- What is paintball?
It's a sport in which a bunch of adults (loosely defined) go out in the woods and relive
our childhood by playing capture the flag. Only, in this game each player has a gun that
fires gelatin capsules filled with a water-soluble marking dye. If you're shot and marked,
you're out of the game and have to wait until the next one starts. The most common
variation is two teams at opposite ends of a 5+ acre section of terrain, each with a flag
hung at 'home base.' The object is to go get the other team's flag and bring it back to
your base. When you encounter people on the other team, you try to tag them out before
they get you. Pretty simple and lots of fun.
- Is it safe?
Like all action sports (football, basket ball, etc.) paintball is very dangerous unless
adequate protection is worn and safety rules understood and followed.
Most paintball guns shoot a 68 caliber paint pellet. The pellet is a thin plastic shell
filled with a water soluble paint. Guns shoot the pellets at a speed of 200 to 300 feet
per second. Since the paint pellets are fairly light (only weighing a few grams each),
they have little momentum while in flight, and thus are not lethal like the heavy lead
projectiles fired from conventional firearms.
In addition to using a non-lethal projectile, paintball players *always* wear
protective goggles to protect their eyes and usually wear masks covering the rest of their
face as well.
Safety is highly stressed at most fields. Many fields require goggles be worn at all
times unless in designated areas. Many fields also require that barrel plugs (plastic
inserts that prevent projectiles from leaving your gun's barrel) be used while players are
in certain areas. Ignoring safety is a good way to get yourself ejected from a field.
- Doesn't it hurt when you get shot?
The paint pellets break open upon impact, and generally cause very little pain. What pain
is experienced is more of a stinging sensation from the pellet's impact against the skin
or through clothing. In my experience, the stinging pain goes away after a few seconds. Of
course, the closer you are to the muzzle of the gun, the higher the velocity of the pellet
when it hits you. Thus, more pain may be experienced when shot at close range rather than
farther away.
In general, one can count on coming off the field with a few welts from paintball
impacts, but your most annoying injuries are more likely to be scrapes and bruises from
the local terrain.
- Do I have to be on a team?
You don't have to have an organized team or go to an organized field in order to play. If
you have some paintball guns, paintball goggles, and a few friends, you can simply get
together and shoot at each other.
Most commercial fields allow walk-on games, where anybody can show up and play.
- How can I play?
Almost all paintball 'fields' rent guns and welcome new players. Fields can be found using
yellow pages (look under 'Firearms' or 'Sports Equipment'), local newspapers, or ads in a
number of the paintball magazines.
- What kind of Paintball Field should I look for?
For the first few games you should play on a well organized field. Size is not the best
way to judge the field. The things to watch for are the number of referees on the field
for each game and the explanation of the rules. The rules of safety and specific rules for
the field/game should be clearly stated by a referee before anyone steps foot on the field
to play. There should also be a sufficient number of referees for the number of players,
one referee can not handle a field with fifty people on it. If these conditions are not
met, you should seriously consider waiting for your first day until you find a field
better suited to a beginner.
- How much does it cost to play?
The average field in North America will cost approximately $15-25+ for 1 day rental of
goggles, gun and some, usually 30, paintballs. Extra paintballs are usually 10 cents or
less each. Better guns and facemasks are usually available at an additional cost.
A beginner should plan on using 100-200 paintballs for the first few days with rental
guns.
A day of play is usually 9:00am to 3:30 pm.
If you start playing regularly and would like to have your own equipment, you have
several options open to you. Buying a used pump action gun and a new pair of goggles is a
good start. You can buy a used pump for $50 to $150. You can buy an entry level
semi-automatic for $100 to $300. A new pair of goggles might cost $20 to $40. Buying
yourself a new pair of goggles designed specifically for paintball is a must.
Paint costs about $.03 to $.04 per pellet. You may go through several hundred pellets
of paint over the course of a single day, so this cost should be a long term
consideration. Depending on the type of gun you're using, the cost of CO2 should also be a
long term consideration. If you're using a 12-gram gun (see list of terms, below) you can
buy disposable 12-gram "powerlets" at your local sporting goods store for a few
dollars a pack. If you're using a constant air tank, you should be able to get it refilled
at your local paintball shop or field for about $3-$5, depending on its size.
- What do I need to bring?
The field owner may not supply food or have facilities where food can be bought so a lunch
and snacks should be brought just in case.
Bring water, lots of water.
Bring old, sturdy, dark clothes and shoes or boots with some sort of ankle support.
- What safety equipment do I need?
The minimum safety equipment necessary is goggles, facemask with ear and throat
protection, and, for men, a protective cup.
- How can I play safe?
Do not shoot animals or wildlife.
Do not fire your paintgun anywhere except on the field during the game or in the
designated chronograph area/shooting range.
Inspect the lens of your goggles for cracks or signs of weakness.
Make sure your mask is well seated and will not come off during the game.
Make sure the velocity of your paintgun is below 300 feet per second.
Always assume the gun is loaded; even if you know otherwise.
Always assume safety devices won't work.
Unload the gun when not in use.
Upon receiving or retrieving a gun check if it's loaded.
Anytime you are carrying a paintgun in a 'safe zone' such as the parking lot or staging
area where people are not wearing goggles, you MUST have a barrel plug in the barrel.
Know the rules of the game and abide by them.
Never remove facemasks or goggles while on the field.
Do not play when very tired or hungry. Bring food or money to buy food from field. Most
injuries occur at the end of the day when players are exhausted.
NEVER look down the barrel. Not even with protection. If barrel needs checking remove
from the gun and check. If the barrel cannot be removed, disconnect all CO2/CA equipment,
test fire the gun downrange until no more gas is left in the gun, clear the breech or ball
loading area, and then, carefully and while wearing goggles, glance down the barrel.
Notify the field owner or manager of any medical conditions, allergies etc.
- Do I need to be physically fit to play?
Not really, but it will help. As with all strenuous exercise participants should stretch
and warm up before playing. Since typical games require quick sprints followed by a rest
having good an-aerobic fitness is beneficial.
Players should gauge their play to their level of fitness.
All players in poor physical condition or with physically limiting conditions should
consult a physician before playing.
Proper footwear is very important. Some players find that lightweight canvas topped
army boots or leather workboots protect feet and ankles in the woods. Other players prefer
the support that sneakers give as paintball does involve running. Personal preferences
vary, but footwear should not be overlooked.
- Can I get the paint out of my clothes?
Paint is water soluble and should wash out as normal.
- How can I find out more about paintball?
Play.
Read the rec.sport.paintball newsgroup. Read one of the paintball publications:
