Clothing

The main thing to consider when buying clothing is keeping warm and dry as nothing is more miserable and dangerous than being cold and wet for hours at a time. Most players pay little attention to this if they haven’t played at Spartan before as the tempo of the games at other sites is typically much higher than the tactical play at Spartan. This keeps them warm regardless of what they’re wearing and/or how wet they are. Similarly, given the small size of most sites (relative to Spartan) camouflage patterns are less important. At Spartan you are likely to be observed from a distance (as it’s a big site and games are spread over large distances) therefore you have to consider your choice of camouflage carefully. Light coloured patterns, such as those designed for arid desert conditions, will stand out. This isn’t really a problem in a contact as the enemy know that you’re there anyway but if you’re moving tactically it’ll give you away.

At Spartan it is inevitable that you will get wet and dirty. Therefore you need to consider the thermal and waterproof properties of your clothing very carefully. Any idiot can be cold and wet but the thoughtful player will be wet and warm. Work on the principle that your clothing (particularly trousers) and foot wear will leak eventually and take steps to make yourself comfortable if this does happen.

In the summer months you need to look at the other end of the temperature spectrum in order to prevent heat- and sunstroke. You may find yourself sat in the sun for long periods of time waiting for a contact or patrolling so make sure that your outer layers cover exposed skin to avoid sun burn.

Outer layer

In UK airsoft the default outer layer is British DPM combat gear, followed at some distance by American battle dress uniforms (BDUs) of differing camouflage patterns (typically woodland or tri colour desert). As the British gear is so universal there is little point in discussing it, however there are advantages to not wearing it which are worth considering. The most important being the reduction in fratricide (“blue on blue”), if you look different from everyone else you will be more recognisable to your own team. Nothing is more annoying than being shot by your own team. American BDUs are made of rip stop cotton but aren’t particularly hard wearing, prepare to replace these more quickly than other types. Russian BDUs are worth considering as they have some useful design features not found on the more common British and US clothing. Some Russian BDUs have loops sewn into the bottom of the trousers for your feet that stop the trouser leg riding up which occurs all the time when crawling along the ground. In the armpits and crotch there are mesh panels that help keep these areas ventilated. Additional pockets, such as the knife pocket on the thigh, are very useful (e.g. the Bahco Laplander fits perfectly). Whilst they may cost more than surplus British clothing, the material is very hard wearing and can withstand a lot of punishment.

Whichever type of outer clothing you decide to buy it may be worth looking at its wind resistance. Wind chill is a major contributor to the loss of body temperature/hypothermia and there are some fabrics that prevent the impact of wind on your body temperature. Given that they are building a wind farm around the site, you can expect playing at Spartan to be a windy experience. The windproof materials are more expensive than normal materials so expect to pay more for clothing made out of them, but the effects on your comfort are worth the expense.

Thermal layer

The loss of body heat is a complicated issue and something that needs careful consideration if you are to enjoy playing at Spartan safely. You will be losing heat/energy through radiation, convection, conduction, evaporation, and metabolism. These issues are thoroughly discussed in the books by Ray Mears and John Wiseman. An important consideration is that sweating through exertion in warm clothing will also add to your thermal and hydration problems even in the winter. Whilst you will be warm when moving, it will be when you stop that you notice the hypothermic effects. Hats and gloves are vitally important as so much heat is lost through these exposed parts of the body. In fact, gloves are a good idea throughout the year as they reduce damage to your hands when moving through undergrowth. The simplest approach to keeping warm is to adopt a layering system of both thermal and waterproof (see below) clothing that can be modified throughout the day. The more technical (and expensive) approach is to wear clothing that is designed to cope with the problems that you will face.

The layering approach works by having several different types of thermal clothing that can be taken off/put on as the situation dictates. This will mean (potentially) carrying more kit and you should consider this when choosing your webbing. Polartec fleece and wool will probably be the two most common fabrics that you will find when looking for good quality thermal clothing. Neither material is windproof, although some (more expensive) polartec fleeces incorporate windproof membranes, so you will need to look at the wind resistance of your outer layer as you will need to reduce wind chill. Standard polartec fleece is lightweight, allows sweat to evaporate, and dries quickly. Wool has the advantage of retaining its thermal properties when wet and it is important to remember that your clothing may not dry out for the entire day. The layering approach works best in slow tempo games or those with frequent rest stops, where you have the ability to take time out to add/remove clothing safely (e.g. taking your eye protection off).

More technical clothing, like the systems developed by Buffalo and Snugpak, have the advantage that they are primarily designed for people doing things in damp conditions who don’t have the ability to take time out to add/remove clothing. They use fabric combinations, such as pertex and pile, that are designed to provide optimum thermal protection in one garment. The thermal properties of these fabrics are typically not reduced by getting wet and in fact some are dried out by moving. With the addition of ventilation zips, it is easy to cool off. The fact that these clothing systems are designed for and used by the armed forces demonstrates that they are the best choice.

Waterproof layer

Waterproof layers can be highly technical and expensive yet will probably perform badly at Spartan. Traditional waterproof layers will not allow sweat to escape, so you will get wet from the inside as you move about. Technical fabrics, such as Gore Tex or Event, that are designed to allow sweat to escape (“breathe”) whilst keeping rain out, were not designed with airsoft in mind. These fabrics will only work (i.e. “breathe”) when they’re clean and their performance is typically rated at higher temperatures than you’ll experience in the Welsh hills. The durability of these fabrics is also worth considering as a torn waterproof is next to useless. The waterproofing also degrades with use and over time, so cheap army surplus waterproofs may not be the bargain that they appear to be.

Boots

The ground at Spartan tends to retain water throughout the year as it is well irrigated for the trees, so you will eventually get water in your boots. The rate at which water enters them will depend upon their construction, for example fabric boots will offer next to no barrier unless they have an additional waterproof layer, such as Gore Tex. These waterproof materials typically make the boot retain sweat so you may find that your feet get wet for different reasons. Similarly, if you put your foot in a water filled hole or deep stream then you will find that water will come in over the top of the boot. One strategy is to wait for your socks to get soaked (e.g. by stepping in a hole) and then replace them with waterproof ones, such as those made by Sealskinz. These waterproof socks are expensive and so are probably not a good idea for constant use, but they can make a sodden boot more comfortable as the day wears on.

As you will be doing a lot of walking and running over rough terrain it is worth taking the time to think about your boots. They will need to offer good support to your ankles as these can be easily injured by rough terrain. Similarly, a good tread pattern will keep you stable on slippery surfaces. Army surplus combat boots will be relatively cheap and, if well looked after and regularly waterproofed, keep your feet in good condition. More expensive combat boots with waterproof linings, such as Lowa combat boots, will offer more protection for your feet and are definitely worth considering.