The "Snowball Effect"

[Cannonfodder80]

I've done the whole impression thing before and got bored of it after a while, due to too many stitch counters and gear not being set up in a way that's comfortable for me. Now I just use what I find works for me (currently a SADF M83 chest rig and battle belt). Apart from having everything set up just how I want it, this means I can make changes to my loadout slowly spreading out the cost

 

As for real or replica gear, I use a mix of both as I find some of it is up to the job and the genuine stuff can be expensive. However some bargains can be had (the SADF chest rig mentioned above is almost as old as me but in far better condition and cost me under £30)

[CZFan]

Gigueand, on 07 Jul 2017 - 11:34 AM, said:Gigueand, on 07 Jul 2017 - 11:34 AM, said:Gigueand, on 07 Jul 2017 - 11:34 AM, said:Gigueand, on 07 Jul 2017 - 11:34 AM, said:

To be fair, there is a distinguishable difference between low cost, "budget" gear and higher quality, "real steel" gear. This is amply demonstrated here. 

 

That said, will Condor stuff fulfill the use requirements of the average airsofter? Absolutely. It's not going to fall apart under the relatively light use it's going to see in airsoft. It simply isn't being used day in, day out for any length of time. 

 

Is a replica JPC as solidly built as a real Crye JPC? No, but it also doesn't have to be and for a quarter of the cost the replica is capable of 90% of what the real one is.

 

People buy "real steel" gear for the cool factor, for the ability to re-sell later on and because they have the income to do so. 

Well not all, but some real gear (remember, most doesn't make the cut for deployment standards!) is designed to last you 1 year in the field at least. that means wearing it and sweating in it and rolling in the dirt in it day in and out and night and yeah I need to take a shower just writing this.

 

I think everybody should have one set of quality stuff for the upcoming zombie apocalypse, but using that to roll around the concrete floor at your airsoft site is a bit odd, unless you can just write it off.  I used to be a magpul zombie. Still am in ways but right now im rocking a 30$ condor carrier and I think ill die before I wear that out.. Save money where you can, spend money where you have to. 

 

My point though was that majority of "battle oriented" gear is pretty much identical to what you get from other makers without the name surcharge. Copies of actual gear are like ZUCCI handbags - worse in every way than gear that does the same but isn't a direct copy of an item. That's because they are marketed to the stupids who just buy it because it looks like the actual item they cant afford.

 

Still have 8 pairs of various name brand boots I bought over the years. collecting dust. I never even took 7 out of the box, wore 1 pair once, realized I can't even drive a car with them. now im rocking a lowly pair of BATES (which is a bit like mall security brand).   No real regret for buying a lot of the things I have but no real use for it either. If I could go back I would now shift the funds elsewhere for sure.