If you’re like me, you’re essentially melting during our “delightful” summer on the Atlantic coast, especially on its southern edges. Still, we want to play our games, and most of the time that means dealing with outdoor conditions. Let’s face it: most of us are not desert-trained “Billy Bad-ass” types. We just aren’t, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, because we aren’t, there are things to consider to avoid heat exhaustion when you play outside. Most of these should be no-brainers, but in case they aren’t….

HYDRATE.

I cannot express enough the importance of drinking something when you’re outside. It doesn’t have to be water – I’d actually recommend Pedialyte or Gatorade – but it definitely shouldn’t be soda or alcohol. The goal is to keep your tissues hydrated and keep oxygen flowing well through your body. This will of course also keep you cool. However, there is a flip side in which you shouldn’t drink too much. Yes, there is such a thing. General rule of thumb? An adult should probably take in at least 20 ounces of a healthy liquid for every two hours of activity. I usually up that to an hourly intake, but I have kidney issues, so I drink a lot. It’s also important to drink something every time you eat, even if it’s just water. Food can dry you out more than you think because your body has to pull in moisture to start digestion. Still, as the viral videos of yore exclaim, “Your body needs water, so drink that shit.”

Seek out shade.

I know that large open public parks and other such areas make for better battle terrain as you can then suit them to your needs, but honestly it’s better to play under some kind of canopy. Sunscreen won’t last for long – even the “athletic” stuff – so you shouldn’t be relying just on it. Playing under trees or in an open-air warehouse or bazaar will be far more forgiving to your bodies in the long run, if you can manage it. Even if you can’t, try to find a park with some manner of canopied rest area so you can cool down between activities.

Lighter loadouts beat “being prepared.”

Sure, there’s something fun about being a one-man army, but no matter whether you’re “used to” carrying your full rig or not, just don’t. Trust me on that. Years of “recon” airsoft taught me that it’s much better to travel with just one weapon, a bit of ammo for it, and absolutely nothing else. This way, you don’t have a rig keeping heat in your core, which can and will mess with you. Yes, even mesh ones don’t really let heat leave your chest all that effectively. If you want to carry extra ammo, I recommend investing in a dump pouch to slap on your belt, maybe even cargo shorts/pants. Still, you want to be as lightweight and loosely-clothed as possible in the summer. Nobody likes a “manfunk burrito.” Not your body, not others’ noses.

Mesh trumps plastic.

No, I don’t mean with clothing. I mean with your eye protection. In the event that you’re using full-face protection, it’s honestly a bit better to go with copper (or other material) “mesh lenses” than plastic ones. No matter how “fogproof” they claim to be, your lenses can and will fog up with the moisture of your breath. Years of paintball and airsoft (where mesh is not an option) have proven that to me time and time again. If you’re covering your nose and mouth, there’s a good chance Murphy’s Law will strike and you will hit some fog. To avoid it, look for masks with mesh. Most of them are more cosmetic than functional – and a bit pricey – but in the long run you’ll thank me.

Also, no, they’re not as “obstructing” as you may think. They darken and blur your field of vision until your eyes get used to them, yes, but you can still make out targets just fine. Well, I could when I tried some on, at least. If you’re insistent on full face coverage, I say try ’em out.

Jog, don’t run.

There are those of us who are well-suited for going all-out in the heat, and that’s great. However, that’s because they’ve conditioned themselves to do so. If you aren’t conditioned as such, there is no problem with slowing down a bit in the summer. Nerf darts – for the most part – are pretty set on their ranges, anyway. You can close those gaps jogging just fine rather than sprinting all over the place. It’ll be a lot better for you in the long run (pun intended), and hopefully it’ll cut down on your exertion.

Anyway, these are the “big tips” I have for you. Hopefully, by now a lot of you (us) are gearing up for some really fun times outside with others. The easiest way to keep them fun is to keep things safe, so try not to die of heatstroke, eh?