Paintball!

What Is It?

Paintball is a form of "tag", played with air-powered "markers" that shoot gumball-sized pellets of colored glop.

You aren't shooting at targets. Players shoot at each other. If you get hit with a pellet, the pellet's shell breaks, splattering you with brightly colored liquid. (The colored liquid isn't really paint. It usually washes out easily. I still wouldn't play paintball in my Sunday Best.) When you get splattered, you are out of the game, and sit out until the next game.

Players are often organized into teams. Sometimes there is a goal to the game, as in "Capture the Flag". Sometimes the goal is simply to have your team be the last one standing.

Shooting at each other sounds dangerous. It's not if you follow the rules.

Safety equipment is mandatory - primarily goggles to protect your face. I also recommend long sleeves and pants of heavy cloth, like denim. Gloves are also a good idea. The so-called "paint" usually washes out, but I still wouldn't wear your "best" clothes for this.

Photos

It's just your friendly little agent of chaos and destruction.

Oh, man!
He looks happy!
That can't be good...

For some strange reason, Dennis doesn't blend in all that well with other players. On seeing this picture, Taft remarked, "You look like some kind of British commando, or Lawrence of Arabia!"

That's because Dennis takes his work seriously. He went to the internet, looked up arial photos of the playing field, and decided that tan would blend in best with the background. The guys wearing jungle cammo stuck out like sore thumbs.

Bonus question: Which players are following proper gun safety practices? (Those aren't real guns, but they can be dangerous. Play it safe - as if they were real guns!)

Information For New Players

Safety

Shooting at each other sounds dangerous. It's not if you follow the rules.

Safety equipment is mandatory - primarily goggles to protect your face. I also recommend long sleeves and pants of heavy cloth, like denim. Gloves are also a good idea.

Treat your marker as if were a real gun, because if you don't respect it, it can be dangerous. The study guide for the California state Handgun Safety Certificate lists six basic gun safety rules for gun owners to understand and practice at all times:

Treat all guns as if they are loaded.
Keep the gun pointed in the safest possible direction.
Keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
Know your target, its surroundings and beyond.
Know how to properly operate your gun.
Store your gun safely and securely to prevent unauthorized use.

Those are all excellent rules.

In addition, for paintball:

Always wear a safety mask specifically designed for paintball.
When not in play, always use a barrel cover or plug.

Is Paintball Suitable For Children?

The field where I play paintball has an age limit of 10 years old.

But I believe that there is more to it than chronological age.

Age aside, some children are physically small for their age and probably wouldn't do well with the standard-sized equipment.

More of a problem is that the sport requires some discipline and a level of maturity. If he's out on the field and decides that he doesn't want to wear his mask anymore, he could get injured. Could you live with that? Heck, one of my coworkers was made to sit out a game for failing to put on his mask on the way to the playing field! In my first game, I almost got suspended when my mask fogged up and I asked the referee if I could wipe it out. He said, "Touch that thing and out you go!" What is a kid going to do when the mask becomes fogged or uncomfortable?

So, ask yourself:

Can he listen to and understand orders?
Can he remember basic safety instructions and follow them later?
When he gets excited or tired, will he listen, understand, and obey?

Does It Hurt To Get Hit?

That depends on where you got hit and what you are wearing there.

Basically, if you cover all of your skin with heavy clothes, you won't feel any pain or have any damage.

If you get hit on bare skin, it will hurt, may raise a welt, and can even break the skin. Expect some bruising.

In between those extremes, if you get hit on a place that is lightly covered, it will sting and perhaps bruise, but is unlikely to break the skin.

So, cover up, for Pete's sake!

Think about anything that might be exposed, no matter how small. The other guy might not be aiming for your neck, but he might hit you there anyway. You can buy a special padded neck protector, and even padded "armor" for your chest and back.

What To Wear?

(The material in a paintball isn't really paint. It is more like cough syrup with coloring in it. It is easier to wash out than real paint, but can still stain.)

In general:

Wear clothes that you won’t mind getting messy. It could be paint, or grass stains. Hopefully, it will wash out; maybe it won’t.
Wear clothes that you won’t mind if they get torn or damaged. This kind of thing should be rare, but you might trip and fall and rip something.
Wear clothes that cover as much skin as possible – long sleeved shirt, long pants.
A little baggy is good; a paintball hitting a flap of cloth probably won’t break.
Heavier fabric will protect your skin better from impact.
Avoid bright colors that would identify yourself as a target.

Some folks like camouflage fatigues. Some like cargo pants for the extra pockets.

I don’t know what the weather will be like, but it is often chilly at night (which suggests dressing warmly). We’ll be running around a bit and getting sweaty (which suggests dressing lightly). I plan to wear two layers, so I can remove one if it gets too hot - a tee shirt on the bottom and a long shirt over that. Coworker Curtis bought a set of cammo pants at an army/navy surplus store.

Shoes:

In some areas, the ground will be slick with broken paintball shells. Choose shoes with good footing.
Make sure the shoes are comfortable, especially for running.
Wear something that you have broken in – new shoes might pinch a little and give blisters.
Shoes should completely enclose the foot – no sandals.
Expect to get some paint on your shoes. Don’t wear your best.
Some folks wear comfortable sneakers. Others like hiking boots.

Accessories:

Gloves are a good idea; they extend the coverage of your skin, keep your hands warm. I have a pair of baseball batting gloves that I usually wear.
Something to carry spare ammunition onto the field – often a belt with “pods” that contain spare paintballs.
Knee and/or elbow pads can help you kneel and crawl. Special ones for paintball sell for $50 per pair; for arms and legs that’s $100! I found some skateboarding pads for $16 at Big 5 sporting goods. They are soft inside for comfort and hard outside for strength. If you wear these outside your clothes, they’ll help you slide. Curtis has some volleyball knee pads; those can be worn under the pants.

Although you will be wearing a face mask, you should probably wear something to cover the top of your head too (like a beanie) so that if you do get hit in the head, it doesn't hit your skin directly. I plan to wear something like a baseball cap on backwards. The brim pointing down the back should protect the back of the neck. N.R.A. members are encouraged to wear an N.R.A. cap – might help intimidate the opposition a tiny bit.

Some guy wear an athletic cup ... just in case.

Tools:

Consider clipping a squeegee to your outfit, to clean out your gun if it breaks paint on the field.
I bring a small flashlight, in case I have to figure out a jam. Don’t use it to make yourself a target.

Consumable Supplies For Paintball

-- Paintballs

The paintballs come in a case of 2000, each of which contains 4 bags of 500 paintballs. Dean suggests that everybody get a case of 2000. This may sound like a lot, but when a marker can shoot upwards of 10 balls per second, it is possible to use a lot of ammo. It all depends on your shooting style.

It is customary to open the cases when you get them and gently turn over each bag in search of broken paint balls. If you find even one broken paintball, the quality of the rest are compromised and you should send the case back.

The paint in the balls settles out if it sits a long time. This can unbalance the balls and cause them to not shoot straight. When storing leftovers, turn the case over regularly – perhaps once a month.

Store paintballs in a cool, dry place. Do not refrigerate. Do not freeze.

Plan on shooting the paintballs within 3-4 months after purchase for best results.

-- Air

You'll need propellant to shoot those paintballs. But a common question is "how much?" It depends on whether you are set up for CO2 or compressed air, and how large the tank is.

Rule of thumb:

Air, loaded to 3000psi - 10 shots per cubic inch of tank (47ci = 470 shots, 68ci = 680 shots, 88ci = 880 shots, 114ci = 1140 shots)
Air, loaded to 4500psi - 15 shots per cubic inch of tank (47ci = 705 shots, 68ci = 1020 shots, 88ci = 1320 shots, 114ci = 1720 shots)
CO2, tanks are filled by weight - 50 shots per ounce of CO2

Depending on your equipment, your mileage may vary a lot.

I suspect that playing all evening will take me about two fills. You can get tanks filled at the field, or your local paintball store.

-- Batteries

Start out with fresh batteries for your marker, loader, and anything else that needs them. I need a total of 3 of the 9V batteries - your mileage may vary. Might be good to bring spares along.

-- Food and water

If we get started on time and stay until they close, we could be in for 5 hours of play. At the very least, you need a water bottle and a couple of balance bars just to keep going.

You might want to eat before the match - but not too heavy.

-- Service

You should make sure that your paintball equipment is clean and functioning.

This applies whether your paintball equipment has been unused and sitting in a closet (rotting); brand new (DOA); or gets regular use (worn out). If you no longer have a copy of the manual, check the vendor's web site for a downloadable copy. Curtis found a YouTube video showing the disassembly/cleaning process for a Smart Parts Ion. Other helpful videos are no doubt out there.

Play Paintball!