SLAYDIES SERIES SPOTLIGHT! AIRSOFTADDICT.PRINCESS

Hey everyone! In the next installment of my Slaydies Series Spotlights, I have my good friend Sam Shaw of Airsoft Addicts! I met Sam at one of our local sites Tac House Spartan and we hit it off immediately and are always hitting the field together

Hey Sam, thank you for taking part in the FFA's Slaydies Series Spotlights! Can you tell my readers a little info about yourself? 

My name is Samantha Shaw - Sam preferably :) I’m 29 years old and I’m from Nottingham. When I’m not on the field I’m putting the world to rights in a supermarket.

How long have you been airsofting? 

I’ve been playing Airsoft for about a year and a half now. I started in February 2015 as a valentines date - best date ever! :)

What got you into Airsoft? 

I was encouraged by my boyfriend to have a try and see if I liked it. I remember he played this video 'How to get your girlfriend into Airsoft' by Bob The Axe Man, it’s hilarious - https://youtu.be/KoRXvX3JucA and I’ve just never stopped airsofting since.

What do you love about Airsoft?

There are a few things I love about Airsoft - the vast choice of kit you can wear, the variety of guns, staying fit whilst having a laugh. What stands out the most for me is the community within Airsoft. I’ve made so many amazing friends, people that have become a big part of my life and I think that’s amazing.

Where is your home site?

There aren’t that many sites close to where I live, I have to drive probably 40 minutes but I would say The Gaol is my home site. It’s the first site I ever played and it’s a fantastic site that I visit regularly.

What are the most memorable sites you’ve played?

When I’m visiting a site, I’m looking for a good mix of CQB and a small section of outdoor play. The site needs to have great Marshall’s and a good selection of games and at the same time, not be to overpriced. When all of these come together, that’s what makes a memorable to me, so my top sites would be The Gaol, Skirmish Wentworth & The Stan and also the Billet.

How would you describe your playing style?

I like to consider myself as quite an aggressive player. I enjoy being at the front of the pack and
laying down frags to help the rest of the team push in, pushing corners with my pistol for a good 50/50 shoot off and at the same time being a little sneaky and doing a couple of flanks here and there to get behind players and take them by surprise.

Tell us about your weapons and loadouts

I run a G&G CM16 SRXL as my primary and carry a Glock G17 pistol for those tight corners. I also have 1 TRMR impact grenade which is a glorious purple (my favourite colour) my loadout is pretty much all multicam from top to bottom. I’m currently saving for a Warrior Assault Systems plate carrier, the shooters cut edition as my kit is very basic and needs updating.

Being a women in Airsoft, what are your thoughts?

“Wow you’re a really aggressive player, not bad for a girl” and such comments are things I hear regularly that some women could be offended by but I don’t see things that way. I think there are so many friendly welcoming and encouraging members of the Airsoft community, I don’t notice the few who still want Airsoft to be a male dominated sport. I do wish however that there were more options for female clothing in Airsoft. I’m sure I’m not alone in saying I’ve sewn my own UBACS and many other items to fit me comfortably.

Where can my followers find you on social media?

Instagram: @airsoftaddict.princess
Facebook: Airsoft-addict
Website: www.airsoft-addict.com


Is there anything you'd like to say to other players out there or women who are thinking of getting in to the sport?

To anybody thinking about trying Airsoft: do it! There are so many sites available all over the world. You’ll have so much fun and make so many friends. I get a lot of messages on my Instagram from people worried about not having high quality gear or not owning a gun - there are so many people in the same situation, most sites have rentals for this reason. Airsoft is not about having the best of everything, it won’t make you a better player. It’s about being part of a team, playing fair and having fun :)
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FEMME FATALE AIRSOFT'S TOP 5 FAVOURITE AIRSOFT YOUTUBERS

Hey everyone, so a question I get asked all the time is 'Who's content do you watch/read? etc' so I figured it would be cool to do a mini series of 'Femme Fatale Airsoft's Top 5 Favourites' and I'm kicking it off with my favourite YouTubers, from the well known to the up and coming, here they are:

At number 5 we have Den Chapman, Hench Airsoft!

Den is an up and coming Airsoft YouTuber who I have had the pleasure to play with and against at one of my favourite CQB sites Strike Force CQB in Gloucester, UK - he is a hard hitting player who has an upbeat personality and fast paced, door kicker playing style!

The reason I love Den's videos is the fun, high energy commentary - he knows all the regulars at his favourite haunt Strike Force and has a brilliant rapport with them all. From his videos it's easy to see he plays for the fun and thrill of playing! Really enjoyable to watch - nice one Den!

Check out Den's content here 



At number 4 Will Greenwood, Hype Airsoft!

Next up is another up and coming Airsoft YouTuber who has crossed over from the world of gaming and made his mark in the UK Airsoft community, Will Greenwood. Will is an enthusiastic player with a flare for CQB. Playing against and with him, he is a skilled player who gets a real thrill from those epic killstreaks and sneaky pistol shots.

His videos are entertaining with a high energy commentary and *interesting* animations, they're always fun, engaging and have some awesome kills. 

Check out Will's content here




At number 3 we have Wayne Boltwood, Bodgeups


Wayne is the guy behind England's Number One Airsoft Sniper Channel Bodgeups, from some sneaky shots to crazy Sniper killstreaks Wayne's videos offer viewers their weekly dose of Sniper gameplay footage.

What I love about his videos is definitely the crazy killstreaks he stacks up and the new, varied content he uploads each week. Visiting sites such as Red 1 The Boat and The Sandpit (sites I don't get to play too often), it's great to see gameplay from around the UK and from a different perspective, being a CQB player myself.

Check out Wayne's content here



At Number 2 we Jonathan Higgs, Airsoftology

I have watched Jonathan's videos since I started Airsofting 2 years ago, he does everything from gun and gear reviews to controversial topics and even gameplay, the Airsoftology channel is an Airsofter's go to channel for everything Airsoft, offering his viewers varied and exciting content.

What I love about Jonathan's content is that it offers honest, unbiased and accurate information and reviews that help Airsofters make informed choices about guns, gear and everything in between. 

                         Check out Jonathan's content here



At Number 1 we have my girl, Leah Mattix Del Castillo, The Airsoft Unicorn

Leah is another YouTuber that I have been watching since I started Airsofting and is one of the very first women I found online really growing the online community of female Airsoft players.

From reviews, loadout videos, game play and my personal favourite, her vlogs Leah's channel offers something for all Airsofters, male and female alike.

What I really love about Leah's videos are that they are always fun, entertaining, informative and show other slaydies out there that Airsoft isn't just a boys game anymore. 

Check out Leah's content here
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ASG SCORPION EVO 3A1 REVIEW!

Hey everyone! So now I've had a good few months to test out the Action Sport Games Scorpion Evo 3A1 I feel like I can write a thorough review on it, so without further adue, I give you my thoughts on the ASG Scorpion Evo 3A1.

Since the launch of the Action Sport Games CZ Scorpion Evo in 2014 it is fair to say that this particular weapon has been extremely well received by the Airsoft community and has gained itself a reputation of being a high quality AEG out of the box that stands toe to toe with many of its more expensive rivals, but how does it look? How does it perform?

Before we get into the internals etc let's talk about the aesthetics of the Evo! Out of the box the first thing I noticed is the smooth branded reinforced polymer body that imitates the real deal with a metal flash hider, dust cover and charging handle. It comes standard with an 3 point adjustable fold to the side stock - which is pretty handy when playing tight CQB games, its branded pistol grip is sturdy, smooth and ergonomic for comfort and the gun also features 4 20mm rails for accessories such as the removal ironsights - as you can see from the photo above I have added a front support set and real steel Shield SMS red dot optic. The front end is quite boxy/stubby compared to the rest of the weapon as it holds the guns power source but it is still comfortable to use.

The internals and construction however, are what I would consider sets this weapon apart from the scores of AEGs out on the market today. The Evo 3 is built from fiber-reinforced polymer, the same material as its real steel counterpart, making its as tough as the CZ Scorpion Evo and has been designed to have less internal parts than most Airsoft guns (less there is, less things to go wrong right?) The gearbox and custom electronics, like most of the Evo's internals have been specially designed for the Evo to deliver the advance functions. The gearbox has been designed with an innovative electronic control unit which offers benefits to the end user including increased battery and motor efficiency and a crisp trigger response and this is all down to the reduced amount of mechanical and electronic parts. I particularly like the quick change spring access. As standard the Evo as comes with a 6.03mm precision inner barrel.

In regards to FPS, out of the box my Evo was shooting 380 FPS on the standard spring so as you can imagine, it was wayyy too hot to use at CQB games so I dropped in an M95 spring and it now shoots around 312 FPS. Featuring a snappy ambidextrous fire selector that has 4 positions - safe, semi, 3 round burst and full auto. I am really impressed with the three round burst on this although as I play almost exclusively CQB I don't get to play with this option very often, I also really like the sharp click when the selector finds its position and snappy trigger. As I said earlier on in the review, the Evo has been designed to mimic the real steel version of this gun and it stops firing when the magazine is empty and requires activation of the bolt catch after a fresh mag has been inserted just like its counterpart. In regards to what battery to use - it can run on both a 7.4 or 11.1 Lipo and last all day however you will get better performance from an 11.1 Lipo.

I can't complain about the range of the rifle - for such a small, compact weapon it has the range of a much longer barreled AEG which makes this the perfect choice for Urban or Woodland games but the light, small and compact design makes it a spot on choice for CQB too. This in my opinion is a very good all rounder gun and is what I use as my 'MilSim' AEG as it is the only one I haven't customised with any pink gear but as you can see from the pictures, my fab sponsors JD Airsoft have laser etched my logo and call sign onto the body and mags.

The Evo has a range of accessories available from magazine clips, branded mag pouches and the new hi cap magazine and if you are one for upgrading/customising your weapons, you can really make this your own. I have seen a lot of users opt for the M4 stock adapter and add real steel M4 stocks which look pretty badass. I really like the standard stock but I feel this will be a modification for my Evo in the future.

The only adjustments I would like to see made to this gun is the removal of the charging handle. Although it helps the system operate closer to her real steel counterpart, it is quite fiddly and prone to 'popping out' due to the spring in the charging handle system. Upon removing the front end to install the battery, mine popped out the once and I forgot the spring and bolt on my next game day! Luckily the system still functions without the charging handle (although admittedly doesn't look as cool!)

Overall, I am exceptionally impressed with this gun, it performs very well and hasn't failed me yet. It is lightweight and compact meaning I can run it comfortably all day in both Urban and CQB environments with no need to switch weapon systems. A huge thanks to ASG for supplying me with this fantastic piece of kit!

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PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: JET DESERT FOX!

Hey everyone, so in this installment of my Player Spotlight Series I get chatting to Jet Desert Fox to find out a little more about the YouTuber behind North America's top Airsoft YouTube Channel! I have been watching Jet's videos since I started Airsofting and he delivers epic gameplay, reviews and sometimes even vlogs. 

Hi Jet, thank you for agreeing to take part in the Femme Fatale Airsoft Player Spotlights! How long have you been playing Airsoft?

I have been playing airsoft since December 2002.

What originally got you into Airsoft?

I was originally a paintballer and I worked at a paintball shop.  The owner brought in an airsoft catalog and that's what turned me onto airsoft.  Some time later a JungleToy airsoft shop opened in a town next to me.  I walked into the store and saw all the replicas in person and knew I wanted to switch from paintball to airsoft.  The next month or so I sold ALL my paintball equipment and guns and bought airsoft guns and gear.

Where is your home site?

My home site is my club field; DesertFox Field MOUT in Oro Grande, California.  It is 10 acres of desert urban combat terrain.  

What are the most memorable sites/events you have played?

The most memorable sites I've played at have been Blue Heron Paper Mill in Portland, Oregon, Guardian Center in Perry, Georgia, Government Training Institute in Barnwell, South Carolina, and Blue Cloud Movie Ranch in Santa Clarita, California.

How would you describe your playing style?

My play style is based around mobility, surprise, opportunity and advantage.  Airsoft engagement distances are short compared to real guns so being mobile can give you an edge in firefights.  When the element of surprise is in your favor you tend to win more battles.  Knowing when to take advantage of a good opportunity is crucial.  It can some times mean the difference between a 1/2 mile walk back to the respawn or "mission accomplished".  

What are your go to loadouts and weapons?

My weapon of choice would be any reliable AR15 platform.  I have a few that I choose from and make the decision which one to use based on the terrain.  I also dictate my loadouts according to terrain and gun platform I am using.  For example; on a rifleman assault kit I'll bring the maximum number of magazines I am allowed to carry, as many grenades as possible and LOTS OF WATER.  

Is there anything you would like to say to other players out there?

Don't let more experienced or geared up players get you down.  Just because they have the most expensive gear doesn't mean they are better than you.  Play how you want to play and dress how you want to dress.  

What social medias can my followers find you on?

You can find me on all the social medias :D

https://www.youtube.com/user/DesertFoxAirsoft (over 725,000 subscribers! Woah!)
Twitter - @TheeDesertFox 



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PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: WILL GREENWOOD/HYPE AIRSOFT!

Hey everyone, in this installment of the Femme Fatale Airsoft Player Spotlights I speak to one of England's newest Airsoft YouTubers Will Greenwood of Hype Airsoft!

Hi Will! Thanks for speaking with me! When did you start Airsoft and how?

I started Airsoft almost a year ago and I absolutely love it!

How I started Airsoft was when I was about 10 years old I came across a group of people dressed in MultiCam and plate carriers in the Malvern hills with their guns and fully kitted up! 
They let me shoot one of their Glock 18's and from then on I researched it until I lived close enough to an Airsoft site to play almost 12 years later.

Where is your home site?

My home site is not the site closest to me but the site I feel most at home and that is StrikeForce CQB! I love the people who run it and they are like a family.

What is the most memorable site you've played?

My most memorable site I have played has to be the outpost ran by first and only. The site is 4.3km of underground tunnels big enough to fit two trucks down! It's an unbelievable adrenaline fuelled ride! Really good!

What is your playing style?

My playing style is definitely CQB, I'm a player who doesn't like to stay still. I like to run everywhere! But I can adapt and be a patient and tactical player when needed.

Is there anything you would like to say to other players?

What I would like to say to everyone is when you play Airsoft, make friends and laugh always smile! Sometimes you get that one player who tries to ruin everyone's day, just give him a smile! 

What social media's can my followers find you on?

You can find me on my YouTube channel Hype Airsoft! https://www.youtube.com/holyduckfudge
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FEMME FATALE AIRSOFT: WHERE DID IT ALL BEGIN?

One of the most frequent questions I get asked is where did it all begin? Those of you who have followed Femme Fatale Airsoft from the beginning will know the story behind Femme Fatale Airsoft but for my newer followers I thought it would be a cool idea to dedicate a blog post to the story of FFA. I hope this gives you more of an insight on how FFA grew into what it is today.

So where did it all begin?

I played my first Airsoft game in February 2011 for one of my female best friend's birthdays - her boyfriend was really into Airsoft so we thought 'why not give it a go?' I went with an open mind and with my partner at the times kit ready to see what the crack was. That day was a less than enjoyable experience - we set off really early on a cold, wet morning and travelled to Nottingham to an Airsoft site that was a tiny area of woodland with an abandoned caravan and a portaloo (it didn't look promising), the plate carrier was so heavy and bulky on me that I could barely move, it rained and as it was a woodland site without much drainage we got soaked and caked in mud, I got shot in the face whilst trying to change a battery that died on me in the middle of a game and to top it all off I got told by an older male player that I was the one they were going to 'pillage, plunder and rape' after this I decided Airsoft was not for me. (Please excuse the horrendous trigger discipline in the photo!)

Fast forward to August 2014 and my partner decided for his birthday that he wanted to play a private Skirmish at a local site, being the sassyMF I am I told him I would only play if he brought me the pink G&G FF26 thinking that this would NEVER happen! Fast forward 2 weeks later and a large Zero One Airsoft package arrived at my home - it was the G&G FF26! So with no excuses off we went. This time however it was completely different story - the site was bigger with more cover and structures meaning the game play flowed a lot better, the facilities on site were leaps and bounds ahead and because it was a private skirmish with just our friends the banter between the teams was great. Although it was running my own kit what really made the day for me.

I have always said that I am an unlikely candidate for Airsoft or was an unlikely candidate for Airsoft - I graduated from University with a 2:1 in Textile Design and worked as a Trainee Fashion Buyer and Merchandiser, I was obsessed with Fashion, shoes and the typical 'celebrity lifestyle' of my favourite models Tyra Banks etc and had my heart set on living in London to become a Textile for Fashion Designer, I wasn't very active and I hated getting wet/muddy and the idea of getting covered in BB welts did not appeal to me in the slightest. My job as a Trainee Fashion Buyer heavily weighs into how Femme Fatale Airsoft came to be. Only a few months after I accepted my Graduate job, my position was made redundant - I was gutted but in hindsight it appears to have been a blessing in disguise. I started looking for new employment the day it was announced and had interviews the next week (I don't like to wait around!) but unfortunately I was involved in a car accident that wrote off my beloved first car that same week - a 2005 plate Aegean blue Peugeot 206 and the accident left me with injuries to my neck, shoulders and back.

With no job, injured and the loss of my car it was fair to say I was pretty down on my luck. I had nothing to get up for in the morning, except physio to counteract the injuries from the accident so on top of everything I was pretty down on myself too. One day whilst watching some crappy daytime TV I decided to trawl the internet looking for new Airsoft kit for when I could start playing again and something stood out to me: there was barely any kit for women and there wasn't a lot of inspiration and information for women in our sport. I found a couple of YouTubers that were female: Airsoft Hasmeen, Adella Relentless and Unicorn Leah and started religiously watching their channels, alongside this I started checking out popular Airsoft blogs and thought 'why isn't there a blog out there aimed at women?'... *LIGHTBULB*

I opened my desk drawers and pulled out a notepad to start jotting down ideas for blog posts - what did I want to see? What did I want to know? were my main questions, but being a newbie myself - to Airsoft and blogging, it was going to be a massive learning curve. Armed with a few images for Instagram, a notebook of ideas and very very basic kit I created my blog and an Instagram page the same day and set about writing my first blog article. I only ever expected to get a few readers but I figured if I could help at least one other female Airsofter, the blog will have served its purpose, but it appears that would not be the case - the blog and Instagram exploded.

Whilst FFA was gaining in popularity, myself along with a few other friends who attended the private Skirmish we created a team and committed to playing once a month, as I'd really caught the bug for Airsoft we started playing twice a month and then I got the taste of CQB - I had found the Airsoft buzz I craved! To this day I have only played 2 woodland Skirmish days since my first game of CQB back in December 2014. After discovering CQB and really getting a feel for it, I decided to start travelling further afield for game days and it wasn't uncommon for me to drive 300 mile round trips to sites. After my first 'away day' at Ironsight Airsoft in Andover in April 2015 - 150 miles from my home in Derby, East Midlands I realised this is what I was passionate about, so I decided to commit more time, effort and resources into growing the blog - however not everyone was supportive of this decision and I had push back from people who seemed determined to weigh me down.

This was when I made the decision to end the toxic relationship of 5 years with my ex-partner and it has been one of the best decisions I have made for myself - in hindsight, the relationship was incredibly emotionally abusive and it stripped me of my confidence and self esteem. Although it didn't work out, I am thankful that he introduced me to Airsoft and without this, I wouldn't of found my strength. Although I appreciate that some people will be uncomfortable or angry reading this, it is the raw and honest truth.

I left my team in May 2015 to enable him to play Airsoft with them and I began travelling the UK every weekend playing new sites, meeting new people and attending events. Playing Airsoft, travelling and meeting new people helped me restore my confidence and self esteem - I lost a lot in those few months but I had found myself.

Since May 2015 Femme Fatale Airsoft has gone from strength to strength and it isn't without sacrifices and hard work, and I would do it over and over again, no matter how often I hear the phrases 'You are only successful because you are female' or 'You are only successful because you are pretty' - these are the most insulting comments I have been dealt because I was given my gender and physical appearance, I have worked and fought for everything I have. What people do not realise about myself is that I have 2 jobs and I have quit jobs to enable myself to do what I do - I go to work in the morning and when I return home I continue working on the blog often pulling all nighters, I have travelled 600+ miles to visit and play Airsoft sites and I don't get to do a lot of girly things anymore such as shopping for expensive clothes and shoes or go on nights out because that is time and money that could be spent on doing what I love. I don't do what I do for the gear or money - I do it to encourage, educate and entertain players in a hobby that I have fallen in love with.

The highlights of FFA include meeting and talking to so many of you - I LOVE hearing your stories and getting to know my followers, making life long friends through a sport/hobby I love, building loadouts with the help of some amazing supporters within the community, attending the events that have taken me the breadth of the United Kingdom, experiencing everything Airsoft has enabled me to do, becoming the only female Airsoft Journalist in the UK for the UK's number one Airsoft magazine - Airsoft Action and travelling to IWA with them, being nominated for the Best Blog in Popular Airsoft's Players Choice Awards and there is more to come.

Thank you all for following, engaging with and reading FFA - without my followers this would not be possible.

Here's a few photos which I feel show how my loadout has progressed since the start of FFA.
















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THE RISE OF WOMEN IN AIRSOFT


Before I start, I want to say that I know this article might be considered 'controversial' and there is a risk that it could be taken entirely the wrong way, so if you are offended, please accept that this was not my intention. 


Women are the fastest growing demographic in shooting sports from Archery to Airsoft to Practical shooting. Women around the world are proving that the shooting game isn’t just for the boys anymore and although women in Airsoft are still heavily outnumbered by our male counterparts, we are slowly but surely growing in numbers. I started my blog (Femme Fatale Airsoft) in November of 2014 after noticing a gap in the information available online for women in our sport and thus, the mission was born - to get more girls into the game by making Airsoft more accessible to them through information available online. This is something I and my battle sisters are hugely passionate about! Thanks to social media and female content creators more and more women are getting involved, but because female Airsofters are still a rare breed, we do face some incredibly varied reactions from the Airsoft community as a whole.

Airsoft is accessible to anyone and the beauty of our sport is that no matter your age, gender, sexuality, religion or political orientations you can play and make friends with like-minded people that are brought together by the love of one sport. So as long as you are taking your hits and you play the game fairly, does gender matter? It would be naive to say that gender in Airsoft does not matter at all. Let’s get the negative out of the way first (as it would be unfair to pretend that this doesn’t exist at all as much as we would like to) and I would like to stress that most of our community is exceptionally encouraging of women taking up our hobby but there are still some players who haven’t quite come around to the idea of women on the field and I think this is one of the main reasons that some women feel intimidated. Over the last two years I have experienced (what I would imagine is) every reaction possible from my male peers that includes being underestimated because of my size and gender, being told to ‘get back in the kitchen’, accused of cheating because there is no possible way I could be a worthy adversary, being told that I am simply ‘not good enough’ to be someone’s IC at a MilSim Op and possibly the most irritating – that I am only successful in my field because I am female. Women are faced with two very distinct stereotypes in this industry - the stereotype of women being weak and on the other end of the spectrum: the stereotype that female Airsofters are 'manly' and unfeminine. It is my belief that these stereotypes stem from the ‘traditional gender roles’ which put immense pressure on women to be ‘traditionally feminine’ and men to be ‘traditionally masculine’ but thanks to the rise in female Airsoft content creators and the women who are putting themselves out there in the world of social media and the industry these stereotypes are being challenged.

One of the terms I have heard the most frequently is ‘You shoot like a girl!’ and it’s fair to say that I do everything like a girl - fight like a girl, shoot like a girl, and drive like a girl, because I am a girl but there's nothing wrong with that. I've said it before, and I will say it until I am blue in the face: I’ve had the pleasure to play with a lot of my fellow female Airsofters and they are tough as nails and play just as hard as the guys. We're not just girlfriends being dragged along to games in our boyfriend’s kits, we are players in our own right - getting those kills, taking those objectives and generally kicking ass! And this is recognised by a lot of our community – I have heard fantastic feedback from players, site owners etc about the level of play women dish out and it is so encouraging and this coupled with the countless post in online forums where players offer support and information show that women have become an integral part of our sport. The industry is also recognising my battle sisters with brands such as 5.11 Tactical leading the way with female tactical clothing, Worldwide brand leaders choosing to sponsor notable female players and using them in their advertising campaigns, and if I can be so bold to mention Airsoft Action – being the only UK Airsoft publication with a female contributor on their staff. Our industry is moving forward with us and this is only a good thing. Do not misunderstand me though, I am not suggesting that we get special treatment because we are female, in fact we want to be treated like any other player, ‘but why are you writing this article then? Why are you drawing attention to this?’ I hear you ask, that is because I believe the rise in the acceptance of women we are currently seeing is integral to the narrative of our sport.



Although my experience of Airsoft as a whole is very different to the average player, Airsoft to me means meeting and playing alongside like-minded individuals who have become lifelong friends, travelling the country to play sites and experiencing different aspects of Airsoft and also pushing myself mentally and physically at MilSim Ops.


I asked some of my Slaydies why they love Airsoft and what being a women in Airsoft means to them and here’s what they said:

Lene Rider says:

‘For me, it’s about having a great time with my Airsoft family. We aren’t just players, we have all become an extended family. Airsoft allows me to instantly create a bond that only we as Airsofters experience. Playing gives me such an adrenaline rush – the excitement of gearing up and going hammer and tongs at the opposing side. Being a small hobbit sized female in Airsoft hasn’t fazed me, in fact, it’s pushed me to do better than the fellas. In short – family, honour, play and unity. That sums up Airsoft for me’

Kayleigh Kavanagh says:

‘What I love about Airsoft is a chance to meet friends and have fun. Being a female Airsofter means to me that it shows that Airsoft is not just for men – anyone can take part!’

Charlotte Coombes says:

‘As a newbie to Airsoft, to me it’s about having fun, the thrill of the game and forgetting the stresses of the outside world’

Kate Mills says:

’20 months after my first skirmish I’ve attended 3 night games, been every month and made some of the best memories. I’ve met the best people I will ever know and laughed harder than I’ve known possible. Airsoft isn’t just a sport, it’s a lifestyle I’ve fallen in love with and couldn’t get out of even if we wanted to’

Sarah Minarcik says:

‘When I was in high school I shot my first Airsoft gun, it wasn’t until later I found out Airsoft was its own culture. It was intimidating at first, but I quickly adapted. For me, it’s about the brotherhood of the team and the friendships you make whilst doing something you enjoy with like-minded individuals’

Tarra Walker says:

‘Playing Airsoft is just plain fun. I love the bonds formed and the challenging nature of ‘MilSim’ (my favourite). There’s such a stigma that it’s a boys hobby and that it can be incredibly intimidating for women. To any ladies toying with the idea of playing: Do it and have fun!’

Sarah Gudgeon says:

‘I love Airsoft because it pushes me to outside of my comfort zone and grow as a person and a player. Being a female Airsofter means that, for whatever reason, I have to prove that girls can keep up and kick ass just as much, if not more than the dudes’

Tamara Green says:

‘Finding my team was the greatest thing for my self-esteem. As long as you can keep up with the guys, there is no difference if you are a boy or a girl, fat or thin. While finding Airsoft I found friends for life and a way to be who I truly am’

My message to ladies out there thinking of trying Airsoft is: take the plunge and go for it! Or for any guys who would love to get their partners into the game, take her along! Thanks to the worldwide web, there is more information than ever out there for women in our sport so if you’re looking for advice or recommendations on kit, sites etc there are some really supportive female only Facebook groups such as ‘Women of Airsoft’ and ‘UK Ladies Airsoft Group’ that are a couple of my personal favourites, if YouTube is your thing definitely check out YouTubers such as Unicorn Leah, Airsoft Hasmeen and Adella Relentless for awesome content ranging from reviews to vlogs and gameplay! Or if you’re into Instagram, check out these accounts for great content: @thetacticalunicorn, @P90_Girl, @airsoft_hasmeen, @adella_relentless, @themilsimmedic5, @sisumilsim and @airsoftaddict.princess.

See you on the field!

Hardwick, K. (2016). The Rise of Women in Airsoft. Airsoft Action. 64 (August), 48-51.

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