Airsoft is one of the fastest growing extreme sports in the World. It is a shooting sport similar to paintball involving team strategy and realistic military scenarios.
GAME PLAY
While objectives change with different game scenarios, there is always a focus on realistic military tactics, dependent teamwork, and individual precision in firearm combat skills. Airsoft is popular as a team sport, drawing thousands of passionate players and fans to fields in Canada alone. Airsoft is also powerful as a group activity due to its fast pace, fun factor and its natural encouragement of comraderie and cooperation. Some popular game scenarios include capture the flag variants, opponent team elimination, and siege situations.
TRAINING
Airsoft is also highly effective as a training tool. Many military and police groups use it as a non-lethal way to engage in realistic scenarios to hone their skills in close combat situations. Several Canadian police forces have found it to be the best way to replicate real-world scenarios in order to improve in-field reactions and group synergy in live action confrontations.
EQUIPMENT
Airsoft guns are designed to be as military realistic as possible which is part of what makes the sport so much fun. In fact, variants of the guns used in fields across Canada are used in Hollywood movies due to their realism. These Hollywood Airsoft guns are not available for players and fields so CAS works closely with the Canadian government and Airsoft manufacturers in order to bring the highest quality Airsoft products that comply with Canadian legislation to Canada's Airsoft Community.
Airsoft guns generally fire small plastic BBs at speeds ranging from 200 feet per second to over 400 feet per second. The BBs are loaded into the receiver chamber of the gun from a detachable magazine. When the trigger is pulled the BBs are propelled by compressed air which is created by electric motor, compressed gas (ie CO2) or spring.
AIRSOFT FIELDS
As Airsoft has grown in Canada so have its playing areas. Originally Airsoft was played in backyards and any piece of secluded forest. Today the sport has evolved in Canada to focus around Legitimate Airsoft Establishments that have organized and quarantined playing areas. These Airsoft Fields have well developed environments for various types of gameplay generally including forested areas and fort structures. Canadian Airsoft fields also require and surpass existing high standards for safety through supervision and regular maintenance of their playing areas. CAS believes such Airsoft establishments hold the future of Airsoft in Canada and therefore we support and encourage their continued development in every way that we can.
HISTORY
Airsoft was developed in the 80s in Asia for firearm enthusiasts and target shooting. It was created to be a safe and legitimate way to enjoy military realism and precision training where real firearms were unavailable or undesirable. It has since grown around the globe and in North America has followed the game play found in paintball and lasertag; other popular shooting and tactic sports. Canada has followed suit and Airsoft is now one of the fastest growing extreme sports in Canada with thousands of enthusiastic players and fans playing in fields across Canada.
INDUSTRY
Canadian Airsoft is growing exponentially with no sign of slowing down. With thousands of active players and enthusiasts across Canada demanding quality product it is up to Canada's retailers to try to keep up. The industry is one of continuous research and technological growth from the players on the field to CAS' approach to wholesaling. Airsoft is an industry that demands constant enhancement and customizing of equipment and accessories for improved game play. This focus on enhancement and customizing allows retailers to offer a wide and changing spectrum of product, accessories and apparel to an eager customer base. CAS' exclusive relationships with Asian manufacturers, large order buying power and superior logistical network allow CAS to offer groundbreaking prices for retailers that can be passed onto an appreciative consumer base.
COMMUNITY
Airsoft's high paced group strategy dynamic creates quick and easy bonds between players and enthusiasts. The Airsoft community is a tight-knit group that researches, purchases, promotes and plays together. The Canadian Airsoft Community has an enormous online presence evidenced by thousands of members represented in Airsoft forums as well as online reviews; video and static, and the majority of Canadian Airsoft retailers operating exclusively online.
DEMOGRAPHIC
Predominantly the Canadian Airsoft Community is comprised of males aged 16-40 focused on the advancement of Airsoft technology and game play as well as legitimacy of Airsoft as a sport in Canada. This demographic is a fast paced, edgy niche that is passionate about technology and quality and pushing the envelope of their industry. They typically buy high-quality product that is durable, accurate, has consistent mechanics, custom additions and that is as military realistic as legislation allows. This consumer base is built on a majority of mulitiple-repeat customers that are extremely product-aware and closely networked. These players analyze and circulate information as well as critique quickly and broadly. They play regularly, typically on local Airsoft fields with a close network of other regular players.
A smaller demographic of Airsoft players is younger and less interested in Airsoft's legitimacy as a sport, they regard Airsoft more as a hobby or game to be played in the backyard. Military realism is less important as is overall quality which relates to age requirements for the higher-end guns. Selling points of military realism should not be promoted to this catagory.
SAFETY
Safety in the Canadian Airsoft industry is one of CAS' main focuses. CAS believes that Airsoft safety in Canada begins with clear and appropriate government legislation of Airsoft products so CAS is working closely with the Canadian government to clarify and refine existing legislation and spearhead new legislation for the Airsoft Industry. CAS is also working towards safety in Canada's Airsoft industry through the promotion of Airsoft fields across Canada that set standards for gameplay, supervision, and equipment including safety gear. Ultimately safety in the Airsoft community is up to the individual players, so CAS encourages clearly set objectives and rules for gameplay as well as proper safety gear be used at all times. Safety gear should include any or all of the following; eye-enclosing projectile resistant goggles, and the optional use of tactical clothing, helmets, sturdy boots, neck guards and gloves.
LEGALITIES
Airsoft legislation finds itself somewhere between plastic Nerf guns and real military weaponry. The results can be tricky and confusing for retailers as well as consumers particularly as importing of guns is concerned. CAS takes care of any and all possibilities for confusion and guess work by dealing directly with the manufacturers as well as the Canadian government to ensure legal product and guaranteed importing and delivery. CAS is also actively involved in clarifying and refining existing Canadian Airsoft legislation and spearheading new Canadian Airsoft legislation. Further steps CAS is taking include collaborating with some of the biggest names in Airsoft internationally to innovate Airsoft products that are specific to Canada's legislation and Canadian players needs.