Dress Code

So I've already covered what NOT to focus on when it comes to Nerf Games.  On the flip side, I'll put in my two cents to having a successful Tactical layout for foam slinging, starting with the other side of that coin: what you SHOULD wear.  It's also quasi-related to the Weekly Giveaway question for this week.  Again, the focus here is for Indoor Nerf Games, but the same idea of practicality ahead of "looking cool" that I'll explain applies.


While different players will each have unique styles of playing, there's generally one common factor that'll play into your game: activity.  For the most part, this means you've got to be wearing something comfortable to run around indoors with.  Athletic wear is generally what you'll want to go with.  Stray away from heavier materials like Jeans, fleeces, and heavy cotton.  A good rule of thumb is that if it'll keep you warm, it'll probably be a bad choice for an active game.  So some gym shorts with a T-shirt will generally go pretty far for you.  If those gym shorts also have pockets on them, you'll already be solving an ammo storage problem.  Moisture-wicking shirts (like Under Armour) also can lend a hand, though I would suggest wearing a t-shirt over them so they don't get snagged on anything when you're running through wherever you're playing.  Even the Nerf Dart Tag shirts are a good option.  That, and I just think they look friggin cool!  They are functional as a good flexible and breathable shirt to wear.  Good running shoes will also help you out (that is, if you're playing somewhere indoors where shoes are allowed).

If you want to take a step up from the "I just went to the gym" look, there are a few other things that can help you.  Fingerless gloves are especially helpful when it comes to equipment handling.  There's nothing worse than picking up a blaster whose trigger is dripping with sweat!  Fingerless gloves will help you get a good grip on things in the heat of the battle while still keeping the tips of your fingers free.  For me, I can handle things better with my fingers exposed.  I get less control when I'm trying to un-jam a dart from a Recon when I have full gloves on.  Additionally, you can think about ammo storage options.  However, these shouldn't impede your ability to move and should be secure enough to handle the rigors of combat.  This means if you've got some kind of sling or bandoleer that it should be snug enough against you that it won't flop around too much during combat.  I've literally seen someone run into combat with an overloaded Nerf Bandoleer who smacked himself in the face with his ammo pouch trying to flee from someone else.  The pouch actually lost darts when he did that!  Generally Nerf Games are fast-paced enough that you don't need to carry 20 pounds of gear on you when, in the end, it'll end up slowing you down.  I'm more of a fan of going out with a fully loaded blaster and picking up ammo along the way as I go.

There's also the issue with storing Dart Tag ammo.  I mentioned before that you can store darts in your pockets, but the velcro on Dart Tag Darts can cause a problem with that since they will likely stick to the insides, making retrieval a bit of an issue.  A lot of times we'll just flat-out not use Dart Tag darts for games (like when we did our Vortex vs N-Strike game, we just stuck with disks and streamlines).  However, there is a way of using that Velcro to your advantage.  If you put a strip of fuzzy-side velcro somewhere on your blaster, shirt, pants, gloves, wherever it works for you, you can store Dart Tag Darts on those panels and take 'em off when you need to refresh your ammo.  I did this with my Swarmfire, but I'll touch more on Blasters and Mods for them tomorrow!