If you’re reading this, I think it’s safe to say you might have a slight case of the butterflies. It’s normal… and it’s good. That’s part of the excitement of going out to play paintball for the first time. I still remember my first outing… it was at AAA Paintball Park for my 14th birthday party and my friends and I from my 8th grade class were all starting to arrive with visible nervousness and excitement. Some were wearing old army-surplus-store camo getups, but most of us showed up in jeans or sweatpants and hoodies, anticipating buckets of paint covering us or something to that effect. We didn’t know what to expect, but man were we excited to get started. A few of us were trying to stand tall and act like we did this before because a couple girls from our class came too (they ended up being secret assassins that day and kicked our butts). Our parents filed in behind us, nervously wondering what they just got their kids into.
It should be evident from this website that I love paintball. I’ve recently rediscovered the sport after a long hiatus but the paintball bug bit me hard. I really want to share why I love this game and I want to reassure you why you’re going to love it, too. All the memories and nostalgia came rushing back from my teen years, and it’s reminding me of what you’re going to experience soon with your first outing… and this is what paintball is truly about:
Excitement, Adventure, Friends, Laughs, Camaraderie, Teamwork and Adrenaline
You’re about to get a huge dose of all-of-the-above. You’ll no doubt be excited, but the great thing about paintball is that it delivers on that anticipation and excitement. After getting your rental gear and running through the mandatory safety talk, you mask-up and walk to a field you’ve never seen before. A sense of adventure hits you as you look to your left and right trying to identify your friends from under their paintball masks. Your heart will start racing as the referee splits up the teams and sends you to your starting-point. You’ll nervously laugh as you and your team start to come up with a loose strategy of where to go (spoiler, it all falls apart as soon as the horn blows). And when you start hearing the “pop, pop, pop” of the first shots, you’ll probably stick close to a friend and try to help each other, shouting muffled expletives through your mask. The adrenaline has taken over – you’re playing your first game of paintball.
And that is the feeling that paintball is all about. You’ll have the time of your life, and like anything new you’ll wonder why you were so worried in the first place. So with that in mind, I’ll run through some common questions and answers that first-timers commonly have here. The first question I get every time, almost without fail, is…
1. Does getting hit by a paintball hurt?!
In a short answer, yes it stings for a couple seconds but the adrenaline dulls it. It’s slightly more painful than a hard flick but better than getting your blood drawn at the doctor’s. Have you ever had a friend come up to you in high school and snap a rubber band on the back of your neck or your forearm? If you haven’t, try this right now: take a rubber band and loop it between your thumb and your index finger, then lay the stretched band down on your thigh, stretch one side as far as it will go and release it, snapping your thigh. It’s kind of like that. Not too bad, right? It stings, yeah, but it’s a small price to pay for the incredible excitement, adrenaline and heart-pumping thrill you’ll get in return. However, getting hit in the fingers, neck or… ahem… jewels… does suck slightly more. And that brings me to my second topic…
2. What should I wear? Is there any protective gear or clothing?
It’s a valid question – paintball is messy and paintballs can sting slightly, so what can you do to prepare yourself? Lots, actually! Don’t pay any mind to people who poke fun at you for wanting to cover up, they’re just puffing their chests out (and they’ll be the first ones to complain, usually). I much prefer to be comfortable and protected and I really think you’ll enjoy it a lot more if you follow this advice.
- Don’t worry about wearing camouflage. None of us are dropping into an actual war zone (you can save the camo for when you get really into it and play some scenario games… but that’s a whole other topic). Instead, wear a hoodie and some jeans – keeping your hoodie pulled up will protect the top of your head and your neck from painful hits, and jeans will be rugged enough to protect your knees on your first outing.
- Boots and high socks. You’re in the forest, so you have more to worry about with tick and mosquito bites than from paintball. Protect your feet and your legs from nasty bugs and give yourself the best footwear for traipsing over rocks, tree roots and mud!
- Chest protectors are a good thing to rent if your field offers them. Forget the people who might laugh at you, it’s way better to protect yourself and enjoy playing than to worry about showing other people how tough you are. On that note, kneepads are never a bad idea, either. You’ll be hiding behind trees and barriers as you work your way towards the other team!
- Wear a cup. I know a lot of people roll their eyes at this one, but whether you’re a man or a woman getting hit “down there” ain’t fun. Just wear it, you’ll be thankful you did if you catch one in the downstairs.
- GLOVES. This last one is my personal never-leave-behind item. I keep a pair of old leather Under Armour padded-knuckle football gloves in my goggle bag. Getting hit in the fingers doesn’t feel great and there’s no shame in protecting your digits. You don’t have to worry about gloves inhibiting you from “shooting fast” as a first-timer or even as a seasoned weekend-warrior. Your fingers will thank you if you wear a good pair of gloves. They should preferably be thin enough to not impair you moving your fingers and feeling what’s on your fingertips so you can hit your paintball marker’s trigger consistently, but padded on the knuckles or thick enough to at least offer your knuckles and finger joints some protection in case you get hit there. A lot of people don’t wear gloves, or they’ll wear fingerless gloves (also a good option), but keep in mind that your hands are one of the most commonly-exposed body parts while playing paintball – they’re right up in front of you all the time as you hold up your marker to shoot!
- Neck protectors are another thing to bring or rent from the field. Neck shots sting a bit more, similar to knuckle shots. If you want that added layer of protection for your neck, you’ll be thankful you wore something to protect it. You can wear a scarf, a balaclava, or a neoprene neck/face cover that’s commonly used for skiing and snowboarding.
3. Will there be food and water at the field?
I love to eat, so obviously this one is near the top of the list. But more importantly, you need to stay hydrated!! Most fields do not have a rule against bringing a cooler filled with bottled water and sandwiches, so I highly recommend coming prepared for everyone to stay hydrated and fed. Water, Gatorade, sandwiches, chips, granola bars, etc. are all a great idea (just remember to respect the field and clean up after yourself). It’s a really active sport and you’ll be hungry and thirsty! One thing to remember for the moms, dads, bachelors/bachelorettes and older readers of this article – alcohol is never permissible and never excusable at a paintball field. You’re dealing with high-pressure, high-velocity projectiles and you want to keep you and your friends safe… we all want to keep our eyeballs intact so vigilance is important when safely handling any paintball marker, airgun or firearm. That brings me to the next point…
4.) Is a paintball gun like a real gun? Is this safe?
In most ways, no a paintball gun is not a “real gun”. Paintball people are not generally the same thing as a firearm fanatic (no judgement here if you are, though). There has been a big push in the paintball community from the beginning to get away from the word “gun” and call it a Paintball “Marker” so as to dispel the public scrutiny of paintball as somehow being a violent game. It is not a violent game and in fact paintball is very safe for kids 10+ and adults alike. It’s competitive, but far from violent. That all being said, however, a paintball marker should be treated with the same respect as a real gun, because it propels a high-speed projectile. This is the reason we wear goggles, and why there is a barrel cover (previously a barrel “plug”) that is required to be pulled over the end of your marker when you’re off the playing field. So “always treat it like it’s loaded” is a good core rule. Here are some others to make sure you have a fun and safe day at the paintball field:
- Keep the barrel pointed in a safe direction always until it’s time to play in the designated playing area.
- Keep the barrel cover on always, until a referee tells you to remove it in the designated playing area.
- Listen to the referees and the field’s owners/employees always. (Unless, in the rare occasion you have a ref or employee who’s negligent and not keeping the safety rules themselves. If that’s the case, alert the owners, and if it’s brushed off leave the field entirely and bring your business elsewhere forever.)
- Keep your mask on always while you’re in the designated playing area. Don’t even pull it off your face slightly to scratch an itch. Remove your mask only when you’ve covered your barrel, left the designating playing area and a referee tells you it’s safe to do so.
- Many fields have a “10-Foot Rule” which means you can’t shoot at someone who is closer than 10 feet from you. Respect this rule for everyone’s safety and enjoyment.
- Respect the chronograph limit – all fields set a velocity limit of how fast your paintball can shoot. Typically it’s 280 feet per second (fps) for recreational play and 300fps for professional play. Never, ever, ever turn up the velocity of your paintball gun after you’ve gone through the chrono-test. It’s not kind, it’s not funny, and it will hurt someone. Be responsible.
- Sportsmanship. This one goes without saying. Be a good sport, congratulate your friends and foes on a great hit, don’t cheat (wiping paint off to stay in the game is grounds for expulsion and lifelong shame in paintball) and you’ll have a fantastic time with everyone.
5.) Do I have to buy all this gear in order to play?
The answer to this one is a resounding “no”. See if you like it first! No one cares if you have a rental marker or a $2000 electro “space gun” when you’re just starting out. The field equipment should be well maintained and in working order enough for you to have a blast. Once you’ve been a few times and you and your friends are becoming regulars, then you can start to think about your own stuff.
6.) So how much will I spend for the day?
That depends on how much paint you shoot and where you play! Typically it breaks down like this:
- Field admission rates are usually $10-30 per day depending on the quality and location of the field. That usually includes complimentary “air fills” when your tank runs out of air.
- Rental packages, which usually include the rental gear and the admission fee, are anywhere from $25-35 and also usually include a couple hundred paintballs to get you started.
- Paintballs are usually sold by the “pod” (around 120-140 paintballs) or in quantities of 500 (quarter-case), 1000 (half case) or 2000 (full case). A pod or pack of 100 balls is typically around $5, a quarter case is typically around $20, a half-case is around $40 and a full case usually gets a little bit of a discount at $55. Pool your cash with your friends and buy more at the start! Some fields offer “higher quality tournament grade” paint at a higher cost… you don’t really need it until you get more serious about the sport.
So, all-in-all you should bring around $80-100 and expect to spend around $60 for the day.
7.) Okay, I’m ready… how do I get started?
Start by getting your friends together and selecting a day (usually the weekend). Visit the field’s website and download a safety waiver ahead of time if it’s available – it will save time if you show up with pre-filled safety waivers in the morning. Call the field or look at their schedule and make sure it’s an “open play” day, or if you want to play with just your friends and avoid the other “veterans” at the field, you can pay for a private party. This is usually the best route since it’ll include a group discount, assign your own personal referee for the day, and will include all the rental gear you need in one neat package. Keep in mind there’s usually a 10-15 person minimum to reserve a private party, but don’t fear the “veterans” at the field – they’re usually more helpful, fair and easy on you than you might imagine. We all want new players to get into the sport we love!!! Lastly, call the field ahead of time – it always helps them know what kind of crowd they can expect for the day, and you can ask for any additional details you want to know. Then, get ready to enjoy the big day!!!
I hope this article has helped you learn a little bit more about playing paintball. It really is a fantastic sport and offers so much more in the way of safety, excitement, memories and fun than most other sports could ever hope to provide. It’s fun for everyone, it’s one of the truly co-ed sports (where women honestly tend to do better than men from what I’ve experienced… whoop whoop ladies!), and it really deserves more participation and visibility as a great social event, pastime and physical activity. So what are you waiting for? Get out there and play some PAINTBALL!!
Click here for more articles and a guide to local paintball fields in Central New York!
Signing off,
Rob, the “CNY Paintball Tech”