I hope you enjoyed Optimus Prime's account of the Ground Zero 2010 Weekender and all the photos that Popular Airsoft has published here for you to download for your own use. I was going over the photos at the Facebook page of Popular Airsoft and of course, looking at the photos that he had selected for the story, there were two photos that I noticed --- two players having their stuffed animals in their backpacks.

So what's with stuffed animals? Is it because of a lost childhood? Or someone to check six when playing? I asked Optimus Prime if there were still others who brought along their stuffed toys during the event, but he told me that's all he's got, two photos of two blokes having their teddy bears as their wingmen

I am not saying that it isn't manly to own a teddy bear being a full grown man. I do have one, and Optimus Prime tells me he has over two and his favourite is Grover but we don't cuddle them they're just on our bookshelves. Many also have stuffed animals adorning their computer monitors at work. Mainly given as gifts by girlfriends, they are usually left at home, or even hidden from sight when mates come over for some beer and football on the telly.

They are not anomalies, since I just found out that men do bring their stuff toys along with them for travel. It's not  a very small minority, with a survey conducted by Travelodge that 35% of adults sleep with their teddy bear and 25% of men bring their teddy bears with them. The reason stated by these men is that it helps remind them of home, cuddling their teddy bears when going to bed and think about their partners they left home while on business travel. There's even a discussion at The Guardian about this.

Which sure is good news for men who want to travel and pack their stuff toy along but embarassed by the mere thought of what people would think about them.

So don't worry, if you are one of those grown men who want to bring your stuff toy along, then you are not alone. Lots of men do and these two blokes who went to the Ground Zero Weekender are showing the way that there's still enough man in you even if you have your teddy bear peeking out of your backpack during a skirmish. Who knows, these stuffed toys might be your lucky charms during games.

When this becomes a most definite trend, Optimus Prime might bring Grover along next time, if he doesn't get in the way of all the gear he puts on.

If you've got photos of you bringing your stuff toy to a skirmish game, be proud to show them to us. Who knows? Apart from best dressed up airsoft guns, or best in gear, some airsoft events may just have a contest for the cutest airsoft mascot.

Fancy a Tickle-Me-Elmo?