Starting a paintball team can be a challenge, especially if you are new to the sport. But if you are looking for new ways to get involved or ways to make money, paintball is a great way for you and your friends to get out there and have some fun! Whether you want to join an existing team or start your own, this guide will walk you through the basics of how to get into paintball.
How to Get Into Paintball: The Beginner’s Guide to Getting Started
Paintball is an exciting sport that can be played by anyone, from kids to adults. Regardless of your age or gender, the sport of paintball is huge fun and a great way to get outside and do something different. But how do you get started? What should you be looking for? For tips about getting into paintball — from finding a good place to play and picking the right gun
How to get started in paintball – How to Get Into Paintball
Paintball is a sport played by two teams. Each team has 7 players. Each player carries a gun that shoots paintballs. The objective is to eliminate the opposing team by getting them to touch their hand to the ground or to hit them with a paintball. Getting hit by a paintball is called being splatted.
Knowing a few statistics about paintball might help you choose the right field for you. Here’s how you know you’re in the right ballpark.. The field must be at least 200 feet long and accessible for walkable and biker-friendly driving.
Depending on the size of the field and the number of players, the teams play on different fields. In the four-team format, most fields are between 150 and 230 feet long and 25 feet wide.
As far as the dimensions, most gyms have turf and dirt fields that are safe enough for kids and adults. For smaller towns, it’s a good idea to look up city or county zoning codes to make sure you’re able to play on a field that meets the zoning requirements and is laid out for passing and bikering. It’s also a good idea to check with the local league for specific rules in your area.
If you sample a field during scouting, try not to approach too aggressively. A paintball is a scary thing, so don’t go run-up to the next player on your team to ask if they’re wearing an orange shirt, yell “Nice leg man!” or anything of that nature. Entities on the field are also a major no-no. If a player on your team starts to slide, take a quick second to wave him down.
The rules are there to protect the field and the participants. Violating them can get you disqualified and may even result in you getting dropped from the field.
Choosing the right paintball gun – How to Get Into Paintball
Choosing the right paintball gun can seem like a daunting task, but if you know what you’re looking for it can actually be pretty easy. First, make sure to choose a gun based on your playing style. If you’re the kind of player who likes to take your time, then you might want to go for a semi-automatic gun. Alternatively, in a fast-paced game, experienced players might opt for a more powerful (but slower) gun.
When it comes to choosing a field, you’ll need to decide whether you’re going to play on “normal” or “college” turf.
A lot of paintball fields are designed for players of all ages, which means there may not be any recreational-legal paintball fields for you if you’re just starting your paintball career, so you’ll probably want to look somewhere legal similar to the one you’re most familiar with.
Paintball guns can come in all shapes and sizes — from BB guns to sniper rifles — and playing styles range from “cowboys” to “professional.” So before you buy, be sure to factor in your skill level and what class you’ll be playing.
Choosing paint colors
Once you’ve picked your field, the next thing you’ll want to do is decide which color scheme you’ll be using.
This can be overwhelming for a beginner, so let’s break down the five main paint colors (unless you’re playing in college or lower-level paintball, in which case mixing and matching your colors is more important than choosing the ‘right’ one).
Black
While working as a team operator for the past three years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with a large variety of paint colors. Black paint is the go-to because it’s inexpensive, it sticks out well from the terrain, and it looks familiar to players accustomed to playing with brown or red.
It’s also the best color to choose for beginners since it can be used as a base layer for bright, contrasting colors.
Pros
It’s cheap. True.
Choosing the right paintballs – How to Get Into Paintball
Paintballs are used in paintball guns to shoot at other players. When you’re choosing paintballs for your gun, there are a lot of factors to consider. The first thing you want to decide is what type of gun you want to use. Before you go online and start searching for paintball guns, it’s smart to find a paintball brand, as there’s a lot of variance between the bullet and range balls used in different paintball guns. The second thing you want to consider when picking a paintball brand is how long the gun will keep and work. Some paintball guns will stay reliable for years, while others will break down after a few shots. The third thing to consider is whether or not you want the perfect look when you play or if all you really need is a paintball gun.
For beginners, there is no shortage of paintball terminology to learn. Beyond the basics of choosing where to shoot, proper technique, and proper strategy, there’s quite a bit more. In this video, learn more about the rules of paintball and why you’re actually not allowed to hit the balls when they’re in the air.
For more information—and a full video walkthrough of a typical paintball field—Nick Valentine, a competitive paintball player and founder of Paintball Direct, breaks down everything you need to know when choosing a paintball field.
Applying for a PPP (Personalized Product Placement) Permit
Bringing a professional-looking gun into a paintball park is like bringing a Ferrari to a barbecue—it can transport you safely from one place to another, but you’re still responsible for driving the car. In order to bring your product (or yourself) into a paintball field, you’ll need to apply for a PPP (Personalized Product Placement) permit. There are different kinds of permits and different rules for each one. If you don’t know what a PPP permit is, it’s not the kind of thing you should be wanting to show off on Instagram.
Choosing the right paintball mask – How to Get Into Paintball
Paintball masks are not created equal. You can’t just walk into a store, grab the first mask you see, and hope for the best. There are a few things you need to know about paintball masks to ensure you’re wearing the right mask for your playing style, safety, and comfort.1. WHAT ARE THE MAIN BENEFITS OF A PILGRIMAGE MASK?
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According to Lawn Care Online, a paintball migration mask “is a pointy cloth head covering, worn by players to protect their heads from flying paintballs, and also by spectators to see the action. It is made of moisture-wicking fabric that transfers moisture away from the skin and into the air to prevent inhaling any pollutants.”
Protection is the name of the game when it comes to a paintball migration mask, and this is actually one of the main reasons you might choose to purchase one. Typically, you can purchase one that comes with a face shield, but if you’re looking for a no-brainer solution, the Tuck protecting mask from Pockett & Butt could be your best bet. Each mask comes with two elastic straps to adjust the fit, as well as a vent in the back to keep dirt and fragments from coming into your lungs.
Pro tip: Use the right mask in the right season. Snow, rain, swing in temperatures, and scoring can all contribute to inaccurate fogging of the mask.
Another reason to invest in a mask is to preempt potential health issues. Some states require all paintballers to have a mask on during the season, although a mask can be exempt for individuals with permanent scars or conditions that would make it unsafe to play. Check with your local laws to check if you need to wear one.
HOW DO YOU CHOOSE A PILGRIMAGE MASK?
Well, there’s a ton to consider when it comes to picking out a protective mask for play and an essential one for work.
Choosing the right protective gear
There are two kinds of protective gear: protective gear that protects you from the environment and protective gear that protects the environment from you. The first kind, like goggles and gloves, protect your body from exposure to harmful chemicals and bacteria, and the second kind, like face masks and laboratory coats, protect the environment from exposure to your sweat and germs.
Protective gear basics
When it comes to getting into paintball, you need to take good care of the equipment you play with. For one thing, a market where you wouldn’t ordinarily go to look for paintball equipment can be quite intimidating to players new to the sport. To start, there are a few basics you’ll want to learn about first.
. Safety equipment
This includes safety glasses, a helmet, earplugs, elbow pads, elbow sleeves, knee pads, shin pads, and gloves. Safety equipment actually prevents injuries by reducing the increased workload and impact force from hitting things.
As for removing hazards, goggles might be your top choice. They prevent nearly all the harmful effects from hitting the eyes, and without them, players are at an increased risk for serious eye injuries. Gooses and face coverings are also a good choice because they stop the liquid from entering the eyes, making the goggles less likely to cause discomfort. Make sure your equipment is adequately ventilated before each paintball outing so you can avoid sneezing or puffing in the face mask (but it’s a good idea to wear it anyway — it can help keep germs from entering your lungs — during the game.)
When choosing a paintball field, look for a property that allows for safe fall speeds, prefers smooth landing surfaces, and doesn’t have too many curves and turns to them. These are the characteristics you’ll look for when picking a place to play, and if the fields are not black and Deadly White, you could be in for a long weekend of being chased by pythons.
. Target shoot shapes
When shopping for paintball fields, look for ones that have a large variety of target shapes.
Oliver has been a paintball enthusiast since he first stepped on the field at just 11. He quickly joined clubs and teams all throughout New Hampshire! He started Paintball Hive to share his passion and knowledge with other paintball heads out there!