Airsoft in hot weather

With the UK in the grip of a heatwave I thought I'd share some ideas on airsoft in hot weather.

I've fallen victim to heat exhaustion in the past, and being carried off an assault course on a stretcher is not an experience anyone should want to repeat.

These days I'm  very careful about staying hydrated and managing layers of clothing but my team mates don't have the same background so I find my self constantly "being Dad" keeping an eye on their behaviour and reminding them to drink watching for key signs of heat exhaustion.

I'm a parent and my son airsofts with me so I can keep an eye on him and watch for erratic behaviour (he's a teenager so there's a lot!) I can checking he's drinking from his camelbak, tell him to lose a layer or slow down for a bit.

My team doesn't use a command structure and if I started barking orders at people they'd laugh it off (and rightly so we play for fun) so I suggest people slow down or drink or just give them a little "mate you look rough, sit down a minute, have some water" "chill out mate, have a drink"

In hot weather I keep a small separate bottle of water on my kit as a reserve for me or to hand out to a team mate (sharing a camelbak isn't as easy!)

Watch out for the signs of heatstroke in yourself and your team mates.

symptoms

Weakness, tiredness

Nausea,vomiting

Headache, dizziness / Disorientation

Red face confused look

Please have a quick look through the linked pdf guide from US forces.

Pdf guide

The Basics.

What to drink?

Drink water- avoid fizzy drinks and tea/coffee if you can, and try and find some electrolyte replacement sachets/tablets from sports shops, you add these to water to replace the salts that you lose from sweating (Dioralyte is available from supermarkets and chemists)

 

Take plenty of water with you.

Take water to the site there is no guarantee clean water will be available in sufficient quantities even at big games.

How much water?
I aim to drink at least 4 litres during the day, I'll have 2-3 litres on me for the morning (camelbak + small waterbottle) and refill them from a 5 litre bottle in the safe zone at lunch (I play at sites where you only return the safe zone at lunch)

Note. The 5 litre bottle of mineral water I keep in the safe zone cost about £1.50 from Tesco, has a carrying handle , can be refilled at home with tap water and has lasted ages.

Take water out on the field
It doesn't have to be a Gucci camelbak! a 500ml mineral water bottle full of tap water is better than nothing, an blackcurrent squash bottle covered in sniper tape fits an ammo pouch well or the good old fashioned 58 pattern waterbottle  (British Army issue, cheap as chips from surplus shops and damn near indestructible - one of mine I've been using for 20 years)

Tesco do hydration packs for around £10 these days too!

Drink!
It's no use just carrying it about! Drink little and often, even when you are not thirsty. If you aren't urinating regularly you aren't drinking enough!

Clothing and kit.
In hot weather, UBACs (under body armour combat shirts) are really good and specially designed for hot weather but any thin long sleeved cotton top will help keep the sun off

.

Minimise the amount of kit you carry, water and ammo are priorities those will fit on a belt, you really don't need a fully loaded plate carrier with chem lights and flex cuffs for a skirmish in high temps.

Helmets look cool but cook your head, consider a boonie hat instead, it keeps the sun off your neck and if you overheat you can soak it in water to cool you down.

Stay out of the sun.
When you are between games try to find some shade in the safe zone, drop your belt kit/chest rig/plate carrier/helmet and cool off, don't be temped to just collapse onto a chair in all your kit.

Have fun and stay safe!

Jungle.