Hello guys. I'm pretty new to the sport but allready have some gear. I need some advice regarding Etha 2. I think is a great gun but thinking about some upgrades - carbon barrel. So here is my questions. I seen some deadlywind barrel but got no idea about a difference in them. Second I do believe I need a freak kit to it but that's another problem - do I need a whole set, front and back, will the old one fit and what thread do I need. And most of all is it really worth it comparing cost to performance. Thanks a lot in advance.
The Etha 2 is a decent gun, I have the original Etha in my collection
You have many options with barrels.
Carbon is nice and fancy, slightly lighter, absorbs vibration etc
Freaks give you the option to fine tune barrel sizing to meet the batch of paintballs you are using on the day and aiming for best efficiency & consistency etc
You do not need every size, and will find that you use 2 or 3 inserts.
You can opt for a handful with a selection of sizes, and also don’t need every tiny fraction of difference of the full range
But it’s an addiction - I started with a ‘full’ set and then over the years picked up another inset here and there gathering a collection of every insert size.
Then I saw a stainless set for sale, and then started selling my duplicates and looking for stainless inserts in all sizes to complete the set again
.... and it didn’t stop there, I bought a 3D printed revolver conversion turning an air pistol into a paintball revolver. It takes freaks and is best with first strikes. So, not wanting to put first strikes into my nice stainless and also that I may want to run a full gun plus the revolver I need two identical inserts at once.
Currently I’m avoiding checking what sizes I have in aluminium inserts to minimise the hunting of the missing sizes that I had sold off
To use freaks you need to decide on standard or the longer freak XL
(Opt for standard and there are more out there for you to add to a collection as they come out second hand)
There are aftermarket barrels that accept freak inserts, but the norm is that you buy inserts plus a freak front, and a freak back to match your guns thread
For the Etha 2 you need a cocker threaded freak back
However as it’s a Planet Eclipse you also have the option of getting a ‘FR’ back
The FR back fits the front piece of the Shaft barrel kit, and takes freak inserts
If you opt for that then you use your standard Etha Shaft barrel front and just need to buy a FR back and some inserts
(The FR will come with a mid
adaptor to take into account different Shaft versions)
