Airsoft for Beginners and First Timers
Never played airsoft before? You are exactly who this page is for. No kit, no experience and no idea what a chrono is — that is a completely normal way to arrive at your first gameday, and we get people in that position every single week.
Here is everything you need to know before you book.
You do not need to own anything
This is the biggest worry we hear, and it is the easiest to solve. Our rental package is £60 and puts a first-time player on the field with proper working kit. You turn up in old clothes and sturdy boots, and we handle the rest.
You also do not need UKARA to hire from us. UKARA registration is about buying a realistic imitation firearm, not about playing or renting. Hiring is open to anyone booked onto a gameday.
If you already have your own kit, a walk-on place is £30.
Can I play? Age rules
| Age | What applies |
|---|---|
| 12 to 15 | Can play, accompanied by a parent or guardian for the whole gameday. |
| 16 to 17 | Can play with a consent form signed by a parent or guardian. |
| 18 and over | Can play, hold an account with us, and buy from us. |
Our minimum age to play is 12. Separately, you must be 18 or over to use this website, hold an account or buy anything — but a parent or guardian can book and buy on behalf of a younger player.
What to wear
Comfort and coverage. That is the whole brief.
- Long sleeves and long trousers. Covered skin makes hits sting far less. Old clothes you do not mind getting muddy.
- Sturdy boots or trainers with grip. Our sites are woodland and structures, and the ground is uneven.
- Layers. You will be warmer than you expect once you start moving, and colder than you expect standing around between games.
- A change of clothes for the drive home. You will be dirty.
What to bring
- Water, and more of it than you think. Airsoft is more running than people expect.
- Any medication you need, and tell a marshal if you have a condition we should know about.
- A signed consent form if you are 16 or 17.
- Cash or card for the on-site shop.
Safety, and what eye protection you need
Eye protection is mandatory at all times on the field. There are no exceptions to this and marshals will stop a game over it.
At our sites, both full-seal goggles and mesh eye protection are accepted. Mesh has a real advantage for new players: it cannot fog up, and fogged lenses are the single most common frustration at a first game. Rental packages include eye protection.
Face protection is not mandatory but we strongly recommend it, especially for younger players. A lower-face mask or a full mesh mask turns a nervous first game into a fun one.
How powerful are the guns?
Every gun on our field is tested on a chronograph before play. Our limits are:
| Class | Limit (0.20g BB) | Minimum engagement distance |
|---|---|---|
| AEG | 350 FPS | None |
| DMR | 450 FPS | 30 metres |
| Sniper rifle | 500 FPS | 30 metres |
A minimum engagement distance means a higher-powered gun cannot be fired at you close up — that player has to switch to a sidearm or call a bang kill instead. Rental guns are always inside limits.
The honest answer about whether it hurts
A hit stings for a second and can leave a small mark, like being flicked hard with an elastic band. Long sleeves, long trousers and a face mask reduce it a lot. Nobody has ever been put off by the sting; plenty of people are put off by fogged goggles, which is why we mention mesh.
How the day works
- Arrive and register. Bring your booking confirmation. If you are hiring, this is where you collect your kit.
- Chronograph. Any gun going on the field gets tested. Rentals are already done.
- Safety brief. Everyone attends, every time, including regulars. Rules of engagement, calling your hits, boundaries, and what to do if something goes wrong.
- Games. A series of game types through the day, with breaks between. Marshals run each one and explain the objective before it starts.
- Lunch. Freshly prepared burgers and hotdogs are available on site, along with drinks and snacks.
- Finish. Hand back rental kit, and have a look at the shop if you have caught the bug.
The one rule that matters most: call your hits
If a BB hits you — anywhere, including your gun or your kit — you are hit. Shout “HIT!” loudly, raise a hand, and walk back to your respawn point with your gun above your head. Airsoft runs entirely on honesty. Nobody minds a new player making mistakes; everybody minds someone not calling hits.
Our three sites
You can book gamedays at Red 1 CQB, Red 1 Fawkham and Oblivion Airsoft. Each has its own character — close-quarters structures through to woodland — and all three run games tailored to mixed skill levels, so a first-timer is never dropped into a game meant for veterans.
Every site has an on-site shop stocked with BBs, gas, batteries, pyro and essential gear, plus hot food and refreshments through the day.
Do I need to bring friends?
No. Plenty of people book on their own and get put into a team on the day. Airsoft is an unusually welcoming sport for solo newcomers — the regulars remember being new and generally adopt first-timers on sight.
What we run behind the scenes
We have over 15 years of experience running gamedays and retailing airsoft kit. We are members of UKARA, we carry £10 million public liability insurance, and we maintain and improve our sites continuously.
Ready to book?
Pick your site and date on our events calendar, choose walk-on or rental, and you are set. If you would rather ask a human first, do — we would genuinely rather answer questions than have you turn up to the wrong thing.
Phone: 07466045268
Email: support@red1airsoft.com
