Facts & Questions
- Is it safe?
- Like all action sports (football, basket ball, etc.) paintball can be very dangerous unless adequate protection is worn and safety rules are understood and followed.
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- 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 stinging pain 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.
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- 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 games 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 evenly divide the skilled players. 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.
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- How can I play if I don't own equipment?
- Almost all (99%) of 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 yellow pages (look under 'Paintball' or 'Firearms' or 'Sports Equipment'), local newspapers, or ads in a number of the paintball magazines.
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- 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 rules of safety and specific rules for the field/game should be clearly stated by a referee before anyone steps 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.
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- How much does it cost to play?
- The average field in North America will cost approximately $15-25+ for a 1 day rental of goggles, gun and some, usually 100-200, paintballs. 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 can be using 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.
- 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. You can buy an entry level semi-automatic for $100 to $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.
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- Can I get the paint out of my clothes?
- Most brands of paint are water soluble and should wash out of normal clothes. Paintballs, for the most part, are vegetable based dyes in a colored gelatin shell. However, it is recommened you wear old clothes or clothes that you don't mind seeing a few stains in. Some professional grade paints are harder to clean from clothes, but most paint will wash out.
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