if sass is not what your buddy is looking for, it's a little bit of combat in a controlled environment. Very much like sparring in martial arts, you generally walk away with only minor injuries but it still allows the person to simulate combat without having to actually hurt anyone or risk brain damage.

I like military stuff and this allows me to walk "the less road less taken". Like the School teacher who coaches hockey or the surgeon who plays in a band - we all have different sides to our personality which we wish to live out. Airsoft provides that opportunity.

simplest answer: it's fuckin' fun.

Great fuckin response :infantry: