Building your first airsoft loadout without wasting money
last updated: 18 july 2026
the biggest mistake beginners make isn't buying the wrong gear. it's buying everything at once, before they know how they actually play.
you order a thousand euros of gear based on YouTube videos. six months later half of it turns out not to fit how you play, and you sell it at a fifty percent loss.
so here's the build order that prevents that.
the rule
buy something. play with it five times. then buy the next thing, based on what you actually missed.
not what you think you'll miss. what you really missed, on the field, during a game.
sounds slow. it's the fastest way to arrive at a loadout that's right for you.
the order
1. eye protection (€50 to €90)
first. always. this is the one thing there's no budget version of, and the one thing where a mistake is permanent.
fully sealed goggles that meet EN166, class F minimum. no shooting glasses with open sides. EN166 is a European standard, so if you're outside europe look for the local equivalent, ANSI Z87.1 in the US, without assuming the specifics carry over. if you remember one thing from all my posts, make it this one.
second-hand? no. scratches weaken polycarbonate and you don't know what the previous owner did with them.
2. replica plus battery and charger (€200 to €400)
a mid-range AEG. FPS and joule limits vary by country and by field, so this is not a number i can give you as universal. the principle: lower FPS means a shorter minimum engagement distance, and you always chrono to your local site's rules on the day. set it up so it passes there, and check the field's published limits before you buy.
don't get a sniper. don't get a high-end HPA setup. get an AEG and learn the game.
second-hand? yes, and this is the best place to do it. ask for a video of it firing, meet at a field so you can chrono it, and buy from someone you can meet in person.
buy the charger new. a charger with a balance function and a LiPo-safe bag. don't cut corners here, this is fire safety.
3. magazines (€50 to €90)
four to six mid-caps. no hi-caps.
second-hand? yes, fine. test them before you pay, or buy from someone you know. magazine springs weaken.
4. chest rig plus dump pouch (€50 to €90)
chest rig, not a plate carrier. four mag pouches and a dump pouch.
that dump pouch really isn't an extra. without it you walk around with empty mags in your trouser pockets.
second-hand? yes. nylon wears slowly and used rigs are everywhere.
5. clothing and footwear (€80 to €200)
army surplus, honestly. combat trousers and a field shirt. long sleeves and long legs, even in summer.
boots with ankle support. this is the place to buy new if you don't already have hiking boots, because used boots are moulded to the previous owner's feet.
work gloves from the hardware store for twelve euros.
second-hand? clothing yes. footwear better not.
6. face protection (€10 to €50)
at minimum a mouth guard from the sports shop. a lower face mask if you're going to play CQB.
second-hand? mouth guard never. mask is fine.
now play five times
seriously. stop here. keep a note on your phone and after every game day write down:
- what did i need and not have
- what did i keep running into
- what did i carry and never use
after five game days you'll have a list that's far better than anything a web shop can sell you.
what you only consider after that
radio and headset (€80 to €300)
useful if you play in a fixed team with people you know who are on the same channel. useless if you play with strangers every time.
wait until you have a team.
pistol (€100 to €250)
useful in CQB and as a backup if you play DMR or sniper, because then you can't fire your primary within 15 or 25 metres.
as a woodland player with an AEG you almost never draw it. wait until you notice you miss it.
optic (€40 to €200)
a cheap forty-euro red dot does functionally the same thing at airsoft ranges as an expensive one. start with that and see if you even use it. a lot of people end up aiming on instinct anyway.
helmet (€60 to €200)
protects your ears, gives you a place for a light or an NVG mount, and looks good. beyond that it doesn't really protect against anything. fine purchase if you want it, not a safety priority.
second replica (€200+)
when you notice your field and playstyle genuinely call for something else. for example a short CQB replica alongside your woodland M4.
not because you think one is pretty. well, that's allowed too, just be honest that that's what it is.
plate carrier (€120 to €400)
when you get into milsim or you just want a carrier. both fine. not because you think it's functionally better.
what you buy second-hand and what you don't
yes second-hand:
- replicas (test it)
- magazines (test them)
- chest rigs and pouches
- clothing
- helmets
- optics
- rifle bags
never second-hand:
- eye protection
- mouth guards
- LiPo batteries of unknown origin
- chargers
borderline: footwear. it's moulded to the previous owner and you'll feel it after three hours of walking.
where you buy second-hand
your local second-hand marketplaces and airsoft groups. often just at the field too, because there's always someone offloading something. rules on transferring an airsoft device vary by country, so check what applies where you play and buy from people who meet those rules.
the budget, summarised
a starter kit that works: roughly €450 to €700 with a mix of new and second-hand.
a starter kit if you buy everything new: €700 to €1,100.
what you spend if you buy everything at once without thinking: €1,200 to €1,800, and half of it you'll sell at a loss within two years.
the main thing
your loadout is never finished and never will be. that's part of it and part of the fun. but build it based on game days, not videos.
and when you're torn between two things: buy neither, play twice more, and see if you're still torn.
Also on Airsoft-FOB
- also available in dutch: Je eerste loadout opbouwen zonder geld te verspillen