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Your first airsoft game is booked. Brilliant. Now the question everyone asks: what do I actually need to bring? The good news is that if you are hiring kit, the site provides the important stuff. The rest is about staying comfortable, fed, dry and safe for a long day outdoors. Here is the complete checklist.

Before you pack: check with your site

Every site is slightly different, so it is worth checking a few things when you book:

• What is included in the hire package (gun, mask, BBs, overalls)?
• Are there minimum age rules or a parental consent form for under 18s?
• Is food available on site, and can you pay by card?
• Do they have specific rules on footwear, face protection or pyro?
• What time is sign-in? Arriving late usually means missing the safety briefing, and you cannot play without it.

What to wear

Wear clothes you do not mind getting muddy, torn or stained. Airsoft involves kneeling, crawling and pushing through undergrowth.

Dark, muted colours (greens, browns, greys, black) help you blend in. Avoid bright colours, which make you an easy target. Many sites will issue you overalls with your hire kit anyway.

The essential packing checklist

Protection

• Eye protection if you have your own, rated to EN 166 F/B or ANSI Z87.1+. Otherwise the site provides it.
• Lower face protection (a mesh mask or padded balaclava) to protect your teeth.
• Prescription glasses wearers: bring contact lenses or check that the site’s goggles fit over your glasses. See our eye protection guide.

Food and drink

• At least two litres of water. You will drink more than you expect, even on a cold day.
• Lunch, unless the site sells food. Something filling that will not get squashed.
• Snacks for between games: cereal bars, sweets, fruit.
• A flask of tea, coffee or soup in winter. It is a game changer.

Comfort and practical items

• A change of clothes, including socks and underwear, for the drive home.
• A bin bag for muddy boots and wet clothes.
• A towel and wet wipes.
• Spare socks. Wet feet ruin a day faster than anything else.
• Sun cream in summer and insect repellent for woodland sites.
• A small first aid kit with plasters and blister patches.
• Any personal medication you need, such as an inhaler.
• Cash and a card for extra BBs, food or the site shop.
• Photo ID. Some sites require it, especially if you plan to register for UKARA later.
• A phone in a waterproof pouch, kept in a zipped pocket.

If you have your own kit

• Your gun, transported in a closed gun bag or hard case.
• Charged batteries, plus a spare, carried in a LiPo safe bag.
• Magazines and a speedloader.
• BBs: check whether the site requires its own or biodegradable BBs. See our guide to airsoft BBs.
• Gas for gas guns, kept out of direct sunlight.
• A small tool kit and spare hop-up parts if you know how to use them.

What to leave at home

• Valuables and jewellery. Rings and watches get caught and damaged.
• Anything you would be upset to ruin. Mud gets everywhere.
• Real knives, tools or anything that looks like a real weapon. Most sites ban them.
• Alcohol. No site allows players to drink before or during games.
• Laser pointers. These are banned at virtually all sites for eye safety.

On the day: a few tips

1. Arrive early. Sign-in, kit issue and the safety briefing take time.
2. Listen to the briefing. It covers the safe zone, hit calls, minimum engagement distances and game rules.
3. Keep your eye protection on at all times outside the safe zone, no matter what.
4. Call your hits honestly. Raise your hand, shout “hit” and walk back to respawn. Honesty is what makes airsoft work.
5. Drink and eat between every game, not just at lunch.
6. Ask questions. Marshals and regular players are almost always happy to help newcomers.

Confused by the jargon you hear at the briefing? Our airsoft glossary explains it all.

Printable checklist

Frequently asked questions