Paintball : Six steps to getting kitted out and ready for action
Paintball has become very popular all over the world in recent years and commercial venues are popping up all the time. If you’ve tried it and love the buzz of having bright pink bullets whizzing past your ears at up to 300 feet-per-second as you crouch in a nest of brambles you might want to take it up a bit more seriously. If so, you will want to get your own gear and gun so you can repay some of those bruises. Read on to find out how to go about getting tooled up…
Step one Before you start getting tooled up you are gonna need some protection. Don’t worry about your marker (gun) yet concentrate on your mask. You ask any pro and they’ll tell you that a good mask is the most important thing and you’ll certainly agree with them the first time you get shot in the face. Make sure the mask you choose has neck, forehead and ear protection, you want to cover up as much as you can, you’ll be grateful for it in the long run. Also ensure you have good peripheral vision when you have the mask on, so you can see those bad guys creeping up behind you. Consider the thermal types, which will reduce fogging, you can’t take your mask off to de-mist it half way through a game, not if you value the use of your eyes.
Step two Get some gloves; try several pairs to find the ones that fit the best. They need to be a snug fit while allowing full movement of the fingers. Try holding a gun with the gloves on if you can to make sure the all important trigger finger is comfortable. Get a pair with armour or padding on the back and thick leather on the front, you will probably find yourself on your hands and knees as some point so you don’t want to damage your delicate hands do you…
Step three Get body protection. Knee and shin pads are a good idea when you’re scrambling around in the woods. Ladies will need a chest protector and gentlemen should definitely invest in an athletic cup. Think about the footwear you need too, getting something comfortable but sturdy which covers and supports the ankles is best. You need some dark clothes as well, camouflage combats are the best for hiding in the bushes, and they’ll make you feel all soldier like.
Step four OK, now you can get your marker, or gun if you want to sound a bit cooler about it. Test as many as you can. There are indoor and outdoor versions and they can be air or CO2 powered. The CO2 is most common as it’s cheaper and easy to refill but temperature of the tank affects the velocity of the paintballs, the N2/HPA (nitrogen/high-pressure air) doesn’t have that problem but it costs more and isn’t easily refilled. Do some research by asking other players what they use and why. You need to learn how to use the guns features and what its limitations are; there are lots of little tweaks and modifications you can do to make it work for you. Don’t forget, just buying the best gun wont make you a better paintballer, you’re still gonna get a good splattering unless you’ve got some talent and experience.
Step five You’re gonna need some ammo, so buy some paint balls in your favourite colour. Get these little thin skinned gelatine capsules in 500, 1000 or 2000 round cases. They are water-soluble, non-toxic and non-caustic so they shouldn’t cause any long term damage to even the most delicate of beings. Short term they sting like a bitch if they hit you at close range or in the wrong place and you’ll have the bruises to prove it.
Step six Now you’re ready to go off and play paintball, if you’re a beginner you should make sure you play with some experienced players who will help you gain knowledge and teach you some tactics and strategies. Use commercial paintball centres when you first start, the trained staff will explain the safety rules and rules of the games. Paintballs can travel up to 300 feet-per-second so keep safety in mind at all times to avoid serious injury.
Steve Batchelor is a Extreme Sports enthusiast and the webmaster at www.extremesportguides.com where you can find some great information on many different extreme sports. He also recommends infogoldmine for more info on extreme sports as well as many other subjects.
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