This post contains affiliate links
The airsoft market is so huge, that it can easily become overwhelming to find what you are looking for.
This especially applies to beginners who are easily convinced they need expensive, fancy stuff by smart marketers.
Well, there’s plenty of cool stuff worth it if your budget allows it, but are definitely not essential to join airsoft and to start having a great time.
Under my recommended gear you can find only a few picks that I am really familiar with and if I was a beginner again, I would go with this loadout. Bear in mind, that even some of this gear is optional, but I am going to mention the stuff I think it’s super cool and that will give you a right introduction to airsoft.
Moreover, the following gear is of high quality, so won’t easily malfunction while it’s also super easy to maintain.
Favorite Rifles
In my opinion, it’s best to choose between AK and M4 platforms when you are just starting. I think that starter AKs are better, but this eventually comes down to a personal preference, so just pick what you find more attractive.
If you are a fan of AKs, you can find a few great picks I recommend here. My favorite is CYMA AKs you’ll find on the list.
Regarding an M4, I am not sure do I have a favorite one that I will mention here, but once I test some in person, I will post my recommendation here.
For a secondary gun, I’d use a shotgun, a pistol, or a small SMG. You can’t go wrong with Glocks because they are one of the best and most authentic replicas in airsoft trademarked by Glock. However, I never used a Glock in my loadout because there are so many fun guns that I could never stick to one, and after all a secondary gun is less important than the primary in most cases.
Favorite protection gear
The only thing that is truly mandatory is great eye protection. You only have two eyes and it would be ideal if you would protect both of them! So, do not buy cheap stuff, but only from proven brands.
It’s important that they pass the ANSI Z87.1 standards which indicate the safety of the glass. If glasses or goggles do not have these standards, I do not risk. People wear all kinds of stuff and accidents rarely happen, but it’s better to be super safe than have even the small odds against you.
I have picked XaegisTac XTG07 as my favorite because they pass the ANSI Z87.1 standards and rarely fog, and if they do it will be a minimal amount that will only temporarily occur in a specific environment. They also offer you a great field of view which is important for aiming, come with UVA/ABV protection, and fit your face nicely which is important for long games.
Another cool thing is that they come with green and clear lenses that you can switch. You can also get a lower face mesh mask and a helmet with it because it will give you absolute protection, but it’s still optional.
Taking hits to the face is not nice, but won’t seriously hurt you, still, those face masks are quite cheap, so think about it. A helmet, on the other hand, is more of a gimmick and you can wear any hat to add a layer of protection against the BBs and the sun, but it’s still cool.
If you want to know what to wear for airsoft I have a dedicated article for this topic where I cover all scenarios from cold to hot weather, stuff you might have in a closet already, and how to minimize the pain.
Favorite BBs
There are regular and bio BBs you can use, and I admit that there have been times when I only used regular BBs, but with time my mind switched to the bio BBs.
Biodegradable BBs are essential to play in the fields that do not allow regular BBs. Moreover, their biodegradability is excellent for nature because, unlike the regular ones, these can completely decompose with time.
I care about nature and don’t want to pollute it, so if there’s a way to preserve it for only a few more bucks, I am in.
Elite Force Umarex bio BBs are an excellent choice for quality and price.
In case you want to rather go with regular BBs, these regular Elite Force BBs on Amazon are a good choice too.
These BBs are nicely polished and made of quality material, so you don’t have to worry they will jam your precious airsoft gun.
Seriously, never use questionable quality BBs and do not reuse them, they can jam and scratch your airsoft gun and ruin it.
Moreover, you have to find the right BB weight for your airsoft gun because this will directly impact the performance.