Post by Optimus Composite on Apr 1, 2009 12:52:08 GMT -5
Disclaimer: This guide is not comprehensive and is certainly a work in progress, so any input or other information is greatly appreciated. It's intended solely for the purpose of listing and discussing the different gear manufacturers there are to choose from. I'll input my opinion where I feel necessary, but a lot of this is subjective to the user's needs, wants, and cash flow.
Also, most references to a website, especially in the "Retailers" sections, will be hyperlinked to that site. Constructive criticism is, of course, more than welcome.
Replica Gear
A good majority of Airsofters make use of replica gear when putting together their setups due to the fact that it's the most cost-effective option. The main replica gear manufacturers are listed below.
:: Condor and/or OE Tech ::
Note: From my experiences, Condor and OE Tech gear is identical. Every piece of OE Tech gear that I've ever purchased has had a Condor tag on it. Thus, I'm lumping the two of them together.
Also, if someone knows if Condor gear is 600D or 1000D, that'd be useful info.
Probably the most common of the replica manufacturers, Condor and OE Tech are also generally the cheapest. Their quality standards are acceptable for Airsoft use, although anyone looking for better-than-average gear should probably look elsewhere (see below).
Condor gear is available in Black, Olive Drab, Tan (Coyote), and occasionally in ACU. They make a wide variety of things, ranging from basic magazine pouches and plate carriers to gun bags, scope covers, and drop-leg rigs. They replicate a good percentage of common gear used by the United States, so anyone looking to do a US loadout should be more than able to find what they're looking for.
Retailers: AirsoftGI stocks a wide variety of OE Tech gear, and is the best place I've found to order from. AirsoftAtlanta also stocks a fair amount of Condor gear.
:: Flyye Gear ::
Flyye is a relative newcomer to the Airsoft scene. I haven't personally handled any of their gear, but they claim to be on par with Pantac, which we'll come to in a moment. All of Flyye's gear is 1000D Cordura, which is pretty tough stuff and is what Pantac gear, as well as a lot of genuine gear, is made of. There is a small review of one of their pieces to be found here and perhaps some more information on Google. At the very least, their quality is likely better than Condor gear, even if they do fall short of Pantac.
Flyye manufactures their gear in Black, Coyote Brown, Khaki Tan, and MultiCam (which they claim to be genuine). As with Condor, they do mostly gear that would fit a US-styled setup.
Retailers: At the moment, I only know of Flyye's website as a place to order from. If anyone knows of any other retailers, I'll gladly add them in here.
:: Pantac (Previously Phantom) ::
Pantac is essentially the pinnacle of replica gear, and they deserve it. Every piece of Pantac gear that I've handled has been of incredible quality and well worth the money. They make a very wide variety of plate carriers, pouches, belts, bags, etc. Unfortunately, Pantac gear can be tough to find here in the States, but is widely available overseas. For those who are picky, Pantac tends to do a good job of replicating the correct color tones on their gear, as well, though they haven't quite perfected it yet. All Pantac items are made from 1000D Cordura.
I feel like I should be saying more about them, but there's just not much to say. They're good. Really good. If you're going to build a replica gear setup, Pantac has my vote as the way to go.
Pantac gear can be found in Black, Coyote Brown, Khaki Tan, Olive Drab, MultiCam, and Ranger Green - the Ranger Green line has just recently been released, and I cannot comment on how the color matches to genuine Ranger Green.
Retailers: The best stateside retailer of Pantac products that I've found is AirsoftSmith, who also now stock their Ranger Green products. For some of the less common items, an overseas order may be required. RedWolf Airsoft stocks a great selection of Pantac items.
Genuine Gear
Some Airsofters and/or geardos, most with deep pockets, choose to build a kit using mostly genuine gear. While real gear is more expensive, the quality is unmatched. As an added bonus, almost all real gear is manufactured completely in the United States, and many manufacturers offer lifetime warranties on their products.
- The rest of this section will have to wait until I get through the rest of my classes. It's still a work in progress. -
Also, most references to a website, especially in the "Retailers" sections, will be hyperlinked to that site. Constructive criticism is, of course, more than welcome.
Replica Gear
A good majority of Airsofters make use of replica gear when putting together their setups due to the fact that it's the most cost-effective option. The main replica gear manufacturers are listed below.
:: Condor and/or OE Tech ::
Note: From my experiences, Condor and OE Tech gear is identical. Every piece of OE Tech gear that I've ever purchased has had a Condor tag on it. Thus, I'm lumping the two of them together.
Also, if someone knows if Condor gear is 600D or 1000D, that'd be useful info.
Probably the most common of the replica manufacturers, Condor and OE Tech are also generally the cheapest. Their quality standards are acceptable for Airsoft use, although anyone looking for better-than-average gear should probably look elsewhere (see below).
Condor gear is available in Black, Olive Drab, Tan (Coyote), and occasionally in ACU. They make a wide variety of things, ranging from basic magazine pouches and plate carriers to gun bags, scope covers, and drop-leg rigs. They replicate a good percentage of common gear used by the United States, so anyone looking to do a US loadout should be more than able to find what they're looking for.
Retailers: AirsoftGI stocks a wide variety of OE Tech gear, and is the best place I've found to order from. AirsoftAtlanta also stocks a fair amount of Condor gear.
:: Flyye Gear ::
Flyye is a relative newcomer to the Airsoft scene. I haven't personally handled any of their gear, but they claim to be on par with Pantac, which we'll come to in a moment. All of Flyye's gear is 1000D Cordura, which is pretty tough stuff and is what Pantac gear, as well as a lot of genuine gear, is made of. There is a small review of one of their pieces to be found here and perhaps some more information on Google. At the very least, their quality is likely better than Condor gear, even if they do fall short of Pantac.
Flyye manufactures their gear in Black, Coyote Brown, Khaki Tan, and MultiCam (which they claim to be genuine). As with Condor, they do mostly gear that would fit a US-styled setup.
Retailers: At the moment, I only know of Flyye's website as a place to order from. If anyone knows of any other retailers, I'll gladly add them in here.
:: Pantac (Previously Phantom) ::
Pantac is essentially the pinnacle of replica gear, and they deserve it. Every piece of Pantac gear that I've handled has been of incredible quality and well worth the money. They make a very wide variety of plate carriers, pouches, belts, bags, etc. Unfortunately, Pantac gear can be tough to find here in the States, but is widely available overseas. For those who are picky, Pantac tends to do a good job of replicating the correct color tones on their gear, as well, though they haven't quite perfected it yet. All Pantac items are made from 1000D Cordura.
I feel like I should be saying more about them, but there's just not much to say. They're good. Really good. If you're going to build a replica gear setup, Pantac has my vote as the way to go.
Pantac gear can be found in Black, Coyote Brown, Khaki Tan, Olive Drab, MultiCam, and Ranger Green - the Ranger Green line has just recently been released, and I cannot comment on how the color matches to genuine Ranger Green.
Retailers: The best stateside retailer of Pantac products that I've found is AirsoftSmith, who also now stock their Ranger Green products. For some of the less common items, an overseas order may be required. RedWolf Airsoft stocks a great selection of Pantac items.
Genuine Gear
Some Airsofters and/or geardos, most with deep pockets, choose to build a kit using mostly genuine gear. While real gear is more expensive, the quality is unmatched. As an added bonus, almost all real gear is manufactured completely in the United States, and many manufacturers offer lifetime warranties on their products.
- The rest of this section will have to wait until I get through the rest of my classes. It's still a work in progress. -