In this guide
- Our in-stock loadout picks
- The Golden Rule: Don't Buy Everything at Once
- Stage 1: Bare Minimum (Before Your First Game)
- Stage 2: Your First Gun
- Stage 3: Magazine Carrying Solution
- Stage 4: Clothing
- Stage 5: Accessories & Refinement
- Complete Loadout Examples with Costs
- Pro Tips from 20 Years of Kitting Out Players
- Visit Us
- Related Guides
Building an airsoft loadout can be overwhelming. There’s an endless list of gear, everyone has an opinion and it’s easy to spend hundreds before your first proper game day. This guide gives you a practical, step-by-step approach to building a loadout that actually works, without wasting money on stuff you don’t need.
For a broader overview of all tactical gear options, see our tactical gear guide. If you’re still choosing your first gun, start with our airsoft gun buying guide.
Our in-stock loadout picks
Build your kit in the right order and you never waste money. These are the three pieces we point every new player at first, all in stock and ready to try on in our Rochester shop or ship UK-wide.
Our picks at a glance
| Category | Our pick | Price | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Best Beginner Rig | Delta High Capacity Chest Rig | £39.95 | Choose options |
 | Best Value Eye Pro | Nuprol Mesh Goggles (Large)(Black) | £15.95 | Add to basketView details |
 | Best Face Protection | Fast Helmet Mesh Lower Mask | £16.95 | Choose options |
Best beginner rig: Delta High Capacity Chest Rig
A roomy, high-capacity chest rig that still keeps things simple. It carries plenty of magazines and essentials, adjusts in seconds, and skips the bulk and cost of a full plate carrier. A rig you will not outgrow in a hurry.
Best value eye pro: Nuprol Mesh Goggles
Full-seal mesh goggles that never fog, because there is no lens to mist up, and give a wide field of view. A wallet-friendly eye-protection choice that most UK sites accept; just double-check the rules if you plan to play indoor CQB.
Best face protection: Fast Helmet Mesh Lower Mask
Protects your teeth and lower face from close-range hits without fogging your goggles or muffling your voice, so you can still call your hits clearly. Straps on alone or clips to most helmets.
The Golden Rule: Don’t Buy Everything at Once
The worst thing you can do is buy a full loadout before your first game. Why?
- You don’t know your playstyle yet (CQB or woodland? Aggressive or defensive?)
- You don’t know what gear actually matters to YOU
- You’ll buy things that don’t fit right or don’t suit your site
- You’ll see what other players use and change your mind
Instead, build in stages. Play 3-5 games with minimal gear. Figure out what you actually need. Then buy smart.
Stage 1: Bare Minimum (Before Your First Game)
For your first few games, you need very little. Most sites offer rental packages but if you’re buying your own kit:
The Non-Negotiables
| Item | Why | Budget |
|---|---|---|
| Eye protection (full-seal goggles) | Mandatory at every UK site. Must be ANSI Z87.1+ or EN 166 B rated | £15-40 |
| Lower face protection | Protects teeth and jaw. Mesh mask or neoprene guard | £8-15 |
| Sturdy footwear | Ankle-supporting boots. Woodland sites have uneven ground, mud, roots | £30-80 |
Browse our protection range for goggles and face protection.
Nice to Have (but Not Essential Yet)
- Gloves, knuckle hits hurt. Budget £10-20 for basic tactical gloves
- Long sleeves, any long-sleeve top reduces the sting of BB hits
- Water bottle, dehydration is the number one reason people leave the field early
Stage 1 total: £50-135
Stage 2: Your First Gun
After 2-3 rental games, you’ll know if airsoft is for you. Your first purchase should be a reliable AEG (Automatic Electric Gun), it’s the most versatile platform for beginners.
What to Buy
| Item | Recommendation | Budget |
|---|---|---|
| AEG rifle | CYMA CM.028 (£80) or CM.516 (£120) for budget. G&G CM16 or Specna Arms CORE for mid-range (£130-180) | £80-200 |
| Battery + charger | 7.4v LiPo stick + smart charger. See our battery guide | £20-35 |
| BBs | 0.20g or 0.25g quality BBs (BLS, Nuprol). Never use cheap BBs. See our BBs guide | £10-15 |
| Spare magazine | 1-2 mid-cap magazines matching your gun | £10-25 |
| Speed loader | For loading mid-cap magazines on the field | £5-8 |
For detailed first gun recommendations, see our best airsoft guns for beginners guide or for budget options, our best budget airsoft guns guide.
Stage 2 total: £125-285
Stage 3: Magazine Carrying Solution
Now you have a gun and spare magazines, you need somewhere to carry them. This is where your loadout really starts taking shape.
Option A: Chest Rig (Recommended for Beginners)
A chest rig sits on your front only, lightweight, cool and quick to put on. Perfect for your first proper carrying platform.
- Budget pick: Kombat chest rig (~£25-35)
- Mid-range: Viper Special Ops chest rig (~£40-55)
See our chest rig selection.
Option B: Plate Carrier (If You Know You Want Full Kit)
If you’ve played enough to know you want a full loadout, go straight to a plate carrier. It’s more versatile and you won’t need to upgrade later.
- Budget pick: Kombat Buckle-Tek JPC (~£35-45)
- Mid-range: Viper VX Buckle Up (~£70-85)
- Premium: 5.11 TacTec (~£170-200)
For detailed recommendations, see our best plate carriers guide.
Essential Pouches
If your chest rig or plate carrier doesn’t have built-in magazine pouches:
- 3x rifle magazine pouches, matched to your gun type (M4 mags, AK mags, etc.)
- 1x dump pouch, for spent magazines during reloads
- 1x utility pouch, for BBs, speed loader and sundries
Browse our tactical pouches.
Stage 3 total: £40-200
Stage 4: Clothing
Once you have gun + magazines + carrying platform sorted, clothing comes next.
Priority Order
- Combat trousers, reinforced knees, cargo pockets, ripstop fabric. See our combat trousers guide. Budget: £20-70
- Boots, ankle-supporting, waterproof. Break them in before game day. Budget: £40-100. Check our footwear range
- Gloves, knuckle protection, touchscreen compatible. Budget: £10-30. See our gloves range
- Long-sleeve top, any base layer or combat shirt works. Budget: £15-50
Stage 4 total: £85-250
Stage 5: Accessories & Refinement
You’re now a well-equipped player. Stage 5 is about fine-tuning your loadout based on actual experience.
Common Additions
- Gun sling, single-point for CQB, two-point for woodland. Lets you drop your primary and use hands. See our slings range. Budget: £10-25
- Torch/flashlight, essential for CQB and evening games. Budget: £15-40
- Red dot sight, faster target acquisition than iron sights. Budget: £20-80. Browse our optics range
- Extra magazines, most players carry 4-6 mid-caps. Budget: £30-60
- BB loader bottle, much faster than pouring from a bag
Upgrades to Consider
- Hydration bladder, for longer game days. Fits in plate carrier rear panel. Budget: £15-30
- Helmet, bump helmet for mounting torch, camera, ear protection. Budget: £25-80
- Admin pouch, for phone, wallet, keys. Keeps them secure and accessible. Budget: £10-20
Stage 5 total: Variable, buy what you need, when you need it
Complete Loadout Examples with Costs
Starter Loadout (First-Time Buyer)
| Item | Example | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| AEG | CYMA CM.516 | £120 |
| Battery + Charger | 7.4v 1200mAh LiPo + smart charger | £25 |
| BBs (5000) | Nuprol 0.20g | £10 |
| Eye protection | Bolle Tracker II | £15 |
| Face mesh | Lower mesh mask | £8 |
| Chest rig | Kombat Predator | £30 |
| Boots | Kombat patrol boots | £35 |
| TOTAL | ~£245 |
Mid-Range Loadout (Regular Player)
| Item | Example | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| AEG | Specna Arms EDGE or G&G CM16 SRXL | £180 |
| Battery + Charger | 11.1v LiPo + balance charger | £35 |
| BBs (5000) | BLS 0.25g | £12 |
| 4x Mid-cap mags | PTS EPM or equivalent | £40 |
| Eye protection | Wiley X Spear | £60 |
| Face mesh | OneTigris foldable | £12 |
| Plate carrier | Viper VX Buckle Up | £75 |
| Mag pouches x3 | Viper MOLLE | £25 |
| Dump pouch | Viper fold-out | £10 |
| Combat trousers | Kombat BTP | £25 |
| Boots | Mil-Tec tactical | £50 |
| Gloves | Mechanix M-Pact | £25 |
| Sling | Two-point bungee | £12 |
| Red dot | T1 replica | £25 |
| TOTAL | ~£585 |
Premium Loadout (Milsim / Serious Player)
| Item | Example | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| AEG | VFC Avalon or Tokyo Marui NGRS | £350 |
| Batteries x2 | 11.1v LiPo + balance charger | £50 |
| BBs | BLS 0.28g Bio | £15 |
| 6x Mid-cap mags | PTS EPM1 | £70 |
| Eye protection | Wiley X Spear Dual | £80 |
| Plate carrier | 5.11 TacTec | £185 |
| Full pouch set | Viper VX mag/admin/utility | £50 |
| Belt system | Viper laser cut belt + holster | £70 |
| Helmet | FMA Fast Helmet + mount | £50 |
| Combat trousers | 5.11 Stryke | £70 |
| Combat shirt | Viper combat shirt | £35 |
| Boots | 5.11 Speed 3.0 | £95 |
| Gloves | Mechanix M-Pact | £25 |
| Sling | Edgar Sherman ESD | £30 |
| Hydration | Source WXP bladder | £30 |
| Optic | Aim-O T2 + Unity mount | £40 |
| Torch | Nuprol NX600S | £30 |
| TOTAL | ~£1,275 |
Pro Tips from 20 Years of Kitting Out Players
- Buy boots first, gun second. Twisted ankles end game days. A rental gun works fine but borrowed boots don’t
- Don’t match your mates’ loadouts. Build what works for YOUR playstyle. The quiet player at the back needs different gear than the rusher up front
- Spend more on protection. Eye and face protection is the one area you should never cheap out on. Everything else can be upgraded later
- Try before you buy. Come to our Rochester showroom and try on plate carriers, gloves and boots. Fit matters more than specs
- Keep your loadout consistent. Practice reloads and equipment access at home. Muscle memory wins games
- Pack a dead rag. Most UK sites require a brightly coloured cloth to signal you’re hit. Tuck one in your pocket before every game
Visit Us
At Platoon Stores, we’ve been helping players build their loadouts since 2006. Whether you’re putting together your first setup or fine-tuning a milsim kit, we can help you choose gear that works together and fits your budget.
Address: A10 Spectrum Business Centre, Medway City Estate, Rochester, Kent ME2 4NP
Browse our full tactical gear range or check out our Kent airsoft sites guide to find somewhere to use your new loadout.
Related Guides
- Tactical Gear Guide UK, Complete Overview
- Best Plate Carriers for Airsoft UK 2026
- Best Combat Trousers for Airsoft UK
- 5.11 Stryke Pants Sizing Guide
- Best Airsoft Guns for Beginners
- Best Budget Airsoft Guns UK
- Airsoft Battery & LiPo Guide
- Airsoft BBs Guide
