If you want to feel the thrill of a gunfight and test out your marksmanship skills, it is a good idea to take up paintball. This hobby is a relatively new one, however, it has been steadily gaining a following in the past few years.
Paintball is a competitive shooting sport that pits two teams against each other. The main objective is to shoot members of the opposing team with gun propelled paintballs. It is a very fun and exhilarating hobby and recreates the movements and intensity of a real-life firefight, without the added danger of getting shot. However, if you start playing it without the right equipment, you might still get injured. Here are 7 pieces of equipment you will need to play paintball:
1. Helmet
Of all the pieces of equipment, you will need to play paintball, the most important by far is your helmet. Although paintballs are not designed to be healthy, they are still relatively powerful. It still hurts to get hit by a paintball, and if you get hit in the head you might still get injured.
So it is imperative that you have a sturdy helmet at the ready. When you purchase your helmet, it is best that it is reinforced and covers a majority of your head. Some helmets could be installed with a full face mask, to offer full protection from paintballs and paint splatter.
2. Paintball Gun
If you are going to play paintball properly, you should have a good quality paintball gun on hand. It should be powerful enough to reach its full distance, but not too powerful that it could penetrate armor. When you purchase your paintball, you have two types of paintball guns that you could choose from.
These two types are the mechanical markers and the electrical markers. If you choose a mechanical marker, then you won’t need electricity to charge it. This type of paintball gun is usually slower and louder, but a lot more reliable in the long run. Electric markers on the other hand fire paintballs a lot faster, and they are more quiet. However, they are usually less reliable and more expensive to fix.
3. Military Tactical Goggles
During a paintball game, the most vulnerable part of your body is your eyes. If you get hit in the arm or the chest, you might suffer from a bruise at the worst. However, if you get hit in the eye it might cause harmful damage.
As such, it is important that you bring the right protection. One of the best forms of protection is military tactical goggles. These goggles are specially designed to protect your eyes from debris and paintball shots.
They are also capable of keeping the sun out of your eyes. By wearing military tactical goggles you’ll be able to play paintball, without having to risk your eye’s safety.
4. Camouflage Gear
One of the most enjoyable things about paintball is that you could recreate the conditions of a firefight without the danger of getting killed. So it is important that you are dressed appropriately to hide your presence during a firefight.
It is important that your clothes are not only camouflaged, it should also match the area you are playing in. It would not do you any good if you wear camouflage gear designed for jungle warfare, and you are playing in a more temperate climate.
5. Combat Boots
Most paintball matches take place in rugged terrain, so if you want to play paintball safely you will need to wear the proper footwear. Combat boots are usually best-used in paintball matches because they are designed for combat situations, and provide great toe protection.
They also have ankle support, so you could be as agile as possible, without having to endanger your ankle’s safety. When you purchase your combat boots, it is a good idea that it matches your outfit’s overall camouflage. This will help you meld in with your environment, and increase your chances of victory.
6. Elbow and Kneepads
Paintball games usually mirror real-life combat situations. Remember that your main aim is to hit your opponents without getting hit in return. So it is important that you could roll, jump, crouch, and crawl at a moment’s notice.
Being so mobile could inflict a great deal of punishment on your elbows and knees though. So it is important that you use elbow and kneepads, during your paintball matches. When you purchase your elbow and kneepads, they should be as flexible and durable as possible. They must also be easy to put on and can handle your weight.
7. Tactical Vest
Aside from your helmet, one of the most important pieces of equipment you could have is a tactical vest. Although paintball guns are not meant to be powerful enough to break the skin, you should not really take any chances.
So it is important that you wear a tactical vest during your paintball matches. When choosing a combat vest for yourself, it is important that you choose one that fits you perfectly. It should also cover all the vital parts of your body. Your tactical vest should be made of lightweight material, so it won’t be too cumbersome for you in the long run.
It is also important that your tactical vest has various pockets that you could store extra gun parts and ammo into. Having a tactical vest on might feel cumbersome at first, however, you’ll soon get the hang of it.
Conclusion
Paintball is a fun and realistic shooting sport that allows you to feel the exhilaration of a real gunfight, without being in danger of really getting shot. However, you could still get injured if you don’t take the right precautions. With these pieces of equipment, you’ll be able to start playing paintball in no time.