How much does your gear weigh?

[Renalan]

I was asked a while ago to weigh my gear, since I use real soft armour and ceramics to give me realistic weigh. I can't get scales big enough to prop a ciras on, but I know I carry more than than most people would consider 'neccesary'.

 

Weigh yourself without your gear on, then put on the gear and go back onto the scale.

[-Angel-]

... suddenly I feel quite dense...

[Gigueand]

I think some people really carry everything but the kitchen sink out to play! but these days I go for Lightweight and simple.

 

On the opposite end of the scale (and not milsim at all) my buddy James , takes out a vest full of hicaps and bags of bb's, at least 3 pistols, 2 sawn off M79's in thigh rigs a KAR98 and either a CA M15 SD/RIS/Scope etc etc or a CA M249!

 

He wonders why he is knackered by lunch time !

 

 

Jim

 

 

This is the kind of thing I worry about. People bring an enormous quantity of gear onto the field either to replicate what real soldiers carry or (as above) just for the sheer joy of having it all. Yet, many of the individuals who I see carrying all of this gear are not nearly as in shape or prepared to manage the sort of load they are carrying as real soldiers. The result, at best, is that they are tired by lunch and in the afternoon simply drop the majority of their kit. The result, at worst, is that they injure themselves through fatigue or become dehydrated and face heat stroke.

 

It seems to me that airsoft culture promotes this sort of behavior by glamorizing the guys wearing tons of equipment without emphasizing the need for fitness, hydration and common sense.

[Billy Bob the Sniper]

I weighed in at 145 with all of this:

And i only have 4 mags on me, no water, nothing.

[Downtown_two]

I'm not sure your body weight counts. Anyway, at a 24 hour event last month without my ruck I was carrying 50lbs including the weapon. This was the minimum I felt I could carry on my person during the 24 hours. Anything non essential went in the ruck. I had a kit list so I could check I had everything so I guess I should just paste it below:-

 

Plate Carrier

 

Equipment

 

1 x Devgru Throat Mic + PTT

2 x Cyalumes

4 x Large Zip Ties

1 x Screw Driver

1 x Pliers

 

Admin Panel

 

25 x 9mm Blanks

1 x Primer

1 x Pen

1 x Notepad

1 x Roll of Electrical Tape

 

Utility Pouch

 

1 x Spare Battery (AEG)

4 x Spare Battery (AA)

4 x Spare Battery (CR123)

2000 x 0.25g Rounds

1 x Pistol Loader (Full)

 

Triple 5.56mm Pouch

 

6 x M4 Magazines

 

Pistol Pouches

 

2 x 9mm Magazines

 

MBITR Pouch

 

1 x Midland Radio

1 x MBITR Shell

 

1st Line

 

Dump Pouch

40mm Pouch + BFG

 

Safariland + P226

 

Had the hydration pouch on the back and my pockets filled with mars bars and some pyro too. God knows how much the rucksack weighed but I hardly ever carried it, only when moving from base to base.

 

In a normal days skirmish I carry weapons, ammo, comms and a few spares...I would think I come in ALOT lighter.

[Badly Browned]

Here is that I will go out with.

-MCCUU/ACU/BDU (Depending on scenario)

-MICH

-Converse boots

-OTV (foam soft armor and cardboard inserts) w/ 4 double mag pouches, pistol pouch, IFAK, radio pouch, and dump pouch.

-8 MAG midcaps

-Speed loader + at least one bag of BBs.

-Motorola Walkie Talkie + Headset

-Flight gloves

-Minor first aid kit

-Leatherman

-Red dead rag

-Goggles + shooting glasses.

-Energy bar

-Pistol + holster + spare magazine: usually only if I am playing in a more urban area

 

Weapons:

-M16A4 + ACOG + Stock pouch

-SAW Para + cloth mag

-TM MEU

 

Without the weapon, my gear probably adds around 20lbs. I really don't feel the weight until I start slinging around the SAW.

[benben]

Some people carry an awful lot of kit! I'd estimate mine at only 2kg or so - anymore I can get terrible backache...

[billytehbob]

I find it odd that I have to find stuff to weigh my gear down.... But just in my Butt Pack. Anyways, at the most, my Flecktarn Webbing and Pouches probably weigh a good 5 kg, but it gets uncomfortable, so I've been looking into a vest.

[mcnuggets]

Weigh yourself without your gear on, then put on the gear and go back onto the scale.

 

A fish scale also works.

[RC-1138]

Before I joined the Army my airsoft kit, boots to patrol cap, was about 35 lb's. Now I wear about 50 since I through in my personal light ruck and helmet.

[HeartBreaker1317]

- This may be a bit controversial but boots are bit too clunky IMO. I like what this guy has:

 

Photosnip

 

A pair of good trail runners. Some may disagree and I can see the utility of boots in wet or snowy conditions, night games, very uneven play field or for people with weak ankles but trail runners really make moving around easier.

 

I own a pair of those very merrells. I do trail running, hiking, and am frequently up ladders or on catwalks at my job, in a theatre, all whilst wearing them. They are great for those purposes.

 

I have anything but weak ankles.

 

I would never 'soft in them. Reason being, in trail running or any of those other situations, I'm not carrying my gun and gear, or trying to avoid plastic death. Running a trail and running through an airsoft field are two very different things; one you have a trail, which is presumably mostly clear, another you may or may not have a trail, obstacles, sneaky ninjas going for the knife kill, etc. etc. and so forth. I don't care what kind of gear you're wearing, it's going to affect your balance and momentum while you wear it, which makes the difference of moving in airsoft and moving in trailrunning &c. somewhat similar to driving a sports car on a dry road and driving an MPV in the wet. In some cases, an MPV with bald tyres.

 

Also, those shoes are no good in wet and cold, unless you are able to take them off and dry your feet/the shoes in short order. Which isn't after the skirmish ends, or when you get home. Nearly got my toes amputated one time when I was wearing them, but that was due to my own bad planning than any fault of the shoe. They just aren't meant for that sort of use.

 

Sorry if I seem overly harsh, but as an owner of those shoes, I don't think they should be advocated for airsoft use.

[-MOOSE-]

That's the problem I have when convincing my parents to let me buy a pair of Oakley SI Assault Boots 8", they think my running shoes are good enough. They say that I need to toughen up my ankles, which is a fair answer but I sometimes play at a site with very steep ground, sandy and easy to trip on with all my gear. Anyway, my gear, all of it, weighs around 35lbs without my primary and secondary. With, its maybe at 40lbs but I carry almost everything on me as I don't have a car to leave stuff in, I usually bring a pack and store some ammo and gas in it at the sagging area.

 

I'm 5'7" 162lbs, that makes me around 200lbs, depending if I decide to wear everything or not and that depends on the temperature outside.

[aznsk8s87]

My kit isn't too heavy - I think everything without guns runs about 15 pounds?

[masakarijoe]

my stuff is very heavy. just take a look at any of my gear pics in the USMC thread.

i have 1 lightweight loadout though. for when i just dont feel like carrying alot of stuff.

my rifleman kit wouldnt be so heavy were it not for the m203 and 6 shells...

-Joe

[darkchild130]

my LBE must weigh no more than 15lbs. I try to use the most efficient loadout i can think of but keep it within my own military look.

 

It basically boils down to a plate carrier and 2 drop legs with loads of mags, grenades and some water.

And a knife.

 

Darkchild

[Hendrix2247]

It depends. For day games:

 

-KWA M4 or G&G Socom 16

-Gas 1911

 

-DBT FAPC

-2x Triple Double TAG CB Mag Pouches

-8 King Arms Lo-Caps

-2 Hi-Caps

-2 Speedloaders

 

And a small coyote duffel bag left at the staging area

 

 

For Overnight/Weekend Games:

 

-KWA M4 or G&G Socom 16

-Gas 1911

 

-Woodland OTV

-3x SDS Double Mag Pouches

-1x Triple Double TAG CB Mag Pouch

-8 King Arms Lo-Caps

-2 Hi-Caps

-2 Speedloaders

-Flashlight

 

And a medium ALICE pack with:

 

-2 canteens

-extra set of cammies

-3x 2,000 BB Bottles

-fake C4 for certain scenarios

-extra batteries

-extra boonie

-extra socks

-thermal shirt (when cold)

and whatever my teammates want me to carry

 

 

[Agent Hunk]

My LBE weighs about 20 pounds so far. But its a WIP. Still needs 7 grenades, a handgun, the canteens aren't full, and some other random stuff. Currently I don't wear body armor or a helmet as its a "jungle warefare" sorta thing. But when I did my gear weighed close the the 60-70 pound mark. Never felt hindered by it though. Always felt naked without it. I also have a small ALICE pack but its mostly a resupply point dump bag.

[Azulsky]

It seems to me that airsoft culture promotes this sort of behavior by glamorizing the guys wearing tons of equipment without emphasizing the need for fitness, hydration and common sense.

 

It might, but most people only make that mistake once, I dont know too many people who would hurt themselves or who i would let hurt themselves( jk)

I have done the whole start off heavy and by midday you are just holding 2 hicaps in the bdu pockets routine, but that was years ago. Preparedness off the field helps loads once you get out there.

 

I find full coverage stuff like armor carriers worse than simply heavy stuff. I can move around for a few hours with a rucksack before i feel the need to drop it and take a break, but slap on a OTV or the same sort and im done for in the same timeframe.

[McArthur]

I've been following this thread with interest, so I'll get it over and done with now and post up.

 

I was asked a while ago to weigh my gear, since I use real soft armour and ceramics to give me realistic weigh. I can't get scales big enough to prop a ciras on, but I know I carry more than than most people would consider 'neccesary'.

 

To be honest, I like the challenge of carrying the extra weight. It gives me a far better workout than i'd normally get playing, and the other things I carry do have a use. ie, a wet weather jacket in a MAP pack, cylumes, extra BFG blanks, hydration, small IFAK etc. Its stuff that *might* be needed.

 

I like this guy. He sounds like a person with some nouse.

 

mcnuggets - I think you will find there are two extremes in airsoft. There are those who will use hicaps in a basic load-bearing rig. They will take only the basics, hi-caps, gun, maybe a bottle of water. Wear civvies or surplus military clothing they could get their hands on. These guys are either there involuntarily (Ie, they are keen as mustard, but don't have the funds to go to the other end of the scale) or they are there because they play airsoft to sling some plastic, have some fun, you know, it's also a bit of a social thing to them. I'm not having a go at those players - hell no. I don't mind that they play like that, not at all.

 

At the other end of the scale are the MilSimmers and the geardo's. These guys are the ones with an IFAK, a big hydration pack. These guys do the two days long events, these are the people who run full Military simulation with plate carriers, kevlar, helmets and standard capacity magazines.

 

(Personally, I feel kinda stuck between the two. I'm still building my MilSim kit)

 

Now, I'm pretty sure the two extremes get on fine. You lot do what you want, we'll do what we want, yadda yadda. All good.

 

The proverbial hits the fan when one of you social players has a go at the MilSim players for carrying too much gear. I don't think mcnuggets is being malicious at all - but you're trying to tell all the Mil-Sim guys that their gear is pointless and will have a negative effect on their game.

 

On the Mil-Sim guys behalf, I hereby apologise to mcnuggets. After all - this is military simulation. Why on Earth would we *gasp* simulate actual combat? In my opinion, that fact that your interpretation of combat is a couple of wank/wind magazines and some civvies is hugely rude to those who actually experience real combat. If the Mil-Sim people have the balls to really simulate modern warfare, then congrats to them. Perhaps you need to spend some more time in the gym or go for a run.

 

- A backpack in addition to a vest

How do you intend on carrying extra equipment? What happens if it starts raining/snowing during a Mil-Sim event? At the least, a small backpack with some supplies and a jacket would be needed for those long mil-sim games.

 

- PAGST helmets or the like

I'm not going into this again - but I've been in plenty of situations where my plastic PASGT has saved me from cracking my head open in a CQB venue. You're going to be running around in an abandoned factory, well, those inspectors and builders wear hardhats for a reason.

 

- Any sort of ballistic plates added to a vest

Yeah, I agree with you on this. They're not practical at all except to hold your plate carrier rigid. However - I want the extra challenge and the novelty of it. I plan on buying SAPI's. Real ones.

 

- GPS on relatively small fields

Pics or it didn't happen. In any case - they're small enough to throw in the side of a utility pouch. Were you running out of ideas at this point?

- Metal canteens.

- Metal cups that come with canteens (I had these when I was issued BDU's for JROTC years ago. They form fit to the canteen so it can fit inside the pouch. Too much weight for what amounts to a cup).

Plenty of people don't like the idea of camelbaks because they might burst. Again, this is a pretty small weight addition.

 

THIS POST CONTINUES ON TO THE NEXT ONE. I WROTE TOO MUCH

[McArthur]

- Greater than ~2L of water. I can see it being more if you play in the desert or are on a two-day game where you're going to stay in the same spot for a long time. For the average game however where one visits the respawn a few times during the day it isn't worth it carry around excess water. Water weighs a lot, 1L equals 1kg, and it sloshes around when you run. IMO it's worth leaving a gallon or two for yourself at the respawn and carrying around ~1L to sip on.

1L of water to sip on? Are you kidding? Do you play on a speedball field where you can just walk off at any old time for a quick drink from your bottle of Coke? Every game I've been to I have 3L. Gotta keep hydrated.

 

- MRE's unless, maybe, you're playing a two-day game. Pack a banana, clif bar, granola bar, etc. if you need some quick energy.

Sweet - you answered this well enough

 

- Low cap magazines.

When was the last time you saw a Marine in Iraq with a 350rd magazine for his M16? Okay if you're just slinging a bit of plastic, but I don't think these do it for the mil-sim guys. Besides, I think they rattle too much

 

- Multiple magazine pouches when using high caps.

Doubling back on yourself? I thought we were all hauling around Low Caps?

 

- A pistol and all the associated gear that comes along with it (i.e. holster, pouches, gas, magazines). I can imagine that adds at least 3-4 pounds.

For certain engagement distances not appropriate to a SEG.

 

- On hot summers days I can't see the rational behind 1.) long sleeve BDU tops 2.) balaclavas 3.) gloves. I would start overheating running around with that.

I skipped gloves on my game on Saturday

Now they're all ripped up from various prickly bushes and branches.

 

- Ghillie suits or ghillie wraps (although it is cool looking you have to admit it isn't too practical at airsoft ranges).

For the same reason (most of us) we wear camo. Concealment - just at different levels.

 

- Mock knives.

The same reason we all carry mock guns.

 

- Straps!

End of your post, now I'm in a bit of a foul mood. Are you kidding me? You ARE running out of ideas. You think all your gear comes moulded to your exact body shape and size?

 

I'm not trying to attack you mcnuggets - but the Mil-Sim guys have their reasons for what they do. Don't attack them over it. This thread is about gear weight, not what gear we bring or how useful it is.

 

I like the challenge that real military simulation carries with it. And thats my reason.

[Azulsky]

Only reason i wouldnt buy real SAPI's is because i would be afraid they can break. All the force that is really required for instance is to pull the QR on a CIRAS that is loaded up and they can crack and that is the end of that. On the other hand no one makes large or XL sapis replicas so i am screwed in that regard.

[McArthur]

Surely they are stronger than that? I wouldn't expect them to be invincible, but they're bulletproof plates, not dinner plates...

[Azulsky]

Well no they actually fracture on purpose like that because thats how they disperse the momentum of the bullet.

I would be worried mostly about jumping and landing on the ground hard, not so much as the above issue, but they are marked handle with care IIRC. The LVL 4 Standalone plates might be a bit stronger because they are backed with Kevlar in order to be rated as lvl4

[McArthur]

Oh - I'm glad the hear the standalone plates are better (Ones I was looking at buying)

 

I guess I'd just have to take care or wrap them in something before I put them in a PC.

 

 

 

 

[Badly Browned]

/off topic

 

 

So a plate that can withstand a hit from a bullet won't survive a 4 foot fall to the ground while inside of a plate carrier? Sure, they are marked handle with care, but I would think they can handle the typical wear and tear of use.