BLACK SMOKE HYPE!

As 2016 begins to reach its end, in December we see the release of one of the most anticipated Airsoft products of 2016! We have seen the sneak peeks on social media from across the pond in the US but now the UK is finally able to get its hands on the exclusive Enola Gaye black smoke!

Firstly, let’s chat a little bit about Enola Gaye and who they are. Enola Gaye are a worldwide leading pyrotechnics company and Europe’s longest serving Pyrotechnics company that manufactures products for both the Airsoft and Paintball industries. Enola Gaye was founded in 1996 with the idea of manufacturing a paintball grenade that looked similar to real steel grenades and was biodegradable so it could be used at outdoor paintball fields. Over the course of the last 20 years we have seen their name become an ‘Airsoft Household name’ and their product lines expand from the humble paintball grenade to Thunderflashes, MK 5s, flash grenades and of course smoke grenades in their 7 colours. 

Now they add another colour to their portfolio and a range of new products to go with it, in October 2016 I travelled to Reading to spend a day at Enola Gaye HQ to test the new black smoke and to see what new products will be making their way to UK Airsofters over the next 12 months!

So the first products that we take a look at are the products that will now be available in black:

·         The WP40

A 90 second, steady outburst, wire pull smoke grenade that is available in all 7 colours that fits into standard 40mm pouches.

·         The EG18

            The EG18 is a 90 second, high output, thick density wire pull smoke grenade. Designed as a crossover between Airsoft/Paintball pyrotechnics and Military specification pyro.

·         The EG18X

The EG18X is designed to create a massive smoke cloud in the shortest time possible to give a thick cover smoke when it’s needed the most. A 45 second, steady output, thick density wire pull smoke grenade.

·          The Wire Pull Burst

My personal favourite, designed for the more aggressive Airsofter - the 25 second, high output, wire pull smoke grenade that releases the product from both sides.

Now here’s a preview of the products we can expect to be dropping in 2017! 

The SD75 or the Smoke Device 75 is similar to the new Cloud Maker wire pull smoke grenade that EG will be releasing in early 2017, it is a 3 minute - yep you read that correctly – a 3 minute, high coverage wire pull smoke grenade. This will be the longest lasting smoke grenade designed specifically for Airsoft and Paintball use. Although this particular smoke will be more suited to big scenarios rather than being carried in a pouch due to its weight and size, it is sure to be a hit.

The Wire pull flash grenade 3.0 is the next generation of the friction flash grenade 1.0
that is currently on the market, easier ignition but the same low level bang and a white light that is designed to confuse opponent so you can get in those rooms and clear your opponents out. These are best for low light, urban and CQB game play to get the most out of the effects! I use a lot of the current flash grenades and find them really useful when a solid state grenade won’t reach the end of a corridor/room before deploying its munitions and a light, timed pyro is needed. Unlike the M5s the munitions are deployed from the bottom of the tube so the tube is not destroyed – this makes them easier to clear away after use (good news for site owners and marshals!)

The new MK 7 is a louder, harder hitting bang than the MK 5 that we can expect to see in early 2017, and it will work in a similar way to the current MK 5 – via a friction ignition and upon detonation its shell is completely destroyed.

This is the product I am probably most excited about – lightweight and no bigger than a pritt stick but packs an epic 25 second burst of thick smoke perfect for if you need a short burst of cover to gain access to a room quickly. The Micro Smoke will be available in all 8 colours including black. The reason I am so excited about the EG25 is because of how cute it looks – how can a smoke grenade be cute right? But just like mini toothpastes and shampoos these are functional and space saving meaning you can carry more smoke onto the field and take up less space in your tactical kit.

Enola Gaye are consistently creating new and innovative products to push the Airsofters and Paintballers experiences of the game further and I can’t wait to see and use these products in game! Although my favourite colours of their ranges are orange, blue and purple, when Enola Gaye say their new black smoke is ‘probably the best colour of smoke grenade we have made’ I don’t think they’re wrong. 

Hardwick, K. (2016). Black Smoke Hype. Airsoft Action. 69 (Xmas), p24-25.

Black smoke images credited to James Murray.