Summer Photo Scenes Vermont

This article was submitted by John Durfee

I've visited Vermont in the past few years to meet up with some old friends who moved there a few years ago and every time I find something new. In the summer I've enjoyed the Champlain Valley Fair and experienced a heavenly slice of America I never experienced growing up in Chicago. In the fall there's a plethora of farmers markets, and wonderful tours of local wineries. And no one can deny the glorious vistas of burning orange and yellow when the leaves turn. One thing that's surprised me when I was planning my next visit: Airsoft. I've been playing for the past ten years, and never thought I'd be able to play in the Green Mountain State.

A Little History

Airsoft originated in Japan in the late 1970's. Japanese law after World War II prevented civilian ownership of firearms, so companies started to produce air powered realistic looking replicas for public use. Over time, clubs began to develop, and the sport of airsoft was formed. In the United States, airsoft had only had a small following up until the late 1990's. This was because the only manufacturers of airsoft were from Japan and Taiwan, and importing airsoft guns was on a small scale because of their high initial prices and need for specialized knowledge. In the past decade however, the sport has developed from a small niche in the sporting market to a very popular sport and tactical simulation tool. Because of recent robust and more affordable designs coming out of neighboring China, airsoft has become hugely accessible to the public. There are fields and stores nationwide that are helping to spread the excitement and knowledge of this fun and safe sport.

What's it all about

There's a bustling and quickly expanding culture of Airsoft in the Northeast, and Vermont is one of the hot-spots. Similar to paintball, Airsoft is much more realistic in the look and feel of the weapons used. Instead of paintballs, small plastic pellets called Airsoft BBs are shot out. They give a little sting, but that's part of the fun and with a light sweater or jacket, it's barely a pinch. Nothing beats an afternoon zipping through the woods at full speed and playing like a kid again.

Where to Play in Vermont,

The hotspot in Vermont for airsoft is the airsoft field GMSOG. They have multiple fields in the area and a lot to offer. With 130 acres and a variety of environments and stages to play airsoft, the extent of your adventure is up to you. You can rent all your airsoft equipment, and entry is for a flat daily fee. They even have military style training classes for civilians to learn self defense techniques, and a real weapons shooting range as well.

With all the great forests and open land Vermont has to offer, there's numerous other fields and groups. Airsplat has a great map for Vermont Airsoft Sites as well as resources for finding other US Airsoft Fields and Clubs. Another great site to visit is NEASG; it's the official airsoft organization for the whole new England region. So get out there and have a blast!

John Durfee is a Gulf War veteran and the marketing manager for Airsplat, the nation's largest retailer of Airsoft Guns and Airsoft Apparel.