What is paintball?
Paintball is recognized as one of the world's most exciting outdoor participation sports.

Paintball is played in over 50 countries by millions of people of different ages and lifestyles. Whether high-school students or homemakers, professionals or retirees, all paintball players share a love for adventure and a strong competitive spirit.

Paintball is a combination of tag, hide & seek, and capture the flag. Paintball is challenging and extremely fast paced. Each player is equipped with a paintball marker that shoot paintballs, as well as a paintball mask for safety. The object of most games is to eliminate your opponent from the game by "tagging" them with a paintball. Being "tagged" refers to having been hit by a paintball. There are many (almost infinite) game variations, but most games revolve around a "capture the flag" theme.

Paintball is a sport played by people of all types. Women and men can compete equally, and the average player age is not dominated by youth. Physical size and strength are not as important as intelligence and determination. Paintball is a game of proper tactics and team cooperation. Like a game of chess, being able to think quickly and act decisively is what makes a good player.

Paintball is an exciting sport, and above all, fun! It's a chance to shake off your day-to-day responsibilities and satisfy your spirit for adventure. Once the adrenaline starts pumping, you can't help but become addicted to the rush, the thrill of the game!

How safe is it?
Like all action sports (football, basketball, etc.) paintball can be dangerous unless adequate protection is worn and safety rules are understood and followed.

Most paintball guns shoot .68 caliber (0.68 inch diameter) paintballs. A paintball is a pellet composed of a thin plastic shell, filled with a water-soluble vegetable-based dye. Paintball guns, often referred to as markers, shoot paintballs at a speed of 200 to 300 feet per second. To give you a better idea of the speed paintballs travel, 300 fps is about 205 miles per hour. Since paintballs are fairly light (only weighing a few grams each), they have little momentum while in flight, and thus are non-lethal.

Paintball players must always wear protective goggles to protect their eyes, and usually wear masks covering the rest of their face as well. A paintball impact with the face can easily cause seriuos injury to the eyes and ears.

Safety is highly stressed at most fields. Most fields require goggles be worn at all times unless in designated areas. Many fields also require that barrel plugs (plastic inserts that prevent paintballs from leaving your gun's barrel) be used while players are not playing in the actual game. Ignoring safety is a good way to get yourself ejected from a field or seriuosly injured. If all the safety rules for paintball are followed, paintball is a very safe sport.

Doesn't it hurt when you get shot?
Paintballs are designed to break open upon impact, and generally cause very little pain. What pain is experienced is more of a stinging sensation from the pellet's impact against the skin or through clothing. In most cases, the sting goes away after a few seconds and almost always within a few minutes. Of course, the closer you are to the muzzle of the gun, the higher the velocity will be when the paintball hits you. Thus, more pain may be experienced when shot at close range rather than farther away. Most fields have a mandatory surrender rule to prevent players from being shot at closer to 20 feet.

In general, a player can count on coming off the field with a few welts from paintball hits accumulated over the day. Many players are proud to show off any bruises they have and are often more than willing to share their stories about each one.

Do I have to use an organized field or be on a team?
You don't have to have an organized team or go to an organized field in order to play. Althought going to an organized field is not neccessary, we highly recommend that new players visit an organized field at least for the first couple of games in order to become acquainted with the game's safety rules. If you decide not to play at an established paintball field, you should only play on property that you have permission to use.

Most commercial fields allow walk-on games where anybody can show up and play. Referees at the field usually assign players to teams to divide the skilled players evenly. You don't need to bring your own team along with you to play. Some of the larger paintball fields will divide players into groups so only new players can play in one group and the more experienced players can play in a different group.

How can I play if I don't own equipment?
Almost all established, commercial paintball fields will gladly supply rental guns, goggles, and everything else you need to enjoy a fun day of paintball without purchasing any equipment. Fields can be found using the Yellow Pages (look under 'Paintball' or 'Firearms' or 'Sports Equipment'), local newspapers, or ads in a number of paintball magazines.

What kind of paintball field should I look for?
For the first few games you should play on a well organized field. Size is not the best way to judge the field. Things to watch for when selecting a good field are the number of referees on the field for each game and how well the rules are explained. The safety rules and specific rules for the field/game should be clearly stated by a referee before anyone sets foot on the field to play. There should also be a sufficient number of referees for the number of players, one referee can not handle a field with fifty people on it. If you are ever at a field that you feel is dangerous, or where safety violations occur regularly, you should stop playing and find a better, safer field.

How much does it cost to play?
The average field in North America will cost approximately $15-25+ for a one-day rental of goggles, gun and paintballs (usually 100-200). Extra paintballs are usually 5 cents or less each. Some players will find themselves using less than 30 paintballs per game, while some players at the other end of the spectrum will use over 200 paintballs per game. Better guns and facemasks are usually available at an additional cost.

A beginner should plan on using 200-500 paintballs for the first day of playing.

A full day of play is usually about six hours.

If you start playing regularly and would like to have your own equipment, you have several options open to you. Buying a used pump-action gun and a new pair of goggles is a good start. You can buy a used pump for $50 to $150, whereas an entry level semi-automatic will cost you between $100 and $300. A new pair of goggles might cost $20 to $40. Buying yourself a new pair of goggles designed specifically for paintball is a must.

On average, field paint cost about $.03 to $.06 per ball. You may go through several hundred paintballs over the course of a single day, so this cost should be a long term consideration. Depending on the type of gun you're using, the cost of CO2 (or compressed air) should also be a long term consideration. If you're using a constant air tank, you should be able to get it refilled at your local paintball shop or field for about $3-$5, depending on its size.

What do I need to bring with me if I am renting?
The field owner may not supply food or have facilities where food can be bought, so a lunch and snacks should be brought just in case. Bring lots of water. Old, sturdy, dark clothes and shoes or boots with ankle support are also recommended. Many players wear camoflauge military BDU's (basic dress uniforms) that can be purchased from your local army surplus store. Many fields also rent camoflauge clothes for about $2-$4 a day.

What safety equipment do I need?
The minimum safety equipment necessary to play includes a pair of paintball approved goggles, facemask with ear and throat protection, and a protective cup for men.

How can I play safely?
Do not fire your gun anywhere except on the field during the game, or in the designated chronograph area/shooting range. Inspect the lens of your goggles for cracks or signs of weakness. Make sure your mask is well seated and will not come off during the game. Make sure the velocity of your gun is under 300 feet per second. Always assume the gun is loaded, even if you know otherwise, and that safety devices won't work. Unload the gun when not in use. Upon receiving or retrieving a gun, check to see if it's loaded. DO NOT look down the barrel, even while wearing protection. If barrel needs checking, remove it from the gun and check it. If the barrel cannot be removed, disconnect all CO2/CA equipment, test-fire the gun downrange until no more gas is left in the gun, clear the breech or ball loading area, and then, carefully and while wearing goggles, glance down the barrel.

Anytime you are carrying a paintgun in a safe zone, such as the parking lot or staging area where people are not wearing goggles, you MUST have a barrel plug in the barrel. Know the rules of the game and abide by them. Never remove facemasks or goggles while on the field. Do not shoot animals or wildlife. Do not play when very tired, injured, feeling faint, hungry, or otherwise under par. Most injuries occur at the end of the day when players are exhausted. Notify the field owner or manager of any medical conditions, allergies etc.

This is not a complete listing of safety rules. Players should always read and abide by the rules set by the paintball field as well as adhere to all safety warnings and instructions provided by the manufacturer of any equipment they are using. Use common sense at all times.

Do I need to be physically fit to play?
Not really, but it will help. As with all strenuous exercise, participants should stretch and warm up before playing. Since typical games require occasional quick sprints, good aerobic fitness is beneficial.

Players should gauge their play to their level of fitness.

All players in poor physical condition or with physically limiting conditions should consult a physician before playing.

Proper footwear is very important. Some players find that lightweight, canvas-topped army boots or leather workboots protect feet and ankles in the woods. Other players prefer the support that sneakers give as paintball does involve running. Personal preferences vary, but footwear should not be overlooked.

Can I get paint out of my clothes?
Most brands of paint are water-soluble and should wash out of normal clothes. However, we recommend you wear old clothes or clothes you don't mind seeing a few stains on. Some professional-grade paints are harder to clean from clothes, but most paint will wash right out.

How do I keep my goggles from fogging up?
Most single-lens goggles will have chronic problems with fogging if you are an intense player or if the atmosphere is humid. The best solution is to get goggles with a thermal lens or install a goggle fan, or both. Thermal lenses are made of two lenses with a pocket of air between them, drastically reducing chances of fogging up. If you don't want to invest that much money, you can spit a little in the goggles and rub it around, or take a bar of soap and rub a little of that on the inside of the lens, obviously not so much to where you can't see. If your goggles fog up during a game, DO NOT remove them, as you could be seriously injured. Grab the bottom of your mask and pull the goggles away from your face about 1/2", and breathe some air up into the goggles until they are clear.