Playing paintball for the first time? READ THIS!

Starting paintball? Or to be really precise, are you thinking of playing competitive paintball? If the answer is no and staying recreational is the way of life then you do not need to buy anything paintball related. Paintball on its own can be played in whatever is deemed as a comfortable attire for you. There is no need to put on fancy clothing with additional padding because paintball is about getting shot and shooting people. Surely, you do not want to enjoy the cold winter wearing layers and layers of thick cloths or turning on the air condition only to cover yourself under the blanket. So what equipment do you need if you have plans to play competitively?

Firstly, do not break the bank for paintball attire. You do not need a fancy mask to play and you do not need the most technologically advanced equipment as an apprentice of the game. What you need are gears that can work practically for you once you stepped onto the field. Your first ever investment in paintball should be a decent paintball goggle. Look for one that is affordable but gets the job done. Look out for one that has thermal lens to prevent fogging, buy one that has good sponge cushioning when you put it on. The rest are just irrelevant… stay focus with us on this because this is the point where many choose to walk the darken road and be tempted to buy a $250 mask vs a $50 mask that can do the same job. Yes, most if not all paintball players believe in the famous saying of falling in love at first sight but remember do not break your bank. You need dough for your buying paints at the field. A decent mask can range from $100 – $200.

A good knee pad allow you to prone, kneel and crawl… Imagine your desire to do all these Rambo actions are hindered by your limitation to move. Knee pads help to break damages to your knees when you play the game. Do not hit your bones with the ground! Having good protection padding allow you to continue playing games after games. You need to stay low to survive. Having a pair of good knee pad enhances your movement which translate to survival. The longer you stay in the game, the higher chances of winning. It is a dog eats dog world out there! Once you have bought a pair of knee pads, it is time to invest in a pair of elbow pads. If you have been playing without any of these… trust us, you will never want to play without padding once you have acquired them. And surely, there will be no regrets investing in protection. Knee pads and elbow pads can be purchased from $65 – $90.

Once you have your mask and paddings, you probably need to add a forehead protection using a headband or a headwrap. Believe in us… getting headshots especially on the forehead makes you wonder why you even started playing paintball. If there is one thing that will allow you to reflect your interest and commitment in the game, it has to be getting shot on the head. There are many types of headbands, the choices which you have can vary from short to long, thin to thick. There are many headband designs in the market, find one that can harmonize to your inner zen. A headband protection cost from $30 – $50.

Loose clothings is what you need to play paintball. Wear long sleeves shirt, long pants and covered shoes. Wear clothings that are comfortable and loose fitting. You are going for “war” not catwalking on the aisle, it is therefore important to have a free range of motion when the paintball rounds are coming at you. Wear shoes that can enable running… DUH! Yes stating the obvious is important for this post because we have seen many who came in slippers, old shoes with torn soles, army boots! A good recommendation will be soccer shoes with cleats that enable good footing when running. Turf shoes are the perfect fit. Get your Nike or Adidas on the field and they should work wonder for you.

This article is contributed by Red Dynasty Paintball Park. For information on the different game packages, please visit www.weplaypaintball.com