TECH: SHADOW FOAM

IN THE SHADOWS

IF YOU FOLLOW THE AA WEBSITE NEWS OR OUR SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS YOU’LL KNOW THAT WE HAD A FABULOUS TIME WHEN WE VISITED AIRSOFT ANONYMOUS PRIOR TO OUR RED CELL GAME/TEST DAY DURING THE SUMMER, AND WHILE WE WERE THERE JENNI LET US INTO A LITTLE SECRET THAT WE SHARED WITH YOU AT THE TIME… THE LAUNCH OF SHADOW FOAM CUSTOM INSERTS FOR THE NUPROL RANGE OF GUN CASES, AND NOW JIMMY HAS HAD A CHACE TO PUT THIS FULLY TO THE TEST!

As airsofters and owners of replica guns we have a responsibility to conceal them and keep them safe when transporting them. There are many ways to carry such items; I’ve seen many different ways players carry their gear/RIFs everything from black sacks to expensive hard cases. There is no set way to carry RIFs but concealment and safety are paramount; we may know they are only toys but to the uneducated member of the public these are real and can easily cause alarm, and this isn’t really what we want.

Everybody has their preferred method of carrying; I personally use both bags and hard cases depending on where I’m going. If I’m travelling to a game day I like to use the hard case for many reasons but if I’m off to the local airsoft shop or a Red Cell meeting I will use a soft bag as chances are I won’t be carrying as much gear. On this occasion I shall be focusing on the hard case and specifically Nuprols excellent hard case which is a very popular model I must say. I had never used a hard case prior to getting a Nuprol case so for me it was quite the novelty to be able to arrange my gear in the clever pick and pluck foam having it all neatly laid out and looking professional but, yes, there is a “but”.

The pick and pluck foam once picked sadly didn’t endure the test of time before it started to fall apart, leaving my gear free to rattle around. I discovered the wave foam, which I found to be more effective, and this has lasted a lot longer and is still going strong three years later. But now there is a new product on the market, I say new, it’s new to airsoft. I remember many years ago being offered some of this by the Snap-On sales guy as it hails from the tool industry which is designed for use in toolboxes and quite frankly the price of it was shocking!

However, the lovely people from Airsoft Anonymous, Jenni and Kirk, who I had the pleasure of meeting a few months back at their shop, were kind enough to send me some Shadow Foam which has been manufactured purely for the Nuprol hardcases which is a great idea!

“THERE IS NO SET WAY TO CARRY RIFS BUT CONCEALMENT AND SAFETY ARE PARAMOUNT; WE MAY KNOW THEY ARE ONLY TOYS BUT TO THE UNEDUCATED MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC THESE ARE REAL AND CAN EASILY CAUSE ALARM, AND THIS ISN’T REALLY WHAT WE WANT.”

WHAT IT SAYS ON THE CAN

What’s Shadow Foam I hear you say? Shadow Foam is a multi-layered polyethylene foam that makes organisation as simple as cut and peel. Use any sharp knife to cut around your item, then peel back layers for depth. Shadow Foam is water and common chemical resistant, so if there are any spills, just wipe them off with no problems. It is available in seven colour variations with either a colour top, or colour base, and enhanced with a UV stabiliser to ensure the colour never fades. You can get the foam In THREE sizes medium, large and extra-large.

When I heard they were going to be sending some our way I was quite excited as I had seen a few videos of the process and once finished it looked really neat and tidy; seeing some of the work Jenni and Kirk have done I think they have it nailed, so if you are looking for the Shadow Foam and are wanting it done right then I suggest getting in contact with Airsoft Anonymous. I spoke with Jenni on messenger who was more than happy to give me any help and tips on how to get the perfect fit for all my wares, so rest assured if you are going to tackle it yourself help is at hand.

Upon opening the packaging I found two pieces of the shadow foam, one piece for the bottom of the case and one slightly thinner piece for the top section, along with an envelope which contained a nice sticker, a scalpel, a packet of fresh blades and a brief rundown/instructions, so the only thing you will need is a ruler some free time and a compulsory tipple of your choice.

FITTING RIGHT IN

The next task is to choose exactly what you are going to fit into your case; for me it was a difficult choice as I have some much to choose from so I picked my favourite two RIFs which are my UMG45 Elite and my Hi Capa Gold Match Custom along with all the attachments and magazines. The best method is not to dive straight in and start hacking away, but to lay your gear out on top of the foam and arrange it in such a way that you are happy with it. Then take a picture so you can refer to at along the way it just makes it easier.

Once you happy with the layout then you can start cutting, but be mindful, the blades are razor sharp. The beauty of the scalpel is it is a very thin tool which allows you to follow the shapes of everything very closely and with precision. Don’t rush this part after all you want it to look neat. Make an initial cut trying to keep the blade cutting at the same depth so that when you come to pull out the sections you have cut it comes out easier and you don’t ruin the layers. You can always cut more if you haven’t gone deep enough so don’t panic if you didn’t cut deep enough on you first pass. Then it is just a case of cracking on with the rest of your gear until it’s complete. You can be a creative as you like and done properly you can fit a fair amount of items in one case. For reference check out the Airsoft Anonymous Facebook page where you can see some of the work they have done and there are also some great little vids showing the process.

Here’s a final thought though! If like me you own a small arsenal then you may want to invest in a couple if not three of the kits because once it’s cut it is tailored specifically to that platform so may not fit your others RIFs... or you can just cut down on your personal arsenal… said no airsofter… ever! AA