Today I’m going to take a look at the department store options you have for searching for airsoft in Canada. We are going to look at Canadian Tire, Walmart, and a local discount department store in London, Ontario, by the name of Forest City Surplus.
Let’s start with the Big Box stores. In checking out Canadian Tire and Walmart, I found that they carry only minimal stock levels. They seem to feel it is unnecessary to carry more. Not every Canadian Tire is the same, but at the ones I visited, I found an average of 12–16 airsoft handguns and rifles. All of the guns I saw were cheaply made, mostly constructed with common clear plastic. The cheap construction shows that these guns are mostly for entry-level players looking to try out the sport. These players haven’t considered the durability and consistency required by more advanced players who have gone from shooting in their basements or backyards to rougher field play. In my experience, poor quality limits your fun, even just for backyard airsoft. I have found that it is possible for a cheap gun to break within the first day of use.
Now if you go to Walmart, you will most likely find Walther P22 airsoft pistols that have the shooting power of a decade-old Nerf gun, which trust me, isn’t worth buying. The only thing going for Walmart is the fact the Walther brand they carry is the same brand as James Bond’s personal firearm. The Walmart located at Argyle mall had only two airsoft handguns when I visited. On their website, they had a small selection of various gear for both airsoft and paintball consisting of 30 items in total. Most of these products can only be purchased online. So while this may seem like a good selection of gear to choose from, you will not be able to get much help with your choice. If you are looking to purchase what is right for you, the staff there will not be able to assist much, as online purchase agents have little or no training on airsoft. In the store, I have found that the most they can tell you is what is written on the box.
Finally I went to check out Forest City Surplus Canada in London. At first when entering the store I didn’t see the airsoft, so I asked one of the cashiers, and they pointed to a separate room. As I walked through the metal gates topped with spikes, I knew I was on to something, and then I saw it. There was a whole wall filled with nothing but airsoft rifles. AK-47s, M4s, futuristic P90 and Bullpup-style guns, and even a classic gangster style Tommy gun and World War 2 Thompson rifle. The selection just kept on going. When I explored the aisles filled with tactical gear, I noticed camouflage clothing, combat boots, and even more airsoft guns. Off to one side were sniper rifles. Behind the counter were pistols and smoke grenades. I then started to count the models — 31, 32, 33, 34 — -and it was at that point it dawned on me, they had more models of airsoft guns than Walmart and Canadian Tire combined.
At this point I thought I had reached the top of airsoft. I got out my Kleenex to wipe the drool off my chin. Then my gawking was interrupted by the tactical guy, who asked me if I was looking for airsoft gear or if I was there to use the airsoft range. He explained that they had spent years using their airsoft range to test out which airsoft guns gave airsoft players who compete out in the field the best value. He also said the shooting range allowed me to try out a type of airsoft gun myself before I bought it. “But if you’re not looking to spend a lot, or you are just beginning with airsoft,” he said, “We have a wide variety of airsoft pistols in the entry-level price range of $10-$50.” As I looked through the selection of entry-level models, I noticed some came with BBs, and a couple of models even came with targets.
I turned around and realized that when it came to airsoft gear there was even more: a full selection of ammunition, including plastic BBs designed for indoor play, and biodegradable ones designed for outdoor field play. There were also safety goggles, military uniforms, camo clothing, tactical vests, and lots of tactical equipment, including a wide variety of customizable parts to mix and match in order to build the perfect rig. I had a flashback to my Big Box shopping trip and realized that Walmart and Canadian Tire had around two scopes for purchase. Here there were 20! There was also no guarantee of that the one Walmart model would even fit your particular gun. Here I could ask one of the tactical guys for the right fit.
For advanced players I discovered specialty equipment like smoke grenades, spare batteries, and spare magazines. I also found that the tactical staff had the background knowledge and experience to be able to provide me with the answers I needed. In contrast, the staff at the Big Box stores were selling products from dozens of different sports, and they didn’t have a lot of knowledge of airsoft.
The next time I need to buy airsoft gear, Forest City Surplus Canada will definitely be my first choice.
