Play airsoft for any stretch of time and you will begin to pick up on those things that are cringe worthy. These are the things that make you just go “UGH”! Chances are, if you are reading this, you have been out airsofting a few times. Maybe you have your own list of things that are cringe-worthy, and maybe they will match up with ours.

#1. Too Much Kit:

There are normally two modes in airsoft: Slow and sneaky or fast and intense. Neither one of these operating states are conducive for too much kit. There is always the player that goes out in a hoodie or winter jacket in the peak of summer heat because they don’t want to feel the pain of that BB impact. Then there is the guy that wears an entire gillie suit over his BDU pants and top when it is 85 degrees outside with however amount of humidity. Cringe factor really screams when these players start to feel woozy and overheated in game-play.

There is also the dude that’s decked out, head to toe, in tac gear. They have a helmet with lights and mounts, a plate carrier with enough magazines for the entire team, the back-up rifle, the back-up sub-machine gun, the back-up pistol, and magazines for all. We call this guy “The Mule”. This is the guy that carries everything in to the field regardless of game-type or play time.

Another iteration of “The Mule” is known as “The Juggernaut”. This player has so much protection from BBs that the likelihood of the player even hearing one impact on all of their “armor” is slim-to-none. What both of these players have in common is the amount of kit slows them down, paints them as a big target, and makes them near impossible to hide. Whether the play-style is fast and intense or slow and sneaky, too much kit or even clothing is going to make playing difficult. Let’s not forget that when these dudes are super kitted out and getting blasted from all angles, it turns in to an all you can cringe buffet.

#2. Improper Footwear:

Airsoft is international and covers many different landscapes and terrains, climates, and arenas. Every airsofter has to be able to comfortably and safely move on the field if they want to be competitive. An airsoft player needs to be able to run, outside of the amazing people who have been playing in mechanized wheel-chairs with mounted P90s and machine guns (Props to you guys by the way, I will cover your back any day for getting out there and having fun like a boss!).

Having the wrong item on your feet can really hurt your game. It doesn’t matter the climate, terrain, or however the weather may be. Even if your airsoft gun is $100, playing in a worn out set of shoes or even tromping around in flip flops is dangerous. There are plenty of places to get a decent boot or high-ankle tennis shoes to keep your game on point. They will also keep your feet cozy and safe while limiting the chance of rolling that ankle, or worse. At least a few times a year, players know of or hear about somebody who was running around in the wrong footwear that inadvertently hurt themselves. Play smart or else err’body feeling that cringe-tastic snap-action.

#3. Wearing Red:

Red is often the color of a dead rag or otherwise used to signify that a player is out of the game, heading back to spawn, waiting for a medic, etc. Whether it’s a day of pick up games or a 48 hour milsim event, wearing clothing that is red sends the wrong message. There is a case to be made for anyone wearing red as a part of a kit or impression, but for that guy running around in the black plate carrier and a bright red hoodie at your local field… CRINGE!

Secondly, wearing red is like sending a flare up in the dark. Red is one of the brighter colors on the spectrum and it draws the eye. There is no staying hidden and no way to be sneaky when you are rocking those bright colored clothes.

#4. Taping Your Battery to Your Gun:

The batteries we use in this hobby are not always the most stable and will not always take impact well. The most common styles of batteries in airsoft are the Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) using an acid as the basis for the electric charge and the Lithium Polymer (LiPo) which is a gas cell battery. Both of these battery types are sealed in a soft, elastic casing, a thin plastic coating, or in a light tin shell. Blunt force against these items can be catastrophic. With PEQ boxes, larger stocks, and a wide assortment of products for holding whatever size battery for your gun, there are plenty of options to keep not only your battery safe but also you!

Taping up your battery with Duct tape or electrical tape is just the cheap way out. Batteries put directly in to harms way of the volley of BBs flying at you could make for a dangerous situation.  If you think people are cringing now with that wad of tape holding down your power source, just wait until that LiPo explodes or the NiMH starts leaking acid after a direct hit.

#5. Over-Exaggerated C-Clamps:

Okay Chris Costa, slow it down and dial back the BB warrior rage. The internet is both a blessing and a curse; a wealth of information, both good and bad. How one uses the information found on the internet decides the outcome. With Youtube, Facebook, IG, and everything else pumping out speedy media content driven by an incredibly fast growing tactical industry, the airsoft world picked up on the “C-Clamp”.

If you are unfamiliar, the C-Clamp grip is derived from a few tactically proficient shooters using their support hand to grip around the rail / foregrip of a rifle to apply pressure in a downward motion on the firearm in order to control muzzle climb. Let’s face it, though, you know what C-Clamping is.

Now, using the grip style like our BBGat lord and savior Travis Haley or Bearded Bromigo Chris Costa is not the problem. Where the C-Clamp becomes cringe worthy is when the player starts wildly tossing elbows like an MMA fighter against the cage, or chicken-winging outside the body to compensate for all that pressure your BB Blaster is pumping out the barrel. Seeing those expressions on the field and the cringe meter starts bouncing the needle in the red zone.

#6. Bonus Round: Day-Nodding:

Night vision equipment is super kewl. These goggles are often the epitome of a milsimmer’s kit costing more than the rest of the gear involved.  So, why then, do people wear this three thousand dollar or more unicorn device during the day? Of course, not all NVGs cost $3k. Even still, if you can only use it when it’s dark then you shouldn’t be wearing it during the day. All you are doing is saying, “Hey, look it me! I have more money than you! I wear my sunglasses at night!” The real cringe factor is when your green-eyed booger spotters get shot by the over-zealous airsofter with a cross-to-bear. Listening to the pennies fall out of that shattered piggy-bank can stop a heart from beating.

To Cringe or Not to Cringe:

Every sport, hobby, or enthusiast gathering is going to have its cringe worthy moments and people. This list is all personal opinion, but maybe you share some of the same feelings. Nothing that is cringe-worthy is inherently wrong. Airsoft is open to everyone to play as they please. That is what makes this game so great.

Whether you are rocking your Rhodesian Bush War kit and a banging FAL, going super-duper hardcore MARSOC in crye-cut M81 BDUs, or zipping across the field in Adidas slides and a red track suit, this game is for everyone and everyone can play how they choose. That doesn’t mean another player won’t toss some shade every now and again.

If you liked the list or didn’t, or maybe you think we missed something, then leave us a comment. We won’t always spot all the cringe, so let us know. In the mean time, get out and play. After all, we are all big kids playing war. See you on the other side of the barrel.

Check out our Youtube and website, too!
[Airsoft GI]
http://www.airsoftgi.com/index.php
[Check out our New Products here:]
http://www.airsoftgi.com/new_products.php
[Visit our selection of Airsoft Guns here:]
http://www.airsoftgi.com/Airsoft-Guns-139
[For more cool information, photos, and videos about Airsoft, check out our AirsoftGITV blog here:]
http://www.airsoftgitv.com/