Try before you buy

[PoddyMcQ]

So i'm looking to get a paintball mask to start off with in my new venture into the land of paintballing.

Reading up on it and i keep seeing the same thing over and over.

Try before you buy

Problem is i can't seem to find any shops for the gear within Northern Ireland. Am i not looking in the right places or is there just none about?

Any help or advice would be appreciated

 

[Dusty]

There are no paintball shops in Northern Ireland, your best bet is to contact your local site and see what they use.

If you're into Tournament paintball, there is a team in Dublin who a few lads from Belfast head down to once or twice a month for training.

https://www.facebook.com/dublinpaintball.ie/?fref=ts
https://www.facebook.com/groups/189842561157409/

 

[PoddyMcQ]

Do you know if there are shops across the boarder?

 

[Dusty]

I don't believe so, you may have a bit of luck in an airsoft shop but the range of paintball masks WILL be limited.

 

[Dan Moss]

Defo try before you buy mate I bought 3 lots of gear different styles. Finally found my ideal kit.

If possible I would definitely recommend trying before you buy..

 

[Edward Jones]

I agree I was surprised at how uncomfortable some masks were and others didn't even feel like they were on. Would be a shame to waste money when your just starting out

 

[Twitch91]

Would buying a few mask then returning them be a option?

I had the same problem because there isn't any shops near me and all the sites around my way use the same mask and to my knowledge there arnt any walkons near ether. I brought a Empire Helix (great reviews and cheap) until I can get round to trying some masks on.

 

[Edward Jones]

Im sure it would but I would check the small print on things before you buy, or ring the shop your getting them from and explain what your planning on doing? I would get a few masks from the same place so your only paying one lot of return postage otherwise that could mean you spend an extra £20 without realising

 

[Tom]

Would buying a few mask then returning them be a option?

I had the same problem because there isn't any shops near me and all the sites around my way use the same mask and to my knowledge there arnt any walkons near ether. I brought a Empire Helix (great reviews and cheap) until I can get round to trying some masks on.

I wouldn't recommend 'try before you buy' on mail order / online purchases. Paintball retailers work on very tiny margins with many players expecting 'sponsorship' savings, any retailer that charges a penny more than another is likely to lose sales. The shop will get a lot of hassle and costs with masks going back and forth.
Speak to a shop first before you attempt it.


Try before you buy was a very big thing in the olden days with catalogue mail order. They actively encouraged it, but it cost the buyers plenty in extra £ because of all the extra costs of buy now pay later in many easy installments. Women have a trend of ordering multiple sizes and colours of clothing still with online sales and Ive recently seen this in the news etc as a problem for online retailers with the costs held up in lots of stock moving around for low or non sales.




There are walkons in Truro, which would be about an hour from you, I'm not sure about UCZ (I have been to a few scenarios at the Exeter bunker in the past), and Martello of Paintball magazine usually has quite a few things going on down in the South West

https://www.facebook.com/truropaintball/
http://www.ucz.info/locations_exeter.php
https://www.facebook.com/PaintballMag/?fref=ts

 

[smudgerebt]

Whilst no shops in NI, if you happen to fly over to liverpool or Manchester, then Factory Paintball in Stockport (just of a major motorway, the M60) has alot of different masks in stock where you can find one that fits.

Its a problem being in NI where you have to travel and or gamble.

Good luck in the search for the "one" that fits you best.

(I have alot of different masks and always seem to go for my JT or Eflex depending on how I am feeling on the day)