Paintball

[Z50]

So you want to join the sport of paintball...

First off, if you are under 18 and your parents do not want you playing, understand their point of view. Be persistent but not annoying, remind them ~every 6 months that you would like to try the sport, explain the game (not military/war game but more of a tag thing) and maybe invite one or both to join you. In the end, their word is law and you need to respect that until your 18 but by showing maturity you can influence decisions.

If you are entering the sport at an older age (not quite the disposable income you may have had as a teen) keep in mind that the marker/gun is hardly the most expensive item. A gun is a one time investment that replaces the reoccurring rental fees; you will have to do some quick math to decide if you actually save by purchasing a marker. You should place your first dollar on a high quality mask, you can fight a jammed or gunked up rental gun, but a fogged and uncomfortable mask can turn a fun day with your new gun into crap. Paintball can be expensive, add up the cost before purchasing personal equipment:

Reoccurring fees:

Field fee: $10.00-up depending on the field
Paint: $40.00-$100.00+ for 2000 rounds
Air:$2-$5 a fill, but often free for renters, sometimes included in the field fee
Gas to the field: if you’re lucky its cheep, but it is 2 hours each way for me.

One time investments:

Gun: varies greatly.
Hopper/loader: anywhere from $1.00 to $100.00, but start with a non-motorized hopper (any decent shop will give one to you with the purchase of a gun if you ask)
Mask: if you paid less then $30.00, try again.
Tank: $20 for CO2 and a lot more for HPA
Clothing: you should start in jeans and a sweat shirt then decide how that worked for you. Do you need something more breathable or something more camouflaged? A combination of both?
Ball carrying: you can get creative when you are starting out, I used a water bottle for a few games, but you are going to want to upgrade, think $30.00.

Basically, you are looking at minimum $250.00+ in equipment and upwards of $50.00 each time you play. This number can be chopped down or jacked up greatly depending on how you play. I play pump, and go through less then 100 balls a day, I can get away with a day of paintball for less then $15.00. On top of that, I found an excellent deal on a used gun (about 70 for all the equipment). On the other hand, one could buy a faster gun and end up needing more air, paintballs and even batteries to run the gun. It is not uncommon for some people to spend $100.00 a day and who knows how much for the gun.


Your First mask:

Masks are not an option, it is not like riding a bike without a helmet (not recommended either) if you do not have a mask you are NOT to be near a paintball gun. Our sport is very safe if basic precautions are taken, and this is the biggest one. A mask is the single most important piece in the sport; it means the difference between fun and being blind or def. Go to a dealer and ask what they recommend for a beginner. You will want to try on the mask in the store and look for pointers from the staff on how it should fit. I recommend getting a mask with a thermal lens; they will resist fogging and greatly improve your day.

Your first gun:

I would HIGHLY recommend that you go to a field and play a game as a renter for a day before even considering purchasing a gun. Go to a field that is well populated (50+ people) on a rec/open play day. You will see a large variety of guns and if you are polite, you may get to try a good number of them. You may even find someone willing to loan you a gun for the day. Play the game and find out how you play (you may spend the entire day in the back bunker but that’s ok on the first day.) also note how the other players play. Some will stand in the back behind a tree or bunker and unload paint, others will make bold or even suicidal moves to help the team advance, and others still will provide cover fire while advancing or set and spring ambushes. Note the ways of playing and decide how you think you will play.

After you have decided what you need the gun to help you do (after all, it is usually possible to play paintball without firing a single shot), translate that decision into a gun. If you want to stand in the back or provide covering fire, you are going to need a gun that shoots relatively fast without wearing out your trigger finger. You should probably look into an electric gun. If you are making a move to the flag or are on point you need a gun that is easy to snap shoot and fairly light so you can run fast. Something like a pistol or a shorter barreled gun might serve you better. If you like to take well placed shots and follow the idea of one shot one “kill” then something with a longer barrel will help you aim better (it is debatable whether it helps you accuracy though) and if you are really adventurous, a pump gun might fit the bill. I started with a pump, and I am glad I did, but I would not recommend it to anyone, it can be vary frustrating.

Go to a pro-shop or store. The internet is an awesome place to get a good deal, but your first gun is a learning experience and you will probably need the help of someone on the other side of the counter one day, buying a gun from them for $10.00 more now will more then pay for its self later. If you do go to a store, DO NOT try to use the prices on the net’ as leverage, you will enrage the management and it will not get you anywhere (it may even hurt your chances of talking down the price). Used guns are worth looking at, someone else may have purchased a gun and gotten out of the sport without using the gun too much, you can save a LOT of $$ buying used. Buying a gun used from a friend or acquaintance (as opposed to getting it from a store) may be a good deal, but keep in mind that the gun may have been abused or malfunctioning and that it may need work before it is ready to use.

If you know someone who has been playing for a while, ask what they would recommend, if not, don’t worry. Look around the net and find some unbiased opinions. Spyders and Tippmanns are excellent beginner guns, they are nearly indestructible. Automags are a bit tricky to understand but they are better made guns that will still take anything you can throw at them. Autocockers are very fun to watch but should not be the first gun a person buys as they take a bit of skill to tune properly (good guns but not good first guns) . If you are looking into pump guns, Phantoms are great, but you may find them expensive for the fact that it does not **** its self. These brands are the most common but by no means the only ones available, do some searches on the internet to see the wide array of guns, styles, and brands available to you.

CO2 or HPA

A common question posed to a new player is what gas is better.

CO2 is what air guns are traditionally fired with. It is also used in welding and therefor is produced in large quantities. This translates into a reasonably cheep, well compressed, and readily available gas to power your gun. CO2 tanks can be had for prices ranging from $12.00 for a 9oz tank up to about $25.00 for a 20oz tank. Cylinders come in all sizes, ranging from 3.5oz up to 3 pounds. Some guns even use 12gram disposable cartages. The cylinder for you will depend on how much gas your gun uses per shot, how many shots you take per game and how often you want to refill your tank.

HPA or high pressure air traces its roots to scuba diving; it is commonly a compressed version of the stuff you breathe. HPA does not compress the same way CO2 does, therefore it requires tanks that have working pressures of 3000 to 5000psi (as opposed to 1800 on CO2 tanks) this translates into a more expensive manufacturing process that gets passed off to you, the customer! HPA tanks can range in price from $80.00 to $150.00 and are made of aluminum and composite materials like carbon fiber. HPA fills are harder to find (but they are gaining popularity) due to the fact that the field or store usually has to invest in a $5000.00 compressor to fill them. The good part is that since the field only pays once for the compressor and they have a decent service life, the fills are often cheaper and sometimes free with the field fee. HPA again does not compress like CO2 so it does not expand the same. HPA will give the gun a more consistent pressure and that translates into a more accurate gun to some degree (not a big one if your gun is set up properly)

Things to keep in mind:
Larger cylinders hold more shots worth of gas but you have to carry more weight on your person.
Larger cylinders are more expensive to fill, but when it is added up, you will usually pay less per shot (greatly depends where you get it filled and their rates).
Having an extra tank can save you a trip to the fill station at an inconvenient moment and allow you to play more between visits to the store if you choose to play at home.

Some guns require a specific gas to operate; higher end guns require HPA due to fragile components while others require liquid CO2 to operate properly. Since this varies depending on the gun, it is best to consult the advice of that guy behind the counter on this matter. Generally beginners will find that a CO2 tank is more suitable for their needs, and one can certainly go a lifetime without using HPA but on the other hand, one may find that it is advantageous to use HPA because the cheaper/free fills pay for the tank (over a LONG time)

Those are the difficult decisions that are presented to you, do some additional research on each of them and make your decisions from there. Do not be afraid to ask around, most paintball players are friendly people and would be glad to help you with any questions.

[Cleric]

Nice post. I think that we as a group, more knowledgable and more mature paintball players, should push more for the newbies we meet to put more emphasis on their first mask. I tell them before they go out and buy their very first marker to find out what kind of mask fits them best and works for them: if they wear glasses, want whole head coverage, have a head shaped like a football like a friend of mine, and buy it. I let them know that they can borrow or rent a marker until they buy one and enjoy playing, but until they get a mask and goggles that fit and are right for them then they will be having a lot less fun than they should be.

[MrJR]

Great job on the guide. I agree that one's mask should be of primary importance. Safety comes before all else. I always encourage new players, and expecially young players, to start with a nice quality pump. They are far less expensive to play with, which is important for young, budget-limited, players. Not to mention that it COULD be the only one they would ever have to buy.

[Surge-NS]

Right about the mask, on top of the safety and comfort, something thermal is a plus, with good foam, good visibility, and easily replaceable lenses. It may be upwards in price, but it is a whole lot easier to learn fundamentals when you don't have to worry about fog and discomfort, and you will probably neve have to buy another one if you put the investment in early.

[Gabe]

Masks should always be the first purchase a newbie makes. I've got a buddy that shoots and Orracle and another autococker and he still uses his junky scott mask he got with his tippmann 98. It's funny to watch him trip over bunkers that he can't see because of his mask being fogged.

[shartley]

I wish your paint prices were accurate... many places are right about $100 a case if not more.

[Z50]

Originally Posted by shartley

I wish your paint prices were accurate... many places are right about $100 a case if not more.

Will edit...

I havn't played at a lot of fields, I guess it is a bit cheeper in maine, I was hopping that this thread would get more imput from other people, not just comments.

[shartley]

Originally Posted by Z50

Will edit...

I havn't played at a lot of fields, I guess it is a bit cheeper in maine, I was hopping that this thread would get more imput from other people, not just comments.

No biggie. I was serious though… paint prices at some fields are bordering on criminal IMHO. It is also what keeps me from going out to commercial fields more often. But I do find that in most cases the higher the paint prices the better the field and staff (but not always). I just don’t know if it is justifiable over a certain point though……

[TrojanMan]

I like how the C-word (expression used for a male chicken or what you need to do to a pump marker before it can fire) is filtered. Most of my markers require you to **** them!

Tee hee.

[shartley]

Originally Posted by TrojanMan

I like how the C-word (expression used for a male chicken or what you need to do to a pump marker before it can fire) is filtered. Most of my markers require you to **** them!

Tee hee.

I will see about fixing that. It is probably one of the words that is filtered "stock" with the software.