Moondog's Airsoft Guide

Tips for Cold Weather Airsoft
by Moondog


Most players are 'fair weather soldiers' who only play when it's warm enough to wear shorts but not hot enough that they have to. But a few hard core (or desperately addicted) players, will play in winter. And playing airsoft in the snow is an amazing experience that most players in Asia or out elsewhere only dream about. So here's some tips to help your cold weather airsoft experience.


Cold and Weapons
• Cold makes things more breakable. At or under freezing; way more breakable. So don't be surprised if parts to fail or crack unexpectedly such as tappet plates, pistons, pistonheads, and of AEG bodies. Be a lot more gentle with your guns.

• Cold reduces your range. Motors and batteries weaken, O-rings fail to seal, lube thickens and your hop-up bucking stiffen or jam. Your AEG's can lose 20%-50% of its range and performance. I've ref'd at games with guys claiming other folks aren't calling their hits but I could see their BB's falling just short of their targets. This is because they were used to the 'normal' range of their AEG and didn't account for the cold.

• Leave your gas guns at home. Gas needs heat to expand to provide pressure. At temps below 45ºF your gas gun shoots like a cheap springer.


Cold and Batteries
• Batteries work via a chemical reaction that slows down in the cold. Your fully-charged battery may act as if dying much, much sooner than normal or not work at all. Your ROF will also drop noticeably. But once you get them back up to warm temps (against your body or back at home) they will function normally...until they get cold again. This also holds true for your radios, cell phones and digital cameras.

• Leave your Lipolys at home. Lipo cells have much thinner insulation around them and get cold much faster than NiMH/NiCad cells. And H20 reacts with Lithium so if water (ie melting snow) gets into them, they can ruin them or make them catch fire. Not good.


Cold and Your Loadout
• Wear head and face protection. You lose heat 3x faster out of your head than the rest of your body.

• Dress warmly and in layers. You want to be able to remove layers as well as add them to avoid overheating as well as the cold. If you get them soaked with sweat, that moisture can freeze inside your clothing when you're not moving.

• Stay dry. If in snow, wear a moisture proof outer layer (like Gortex rain gear.) If your socks, gloves or any part of your clothing becomes soaked, stop playing. Get changed to dry clothing. Wet clothing in freezing temps can cause frost-bite or lead to hypothermia.

• Choose Winter boots. Desert boots are very popular now since most US forces wear it in Iraq and A-stan. But desert boots are just that: made for the hot desert. Many are not even water resistant (nevermind water proof), and they are made to keep your feet cool, not insulate. Wear waterproof boots in snow. And wear thicker socks for better insulation against the cold.

• Hydrate. You are losing water through breathing (if you can see your breath, you are actually seeing the moisture leaving your body!) and you can become dehydrated without realizing it.

• Hand warmers rock! Having warming packs can make the difference between a game that sucks and one that's not bad. These little satchels cost around a $1 at any drug store or Walmart. They're filled with metal powder and warm up due to moisture and oxidation. Not only can they keep your hands and feet warm and comfy but ithey can be carefully stuffed into battery chambers to help keep your AEG's running.


Cold Weather Playing Behavior: Freezing causes cheating
• Call your hits! You're wearing multiple layers of insulation so its very hard to feel your hits now. You may be wearing ear muffs or a hat and may not hear your hits either. So you must pay very, very, close attention to tell when you've been hit. So don't get mad if people say you haven't been calling your hits. Chances are you were hit but didn't know it. Just apologize and call yourself out.

• Stay cool with other players. This one is easy to forget, but they're wearing multiple layers too (see above). Plus, cold slows your reaction time and dulls your judgement. If they aren't calling their hits they're probably not cheating (on purpose.) Get a little closer and light them up some more. Cut them some slack and don't assume the worst.