I've written this article about starting paintball and was looking to get feedback from mods as well as newbies to find out if you think it is both accurate and helpful. The articles is:
Getting Started in Paintball
Thinking paintball is for you? Then the first thing you need to do is play it! First decide, do you have any friends? Not just facebook friends but people that want to play paintball with you? Or maybe you want to meet some new friends? Have a look for your local site, there are many ways to do this. You can try google
If you are staying in a group any site will do but if you want to play with new people you have to find a site that provides 'walk-ons'. Walk-on paintballers are players who turn up to commercial sites without booking. Most sites do require you to book first unless it’s on a designated walk on day but there are some sites that are dedicated walk on sites. Some require you to bring you own equipment so always check with the site before you leave.
So you want your own equipment? There are many people happy to tell you which marker is the best (paintballers don't like the term gun so they use the term marker) but this might not be the best for you. Try to play a couple of games at a paintball site, use the markers they provide and also ask any other walk-ons if you can try theirs. There are several variables to consider such as the weight of the marker, length, bps (rate of fire), design, looks and so much more. Some people advise that starting with a mechanical marker is best because it requires the minimum of maintenance and is less likely to fail on you, therefore you get a good taste of the sport before committing yourself. It is also recommended that you buy a marker that you can upgrade. Adding a double trigger, a bigger 'hopper' (this is where the paintballs are loaded) or better gas-usage. You can also add some aiming cosmetics like a laser or better marker sights to add to the accuracy of the marker. This is an inexpensive way of improving your marker while you improve and discovering your game and the way in which you play best. But this all depends on your needs and wants.
Next you will need paintballs. There is a lot of difference in quality of the paintballs however different paintballs work better with different markers so you should always try to use different paintballs to find the best ones for your marker. As you are only just starting it would probably be better to get some of the cheaper paintballs. You can get glow in the dark paintballs but these can be a little more expensive. The paint is also a factor that determines the quality of the paintballs, try to make sure they are fresh and they are right for the weather conditions you are playing in (you can get specialized winterized paintball).
Finally but by no means unimportant is you safety equipment. There are a number of different masks out there, make sure you try them on and make sure they are comfortable before you buy them because a mask that only ‘kinda’ fits could give you blisters, improper protection and will ruin your game. A mask that properly fits will feel like a second skin, you should be able to almost forget that you are wearing it. There are 3 main add-ons for your mask. Firstly the visor, this keeps the glare off the plastic lenses of your goggles and keeps your viewing clear (although you could just wear a baseball cap). Then you have the goggles, these should allow peripheral vision because if you get tunnel vision while paintball you’ll get hit.
Getting Started in Paintball
Thinking paintball is for you? Then the first thing you need to do is play it! First decide, do you have any friends? Not just facebook friends but people that want to play paintball with you? Or maybe you want to meet some new friends? Have a look for your local site, there are many ways to do this. You can try google
If you are staying in a group any site will do but if you want to play with new people you have to find a site that provides 'walk-ons'. Walk-on paintballers are players who turn up to commercial sites without booking. Most sites do require you to book first unless it’s on a designated walk on day but there are some sites that are dedicated walk on sites. Some require you to bring you own equipment so always check with the site before you leave.
So you want your own equipment? There are many people happy to tell you which marker is the best (paintballers don't like the term gun so they use the term marker) but this might not be the best for you. Try to play a couple of games at a paintball site, use the markers they provide and also ask any other walk-ons if you can try theirs. There are several variables to consider such as the weight of the marker, length, bps (rate of fire), design, looks and so much more. Some people advise that starting with a mechanical marker is best because it requires the minimum of maintenance and is less likely to fail on you, therefore you get a good taste of the sport before committing yourself. It is also recommended that you buy a marker that you can upgrade. Adding a double trigger, a bigger 'hopper' (this is where the paintballs are loaded) or better gas-usage. You can also add some aiming cosmetics like a laser or better marker sights to add to the accuracy of the marker. This is an inexpensive way of improving your marker while you improve and discovering your game and the way in which you play best. But this all depends on your needs and wants.
Next you will need paintballs. There is a lot of difference in quality of the paintballs however different paintballs work better with different markers so you should always try to use different paintballs to find the best ones for your marker. As you are only just starting it would probably be better to get some of the cheaper paintballs. You can get glow in the dark paintballs but these can be a little more expensive. The paint is also a factor that determines the quality of the paintballs, try to make sure they are fresh and they are right for the weather conditions you are playing in (you can get specialized winterized paintball).
Finally but by no means unimportant is you safety equipment. There are a number of different masks out there, make sure you try them on and make sure they are comfortable before you buy them because a mask that only ‘kinda’ fits could give you blisters, improper protection and will ruin your game. A mask that properly fits will feel like a second skin, you should be able to almost forget that you are wearing it. There are 3 main add-ons for your mask. Firstly the visor, this keeps the glare off the plastic lenses of your goggles and keeps your viewing clear (although you could just wear a baseball cap). Then you have the goggles, these should allow peripheral vision because if you get tunnel vision while paintball you’ll get hit.
