What Paintball Gun & Gear To Buy First 2019

(DL) — Every new paintball season new players look to begin their paintball collection. Look no further! Learn where to start and what paintball gun and gear you should buy first with this 2019 gear guide.

So you’re looking into buying your own equipment.

Where to start is the tricky part. Should you go right away for a bad-ass marker? Should you invest in a nice big tank? We will save you from mistakes because the truth may not be what you expect.

You’ve Played Paintball — You Caught The Paintball Bug

Now that you’ve played a few times and have fallen in love, you’re ready to get serious. Gone are the days of renting. It’s time to personalize with your own flare.

What’s first?

Let’s Start With The Biggest No-No!

Walmart? Kmart? Dick’s? All those big box chain stores that sell “value” paintball packages.

Don’t. Just don’t.

You think that rental gun was bad! You had fogging issues with that rental mask! Didn’t like that rental tank! You ain’t seen nothin’ yet!

Your local field’s rental equipment, as troublesome as it may be, will seem like professional-grade next to that ‘equipment’.

The only advantage this value box will serve is that it will be your equipment. But why waste your money on something you’re going to replace after one use?

Let’s recap. You will not be buying any package deals from Walmart, Kmart, Dicks, Modell’s or any other big box seller.

Where To Start For A Paintball Gun & Gear Purchase

The best place to start when looking into any paintball equipment is visit your local field. While there — ask the referees. Talk to the experienced players. Ask all around the field for opinions and advice. Find out what they started with and what they learned. Find out what they did wrong and/or right. Follow accordingly.

Get a normal face you weirdo!

Hold a few markers; maybe the experienced players will even allow you to borrow their marker for a round. Try on a few masks; see what fits your face. This is vitally important if you wear glasses or have a weirdly shaped face. (Also, get a normal face you weirdo!)

Check out some tanks, pod packs, and gloves. Anything you can get your hands on. Remember even if you are the same height or weight has someone — equipment could fit differently to you.

How Much Are You Willing To Spend?

Now that you’ve talked to other players and seen what’s out there, you need to make a budget. How much are you able and willing to spend?

Maybe you can afford to drop $3,000 on day one, but probably not. If you can get everything you want right away, do it! But be sure to do it right and not have buyer’s remorse.

A gun is not the first thing you should buy. It’s not second, either. It isn’t even the top five!

If you’re like most of us, you’ll buy a little at a time. One purchase to get started. Another after some saving and more and more eventually.

Have a specific dollar amount in mind to aim for. Maybe have a range. Definitely have a maximum that you can spend for your first outing.

Let’s Go Get Your New Paintball Gun!

Everyone is always so excited to get their new toy. It feels cool to carry around your very own paintball marker. All the kids stare as you walk past with your own sweet looking face-shooter!

But…Nope, not yet.

A gun is not the first thing you should buy. It’s not second, either. It isn’t even the top five!

Paintball is a sport of looking good, sure. But it’s also a game of good-looking! A corny play on words, perhaps, yet true.

Your Very First Purchase

So what should you really get first? There is no wiggle-room here, yet most new players get it wrong.

Mask | Goggles

That’s right, a mask. A good mask that fits properly, won’t fog, has sun protection, and hasn’t been dropped 20 times a day for years.

You can have the best gun in the world but it won’t do you any good if you can’t see. Plenty n00bs school established players simply due to not having good vision.

You can have the best gun in the world, but it does you no good if you can’t see!

-Dan Andreko

Next Up In Important Paintball Gear Purchases

Carbon Fiber Tank

This one is going to cost you. These tanks are a significant investment but well worth it!

All rental (paintball players) are equipped with an aluminum HPA tank which can fill to 3000 psi (pounds per square inch). This is a fine amount of air for a new player in a ten minute game, but you’ll soon want more.

When looking at tanks, you’ll notice a wide variety. Which one to choose? This is going to depend on several factors so you’ll need to refer to those notes you took earlier regarding to talking to other players.

The size and weight of the tank will depend on what’s comfortable for you. Personal preference counts here.

Carbon fiber tanks are significantly lighter than aluminum. These tanks also come in cylindrical or spherical shapes. Carbon Fiber tanks are designed to hold 4500 psi. This will allow you to shoot more, run faster, and maneuver more freely.

Time For A Marker Yet? Well… No.

Upgrade Your Loader

I’ll bet you’re tired of shaking that gravity-fed hopper. Paint getting stuck together and not falling into the gun resulting in dry fire.

Let’s get those balls rolling! There are three main types of hopper. The first is the aforementioned gravity. The next is agitation. And the most advanced is force-feed.

An agitation hopper is basically a gravity hopper that shakes itself. Either vibration, a wheel, or something else that will move the paint automatically. This frees up the balls and allows them to fall through the feed-neck more easily. This will keep up with most mechanical markers quite easily.

Aptly named force-feed hoppers literally force paint into your gun. There are a few different types but they all end the same way. Paint is quickly and effectively sent into the breach and result in no (or very few) skipped shots. These are for the big boys and will keep up with the fastest of speedball markers.

Almost There! It’s Almost Time For A Paintball Marker

Pods and Pod Pack

By now, you’ll be running out of paint almost every game (depending on your game-play). You’ll probably also not want to carry around bags of paint on the field.

Pods are plastic containers designed to carry extra paint. The lids are secure, yet open easily with one hand. The openings are hopper lid sized.

Pod packs are generally one of the cheaper paintball gear investments you will make. They will really help to up your game. Sure, there are very expensive pods and packs, but there are also much cheaper options.

Pod packs come in a wide variety so take your time and try a few on. Again, refer to the notes from players. Generally, you’ll want something that is comfortable and holds enough paint for your needs.

One Last Thing

Footwear

Mud, turf, grass, sticks, hills, water, hot, cold, and everything else. Your feet have to deal with all of it.

The boots versus cleats debate has raged for years and shows no signs of stopping. This is going to be personal preference and is highly dependent on your game-type.

What both sides can agree on, is quality. Whatever type of shoe you wear, it needs to work and work well. Be sure the shoes are comfortable, fit properly, and don’t inhibit you on the field.

Boots will help make you nature-proof. They will also give good ankle support. A good pair of boots should allow you to get in the fight from any direction whatever the conditions.

Cleats are terrific for turf and moving quickly. Speed ballers generally prefer the agility that cleats allow for. This shoe-type is also much lighter so you can get around faster.

It Is Time To Buy A Paintball Gun

Now you’ve got all the essentials to up your game, save one.

Conclusion

Now you can see clearly. You have all the air you’ll need with less weight. You’re able to shoot as many balls per second as you’d like. Don’t worry about shooting too much because you can carry plenty of paint. And your feet won’t let you down because they’re dressed appropriately. You are ready for paintball in 2019!

You’ve waited a long time for this so let’s get to it! Go ahead and wave those arms and jump for joy. Go ahead and get your paintball gun!

What gear item will you buy first in 2019?

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