|
There's lots of vest/chest rigs/plate carriers/etc...options and styles out there. And most of the "regular" styles you'll see are there for a reason...they're used and continue to be used and they work well. So, bear that in mind before diving into "I'll design my own".
There's cheapo airsoft stuff...so-so airsoft stuff...and real stuff. Prices increase accordingly. Basically for gear you get what you pay for. The cheapo stuff is basically as cheap as you can get...but the quality is so poor that it's a waste of $20. The so-so stuff (i.e. what used to be Pantac) is for all intents and purposes for airsoft pretty good. It's priced less than an AEG so it should be figured into your budget accordingly. The real stuff is typically much pricier...but will hold up to a lot of wear and tear, won't fade, has reduced IR signatures, etc....
The absolute best place to get gear is the Classifieds. Guys dump real stuff on there and when you see guys dumping gear it's because they've got so much other stuff that something has got to go. Throw them a good offer...pony up a couple of extra bucks to take more than just the one thing in a combo deal...and you'll probably end up with a very good deal. And if the guy is local and you can pick up you can sometimes get pieces for less than what you'd pay for shipping/duties for it otherwise.
You might have to get things here/there/everywhere to piece a setup together...but it's sort of fun and can be the most cost effective way to go.
Nobody wants to store gear they don't use...guys that have good gear have bins of extra gear that they haven't touched in ages. They want to get rid of it...they just don't want to take a huge loss because it was pricey to get in the first place. Be fair and in the end you'll be amazed at the good deals to be had.
|