Getting started in paintball isn’t difficult if you know what to bring to the field. From clothing to safety gear and basic game equipment you need multiple items to start the action. Today many paintball courses offer paintball rental packages; these packages don’t include everything that you need to play paintball. In this guide, I’ll be talking about what to bring for the paintball event. I’ll also discuss what you need to buy and what you can rent for paintball. So let’s begin with
What Things To Bring For Paintball?
1. Gun Or Marker
Gun or marker is of course the basic requirement of the game. Depending upon the features, functionality, and brand value paintball guns and markers come in a wide price range. You can buy a paintball gun as low as $40 and as high as $200. If you are a recreational player who only plays a few times a year, you can buy a paintball rental package. Keep reading for a complete guide on what to bring for the paintball game.
These rental packages include various things like paintball guns and makers, air tanks with free refills, paintballs, and many other things. The cost of the rental package varies depending on the duration of the package and the capacity of the item in the package. If you don’t want to buy the whole package, you can rent only paintball guns from paintball shops for $10 to $20 per day
2. Bring Paintball
Paintballs are spherical containers filled with paint that are loaded in the gun and then shot with compressed air. The quality of the paintballs has a big impact on your performance. A high-quality 2000-count paintball package costs you somewhere between $40-$50.
It is advised to look for bring paintball brands that use non-toxic, environmental-friendly, and non-staining dye formulas. These dyes do not harm the eyes and skin and also can be washed out of clothes. If you buy a rental package you will get around 200-300 paintballs which aren’t enough for a full day of fun and joy.
Related Post: Best Mechanical Paintball Gun
3. Hopper
Hopper is also a key part of paintball equipment. This is a container in which you load the paintballs. It is like a magazine that can hold 150-200 balls. It is attached to the gun or marker and paintballs are loaded into the gun through a hopper. If you buy a paintball rental package you’re most likely to get a hopper with it. Otherwise, you can buy a high-quality hopper for just under $15. Make sure the hopper you are buying is fully compatible with your paintball gun or maker.
4. Clothing
For maximum fun and joy, you must know how to dress up for a paintball game. You need to wear comfortable clothes that allow you to climb and crunch your way to victory. So here is a head-to-toe run down of what to wear for a paintball game.
- Cover Your Skin
For paintballing a general rule of thumb is to cover your skin as much as possible. A direct impact of paintball on your skin can lead to bumps and bruises. Most paintball courses do not allow shorts and short-sleeve shirts for safety reasons.
- Breathability and Warmth
No matter in which weather condition you play I would recommend you cover your skin as much as possible. Cotton is the most breathable option for athletic wear in summer. Cotton keeps your body cool and dry as you run and jump. For winter you can buy athletic hoodies and athletic jumpers.
Spandex and gore-tax are the best material choices as these fabrics keep your body warm without limiting breathability. Sweatpants and sweatshirts also work great for paintballing especially when it is a little chilly outside. You can pair sweatshirts and sweatpants with chest and shorts padding to enhance the protection level.
- Ease Of Movement
You need to choose clothes that don’t restrict your movement. Tight leggings and Ts will not work for paintballing. You better consider loose tracksuits, jogging suits, or cargo pants. Whatever you wear should be of your size so that you can move freely during the game.
- Extra Layers/Padding
Paintballs can harm your skin a little bit if hit from a short distance. To avoid bruises and rashes, you can add extra layers to your clothing. Extra layers act as padding and reduce the impact of paintball on your body. For instance, you can wear shorts over full-length pants. Also, you can wear short sleeve t-shirts along with hoodies and jumpers.
However, it can be a little hard to dress up in 2-4 layers of clothing if it is too hot. In that case, you can buy camouflage overalls. Camouflage overalls offer complete coverage from neck to wrist and toes. These breathable protective overalls are available at many paintball courses. You can rent them for $5 per day.
- Colors
When you dress up for paintball you need to choose colors that help you improve your games. I recommend you buy natural colors for camouflage. Colors like green, earth brown, and gray blend easily with your surroundings and help you in both attacking and defensive playing modes. You can also buy military-style camouflage suits if you have enough budget. Avoid wearing light colors like white and pink as the stains will be more visible and you will not get a clean look even after washing the dyes out.
5. Footwear
- Shoes
Paintball is a physically taxing sport and occasionally you have to engage in running and gunning. Since ankle injuries are pretty common in paintball, grip, comfort, and ease of running are vital factors to consider while buying shoes for paintball. You can wear any athletic cleats or sneakers as long as you are comfortable with them.
I recommend you wear closed-toe footwear for maximum safety and comfort. Open-toe shoes lack the support that you need while running and moving during the game. Also, they leave your toes exposed and the balls can hit and hurt your toes. I prefer wearing cleats while playing paintball since they offer the best grip and traction.
However many paintball courses do not allow cleats with metal studs. The good news is that I was able to find paintball cleats that use turf-specific studs. You can wear regular running shoes, tennis shoes, or hiking boots as long as you are comfortable and sure that they will give you the required traction and support.
6. Athletic Socks
Wearing a pair of athletic socks is equally important as wearing super grippy and supportive shoes. Athletic socks are completely different from regular socks and they are known for absorbing the impact energy for tumbling, running, jumping, and other high-impact activities. Also, these socks are made with moisture-wicking materials that keep your feet cool and dry throughout the day.
Related Post: Best Paintball Gun – Paintball Vitals
Hand Protection
Nothing can be worse than being hit on the knuckles by a paintball. If you don’t want to lose your key ability in the field, wear solid yet dependable hand protection. You need to choose a kind of gloves that protect your hands without limiting your ability to pull the trigger or hold the marker. Winter gloves are too thick and I will not recommend you wear such gloves.
You need to wear fingerless gloves that are a little stretchy and perfectly conform to your hand profile. Fingerless gloves give you full control of the trigger and hopper while also protecting your hands. Golf gloves are a great option as they are flexible and have extra padding at the knuckles and palms. Weight Lifting gloves are also a great option for playing paintball.
Face And Head Protection
The face is the most sensitive part and needs solid protection therefore a safety mask is a crucial thing that you need to bring for paintball. Paintball face masks also known as paintball safety helmets cover your entire face from ear to ear and chin to forehead. These masks are designed for professional gameplay and most paintball courses made it compulsory to wear them when you are in action.
Make sure that the mask you are buying is rated by ASTM to stop a paintball and meets the eye protection standards. Also, you can wear paintball visors and safety goggles if you aren’t comfortable with a full-face mask. Face masks are mostly provided on the course since they are a crucial part of the safety gear.
However, I advise you to buy a face mask that fits you well and feels comfortable on the field. Paintballs usually don’t hit you on the head but paint in hair can be really annoying. To keep the paint out of your hair you can wear a baseball cap or Sandana headband. In summer you can skip the head protection to improve breathability.
Water/Snacks Bring For Paintball
Bring something that you can munch in between the game sessions. No matter which conditions you play in, you are most likely to feel thrust after a tough session of gunning and running. You need to bring water, and the kind of snacks that fill your belly but do not weigh you down with fat and unhealthy ingredients. Fruits, wrapped sandwiches, crackers, salad, grilled chicken, and light cookies are the best options. For summer I recommend you bring sports drinks. Sports drinks maintain your blood sugar level, keep you energetic and also keep your body hydrated.
Allen Wrenches And O Rings
O rings are rubber rings that are used as seals in paintball guns and air tanks. These are the least expensive parts of the paintball equipment. O-rings wear out quickly and can blow out at any time. It takes less than 5 minutes to replace o-rings. You must bring extra o-rings to the field so that you can use them and get back to the game quickly.
While playing paintball you have to deal with different kinds of problems with paintball equipment. An Allen wrench or a hex key can help you solve these issues within minutes. You may not need them every day but remember they are a must-have for any paintball player.
Wrapping Up – What To Bring For Paintball
I’m hopeful that this guide is enough to help you learn what to bring for paintball. Apart from clothing and footwear, you can rent everything to play paintball. But if you play on a regular basis I recommend you buy your personal equipment as per your needs and skill level. Choose the clothes and shoes that you don’t mind getting wet and stained. Also, you should buy paintballs that use non-toxic and non-staining paints.
FAQs
You need a paintball gun/marker, a hopper, a paintball, a refillable air tank, breathable clothing, a face safety mask, safety gear, and a pair of super grippy athletic shoes.
Most paintballs use non-toxic, non-staining, and biodegradable dyes. It means you can wash them out of your clothes after the game and they will not permanently stain your clothes.
A girl should wear full-length bottoms and long-sleeve t-shirts along with padded bras or chest protectors. Also, they must wear padded and flexible gloves and comfortable athletic shoes. In summer you can wear sweatpants with leggings underneath.
A general rule of thumb for paintballing is to cover your skin as much as possible while playing paintball. Paintballs can hit you hard and cause a bruise or rashes. So ideally you should wear full-length pants, long sleeve shirts, and padded gloves while playing paintball.
Yes, sweatshirts and sweatpants are good options for paintball since they protect really well when a paintball hits you. Also, soft clothing absorbs the impact energy more efficiently causing the paintballs to burst less often on your body.
In his impressive career, John M. Anderson has played alongside the best players in the world and earned the respect of many top competitors. His skill, versatility, and timing have helped him become one of the top players in the paintball world. He is a true pro who will likely be remembered as one of the greatest players in the game’s history. His impact goes beyond the field as well. He has become a spokesperson for the sport, sharing interesting stories and facts from the past, and he also regularly contributes to this blog to help and guide new players in the world of paintball.