VIPER SNEAKER BOOT REVIEW!

Hey everyone!

So I've got another review for you guys, this time on the Viper Sneaker Boot! At HTIS Operation Blue Fox 2 in November I got to catch up with the team at Viper Tactical and we got chatting about their new products - one of which being their new Sneaker boot. I have spent the last few months testing these in game and after a good run, here's my thoughts!



Back in 2014 I purchased a pair of the Viper V Cam Elite Boots and these have lasted the best part of 2 and a half years, from walking through rivers, falling down storm drains, accidentally standing practically on top of a 3 minute smoke grenade, getting my foot stuck in a rabbit warren, standing on a long nail and being faced with the wrath of my darling house bunnies these boots have well and truly been used, abused and they've held up fantastically. They cost less than £50 at the time so they were an affordable option whilst I was just starting out in Airsoft.


The Sneaker boot is exactly what it sounds like - a boot with an ultra lightweight sneaker sole. What I really like about the sole on these is that it's multi-sectioned for better manoeuvrability and fits to the contours of your feet better when walking/running on uneven ground. The sole has a good tread but isn't too thick which helps with the manoeuvrability. The sides and tongue are made of a durable cordura fabric with a suede finish so they are easy to brush clean. They also have a breathable instep (the area of the shoe that covers the top of your foot, fun fact I worked at a Clarks shoe shop for 6 years when I was at Sixth Form and Uni!) They come in 3 colours - black, coyote and green, I opted for the green colourway to go with my OD loadout. I like the aesthetics of the boot, the sneaker look makes them look casual and is different to the usual combat boots/walking boot look we typically see.

As for size, they come in UK 6-12, I typically wear a size 5 boot for Airsoft but because these have a sport fit and are not too generous in size it is recommended you go one size up, so I went for the size 6, it fits well and still has room for a thick sock. If you have smaller feet though I would say they would be a bit too long on the toes. I would love to see these available in smaller sizes!


I found the boots to be comfortable all round and they were pleasant to wear during CQB but during Op Blue Fox I did find my feet got a little wet. The only downsides to these boots is that they don't offer a lot of ankle protection because of the nature of the boot and they aren't waterproof so I wouldn't recommend them for wet and muddy woodland games. The boots can be made water resistant with a waterproofing spray that you can get from most shoe shops/outdoor shops. I feel like they are more suited for CQB environments where trip hazards and wet/muddy ground aren't really an issue. In regards to price, they have an RRP of £40.00 which is pretty reasonable.

Overall, I really like the look of the boots, they are affordable and comfy but I would recommend them for CQB use rather than an all rounder boot!

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GOT MYSELF SOME FREEDOM!

Hey everyone!

So we all know a trip to the States wouldn't be complete without a trip to the range, so Leah and Jet kindly took me to a range to learn firearm basics and get some shooting time in. As I live in the UK and firearms are hard to come by because of our laws, I was super excited. I have shot .22 rifles and an AR15 before but nothing bigger than a 5.56mm. During our trip to the range I got to shoot a whole selection of firearms of different calibres including: a .45 Rock Island 1911, a 5.56mm AR15, a 7.62mm AK47 and a 12 Gauge Shotgun. A great variety of platforms and calibres.

*Please take into consideration that I am complete beginner before you roast me about my grip/stance.

Before we started Jet went through basic firearm safety and reiterated the 4 rules to us:
  • Treat all guns as if they are loaded
  • Never point the gun at something you are not willing to destroy
  • Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target and you have made the decision to shoot
  • Be sure of your target and what is behind it

I am always a little nervous around firearms as I haven't had much exposure to them and it was no different this time. The shotgun is what made me the most nervous, because I had watched one too many gun fail videos, you know the one - the one of a lady on a range where the shotgun flies backwards out of her hands! It turns out I didn't really have anything to worry about as long as I followed the basic rules and had a secure grip on the firearm.

I really enjoyed my day on the range! Thanks to Jet and Leah for taking me shooting. I can't wait until my next trip to the range!


L-R 12 Gauge Shotgun, .45 1911, 9mm Glock 19, .45 Rock Island 1911, 5.56mm AR15 and 7,62mm AK47.


L-R .45 1911, 9mm Glock 19 and .45 Rock Island 1911


After shooting the shotgun


After shooting the 1911


Post AR15 fun


Leah shooting the 1911 


Having a blast with the AK47 (my knee isn't bent, I have a wad of tissues in my cargo pocket! Haha)


Shooting the 1911


Couples that shoot together, don't shoot each other?





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FFA STATESIDE: A UNICORN POINT OF VIEW!

Hey everyone!

So whilst I was in the US I didn't get as many vlogs out as I wanted to - I was so busy enjoying seeing the US through my own eyes instead of through a lens that I forgot to document most of my time in the States, but never fear when you have a YouTuber near! Here is a collection of vlogs/videos from Unicorn Leah that documents my stay in the US, from gameplay to unboxings to vlogs, check them out below and be sure to subscribe to her channel!






















You can see more of Leah's videos at: https://www.youtube.com/user/theairsoftunicorn/

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5 THINGS I WISH I HAD KNOWN WHEN I STARTED AIRSOFT!

Hey everyone!

The other day I was going through my old Airsoft photos and I got to thinking about things I wish I had known when I started Airsoft, so I thought this would make the perfect little blog post! Now bear in mind, these things will be completely different for everyone, these are just things I wished I had known. What are yours? Let me know in the comments!

Tight clothing isn't suitable for Airsoft

For my second Airsoft game in August 2014, I decided I wanted to look cute (massive mistake and super cringey to say that out loud!). I absolutely hated how camo and tac kit fit and looked on me, so I decided to wear tight black jodhpurs and a tight black Karrimor Jacket - totally impractical but I thought I looked the sh*t so off I went to the game day and promptly got shot in the side of my arm and my thigh. The tight fabric did absolutely nothing to soften the impact and I was left with a couple of large bruises and feeling really embarrassed. After that I decided to stop being silly and revert back to camo but instead go for Multi Terrain Pattern and find something that fit me a little better. It took a few tries to get the loadout to the point I was happy with, but I got there in the end.

Face pro is pretty necessary 

Everyone has a different opinion on this, whether you wear full face, a mouth guard, shemagh or just choose not to wear any at all, it's a personal choice. For my very first ever game for Airsoft in 2011, I didn't know BBs could take out teeth (clearly I've lived a very sheltered life lol) and I didn't know face pro even existed for this sport so I turned up with just a thin snood to cover my lower face. Half way through the game day my gun battery died (and not knowing I should of left the field to change it) I proceeded to change it in the middle of the field, and promptly got shot in the face. This both hurt and it gave me a shock when I looked in the mirror and saw my cheek bleeding. Since then I have always worn face pro, and the only exception is MilSim. I now wear a tightly wrapped shemagh over my lower face during engagements during MilSim Ops.

Don't be afraid to ask for help

As I said on that very first game day my gun battery died halfway through the day. As I was a complete beginner I only had a very vague idea how to change the battery, but I was too stubborn to ask for help. It took me around 15 minutes to change it in the end. Looking back (and hindsight is a wonderful thing) I should have left the field and asked a marshal or more experienced player to help. In my experience most Airsofters LOVE talking about their gear and are usually really happy to help another Airsofter out in a pickle.

Don't rely completely on others, learn your gun and kit

Those of you who know the story behind FFA will know that it was my boyfriend at the time who got me into Airsoft and he pretty much always set my guns and gear up for me so all I had to do was get dressed, turn up and play. When I started the blog I began to learn the basics of my kit and guns but when I ended the relationship I was on my own, so I had a lot to learn and a short amount of time to do it. From what kit worked for me, to how to zero in a sight to learning how to use molle correctly it was a steep learning curve but I'm glad that I now took the time to research and learn my kit so I have that independence. Whilst getting help from other players is a great source of info, don't rely on others completely.

Being a part of a community is important

Shortly after I started playing, I started to wonder just how many people played Airsoft, so I searched Facebook and Instagram for groups and other players. I quickly found loads of Airsoft accounts on Instagram and started following them and on Facebook I discovered community groups with thousands of members! These groups are a great resource for tips, help with loadouts, kit sales (no RIFs tho), finding businesses/companies that stock specific items, site recommendations etc! Having a group of like-minded people in a hobby is also a great way to meet new friends and get the most out of the sport! Embrace the community and be a positive entity within it!

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INTERVIEW WITH NO NONSENSE AIRSOFT NEWS AND REVIEWS!

Hey everyone! 
So a couple of weeks ago I had an interview with No Nonsense Airsoft News and Reviews to catch up on what I've been getting up to since we last spoke in 2015! Check it out below:

NNA: Great to get back and see how you are, kicking off the questions, tell us a bit about how the blog and pages have grown since we last spoke.

FFA: Since we last spoke, the blog has gone from strength to strength and our readership has grown 7 times what it was in 2015, my Instagram account has almost 40,000 followers making it the 3rd most popular Slaydie Instagram in the world and FFA has been runner up for 'Best Airsoft Blog' in Popular Airsoft's 6th and 7th Player Choice Awards. All this wouldn't be possible without the people who choose to follow this crazy adventure I've embarked on and I just want to extend my gratitude to them, they allow me to live my dreams day in and day out and I'm super grateful for that.

NNA: Something we brought up in the last interview was MilSims. At that point there were a few in the pipeline but you were solely a skirmisher back then, so what events have you been along to over the months, and which ones stand out the most and why?

FFA: So since we last spoke I’ve played a fair few MilSims – 3 Warzone Battle Simulation Ops and 2 Stirling Airsoft Ops. The one that really stands out in my mind was Operation Crypt Kicker at Sennybridge FIBUA by Warzone. It’s the toughest Op I’ve been to by far for a few reasons – within hours of the event starting I had been selected as the 2IC of the SAF forces, although I was a Section IC this was a big jump. It was a cold and wet op – I remember being on a hill at 1am with the chill hitting my neck and being absolutely wet through and at that point I wanted to sack it off and sit in command but I pushed through it. I had people pushing back against my command, because who wants to take orders from a girl right? I got shot in the face at pretty much point blank which left a scar – it was a pretty tough experience but I finished the Op and I’m pretty proud of that. Today I flew to Los Angeles for 6 weeks and whilst I’m there I will be attending a MilSim West Op, which is going to be without a doubt the toughest Op I have taken on to date. I would say though, I definitely prefer skirmishes to MilSims – I like my sleep and creature comforts! Haha

NNA: An airsofter would be nothing without their kit (except naked), and I've noticed that your kit has changed exponentially. Would you care to give us an insight into the different iterations of your current setups?

FFA: I have a couple of different loadouts/set ups and I switch between them depending on if I’m playing a MilSim or if I’m just playing a Skirmish.

Skirmish: MultiCam, Ranger Green or M81 BDUs with a Pentagon Artaxes Soft Shell in Wolf Grey, Wolf Grey Mechanix or black gloves, Warrior Assault Systems Recon Plate Carrier in the Shooters Cut with 3 x M4 mag pouches, 3 x Nuprol Pistol Mag pouches for pistol mags, smokes and flashbangs, a Kydex holster for my tri-shot TRMR and a WAS Cargo pack all in MultiCam. I also wear the WAS PLB Battle belt with a universal pistol holster, 2 x polymer pistol mag pouches, an M4 polymer mag pouch, a dump pouch, a medic pack and 2 x Grey Ghost Gear 40mm pouches all in MultiCam too.

For a MilSim, depending on the side camos I will wear MultiCam, MultiCam black, Ranger Green or M81. If I wear MultiCam black I’ll use my Viper Laser Cut JPC and battle belt with all the trimmings and if it’s any other Camo I’ll use my MultiCam gear but swap the panel on the PC for a Haley Strategic D3CR-X chest rig panel!

NNA: If you could pick out one item of equipment you've used, what would it be and why?

FFA: My TRMRs. I love things that go boom and the TRMR is a reliable, reloadable BFG that helps gain entry into difficult rooms/buildings. Grenades can mean the difference between winning or losing a game. I want to get in that room and take the objective so these are super handy for getting into rooms fast.

NNA: One of your main ambitions within the community was to get more ladies involved in the sport. Judging by the amount of extremely popular UK based Instagram pages that have cropped up since we last spoke, I'd say that you've been very successful in that, what's your thoughts on the rise in numbers of female players?

FFA: I love it. When I started I barely saw women on the field and now it’s rare that I go to a game day and don’t see 3-4 other slaydies and it’s fantastic. I get a lot of messages from Slaydies all around the world saying that I inspired them to play and that is an awesome feeling. I am really proud of how FFA has inspired so many women to take up the sport. This surge in numbers is great exposure for female players and means that seeing more women on the field is seen as normal, and women are respected instead of being seen as ‘lesser’ players.

NNA: Since you started airsoft, what's the best site you've played at? To develop this, which organiser puts on the best days, which site has the best features and who does an all-round good job?

FFA: My all-time favourite site was SWAT Fortress in Liverpool – it was an old tobacco factory that had offices, warehouse space and an outdoor space for players to fight through and it was super close CQB, unfortunately it closed in early 2016. Since then my favourite haunts have gone on to become Strike Force CQB in Gloucester, Wentworth CQB in Rotherham and The Gaol in Oakham – these sites by far put on the best skirmish days. In regards to MilSims, it’s a pretty close toss-up between Stirling Airsoft and Warzone Battle Simulation.

NNA: Looking to the future once again, what are your plans for the rest of the year and beyond?

FFA: So this year is a MASSIVE year for Femme Fatale Airsoft. I quit my full time job in January 2017 to work on the blog full time, which is super scary and exciting! I’m currently in the US visiting Unicorn Leah and Jet Desertfox for 6 weeks to travel the States and experience American Airsoft. I’ll also be travelling to Taiwan for the G&G CQB Championships shortly after my return to the UK so this year is all about travelling internationally and building the Femme Fatale Airsoft brand.

 NNA: And finally, what's your favourite flavour of Ice Cream?

FFA: Okay so I have two favourite flavours of ice cream and cookies and cream and cookie dough. I f*cking love cookies.



You can check out the original post here

Photography thanks to James Murray and John Wright.

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