Paintball Equipment List
Paintball is a team sport that uses a paintball gun to shoot the opposing team. Playing fields can be both natural or artificial and games can be held indoors or outdoors. Because the sport involves paintballs, or dye filled capsules, a lot of equipment is required in order to keep all participants safe during play.
Paintball Equipment
The most important piece of equipment needed for paintball is protective gear. Equipment such as helmets, jackets, and gloves are essential in protecting all participants. In addition, a paintball gun is the main component of the sport. Other accessories can be used to elevate gameplay and make playing paintball a more enjoyable experience.
Accessories
Paintball accessories are not always necessary, but can help make the game of paintball more enjoyable. Some accessories include red dot sight, stock upgrades, and gun adapters. Red dot sight can help users aim and fire their weapons. In addition, gun adapters can change the speed and number of rounds that a paintball gun fires. While these things work to improve upon one's game, they are still a basic part of the game of paintball. There are many different types of guns and accessories. In fact, the first semi-automatic rifle came out in 1989, and accessories for such a gun can be purchased even today.
Combat Suit
A combat suit has many different uses. Firstly, it helps protect paintball players when playing. Often times thick and padded, combat suits help minimize the impact of paintballs when they hit a body part. In addition, they can also help camouflage players. Camouflage is especially helpful in outdoor, natural settings as it allows for players to blend in with their surroundings and make it challenging for their opponent to sight them. In addition to the combat suit, players wear a jersey in order to tell teams apart when on the playing field.
Gear Bag
Paintball gear bags are a great way to store all of one's paintball gear. Paintball gear bags often have multiple compartments to separate protective gear from the paintball markers. In addition, they are made of a heavy duty material that is able to withstand the elements as well as the material that paintballs are made of.
Gloves
Gloves have a similar function to combat suits. They are essential in protecting a player's hands. Gloves must be flexible enough to allow players to move freely, pull the trigger on their paintball guns and reload when necessary. In addition, the material inside paintballs is often very slippery. Gloves protect a player's hand from becoming too wet during gameplay.
Goggles
Paintball goggles help protect a player’s face and mouth. Unlike typical goggles, paintball goggles cover the mouth in order to protect from paintballs. While paintballs are not lethal, when shot in the face with one, it can potentially be very harmful. As a result, paintball goggles are needed during a match in order to protect all players from potentially harmful incidents.
Harness
Paintball harnesses help players keep paintballs on their person when playing a game of paintball. Paintball harnesses hold vial shaped tubes for paintballs. The tubs are then strapped in using velcro and are attached to a player's waist or body. This allows players wearing the harness to quickly reload during the game.
Jerseys
Paintball jerseys help players decipher each team on the terrain. Just like any other team sport, each team wears different colors in order for players to know who is on whose team. Unlike other sports, however, paintball jerseys are colorful and long sleeved. Some come with padding on the arms and elbows in order to protect players from hurting themselves.
Padding
Paintball padding is essential for paintballers. Padding softens the impact of the paintball and gives an extra layer of protection. It comes in different shapes and sizes, giving coverage to the chest, stomach, back and arms.
Paintballs
Paintballs are essential to playing paintball. Paintballs come in different colors and are made by many different brands. Made up of gelatin, paintballs are spherically shaped and filled with polyethylene glycol, as well as other non-toxic substances. They are biodegradable and wash away with water. Contrary to popular belief, there is no paint in paintballs. In addition, paintballs can be shot from a paintball marker at 300 feet per second and can fire as far as 50 yards.
Paint Grenades
While paintball grenades are not necessary, they are a fun accessory to introduce into the game of paintball. When released, the paintballs inside the grenade release, hitting nearby opponents in its path. Paintball grenades are reusable as well, so long as the user finds the empty grenade and pull pin. It is important to note that some paintball arenas do not allow paint grenades, so it's a good idea to ask your local paintball arena before bringing and using a paintball grenade.
Paintball Gun
Also known as a paintball marker, a paintball gun works by using pressurized gas that expands into the barrel, forcing the paintball out of the other end. There are various types of paintball guns. The first paintball gun was invented in the 1960s when Charles Nelson of the Nelson Paint Company invented the paintball marker. Paintball guns and markers come in many different sizes. Some different types are the machine gun paintball gun, semi-automatic paintball gun, and automatic paintball gun. There is also the pump paintball gun, which requires users to push and pull the pump handle after every shot to get the next paintball ready to fire.
Shoes
Paintball shoes are another piece of protective equipment, protecting the player’s feet from paintballs while also allowing for better grip on the terrain. Some choose to wear football or soccer cleats as they also protect while having the spikes needed to grip the ground and avoid slipping and sliding. Often, paintball shoes are made without shoelaces, to avoid players tripping over the laces when running and avoiding opponents.
Smoke Grenades/Bombs
Smoke bombs give an advantage to players on the playing field. While not necessary to play paintball, smoke bombs distract opponents and allow for a fun addition to a game of paintball. Smoke bombs come in different colors, and work by lighting a fuse at the top of the grenade. They usually last for 90 seconds depending on the quality and type of product.