Understanding what you buy and what you use in relation to your personal clothing is a subject that’s very close to my heart. “Technical clothing”, whilst not hard to come by, is an expensive part of any loadout and you want it to keep on performing for a significant time to make your investment worthwhile. So, what are we really talking about when we use the phrase “technical performance fabrics”? Basically, we are looking at fabric technologies with a very specific end use in mind, that balance the three key areas of waterproofness (read general weatherproofness), breathability and durability.
I’ll use the well-known GORE-TEX products as an example here, as they really are a market leader and Gore are continually developing new, ground-breaking fabric technologies to meet the needs of their Brand partners. Breaking it down, W L Gore and Associates use two main forms of construction in their garments, Two and Three Layer (although there are other specific constructions in their massive portfolio). Two Layer construction essentially means that their ePTFE (expanded Polytetrafluoroethylene) membrane is attached directly to an outer face fabric with a loose lining; Three Layer construction means that the face fabric, membrane and inner lining fabric are all bonded together. Many prefer the Three Layer construction as it’s is easier to get on and off as a loose mesh liner can sometimes snag on gear.
Different seam tapes (to ensure seams are 100% waterproof and do not let water in through stitch holes) are used in the different constructions; Two Layer seam sealing tape is applied to the GORE-TEX membrane directly, whilst in Three Layer the sealing takes place over the inner lining fabric. Seam sealing is an art form in itself!
SETTING THE SCENE: SETS AND PROPS
WITH THE FIRST “OPERATIONAL DEPLOYMENT” OF HIS MISSILE LAUNCH SYSTEM NOW WELL AND TRULY UNDER HIS BELT, JAMES TURNS TO THE MORE GENERALISED USE OF “SET AND PROPS”. THIS IS WHERE IMAGINATION MEETS REALITY, AS HE EMBARKS ON A NEW SERIES OF ARTICLES INVESTIGATING HOW THE CORRECT USE OF “SCENE SETTING” CAN TURN A GOOD AIRSOFT GAME INTO AN AWESOME ONE!
PRACTICAL MAGIC
IN THE FIRST PART OF YET ANOTHER NEW SERIES, JON “POSH” MILLS HAS STARTED HIS JOURNEY INTO ALL THINGS “PRACTICAL” AS HE DOCUMENTS HIS FIRST STEPS INTO A WHOLE NEW WORLD OF AIRSOFT AND, ALONG WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF THE AA CREW, TAKES A STEP BACK TO “PROJECT PRECISION” AND SEES HOW TRUE “AIRSOFT MULTIGUN” IS BEING LOOKED AT WITH FRESH EYES!
THE CAGE: GLOVES
AS WITH EVERY INSTALMENT OF THE CAGE, WE’RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING FOR GOOD KIT; NOT SIMPLY GEAR THAT’S 100% FIT FOR PURPOSE BUT EQUIPMENT THAT’S GOING TO GIVE YOU GOOD SERVICE AND GREAT VALUE FOR MONEY! THIS TIME THE AA LEGION TAKE A LOOK AT GLOVES, WHAT THEY’VE WORN IN THE PAST AND WHAT THEY’RE WEARING NOW, SO YOU CAN REALLY GET “HANDS ON” IN ANY SITUATION! AS USUAL, BILL LEADS OFF…
DIRECT ACTION: 2021 UPDATES!
ACTION IN POLAND. AS ALWAYS THOUGH, BILL HAS BEEN KEEPING A VERY CLOSE EYE ON THEIR LATEST DEVELOPMENTS AND INNOVATIONS FOR THE TRUE TACTICAL USER! WITH SOME GREAT NEW MODELS AVAILABLE HE BRINGS IN AN UPDATE OF KIT THAT HE’S ALREADY TRIED AND TESTED EXTENSIVELY!
VORSK: DIARY UPDATE
SINCE THE “VORSK PROJECT” STARTED, BILL HAS BEEN KEEPING DETAILED NOTES AND A RUNNING TALLY ON THE EXISTING MODELS TO SEE HOW THEY PERFORM OVER TIME AND ALTHOUGH SOME STILL HAVEN’T YET SEEN A GAME DUE TO THE RESTRICTIONS WE HAVE ALL FACED, HE CONTINUES TO GIVE ALL THE MODELS, INCLUDING THE LATEST RELEASES, A VERY HARD TIME ON THE RANGE IN HIS WEEKLY SESSIONS!
OPFOR OPERATOR
DURING HIS TIME PLAYING AIRSOFT, BILL HAS FOUND HIMSELF ON ALL MANNER OF TEAMS AND EVERY SINGLE ONE HAS HAD ITS OWN PARTICULAR PLUS AND MINUS POINTS, BUT HE DOES SAY THAT IT HASBEEN THE TIME THAT HE’S SPENT PLAYING OPPOSING FORCE, OR OPFOR, WHERE HE’S ENJOYED HIMSELF THE MOST. FROM HUMBLE BEGINNINGS, HE FINALLY STARTS TO LOOK AT OPFOR “MAIN FORCE”!
THE NEED FOR SPEED: PART I
ALTHOUGH IT MIGHT SEEM THAT WE ARE ALL CONSTANTLY LOOKING FORWARD TO THE “LATEST AND BESTEST” INNOVATIONS THAT WILL MAKE OUR AEGS AND GBBS UTTER DEVASTATORS AND BRINGERS OF DOOM, IN PART 1 OF A TWO-PART FEATURE, BOYCIE TAKES A LOOK BACK AT WHERE WE’VE COME FROM AND HOW WE CAN USE THE SIMPLEST OF “FIXES” TO OUR BEST ADVANTAGE!
RELOADED CZECH MATE
AA’S “MAN IN TAIWAN”, STEWBACCA, TAKES A LOOK BACK AT HOW AND WHY HE ENDED UP USING A KJ WORKS CZ75 SHADOW 2 FOR HIS ACTION AIR EXPLOITS.
SOMETIMES SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL
FRENCHIE HAS WRITTEN ABOUT MULTITOOLS ON MORE THAN A FEW OCCASIONS IN AIRSOFT ACTION AND THIS MONTH HE’S GOING TO ADD TO THAT GROWING PILE, BY TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT ONE OF HIS FAVOURITES.
“A SHOOTER NEEDS ONLY ONE RIFLE!” ...SAID NO AIRSOFTER …EVER!
NO MATTER WHAT TYPE OF PLATFORM IT IS, ALL OF US AT AIRSOFT ACTION ARE GENUINELY DELIGHTED TO SEE SOMETHING THAT’S JUST A BIT DIFFERENT AND IN A DEPARTURE FROM HIS USUAL PREFERENCE OF AIRSOFT RIFS, BOYCIE TAKES A LONG, HARD LOOK AT THE STEYR SCOUT BOLT ACTION RIFLE THAT’S COME TO MARKET COURTESY OF ACTIONSPORTGAMES (ASG).
