Hello. My name's Tim, and I'm not an alcoholic. 
Being a 37 year-old, single, non-drinker does have advantages: Disposable income to spend on nice toys, there are no arguments over who has to be designated driver, and I can remember all the drinkers' embarrassing moments. 
I've not been to an airsoft skirmish before, but I have had paintball experience up until a few years ago.
I've been interested in getting into some form of WW2 re-enacting for some time. I'm now in a position where I can afford it, but kit-wise, I have a problem. I'd like to go Allied, preferably British, but I have a wool allergy. This has been an issue for me with the more pedantic re-enactment groups. Most want it to be spot-on accurate, which basically rules out WW2 British battledress for me. I see from the info that CiA appears less pedantic. Berets are OK, it's a skin contact thing. So, what are my options?
WRT weapons:
I'm not UKARA registered, but I have a pre-VCRA purchased TM MP5SD6, which I gather equates to a suppressed Sten under the "lookalike" rules, and should see me until I can get something more appropriate. I should probably get it looked at as it's not been fired for a while, and never in a battle.
I also have a couple of springer pistols, the most appropriate being a Colt Delta Elite (basically a 10mm chambered M1911A1).
Is there a complete list of events somewhere for non-members with the "qualifying" ones highlighted? My leave time is a bit limited this year (leave year for me is Jan to December and already well booked), so I'd like to be able to plan a bit. This is especially an issue as I live in South Essex, and most events I've seen are at least a 2-3 hour drive.
Hi Tim, welcome aboard 
On the British front denim BD's are fine, plus denisons & windproofs none of which are wool. If you've not already done so check out the PBI section of the forum, that's where the brits hangout 
Gun wise, as you say the MP5 comes in under the counts as rule, if you have problems you can usually hire guns at the sites the games are played at, or sometimes forum members will loan out guns on a 'you bend it, you mend it' basis.
Check here viewtopic.php?f=1&t=1868 for a list of games, the only one that's CiA members only is Die Glocke, which is already sold out.
I'm also in Essex, there's a few of us, and you're right there's been very few games that have taken less than a couple of hours to get to, that being said there's usually the option to camp over and experience the pre-game social
welcome
hi tim and welcome,two important things
1) dont worry about exact kit. it can be improved over time, and brit denim bd is fine.
2) start drinking.
follow the above and you will love ww2 airsoft. 
Hi Tim, welcome to the forum. I have a wool allergy as well, yet still wear battledress. I wear a pair of thin long johns under the trousers and a cotton long sleeved shirt under the jacket, which solves my allergy problems. It gets a bit warm sometimes but it's not intolerable. As already said, you could even go for denim battledress. Unfortunately, a wool allergy is a hindrance to most WW2 uniforms! But, it can be got round and you can still be perfectly comfortable. For South Staffs loadouts, you can wear a denison smock with no battledress under it.
Travel isn't a problem for most, as there is usually the chance to camp the night before and the social events are sometimes as much fun as the games!
Oh, yes, and start drinking!
When I want your opinion - I'll tell you what it is!
Welcome
I have, not so much a wool allergy, but have found that it aggravates my bad skin disorder and is oh so terrible. I wear British Denims as battle dress and it is fine (especially for the South Staffs and Commando that the Brits usually play as). One day I will try the Sgt Heide solution but you should have no problems in the British denims.
Thanks, guys.
WRT Denim BD: Where should I look?
Another problem there is I need 48in-ish trousers and equivalent of XXL shirts. 
I'm leaning towards the denison idea too.
Replicators do custom tailored Denims for £47 delivered http://www.replicaters.com/ww2britarmy.html or you can get them from SOF, but they're a lot more about £110 + P&P
Thanks for that, Pete.
Looks like I could get a custom denison there too.
Hmmm... given the choice I'd not buy another denison from them. The colour fades way to quickly.
Get one of the SoF ones. They're great!
I agree, better to get one of the SOF Denisons, replicators do some things fine, but others are very poor, I definately wouldn't bother with their berets
No. For berets I'd rather go somewhere like Army and Navy in Westcliff where I can be sure to get the right size
Heh... They'll be too small from there... Guaranteed!
Crown size that is...
WWII beret's are much bigger and floppier than the modern ones.
My recommendation is SoF again. And if you have problems with getting the size right, measure around the widest part of your head in cm and use that to determine SoF's sizes... You can always send back if the wrong size or note that Beret's do stretch and also can be shrunk.
My concerns with the denisons are two-fold.
1) The wool - This is a big problem with the allergy aggrovating psoriasis (look it up). Replicators have told me they can replace the wool collar lining with flanel, and 2nd/late pattern would eliminate the knitted cuffs.
2) Looking on the SoF site, I'm at the top end of the sizes quoted, and 7 for the K&C one isn't the same as 7 for their cheaper one.
And looking at the different lengths, etc. WRT webbing, a visit somewhere might be the better bet. Unfortunately, North Wales is quite a way from South Essex, especially for a weekday (SoF's opening doesn't say anything about weekends 
).
Heh... I wouldn't necessarily trust replicaters to get it right anyway!
The collar on a denison doesn't generally come into contact with the skin.
The cuffs... to be honest I also have a mild wool allergy and don't have any problems with the cuffs on the SoF denison.
You may find that both items aren't actually wool anyway!
If you want to check out SOF stuff, they do attand various shows around the country, I'm pretty sure they'll be at Beltring, which isn't very far from you and a really good show.
mate, if you buy a replicators denny, i GUARENTEE you will not be happy with it, when mine came it had a funny smell so washed it. ruined first wash, all the colours came out and it was almost tan all over. 50 quid wasted. put it towards a good one.
Heya
With dennys as said, rangercamp ones are the best buy at the moment.
If you're worried about the cuffs then cut the off and replace them with the ends of army socks in a non wool material.
(we did this to put knitted cuffs on jackets ages ago)
The collar wool is always folded back as yith says.
Denims you should be able to get in massive sizes anyway as they were made to go over BD... mine are like clown trousers on me and cost me a tenner...
"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Psoriasis is the problem that wool exasperates on me also. I have had no problem with denison collars and cuffs as they do not really touch the skin, as said, and on mine they are also a soft friendly wool.
Yours is an SoF one isn't it?
