Trends in airsoft

[Zaku]

I don't know if it's just me but it seems like Russian load outs are now getting more and more popular among airsoft players in the past year. Am I the only one to notice this or am I over thinking?

Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with having a Russian load out. Honesty it's your money and you can do what you want and I also have a Russian load out for those hot days. My point is, why is the Russian load outs getting more and more popular? Is it because of this following online getting more and more popular for Russian military items in general? Is it all of the modern shooters with Russians that people play? Or could it be like me that I started a load out because I like the gear? Or is it something else?

 multicam. I have been playing with the MIA crowd for around 2 years now, before the Russian invasion. When I first started with MiA, I noticed something that I could be wrong. To be short to the point, people with multicam spend the most money, over all on their gear I.e guns, ammo pouches, helmets, etc vs most people with green camouflage. Seems like most (80%) people on the green side are not the 'hardcore' players, just people who only care about shooting people in the face, not all the fancy gear they can buy. Then the tan team seems more along the lines of just spending their money on the gear because they want to look cool while shooting people in the face. Just like the Russian gear, I have a multicam set and I play among the tan because at first, it felt weird playing with kids next to me when I was on green side then I switched to be tan to be with the adults. Has this always been like this, the multicam crowd spending a bunch of money on their gear?


The future: what's next cool thing for airsoft? There will be more polar stars than aegs? Green gas/propane powered main weapons vs battery powered main weapons? Switching to WWII gear?


Just trying to pick at everyone's brain.

[Canto]

Not sure if you are over thinking or not, lol. I've noticed more people that are running AK's or variants's but I'm also not sure if that's because the player base is growing. Define 'Russian Loadout' if you will prease.

I've noticed that a lot of people over the years have one or two sets of gear for all of their uniforms. Normally that doesn't change with what color they wear or what time of year. I've seen tons of black or green gear on tan, multicam, urban, or contractor uniforms over the years.

Myself personally:

Weapon: AKS-74U AEG.
Gear: Chinese Chi-Com (magazine), Chi-Com (stripper clip), and desert combat boots.
Green: Woodland, Tiger Stripe, and Russian Kamesh.
Tan: Three Color Desert, Six Color Desert, ACU, and Contractor.
Incomplete Sets: Multicam, MARPAT, and OD Green.

I've had my gun, gear, and uniforms for 3+ years. Personally it's just what I've always liked/wanted and I've found it to be extremely functional, lightweight, and mobile.

If you want my honest answer to this. I'm South Korean so I figured an Asian style loadout/uniform/weapon combo would be bomb. 

[Gunny87]

I have noticed it too actually. I've noticed an increase of Russian based camo and loadouts at both local and national level events. And I totally welcome it. Flora, Gorka, Partizan, you name it!

[Gimpalong]

I think that there are a few of influences pushing people towards Russian camo and equipment.

Firstly, I think some people are getting tired of running the same old high-speed, low drag multicam MOLLE low-loads as everyone else. THE generic airsofter loadout is a multicam JPC with Crye (or knock-off) pouches plus an OpsCore/Air-frame helmet and a M4A1 SOPMOD/Mk 18 Mod 0/Mk 18 Mod 0/Block II M4/Keymod AR/Tubular Rail AR/Honey Badger/.

Secondly, I think MSW has been HUGELY influential. Their events hit the scene in the last year with a ton of hype and people are starting to pay attention. I noticed just recently that Amped Airsoft has started to carry RUSFOR gear.

Thirdly, the Rushing Russians team has been influential. They are closely associated with MSW.

Lastly, the current conflict in the Ukraine has brought modern Russian gear and equipment into the spotlight.

Personally, I'm all for more kit diversity on the field. NATO multicam versus NATO green versus NATO tan is pretty boring.

As to your point about money spent on kit, players with the most experience and the most interest in military issues tend to have gear reflecting current military trends (i.e. multicam). Newer players who have not invested as much and may very likely be new players with limited incomes are often buying cheaper gear and/or what is available locally to them at surplus stores. This has definitely changed over the years, however. It's super easy for newer players to buy cheap ACM JPCs, AVSs, CPCs; cheap MICH 2000s, OpsCores, Airframes, etc. Even rail systems which only a few years ago were super pricey are available as ACM replicas for sub-$100 prices.

In the past, there used to be a huge green/tan dichotomy with experienced players rocking tan gear and generally pounding the green team in every game. This started to change as green players, tired of getting owned on, started to buy tan gear. In addition, a lot of the experienced guys on MiA participated in Op. Northern Light a few years ago where most of MiA ran OD or M81 Woodland. So a lot of experienced guys with fancy tan or multicam camo went out and bought a green-based camo. So there's been a bit of a diversification of people of different experience levels owning a wider variety of camo.

[3-6Romeo]

Those Desert Night camo jackets are becoming more popular I've been noticing, along with all these russian kits.

Love seeing all the different kits instead of cookie cutter woodland or multicam or whatever kits that people were all using before the russian kit invasion that's been happening lately.

[Gimpalong]

Haha, I just picked up a Night Desert BDU jacket. I've seen the ECWCS ones that are reversible with DCU on one side and Night Desert on the other and I've seen the Night Desert parkas, but I'd never seen an actual Night Desert BDU until just recently on Ebay.

[Guts and Glory]

Sometimes I swear I feel old when folks talk about Russian kit being a recent upsurge. 

Honestly, I think it is because there is a lot more variety to be had within the framework of "Russian" kit than what you see for your common loadouts.  It ranges from "throw random bits together with a Kalash" to dedicated loadouts of the MVD, the Recon detachments of the Army, etc.  Sure, you can say the same for US and NATO, but the diversity of Russian patterns and kit against the sea of Multicam and plate carriers feels wide.

The thing I am seeing the most of being a trend with the past two years is these beasts of semi/burst builds that quite frankly worry me.

[Zaku]

The thing I am seeing the most of being a trend with the past two years is these beasts of semi/burst builds that quite frankly worry me.

Why does that worry you?