How Bad Does Airsoft Hurt?

Airsoft is a sport that is growing in popularity each year especially amongst competitive and recreational players. It is a combat sport similar to paintball, which involves teams of individuals using airsoft guns to shoot each other with non-metallic pellets. The question that plagues many beginners to airsoft is just how bad does it hurt?

What Is Airsoft?

Airsoft involves two teams of participants competing against each other in an outdoor environment with airsoft guns. There are two major types of airsoft guns: spring-powered guns and electronic guns (AEGs). The main objective is for the players to eliminate their opponents by shooting their opponents with non-metallic pellets. The pellets are usually 6mm in diameter and have compressible foam tips which reduce the impact and intensity of the pellets.

How Bad Does Airsoft Hurt?

When compared to traditional paintball, the impact of the airsoft pellets is far more muted. The impact of the pellet is more of a slight sting than a hard hit. For most players, the sensations caused by airsoft pellets are not unbearable and can be easily tolerated, although this varies with individual pain thresholds and the type of protective gear used. It should be noted that despite the muted impact, players should always wear appropriate protective gear such as masks, gloves and uniforms as airsoft pellets can still cause injury if not properly protected against.

Wearing Protective Gear

As mentioned above, wearing proper protective gear is essential when playing airsoft.

The most important piece of protective gear is the gun mask. This protects the player's face and eyes from pellet impacts as well as dust and debris. Additionally, players should also wear long sleeve shirts, full-length pants, and kneepads to minimize impacts from pellets. Lastly, wearing gloves is important as repeated impacts from pellets can affect the hand and fingers.

What Factors Determine Pain?

The amount of pain inflicted by airsoft pellets depends on various factors. The first is the velocity of the gun, which depends on the type of gun used. Spring powered guns typically have a lower velocity than AEGs, thus the impacts of the pellets from spring powered guns will generally be less painful. Additionally, the distance between the shooter and target also has an impact on the intensity of the pellet's impact. The closer the shooter is to the target, the more intense the impact will be.

Pellet Material

The type of pellet material used also plays a role in how intense the impact felt by the target is. Biodegradable pellets are usually made of a soft material such as foam, and thus the impacts of these pellets are usually less intense than pellets made of harder materials such as plastic. Pellets made of harder materials have the potential to cause more pain, and thus players should only use these pellets with caution.

Brief Recap

Airsoft is a sport that is becoming increasingly popular with competitive and recreational players. The impact of the pellets is generally more muted than the impact of paintball, although this varies with individual pain thresholds and the type of protective gear used. The velocity of the gun, the distance between the shooter and the target, and the material of the pellets all affect the intensity of the pellet's impact. Thus players should make sure to wear the appropriate protective gear and only use pellets made of softer materials for safety.