A Day at Nuprol HQ!

On the 1st of February, I was invited to visit Nuprol HQ in the quaint town of Epsom, by Danny and Rossco to chat about what 2016 and beyond looks like for one of Europe's biggest Airsoft brands and see/test some of their new products! I was very warmly welcomed by the lads (who happen to be a powerhouse of a management team) and the day started.

After a cup of tea and a quick chat, my day started with a tour of the premises - 2 units worth of office and warehouse space filled to the brim with everything WE and Nuprol (it's a bit like being a kid in a candy store!). Due to the rapid growth of the business, they have just acquired an additional unit to expand operations into which is fantastic! Nuprol is a British brand and all operations except manufacturing are done in house from graphic design to distribution - something UK Airsofters should definitely get behind, shop local and supporting British Airsoft companies. There were a few things I was really interested in discussing with Rossco, the Marketing Manager, which included the new Nuprol Rail Systems, the changes to Nuprol Gas and their PMC clothing range. Firstly lets talk about the team, I have had the pleasure of meeting Rossco at last years RedWolf showcase, but I was yet to meet the rest of the team that make Nuprol. I was warmly welcomed and felt very at home - it's obvious from the atmosphere at Nuprol HQ that the team love what they do and are a family, from the consideration they show each other (even the managers make tea!) to the banter flying around the office.

The first item on the agenda was the new range of Rail Systems that Nuprol have just brought out! The new Bocca Rail Systems are the newest addition to the Nuprol range. Rails are a piece of kit that are usually very expensive so when I was told the price points of the various series - I was a little taken a back with some starting as cheap as £39.99 (please do check the various retailers for actual prices! Pictured is the Black Series 3 12" Bocca Rail that retails at around £65) Nuprol's mission with these was to simplify them but still make them look awesome! The finish on them is fantastic and they fit most AEGS and GBBRs and even come with 2 screws so they can be used on both - there are 3 series of Bocca Rails, each with distinct packaging. They come in 7'', 9'' and 12'' and in either Black or Bronze.

My personal favourite definitely had to be the 7'' Series Three Rail in Bronze (pictured left) - which you will be seeing on a new build of mine soon, so keep your eyes on my IG feed to see updates on that! One thing worth mentioning is definitely that they come with everything you need to fit them with - a definite bonus!


Next on the list was Nuprol's range of gases. Nuprol has the most comprehensive range of gases in the industry and there's more to come!

Nuprol currently do 3 different gases designed for everything and anything. Nuprol 2.0 (Green) is their 'everything' gas and is perfect for the summer months, although it is not recommended in plastic pistols it is pretty much safe in anything. This is the direct replacement for the WE Europe Premium gas and is a cleaner, more refined formula. Nuprol 3.0 (Red) is the gas that is specifically designed for cold weather - I use this gas all year round. It works best in metal pistols and GBBRs. In comparison to WE's original gases - the performance is much better! And finally Nuprol 4.0 (Black) is gas specifically for GBBRs and ISPC. It can be used in metal pistols in very low temperatures but this is not advised because of the power of 4.0, it will reduce the lifespan on the pistol. Nuprol's 4.0 improves the cycle rate of GBBRs dramatically - without a drastic increase to FPS. The Nuprol gases now come in an improved container that is a higher quality and a new shape with new artwork, I personally think the shape is much more ergonomic and user friendly. Anyone who has seen me load my pistol mags will have noticed that the old canisters were a little too large for my small hands haha! The new thinner bottle means it is easier for me to fill my mags - a big thumbs up from me! There is however a small size difference of 150g from the old canister to the new, but there is a drop in price that reflects this.


Another product Nuprol kindly supplied me to test is their XL Speedloader. What I really like about this speedloader is the size and shape and that is the first thing that strikes me about it - it is a 1:1 scale of an AR mag and fits M4 and M16 style mag pouches, as it holds 470 BBs it's brilliant for stashing in a pouch and refilling on the field!

The capacity means I can fill all my midcaps and pistol mags without reloading the speedloader making the job a little quicker! One thing I have noticed about standard speedloaders is they don't last very well because of the plastic they are made of, I am excited about this one however because it is made of Lexan which should improve the longevity by miles  - these are my first impressions but it will definitely be a product to revisit in the future to report back on its longevity.

As a former Fashion designer, I have a massive affinity towards kit and I love gucci gear - but the Nuprol PMC range did catch my eye whilst in my local Airsoft store so I wanted to get the lowdown on it, it turns out that Nuprol have spent the last year working on developing a range of high quality, affordable Airsoft specific kit in the styles that Airsofters love without them having to spend the dollar on real world military kit! Now I won't be swapping my Warrior Rig but this range is definitely what Airsoft needed - that middle ground in kit. It is made from a material dubbed 'NP1000D' which is durable like motorcycle armour but retails at an affordable price, for example the M4 Open Mag Pouch retails at around £13 which is incredible. The lads kindly supplied me with a PMC Day Bag in Green ready for my new Green MilSim loadout which I will be reviewing soon! So keep an eye out for that!
This product is by far one of my favourite goodies in my swag box from my trip to Nuprol HQ, the Nuprol One Point Bungee Sling. Now admittedly, I have been running a £10 eBay sling since I started playing (although there was a stint with a bright pink Magpul for a while) and the quality of it was definitely not worthy of it being the only thing between my custom Krytac PDW and a smash with the ground (that thankfully didn't happen but it definitely wasn't worth the risk). Considering this sling averages at about £5 more so £15, the difference in quality is substantial - and this is one of Nuprol's core values that echoes throughout their range - affordable and good quality gear. I feed my sling through my Warrior PC straps and although it is a little bulkier this doesn't seem to be a problem. The material is exceptionally strong and doesn't have a great deal of 'give' in it which means there's no chance of an overenthusiastic bounce sending your Systema crashing into the ground, the clips are also really strong. My only gripe about this product is that the clip is covered by a sleeve of material - I'm sure it definitely has a purpose but it gets in the way a little (especially for those with long nails like myself)


Last on the agenda was their range of eyepro and face pro. The mask I wear has become a signature to my loadout so I was very pleasantly surprised to see they made a half mesh face mask in that design and upgrade to it! Now mesh is my preferred eye/face pro but I am aware of the risks that are associated with it and by no means saying that you should definitely wear mesh - eye/face pro is a very personal descision. Nuprol's range however stands heads and shoulders above the ACM (All China Made) versions you can pick up off of eBay - they're the only mesh goggles with a CE rating! Both pieces meet all the European safety standards whilst keeping in line with the accepted styling. Their mesh goggles cost around £12 for the style I'm wearing in the above picture and £15 for the large version - the large version has a brace bar in the middle which you can't see whilst wearing them for even distribution of pressure and the coveted CE rating. The holes in the mesh are just the right size to let more light in but retain that level of safety.

Now if you don't use mesh, Nuprol do have a solution to fogging - I am yet to test this on the field but from my home testing (yes my mother did think there was something wrong with me walking the dog in them haha) the product is promising. When I wear my shooting glasses I usually use washing up liquid on them, but still find I have issues with fogging towards the end of a game day. I have heard many good things about Nuprol Clear View and the fact it is antibacterial is a major plus for me! I'm really looking forward to testing this on sunday so this will also be a product to revisit at a later date!

So what does the future look like for Nuprol? Lots and lots of growth! They have over 50 new product lines that are launching in 2016 including: Silencers/Suppressors, Shotgun shells, metal HiCap mags, metal Flash mags, bipod grips, standard forward grips and forward grips with pressure plads, AK folding grips, rubber RIS rail covers, AEG/GBB sling plates, AK scope mount, standard scope mounts along with a fair few more goodies! PMC this year will also be huge! I'm really excited to see these new developments within the Nuprol brand! 

Here's something from them I am VERY excited about but I'm sworn to secrecy, Rossco and Danny however did let me take a few sneaky pics for you though! Stay tuned, and for more teasers, you can stay up to date on Rossco's and Danny's Instagram accounts - just click the link :) A massive thank you to the lads for a great day at Nuprol HQ!






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'The Use of Technology in Airsoft: Objective Boxes'

As Airsoft as a sport develops and moves forward, and technology gets more advanced it is inevitable that we see a rise in the use of technology in Airsoft to enhance gameplay. During the last year, I have travelled sites up and down the UK, and although I have seen a plethora of technology used in game at different sites, but there has been one in particular that has caught my eye. On my game days at S.W.A.T Fortress in Merseyside, Liverpool, there has been a piece of equipment used in games called the Objective Box or the ‘M Com’

The Objective Box is, well, exactly what the name suggests! It is an objective box based on an App created by Tye Campbell for Campbell Innovations LLC and is distributed by the S.W.A.T group of companies (who are also the creators of the S.W.A.T VTG or Versatile Training Grenade, a blank firing timed grenade used in Airsoft). It is the first completely customizable game objective platform for Airsoft and Paintball use in the UK and was released in October of 2014. The app is available for purchase through iTunes for the very reasonable price of £7.99 and the physical box itself is built by the user via instructions on the construction part of their website – the app can be used with or without the box, but building the objective box definitely enhances the users gameplay experience. Let’s talk about the app itself and its game modes! The app has three basic game modes: Timed Mission, Capture Mission and Rush Mission.

 Within these game modes are different missions – in the timed mission game mode we have the
standard Team Death match, Free For All and defensive missions but also something a little different which I have never heard of before: ‘Wake Island’ which entails a large group of players to defend an area or objective for a duration of time, the attacking team has to eliminate all of the defending players. In this game the attackers respawn in a designated area but, the game has a nice little twist in the fact that once the defenders are hit, they defect onto the attacking team – the aim of the game is to have enough attackers to overcome the defending team and the game is won by either the defenders withstanding the attacks for the duration of the time set or the attackers successfully eliminating all of the defending players.

The Capture Mission Game Mode does exactly what it says – two game types based on capturing the objective box itself. One, capture the flag requires the box to be set in a neutral location and the first team to capture the box and bring it to their teams starting point is the winner. The second game in this category is the objective box capture, which is by far my favourite game mode! This game consists of the objective box being placed in a central, neutral location between the two teams – the teams must arm the box – by placing their finger on the iPod/iPhone/iPad, and defend the box until the sirens and flashing lights die out and the box declares ‘Objective box destroyed’ – the sound effects really make this game!

Rush is the third and final game mode the Objective Box App is capable of, I’ve never personally played this game mode but feedback from other players at the site suggest it’s definitely one of the more popular game modes. Rush can be played with one objective box but gameplay is more intense when there are multiple boxes for the players to arm and defend. The aim of this game is for the attacking team to find, arm and detonate all the boxes – this can either be played as a fast paced skirmish or as an operation spread over a few hours.

The physical Objective box itself is built by the user following instructions on the construction part of the Objective Box UK website, as previously stated. They are relatively simple to build and improve the users game play experience exponentially! The boxes are built on a base of a large toolbox that has speakers and flashing lights installed that are utilised by the app during gameplay. The sound effects that emanate from the box include sirens, count down music and pre-recorded phrases such as ‘Objective box armed’, ‘Objective box disarmed’ and the phrase the attacking teams love hearing ‘Objective box destroyed’ which all add to the atmosphere of urgency and menace. The user interface of the app is very simple and easy to use – is available in different languages such as English, French, German, Simplified Chinese and Spanish so it can be utilised in different countries around the globe. The app has the capability to allow users to completely customise their games to their needs with ease from mission delay time, overall mission time, medic rules and respawn rules, arm/disarm button press time and even includes an in game lock out feature with a passcode to ensure a fair and honest arm/disarm.

During my game days at S.W.A.T Fortress, the objective boxes have been used during each game day as they are really popular amongst the players as an addition to the games and for someone like myself who prefers objective based mission games over your standard Team Deathmatches and Free For Alls, they are a welcome addition to the Airsoft industry! I have seen similar devices used but none of them quite stand up to the quality and standard of these objective boxes used at S.W.A.T,  I’d really love to see these at more sites around the UK so other players can experience this type of game play. I’m also really interested to see how these Objective Boxes will influence other tech advances in the industry.

Details
App Name: Objective Box
Developer: Campbell Innovation LLC
Distributor: S.W.A.T Group of Companies
Available via: iTunes
Compatible with: iOS 6.1 or later. iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The app is optimised for iPhone 5.
Website: www.objectivebox.co.uk

Photography by Craig Miller.

Hardwick, K. (2015). The Use of Technlogy in Airsoft: Objective Boxes. Airsoft Action. November (54), 38-39.



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Helmet Set Up!


Hey everyone! Here is a post you've been asking for, I get a lot of questions on my Instagram regarding my helmet set up, so this is a breakdown of what's on it, why it's there and most importantly, where you can get the items if you wanted to recreate a similar look yourself!

Firstly, before we talk about accessories let's talk about the most important part - the helmet itself and the other vital components! I run a Nuprol FAST Helmet in black as the base for the set up, this is because I run a lot of black accessories and even with the Emerson MultiCam Helmet Cover on, the black rails/shroud help create a cohesive look throughout the loadout. Attached to the rails I have a pair of Z Tactical Comtac IIs mounted on a Comtac Helmet Adapter - to act as comms and also ear defenders, the Comtacs cancel out loud noises such as BFGs and amplify quiet noises such as whispers and footsteps.

Now we've got the basics out of the way, let's get down to the accessories. As I said, the first thing I accessorized with what an Emerson MultiCam Helmet Cover from Fubar Bundy Airsoft and gave it a quick spray with black spray paint to take that 'new kit shine' away. I also run a Viper subdued green Union Jack patch avaliable from Viper Tactical and a Tan Condor Bloodtype Patch in A+ ! These are what I would call my 'serious patches' that I have chosen to run for MilSims.

 On the other side of my helmet I run a 'Run your gun not your mouth' patch in the SWAT colour scheme and my personal favourite, my pink 'Instagram that shit!' patch, both from Tactical Outfitters! On the left side of my helmet, I have a 20mm rail attached to my Comtac Helmet Adapter to accomodate a Modular Personal Lighting System in black for map/intel reading during Skirmishes and MilSims.

These patches are really sassy and the pink goes nicely with the other hints of pink that are in my loadout. One thing that is really important to me is having a cohesive look!

Other items on my helmet include my custom '#BATTLEBITCH' patch from Stich Me Up UK, a Hello Kitty TY teddy that is held in place by black paracord and a couple of things from Taiwan Gun - an FMA Dummy Strobe Marker Light and a Purple Distress Marker. All these components added together have created a helmet set up that is completely unique to myself and makes me easily recognizable to team mates (who's really going to miss the girl with a Hello Kitty on her lid? haha!) I run this set up for all 3 of my loadouts - Wolf Grey, MultiCam and Green, as it compliments my MultiCam accessories.


Shopping List:








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Player Spotlight: Wayne Boltwood/Bodgeups Airsoft

Hey everyone, so in this installment of my playerspotlights I speak to Wayne of Englands most popular Airsoft Sniper YouTube Channel: Bodgeups Airsoft!

So Wayne, how long have you been in the sport? 
Just over ten years now. And eight of them have been playing in the sniper role!

What originally got you into Airsoft and what do you love about it?
Back when I’d just turned 18 (eleven years ago now…) I wanted to give Paintball a try, but none of my friends were interested. So when I was on the hunt for a local Paintball site, I stumbled across the phrase “Airsoft”. The rest is, as they say is history…

Where is your home site?
Dogtag Airsoft in West Sussex, as it’s the closest site to where I live. But I try to reach out and play at as many different sites as possible.

What are the most memorable sites you’ve played?
For woodland, it’s got to be Tech Brigade in Hertfordshire, and for Urban it’s got to be a close tie between UCAP The Sandpit in Kent, and South Coast CQB in Hampshire!

What's your playing style? 
Aggressive sniping, if that makes any sense. I like to try and keep moving with the pace of a game, providing sniper support when others need it.

What is your weapon of choice? And what load out do you normally run?
My Tokyo Marui VSR Gspec as the primary, and a Tokyo Marui Hicapa 4.3 as the secondary. I also have a Tokyo Marui MP7 gbb that I’ll use as a secondary in certain situations.

Is there anything you would like to say to other players out there?
Can you Dodge the Bodge? :-D

Where can my readers find you on social media?
You can find my youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/bodgeupsairsoft
You can find my facebook channel at https://www.facebook.com/bodgeupsairsoft
You can find my Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/bodgeups



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