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Stepping onto the airsoft field, you'll usually find that some players have a distinct accessory that some of the other players don't. Fitted to a player's backpack or belt, you may find a metal canister with a strange pneumatic apparatus fitted atop it. It seems to be a small scuba tank affixed with a hose that runs into the grip of the user's primary. Once the game begins, you find yourself ducking for cover alongside that same scuba-tank wielder. They turn a corner and shoot off so many BBs that you'd think they're blasting away in full auto. Wide eyed, you turn to them and say, "Woah... Where can I get one of those?"

These pneumatic systems are known as HPA (High Pressure Air) setups, and though they can offer some of the most ludicrous performance possible in an airsoft gun when set up right, they might cost you a pretty penny to get up and running. Not to be confused with GBBs (Gas Blowbacks), which run off of green gas or CO2, HPA airsoft guns are powered by raw compressed air pressurized by a scuba fill station. While Green Gas and CO2 self-regulate to some extent, pressurized air requires a regulator affixed to the top of the canister, which actually provides a higher degree of shot-to-shot consistency for the whole fill. Best of all, HPA suffers from very little cooldown during rapid fire, making it inherently better than traditional gas options during prolonged play. HPA tanks are constantly pressurized while full, meaning there is little to no delay between pulling the trigger and having a BB leave the barrel of your gun. AEGs in comparison need time for their motor to spin and compress the air that will propel the BB.

While all these features seem like they'd make running HPA the absolute best way to optimize your airsoft game, there's a few more considerations to make. In this article, we'll discuss the pros and cons of HPA and AEGs respectively. Then, with the information provided, hopefully help you come to a decision on which system is best for you!

Ultimate Battle of the Power Systems: HPA Vs. AEG

AEG


The good majority of players started their airsoft career with a trusty rusty battery powered airsoft gun. Why? Well, unlike HPA, they don't demand a $600+ investment to get up and running. Not only are AEGs inexpensive, but so long as you don't open up the hood, they can be the easiest to pick up and use for any novice player.

Even so, many veteran players still opt for a standard AEG over a fancy HPA system. We'll list some of the main argumentative points for sticking with an AEG and analyze them, providing as much information as possible to help you decide the winner!

1. AEG Batteries can be easily charged anywhere.

Not everyone has an advanced scuba pump! As an HPA user, in order to use your gun, you will have to keep your tank filled. HPA refills aren't terribly expensive depending on where you get yours, but you'll still have to consider where and when you'll be getting your fill. There are inexpensive hand pumps as well, but they require well over 15 minutes of straight pumping to fill all the way. With an AEG, all you have to do to make sure your power source is ready is simply grab a charger and plug your battery into an outlet. Why deal with the hassle of finding and paying for tank fills when you can just use a wall charger?

2. AEGs don't require a hose.

No matter how authentic you try to make an HPA airsoft gun look, so long as it has that hose or tank attached to it, it'll always look like an airsoft gun. The hose can become cumbersome during play, especially if you have a good amount of gear on your person that it can easily become caught on. If you need to pass your buddy a gun in the heat of action, it's not as simple with an HPA setup. You'll have to transfer all your tank equipment as well, which may not be feasible in an intense moment. And, if for whatever reason, that hose gets caught or snags on something too tightly, replacing a hose can be pricey.

3. AEGs can perform just as well as HPA if built right, and for cheaper too!

With the cornucopia of AEG upgrade parts on the market, you can bring your AEG on par with the performance of an HPA rifle with the right technical know how. AEGs offer a wider degree of performance versatility with myriad of computerized MOSFETs, gearsets, and motor options you can choose between for different results. Labor costs can be expensive, but if done yourself, building up a high-performance AEG can put you right on par with HPA users for a fraction of the price. Do keep in mind that installing parts is always at your own risk, and even the smallest missed detail can be catastrophic for your AEGs performance! I always recommend our EPS (Evike Performance Shop) if you prefer a professional to work on your gun.

HPA


Making the jump into HPA can be a pricey one for sure, but many who do swear they'll never go back. It offers the most premium performance one can achieve in the hobby with relatively very little hassle. There are drop-in kits that allow you to transform your AEG into an HPA system, and there are fully built HPA systems that come as a from-the-ground-up pneumatic rifle system.

In order to get your HPA setup up and running, you'll need to acquire a: HPA Tank, Regulator, Hose, and a primary with an HPA engine installed. Though each of these items can offer an intimidating entry price, getting everything set up can leave you with by far one of the most effective tools for securing eliminations on the airsoft field. Let's get into some of the main arguments for running HPA!

1. HPA is more reliable than an AEG of equivalent performance.

An expertly built AEG can last forever, but fast trigger response and rate of fire will usually have an inverse relationship with reliability. HPA doesn't have that issue, and will perform at the peak of its firepower with relatively little issues. If you know you're going to be running your rifle strenuously, you can bet on an HPA system to last longer with less hiccups!

2. HPA offers better shot to shot consistency than an AEG.

Since AEGs rely on a compression system to generate the pressure needed to fire a shot, the mechanical system will consequentially produce more vibrations. Range, accuracy, and FPS variation will still mostly depend on the quality of your hop-up unit, bucking, and barrel. But assuming all variables equal, the HPA system will be more consistent due to the lack of vibrations its mechanics cause. An AEG has a massive spring pressurizing air inside a cylinder that can make an audible crack every time it completes a cycle. You can feel the vibrations down to your hand! On the contrary, the only thing moving inside an HPA unit is the nozzle chambering a BB. For those looking to inch out every bit of accuracy they can, HPA might be the way to go!

3. Trigger Response. Period.

This is probably what turned your head towards the idea of HPA in the first place. An HPA rifle with a sensitively tuned speed-trigger might be able to empty a magazine faster on semi-auto than your budget AEG can on full auto. Ethics of using such a powerful force aside, having the ability to do so can be a major drawing force for equipping yourself with an HPA system. By sheer volume of fire, you'll be able to hit your targets more and thus take more eliminations for your team!

What will take with you into the airsoft battlefield?