An Interview with Solotron Tactical
Up next in our series, we are proud to present our friend and sponsored player, Josh, aka Solotron Tactical.
Solotron Tactical is one of Amped's favorite airsoft snipers in the industry. We had the pleasure of meeting Josh a few years ago at his home field in Texas during a previous American Milsim Southern Front event.
After getting sponsored by Amped Airsoft, he quickly proved how well he fits with the Amped Airsoft family. Producing content on YouTube for viewers inside of airsoft and out alike, helping new players find their bearings, and even working at his local field out of a deep sense of care for the hobby were all actions that fit very well with Amped Airsoft's mission.
Click here to check out his YouTube!
Intro to the Sport and Amped Airsoft
Q: Where are you from and what is your home/local field?
Josh: [My home field is] PD14 Airsoft in Denton, Texas.
Q: How long have you been playing airsoft and what was the reason you started?
Josh: I began playing Airsoft in 2012 after 15 years of participating in competitive laser tag (yes, it was a thing!) and was looking for a new hobby. I found my way into RC cars, but I could not find anyone to race with.
During this time, I also caught my first glimpse of airsoft via Amazon. I decided to sell all of my RC equipment and picked up my first airsoft replica and gear from a Craigslist listing. I got hooked on Redwold videos on YouTube and after a quick Google search, I found there was an airsoft facility just down the road from my house. After spending the weekend there, I was hooked!
Q: How did you get sponsored by and come to know Amped Airsoft?
Josh: As an employee of D14 Airsoft, and a huge American Milsim fan, I was lucky enough to have Amped at almost every National Event I attended. I got to know Kurtis and the crew pretty well and found their amazing customer service, commitment to the community, and welcoming attitude to be inline with my own values.
"Sometimes airsoft can be a love-hate relationship"
Key Moments
Q: What has been your favorite airsoft event you have ever attended and why?
Josh: My second big Milsim event was ESR-19 back in 2013. This American Milsim led event was held at the world's largest junkyard in Roosevelt, Oklahoma. The facility was so diverse and made for some of the best airsoft skirmishes I have been a part of. It allowed me to participate in direct action with my team. This allowed me to have an incredibly immersive experience.
Q: What is your favorite part of playing airsoft?
Josh: On the field, I love the competition that Airsoft provides. There is nothing like hunting down targets on the field. Off the field, I spend many hours building and maintaining my extensive airsoft collection.
My most recent venture has been ghillie suit crafting, even starting a small side business selling my materials to other airsoft snipers.
Q: What is your Favorite memory from playing?
Josh: I'll never forget my first Milsim event. I had a mask that fogged the entire event, broke my gun in half, and was not able to shoot anyone the whole time but still had a blast. I was with the guys who would later become members of our team, Viper Tactical.
Q: What was your first airsoft gun?
Josh: My first airsoft replica was the JG G36C.
Advice to New Players
Q: What advice would you give to new players?
Josh: Sometimes airsoft can be a love-hate relationship.
Buy the good gear once instead of making cheap gear last for a long time.
If you get bored with local open play, take the time to travel to another field or attend a big event.
Advice to New Players
Q: What is your favorite current airsoft gun?
Josh: Currently, it is my recently built AR-47 with a Redline Airsoft N7 Milsim and Gen2 airstock. When it comes to sniping, I prefer to use my fully built Silverback Tac41 P. Parts inside include SniperMechanics, Rapax, and Lambda.
Q: Give a quick overview of your kit and what you like to run when playing.
Josh: Over the last 11 years, I have served nearly every role in the hobby you could imagine. Only recently have I fallen in love with the role of getting ghillied up and sniping. All of my Ghillie suits are the KMCS brand because they are strong, [and] can handle the tough Texas foliage. They are also breathable enough to handle high temps. I exclusively use the AGM crafting materials to craft my suits.
For eye protection, I have a modified pair of Oakley Influx goggles. I also use the Brain exploder lower face protector to prevent my teeth from being shot. Staying fog free is my top priority and this is done through the use of the Exfog system mounted on the rear of my goggles.
My LBE is the Viper Tactical buckle up chest rig and charger pack. The Velcro pocket allows me to change out magazine inserts easily, so I can go from replica platform to platform without having to change my gear.
For my footwear, I prefer to rotate my boots using the Salomon XA Forces Mid GTX, and the Altama Maritime Assault.
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MORE ABOUT THE SPONSORED PLAYER SERIES
Overtime, we at Amped Airsoft have grown as well as refined our community and player-centric brand. Although there are plenty of ways we have been able to do this, our Amped Airsoft sponsorship program is one way we have been able to expand our brand through players who we feel represent our company while simultaneously being a positive force for the Airsoft industry.
Although Amped Airsoft has had different sponsorship guidelines over time, our current program combines everything we have learned since the conception of the company and previous revisions of our sponsorship guidelines. First and foremost, Amped Airsoft does not sponsor airsoft teams, but rather individuals that we feel represent our company's brand and best interests. That being said, there are fewer than five teams that Amped Airsoft does in fact sponsor due to their long standing relationship with Amped Airsoft as well as their staunch loyalty to our mission.
We currently have a relatively tight knit group of Amped sponsored players that regularly play together across the country. To become a sponsored player, one must already be on the company's radar, being recommended by Amped Airsoft Employees, or other sponsored players. Following this, the player will be invited to join the program during an event attended by the company. They must sign an ethical agreement basically saying that they will represent our brand positively both on and off the field.
"For the Players, by the Players"