Airsoft skirmish in the rain
Rain won't stop an airsoft player
I must admit that I usually go for typical Sunday shooting games. Lightweight ones, without an extensive script. Most often, they are played by dividing into two teams and playing simple games such as deathmatch, capture the flag or defence of a position. Such a simple formula is difficult to mess up and requires little input. Just get up, throw your equipment into the car and drive to the site. There we divide into teams and arrange the details. And it is this low-value investment of time and effort that causes such games to often be cancelled due to weather.
If we are going for a more complicated scenario, the situation is different. The organizer often assumes from the beginning that the game will take place regardless of weather conditions. No wonder. It is difficult to predict the weather several weeks or even months in advance, when preparations for larger games or rallies begin. So how do you prepare for shooting in the rain?
Prevention is better than cure
At the risk of writing something obvious, I will say that it is best to start our preparations with a good weather check. It's best to do this several times as it may change over time. Most importantly, it gives us some idea of what conditions we should prepare for. This is quite important. Even in typical autumn months there can be a very warm day. Or vice versa. There are cold days in summer. We experience precipitation differently on a warm day than when it is cold and windy. We will also collect airsoft equipment for such various occasions differently.
An additional aspect that is worth mentioning in the topic of preparation is building hardware resources. In fact, the fact that you are reading this article is the first step to ensuring your comfort when you have a rainy skirmish. In my opinion, you should not leave the matter of collecting rain gear until the last minute. With more time, we can do it smarter. We can spend more time hunting for bargains or looking for surplus equipment. I once had to urgently look for a raincoat for a shooting game that was to take place in a few days, and I didn't spend my money in the most optimal way.
Protection against rain during airsoft shooting
People are fascinating mechanisms. We are basically waterproof creatures, but we still don't like getting wet in the rain. However, putting philosophical considerations aside, it is worth remembering that getting wet often means hypothermia. This, in turn, leads to a reduction in our capabilities during the game. And this is very important during airsoft games. Anyone whose hands have gone numb from the cold and tried to shoot even with an airsoft gun in this condition will know what I mean. Additionally, we may encounter a situation in which our cognitive abilities decline. We won't be able to concentrate or make decisions. Thanks to this, we may take the wrong path in the field or fail to understand the task. Appropriate security is therefore very important.
When discussing hardware preparation, we will start from the bottom. It's a good idea to take good shoes when shooting in the rain. We have two schools of thought in this regard. One assumes the use of waterproof membranes or impregnation. Another one, which seems less popular, says that it is only a matter of time before your shoes get wet and it is better to invest in light footwear that dries quickly when closed. Personally, I follow the latter approach. However, I am not unreasonable enough to impose my point of view here. I believe that both approaches have their strengths. If you have the opportunity, check which option suits you better. Most people seem to choose impregnation and waterproof high boots.
What about the rest of the body? The only limitation here is our budget. The simplest solution is some kind of military rain poncho. We can find them, for example, in surplus or hunting stores. More extensive systems include some kind of jackets and pants with a membrane. In my opinion, when choosing such clothing, it is important to check its breathability. It often happens that lower quality waterproof jackets make us feel like a small sauna and it is very easy to overheat in them. This causes increased sweat production and as a result, we are wet after all. When choosing typical military clothes, it is worth paying attention to an interesting solution used by some manufacturers. Sometimes it happens that they sew additional reinforcements on the shoulders of their jackets to protect them from excessive damage from backpack straps or equipment in general. This also helps maintain the waterproof properties in these areas. This is not necessary, especially if we do not plan frequent trips for long manoeuvres. However, it is worth remembering that such facilities exist.
Are airsoft guns waterproof?
The airsoft guns are waterproof, but not completely. They actually are, but not quite. Hard to say. This answer to the question posed in the headline certainly helped everyone. Unfortunately, it is difficult to provide a simple statement that would dispel this doubt. There are many factors that come into play here. It cannot be said with a clear conscience that every replica will be waterproof and that it will be able to handle shooting in the rain. There are too many variables. So, we need to break this topic down into several smaller issues.
The airsoft guns themselves and what sets the BBs in motion are usually not afraid of rain. The metal or plastic from which we most often produce replicas are waterproof. A small problem may arise with wood. If it is not properly secured or if the protective layer is damaged, it may be damaged. But this is a rather minor problem and requires long and intense exposure to moisture. However, the airsoft guns are rusting. Sometimes a very small contact with moisture is enough for them to become covered with a red coating. However, this is a completely normal consequence of being made of steel. And this is also the advantage of replicas made of aluminium alloys. So how can we cope when our replica gets rusty? It is best to wipe the replica dry after contact with a humid environment and, if necessary, protect it with some oil. But without exaggeration. It can't be oily.
The airsoft gun's drive is basically insensitive to contact with water. However, electricity is another matter. If we use a replica with a traditional contact cube, we actually don't have to worry too much. These are simple arrangements. However, the matter becomes more complicated when we use a replica with a MOSFET system. It is worth checking in the manual of our system whether it is protected against water. This is usually done by covering the electronics with a layer of something resembling clear varnish. Of course, this will not help us if we completely immerse the replica in water. However, I have used airsoft guns with electronics replacing the contact cube during rainy shooting sessions. It is important to dry the airsoft gun after the game and there are basically no further problems. So, the rain shouldn't discourage us from playing. It just requires a little more attention and preparation.
Author: Boreq
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