Starter Marker Advice

[MrJoe_K]

Hey guys.

New to the site and new ish to paintballing. I've just forked out on the 2010 proto jersey and pants and a JT flex camo mask so at least I'm comfortable now when I'm sliding around.

Need some help with getting a marker as I was all set to get the BT Delta Elite package inc air for £360 when I was advised to go with a 2nd hand ego instead. Trouble is, a 2nd hand ego is still pretty expensive once you factor in a decent hopper/air etc.

I then saw a 2010 PMR package for £439 inc hopper, air etc and now I have no idea what to go for. I've watched tons of reviews on youtube etc but still unsure as to what to do. Would the BT be fine on a walk on day or would I get pounded by all the electric markers? The site where I play sometimes has a mechancal gun only day which would just mean that I couldn't play on that day anymore - unless I went with the BT.

Any advice would be appreciated guys

 

[EuanMack]

Hey, Im in the same situation as you... New to the site and im a relatively new to paintball.
I am just about to buy my first marker also and was thinking along the lines of a Proto SLG with everything i need for £300..any good? Either slg or vibe..

I have to say im not at all tempted by the BT,Tippman range... im all for electric markers

 

[Eric C]

get the ego... a proper loader and tank... and ull nvr have to worry about your marker or its set up ever again.... if you get a crappy loader and tank you might have to change that in the future when you plan on upgrading your gat which also means more money spent... basically get a good tank and loader... marker comes second... and an ego or geo is what i would go for..

 

[PaintballWizard]

Just a heads up, the bt delta elite has an e-trigger installed in it so it is ellectronic. The bt delta on the other hand does not have an etrigger and is mechanical.

 

[Kevin Winter]

Avoid the BT like the plague - it's bulky, heavy and outdated! Secondhand is the best way to buy, as you get more for your money.

 

[p8ballinParks]

the slg aint bad my team mate has the slg and vibe, his slg always seems to go down for sum reason half way through a tourney and reverts back to his vibe, cz that never lets him down, its a very basic gun but thats why nothing ever seems to go wrong, the best thing is to look on here for equipment, when i was new i went out and spent alot of money on a gun that with the same money on here i could of got an awesome one,

 

[Bambulus]

I'd agree with what has been said - avoid BT. They're great for milsim, since they look the part and can be upgraded to look even better, but they're hefty and are outperformed by even the entry level tourny markers. Your money is much better spent on a tourny style marker, even if it's just a very basic sub-200 marker such as the SLG, which I'd personally recommend. I've had one since I started, and it's never let me down once. If they let you use the rental markers on the mech-only day, then do so. Mech markers will all be in the same ball park, you won't be losing out too much if the site looks after their markers.

As for secondhand vs new, that's entirely up to you. You'll get a better deal buying second hand, but you won't get a warrenty or any kind of support from the manufacturer that you won't have to pay for. Buying new will give you the peace of mind that you've got something that hasn't been messed with or mistreated, and is fully covered if it goes wrong. That's still up to you, though. Some people are real tech heads and won't mind giving it a real service themselves, if you are one of them types. This site also has a wealth of knowledge on almost every type of marker around, so you can also refer to this place with any problems you encounter


As for which marker -

Don't go for the Vibe. Since Smart Parts have disappeared, the warrenty is no longer valid and parts will be impossible to come across, meaning if it does go down it'll be a pain in the arse to fix and will probably cost you a fair amount of money. Same goes for any of Smart Parts' markers. Avoid them.

Proto, on the other hand, make some decent markers. The SLG is the only good sub-200 marker left, and with a bit of upgrading (A clamping feedneck, on/off ASA and a decent barrel) is a fairly good marker. The PMR is also fairly popular, it has all of the features as standard that would be an upgrade to the SLG, looks pretty and shoots smoothly. However, it's efficiency is not a good selling point since you only get around 900 shots from a 1.1l 4500psi tank.

Compared to other markers in the £300-£350 range, it doesn't compete all too well. For this kind of money, you've got the Planet Eclipse Etek 3, which will blow the PMR out of the water in terms of efficiency and ease of maintenence. You can expect around 1500 shots compared to the PMR, and Eclipse markers are notorious for being real workhorses of markers. They're reliable as hell. The LT version isn't all metal, but that's not necessarliy a bad thing, and you can always upgrade it with an AM kit later down the line if it really bothers you.

You've also got the invert mini, which is quite old now but still worth mentioning, since it still has all the features of high end marker without the high end price tag. I'm not sure on the details of the mini, but I know many people have them, like them and recommend them.

What I recommend you do is set yourself a solid budget and post up, also including any options you're thinking of, either new or secondhand. The people here will be able to tell you anything you need to know about each marker out on the market, and will be able to give you an idea of the kind of marker you want. Hell, even if you just post up your budget, a shopping list can be formulated to suit your needs.

 

[Blue Beanie]

i would get a second hand 07/08/09/10 pmr a new halo too and a 4500 pure energy from paintball warehouse as is cheapest and that setup will last you till u play the nppl or millenium lol
that's what i use and it works just lush can keep up with dm9s and egos so don't shell out millions on an ego, but they're lush. if you cant afford a pmr get a slg and try gettin a ul frame

 

[liambroad]

Inferno mk2 FTW