SOF Visit by Wild Bill
One of the great things about playing Airsoft is that you get to recreate your heroes, if only for a short while. Although all you really need to “get your game on” is your AEG and safety gear, whether you are a gamer, a scenario player or a full on MilSim realist part of the fun is putting together your gear for the game!
One of the most exciting developments in our game is the continued rise in themed events; from one game to another you can find yourself going from the Normandy Beachheads of WWII to a post-apocalyptic Cityscape via the jungles of Vietnam!
Many friends of mine will take days or weeks preparing for a big game, spending evenings researching their subject and lots of their hard-earned cash in the stores both real and online.
I am often asked where I find my personal gear, and although it actually comes from many sources I thought I would kick off this new “gear” section of Airsoft Digest with a virtual visit to one of my favorite “one stop” stores, Soldier of Fortune in the United Kingdom (www.sofmilitary.co.uk).
Peter Kabluczenko opened the doors to Soldier of Fortunes first 1500 sq ft Chester store in 1976, and it has been growing steadily since that day. Over the years Peter has been joined in the business by his two sons, Alun in 1985 and then Paul in 1989.
After changing premises several times over the years the family decided to make their base in Corwen, North Wales in a low key but impressive 19,000 sq ft facility incorporating shop, warehouse and mail order facilities. Alun and Paul are now at the forefront of the business, although Peter is still actively involved with the militaria side of things.
The reason I refer to them as being a “one stop” store is that they really do cater for most eras and tastes! Although they do have a massive (and I mean that quite literally!) selection of modern day uniforms, equipment and footwear available you will also be able to find a vast range from both WWII and the Vietnam War.
If you do go to visit the shop make sure you have your navigation skills with you as the entrance really is just a single, low key sign. There is ample parking at the front of the building, but again the main entrance is understated. As you enter you’ll be greeted by simple but impressive static equipment displays, but it’s only when you climb the stairs to the shop area on the mezzanine that you realise you are somewhere out of the ordinary!
For those of us used to dingy and cluttered Army Surplus stores SOF is simply a revelation; bright, open, airy and extremely well ordered. As Alun kindly took time to give me the grand tour he explained that as they were quite remotely situated they had tried extremely hard to create a welcoming atmosphere so that families could visit together.
And that has been very well achieved indeed.
As you will see from the photographs accompanying this text the range of gear on offer is quite staggering and you can really take your time finding exactly what you came searching for, be it a Protec helmet, a WWII Denison Smock, or a pair of Vietnam Jungle Boots.
Bear in mind that Soldier of Fortune offers a choice of three online, and two hardcopy catalogs (Military, Law Enforcement, and Re-enactment). Although there is a fine selection on display the knowledgeable and friendly staff will soon disappear into the depths of the cavernous warehouse to dig something out if it’s not in plain sight.
The guys often find themselves dealing with serving military personnel and law enforcement officers so you can be certain that what is on offer will be the real deal in this area. Although they do try to stock as much genuine gear as possible, they are also masters of reproduction when it comes to some of the historical pieces.
Alun explained that they go to great lengths to ensure that any reproduction they offer is as close to the original as is humanly possible, and that any “real” gear offered has been thoroughly tried and tested before it is put into stock.
Although the store itself is impressive enough, it’s when you go behind the scenes to the Warehouse that you truly get an idea of the scale of the operation that SOF runs; remember the warehouse at the end of “Raiders”? Well, it’s not quite that big but it is completely full of treasures for anyone interested in anything even vaguely military!
The Warehouse and Offices connect the Store and the Shipping Department, making for easy transfer of stock items, and the place is a real hive of activity. The shop is wonderful but currently about 90% of SOFs’ business still comes via the website or mail order and they take getting orders out in a timely fashion VERY seriously.
The Shipping Department, which sends packages worldwide, was especially busy at the time of my visit as they were getting ready to head to the 2009 War & Peace Show; customer orders were being given priority but countless pallets of gear were in readiness to head down to the show.
Alun explained that they also take their presence at such shows seriously; yes it is good for business but it also allows them to interact on a face to face basis with their customer, to track trends in the marketplace, and to ensure that product development is focused where it needs to be. Customer input is highly valued.
As my visit came to a close I felt extremely privileged to have had the opportunity to see the whole operation. I have personally bought from Soldier of Fortune for a number of years and have never been disappointed in their products or services. Seeing how much emphasis the guys put on customer satisfaction I can begin to appreciate why I have always felt this way.
If you find yourself in North Wales then I would thoroughly recommend a visit to the store as I believe it to be the model of how a first rate operation of this type will look in the future. If you are not lucky enough to be able to do this make certain to have a look at their online offerings; you will not be disappointed!
Of course, I couldn’t leave empty handed, could I? Watch this space for upcoming reviews of Helikon Clothing products, a new line at SOF!
Soldier of Fortune,
Euro House,
13 Tyn-y-Llidiart Industrial Estate,
Corwen,
Denbighshire,
North Wales
LL21 9QX..
T: 011 44 (0)1490 412225
F: 011 44 (0)1490 412205
E: sales@sofmilitary.co.uk
See all the pictures of SOF here.
- END ADM
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Everything
is In Our Opinion Only - We lay no claim to any of these ideas,
suggestions, tunes, etc. We learned, in person and online, from
people who are a lot smarter than us and we merely use and try to
improve upon what we consider to be useful. ADM
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