3 Tips To “De-Winterize” Your Gear and Yourself!

Sometimes during the airsoft “off season” (although I think every time of year is a great time to airsoft!), or when winter starts convincing us that staying indoors is a better idea than enjoying the outdoors, we can start to get…. well… soft.

Maybe not “soft”, but some of us like to “hibernate” during the winter months, which can lead to your gun feeling a bit heavier than you remember, or your plate carrier not fitting you as well as it did last year.

And maybe your gear needs a bit of “de-winterizing” to get it back in shape for some upcoming airsoft wars.

With spring fast approaching, it’s time to break out of our winter’s sleep and get our gear, and ourselves, back in shape.  Here’s some tips to get you started!

1.  Get Fit!

Keeping fit is a big key to increasing your enjoyment on the field, and making you a better airsoft warrior.

Start by checking your current weight with a BMI calculator (HERE is a BMI calculator if you are under 20).  After you determine your optimum weight, form a fitness plan to get you there and keep you there.  I used MyPlate (a calorie tracking system) from Livestrong.com to lose 60 POUNDS a while back.  Losing those 60 pounds definitely made me faster, more flexible, and a better warrior on the field!

Also, be sure to start a workout program to help you increase your endurance on the field.  I personally try to get in a 30-60 minute workout on an elliptical, and do a combination of push ups, sit ups, and weight lifting to increase my overall body strength.  I try to work out 4-5 days a week (although this varies based on how busy I am).  Remember, whatever fitness plan you come up with, make sure you can stick to it and consistently follow it.  It doesn’t do any good to have great intentions if you can’t follow through.

As always, consult your physician if you have any questions or concerns when it comes to your fitness.

 

2. Do A Full Gear Check

After a few months of storage, some of your gear may not be in fully operational condition.  Here is a short list of gear you should check when de-winterizing.

1. Guns (Are all internal and external parts functional? Does anything need to be replaced or repaired?)
2. Batteries (Do they still hold a charge well?  Are you getting the same performance and battery life?)
3. BBs and Gas (Do you have enough of both?  Do you need to buy some different weights of BBs?)
4. BDUs and Vests (Does everything still fit?  Are any repairs or modifications needed?)
5. Tools and Extras (Do you have all the gear you need to repair your guns or replace parts, i.e. AA batteries, gun body pins, flashlight bulbs, etc?)

 

3. Plan A Training Game

One of the best ways to brush off your gear and airsoft tactics is to plan a game with a few friends and make sure everything is operational and effective.  You can include a few scenarios to increase the difficulty of your training game.

While battling, test your reflexes and accuracy, use your tactics and team communication skills to make sure you’re still proficient at them, and make sure that all your gear is performing as you want it to.

During and after the game, make modifications to your gear as needed, ask your battle buddies to critique your skills, and make a list of things you need to improve on.

 

Take these tips and use them to get you and your gear in top shape for upcoming, spring airsoft battles.  If you have any other thoughts and ideas on “de-winterizing” for airsoft, please comment them below!