9 minute read
TOD: DESPERATELY SEEKING SHELTER
DESPERATELY SEEKING SHELTER
JON IS CERTAINLY READY TO HIT HIS AO THIS YEAR, AND AS HE CONTINUES HIS TOD SERIES TO HELP YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR OWN AIRSOFT BATTLES. THIS TIME HE LOOKS AT WHAT YOU MAY NEED WHEN IT COMES TIME TO GET YOUR HEAD DOWN!
Booking and Preparation... Check! Kit... Check! Clothing... Check!
Food and Drink... Check!
Now, where are you gonna rest, take shelter and bug out quickly if you need to?
Let’s take a look into the options available to us as airsofters that are suitable for all weather and long game scenarios. As you’ve properly prepared for your game, you’ll know what to expect from your outing. You’ll either have a FOB where you can perhaps have a few more luxuries or you will be on Green Ops where you have to be quick to respond and lightweight. This will change what you might need for that brief period of downtime.
We’ll look at a couple of scenarios and outline the kit required for it. • Scenario One - Operating out of some kind of FOB or Village • Scenario Two - Patrolling the AO with no fixed abode.
SCENARIO ONE –FOB LIFE
Ah you lucky devil, you’ve got a FOB! Shame there’s no barracking for you to dump your kit and bunk down in but hey, you can’t win them all. So then tiger, where are you getting your head down within the safety and sanctuary of these easily defended walls?
As you knew you’d be here, you’ve allowed for a few more creature comforts and luxuries. They might include a tent, lighting, bed, entertainment and more. After all, all you’ve got to do is dart out to get on stag, or out of that front gate when the time comes. If you are with friends, you can quite literally bring the kitchen sink. I’ve seen FOB’s where teams have a fully functioning camping set up with large stoves, multiple burners, camping tables, wash basins and more. I recall a tale from the Boss here at Airsoft Action of a hog roast and large BBQ’s at an event (okay, admitted that’s OPFOR but then that’s how OPFOR roll, right?). The only way they could do this was by dividing up their kit among themselves and being pack mules. But what if you’re alone, you aren’t going to be taking all that by yourself are you?
Let’s have a look at a comfortable shut-eye set-up for a player in this safer environment.
Tents are an absolute luxury (and often a Godsend) in a situation like this as they are way more comfortable than roughing it. They offer protection from the elements and somewhere for you to safely
store your kit when you’re in the AO. The question really is what sort of size will you take? In my opinion anything more than a 2-3 man tent is unnecessary for this. You want enough room to be able to lay flat, enough room to store your spare kit and a space to chill and maybe cook up some scran. I like Highlander tents, they’re great value for money, lightweight, waterproof and roomy. The HIGHLANDER BLACKTHORN 2 in HTMC is a great piece of kit. It comfortably sleeps two, has a 2000mm Hydrostatic Head, has a built in living area
groundsheet, a storage area, taped seams, fiberglass poles, built in guy lines and packs down into a small, handled carry bag. At UK£76.95 it is a versatile bit of kit that you can get a lot of usage from.
If you’re not fussed about fanciness but still want some shelter over your head, a single man tent may be a better choice for you. The Mil-Tec Recom One Man Tent is big enough to fit a large individual comfortably, has a storage area, has a 1000mm Hydrostatic Head Inner (same applies for the groundsheet), packs down into a small drawstring bag and comes in at a reasonable UK£97.
Now let’s look at what you’re sleeping on and in. This is where I’m torn between telling you that as you’re in a snuggly tent, away from the elements you don’t really need to worry about the sleeping bag and that any one will do. That’s not true though. In my opinion a four season bag is a must have piece of kit. It’ll keep you comfortable in the warmer seasons and toasty warm in the colder
months. They do carry a loftier price tag but they’re worth their weight in gold. I’ve been in odd miserable situations where I’ve grabbed the wrong bag for a camping trip or two and half frozen to death during the night. The Fox Outdoor mummy-style sleeping bag will see you well in temps as low as -10 degrees Celsius, has a ripstop outer skin and has extra padding at the shoulders for extra comfort. At UK£43.95 it’s a good buy.
As you are in a tent for the comfort factor, you may as well add a sleep mat; a sleep mat is great for making things a little more comfortable they also add a layer of insulation between you and the cold, hard floor. They come in a variety of designs and styles from roll mat types or inflatable mats (not a lilo or camping bed). They both do the same job, just with varying degrees of comfort and packability (an inflatable one will pack down smaller than a more rigid roll mat. A Highlander Roll Mat costs UK£10 and an Explorer Self Inflatable Mat will cost you as little as
UK£40.
In the dead of night you might want to consider some form of lighting. We recommend a red/white switchable headlight and the Highlander Mira Headtorch at UK£10 fits the bill. It has for functions, Power, Regular, Red Flash and Red
for covert
operation. That just about covers the basic requirements for FOB sleeping. There are obviously plenty of other things that can be added but this would be my recommendation for a basic setup.
SCENARIO TWO – GREENSIDE OPS
Now what about those of you who are out on the field? Maybe you’re acting as a roving QRF or in the AO for patrol. Maybe there’s no FOB so everything needs to be on the fly, what then?
Obviously you will need to be as light and as fast to deploy or react as possible so your setup will differ greatly in terms of shelter. Some items will be the same, such as a good quality sleeping bag but you’re not gonna want to be setting up a tent. For your needs a Basha and a Bivi Bag are going to be your sleeper of choice. The advantage of this setup is its ease of getting it set up and torn down quickly. This is what you want, especially if you are being called
into contact at any moment.
A Basha is essentially just a large square or rectangular tarp that has eyelets along the edges that allow you to tie it to objects with cordage. They are quick to erect and deconstruct, take up next to
no room in your pack and are inexpensive. There are loads of ways that you can make a shelter with a Basha. The Mil-Tec Multipurpose Plane Tarp comes in at UK£49.95 and is exactly what you’ll need. It’s worth watching videos on YouTube or reading a few Bushcraft books on how to set these shelters up and getting a bit of practice in.
To add a layer of protection to your sleeping bag you will want a Bivi Bag. This is essentially a waterproof cover that goes over your sleeping bag and protects you from the elements. They form a cocoon around you and you become completely enveloped by it once you’re inside. The Mil-Tec Modular 3-Layer Sleeping Bag Cover fits the bill nicely here as it has a
5000mm Hydrostatic Head, is breathable with a 500 g/m2/24h rating and internal bag fittings. As they slip over your sleeping bag you can have it fitted before you go and it’s instantly ready for you as soon as you deploy. The Mil-Tec is available for UK£63.95.
Just a word on safety here; one thing that I’ve noticed over the years is that many players have removed their eye protection when they’re sleeping. I personally do not advise this. Yes you may be tucked up in a tent or bivi but that doesn’t mean that you won’t get shot. I strongly recommend some kind of strapped goggles for this situation.
So that’s it for shelter. Obviously you still need to be able to pack and carry this gear about so next time we’ll look at carry solutions, how best to pack and more.
In this article ALL of the items are available from www.military1st.co.uk but of course, you are free to kit up wherever you like! AA
