If you are interested in paintballing, you should probably be familiar with the supplies and equipment you need to get yourself prepared for the Big Game. You must exactly know what to wear when being a part of the paintball battle.
Whether you are a beginner or a proficient paintball player, it’s important to use the appropriate gear. If you are unsure about what to wear for paintball, we are here to help you. With a lot of information compiled in this article, you will have a better overview of what equipment you need to have a safe and enjoyable experience.
The Ultimate Gear You Need For Paintball
1- Shirts
The rule of thumb for paintball games is to have very little skin exposed to paint. Therefore, you need to wear a long sleeve t-shirt (called also Jersey) as the foremost base layer. Many players prefer dark-tinted loose sweatshirts, paintball specific jersey, and hoodies. Besides, you can look for padded shirts that offer more protection.
These t-shirts are typically expensive yet they are very comfortable. You should preferably wear loose clothes to help you with hits. Some players also go for sniper suits that are often worn by hunters as they offer camouflage.
Moreover, many players add vests to the external of their t-shirts. They make a great option for multiple pockets that can hold most of your essentials such as maps or water bottles.
Many players are fond of sniper suits that are mostly worn by hunters as they can provide you sufficient camouflage. Also, some players prefer adding vests to the external of their t-shirts. They make a perfect option for woodsball players and typically have built-in padding that’s capable of absorbing the impact.
2- Pants
Paintballing tends to expose your legs to diverse elements primarily depending on the particular location where you are about to play. Some elements include twigs, thorns, dirt, etc. that may result in scratches on your knees and legs.
Considering such circumstances, we won’t suggest you wear shorts. You can wear jumpsuits, jeans, cargo pants, and paintball specific pants. Your primary goal should be giving protection to your lower body.
To further improve the level of protection, you can wear two sports pants.
One must remember that while paintballing you are prone to performing certain things such as crawling or diving. In case your lower body is not protected, these practices might cause bruises and scratches. Make sure you wear thick pants but they should be comfortable enough to let you move easily.
3- Gloves
Hands are one of the most common targets during paintballing as you expose them by directing the marker downrange at the opponent team members. Make sure not to go for a paintball game without gloves. Some players frequently wear fingerless gloves that may affect sensitivity.
It’s better to opt for soccer gloves such as heavy-duty gloves or gardening gloves.
You can also have an added padding or protective covering on the back section of the hand. Further, you may don’t want to prefer winter gloves as they tend to be thick and weighty to restrict hand movement.
4- Groin Cup
For all those boys who are looking forward to playing the exciting paintball game, the groin cup is one of the essentials. Many people argue that crotch shots in paintball are rare. Though when they occur, they can be seriously painful.
While a cup to guard the groin area might not be very comfortable, it will offer added protection to the most sensitive of places. Wearing a groin cup will keep you protected and safe because peace of mind is the foremost thing to enjoy paintballing.
5- Paintball Mask
Don’t forget to leave your mask at home while you are off to the paintball battlefield. It’s simply impossible to play paintball without wearing a paintball mask.
Masks make for important paintball gear and therefore we recommend you bring an additional lens for them because you never know about the changing weather conditions during gameplay.
The best approach is to bring a dark and light lens since both of them are suitable for varying weather conditions. If something goes wrong during the game, you don’t need to worry about it. One effective way is to bring backup lenses if possible.
Another important consideration when playing in some environments is the availability of fans for your goggles. Though high-quality precision masks might not require fans since they work perfectly for most conditions, some masks/goggles need fans to get the job done. These fans work similarly to an air-conditioned for your lens.
They can be pretty suitable for the thermal lens as well and prevent fogging up in most situations. In addition, we strongly suggest you bring a microfiber cloth that comes along the goggles. That way, it will be easier for you to clean and maintain your lenses.
6- Tactical Belt / Holsters
Tactical belts make for another essential paintball gear. They are both good and helpful if there are any attachments you would add on to the load out. Besides, you can carry a holster for your paintball marker if you intend to use a sidearm while paintballing.
7- Knee Pads
Certain pants come with built-in knee pads while for others you need to get knee pads separately. They are very important particularly when you need to kneel in the brush along the pointed rocks and many other obstacles you need to run through.
Knee pads provide sufficient protection to your knee. Still many people forget to bring the knee pads resulting in severe injuries. It’s better to wear the knee pads throughout the gameplay or else you will be in real trouble.
8- Headwear
Paintballs travel at a relatively high speed of approximately 200 miles per hour. This makes head shots pretty uncomfortable and therefore a smart approach is to keep your head well-protected.
The speed at which the paintball shoot in the air can hurt your head in case you are not wearing any head protection. We would highly suggest you wear a paintball designed cap, a baseball cap or a winter hat.
Further, you may also need to strap on a paintball mask over your hoodie for optimal protection. While it’s crucial to wear a mask that is exclusively designed for paintballing, at the same time you need to consider what type of paintball mask you should opt for.
Though the paintball mask is designed to cover the face, many options cover the whole head. However, some masks covering your head may result in fog consequently resulting in poor vision. Where several options are available, you need to choose one that perfectly fits the best comfort.
Also, the mask should stay firm on your head and don’t fall while you are running, crawling and actively playing the game.
9- Aesthetics
When it comes to choosing the right clothing style, you should preferably choose dark colors or camouflaged shirts, jackets and pants.
This is one clever way to keep hidden from the opponents. Also, you should think about the aesthetics of the environment where you will intend to play prior to choosing the colors for your garments. Select hues that can blend perfectly with the paintball fields where you frequently play.
10- Goggles
For most paintball players, one must invest in a high-quality goggle. These are one of the most essential pieces of gear that players are required to wear on the battlefield to protect their face and eyes. Also, an important consideration is choosing the right type.
When choosing between thermal lens goggles and single-lens goggles, you need to opt for thermal variety. Besides, make sure to choose superior quality masks that can provide you with comfort lining and anti-fog shields.
Do not opt for goggles that are not designed for paintballing use. Paintball specific goggles will help you prevent loss of sight when struck in the eye with a paintball.
11- Boots
Next, we will talk about boots. Running around in your sneakers might not be a good idea. Therefore, you need to wear an appropriate pair of shoes that works great to make your game even more exciting than you have imagined.
They will keep your feet dry and protected from dirt. In addition, they will help you run around the field with good speed to be as efficient on the battleground as possible.
12- Vest
In most situations, you will need to invest in a paintball vest. The vest is an essential clothing item that will significantly help you when planning to get involved in a paintball game.
The vest frequently comes with padding exclusively designed to absorb impact and shock. It’s better to wear a vest featuring multiple pockets that let you hold your essentials on the field.
A tactical vest is an important essential that you must be wearing during paintballing especially if you are a tactical paintball player. Many of these fully-functional vests come with multiple pockets to keep your important gear.
Don’t forget to wear a tactical vest and stay strong in the game. After all, it will protect you through all rough and tough conditions that you might encounter during paintballing.
13- Head Protection
In addition to goggles or masks, it’s important to protect your head and other parts of your face with a fitted baseball cap or winter hat. In case you are wearing a hoodie than don’t forget to flip up its hood.
These essentials will protect your head. Investing in super-quality head protection that stays firmly to your head is all you need. It should neither slip nor fall off while running, crawling or doing other activities during a battlefield.
14- Neck Protection
Lastly, don’t forget to use a durable neck protector. It will protect your neck’s extremely sensitive skin. If you are unable to buy a neck protector or you find it uncomfortable, you can also go for a bandanna that can be tied around your neck. You may also choose a turtleneck sweater.
15- Extra Padding
You should probably add one long sleeve shirt on top of the additional padding. You can top it off with a thick sweatshirt or a hoodie. Some players prefer wearing a particular paintball jersey on the exterior whereas others choose a light rain-resistant jacket.
Many paintball enthusiasts are not fully satisfied with the limited protection of their long sleeve shirts and pants offer. Therefore, wearing arm pads can significantly protect the forearm from the elbow to the wrist.
This is particularly helpful for paintball players who like to dive or slide throughout the paintball battlefield. These pads will keep your arms comfortable when they come into contact with the ground. On the other hand, some players choose to wear shin pads.
Besides, you can also consider buying some slider shorts that are specifically designed for paintball players. These shorts are impeccably padded to offer adequate lower body protection.
Tips For Paintball Game
Paintballs are not very soft like actual paint. In certain instances, they can be shot at velocities creating a rip or hole in clothing or may hurt you. Below we have listed some important tips you should look forward to.
1- Do Not Opt For Thin Shirts
When it comes to wearing garments, you should go for thick shirts and pants. These pieces can considerably absorb the influence of a paintball that strikes your body at a relatively high velocity.
2- Add Multiple Layers
It is not enough to throw on some old clothes for paintballing, instead, wear multiple layers of clothing to minimize the impact of the paintballs as soon as you are hit.
The additional layers will increase space between the skin and the outmost layer of clothing. Though if you are playing in extreme heat, we won’t suggest you pile on the layers. It’s important to dress according to the weather.
3- Wear Additional Protection If Required
Some players have high pain thresholds than others. For paintball players who want to minimize the amount of pain, its best to go with maximum gear.
We would recommend you to carry along knee pads, a paintball mask, elbow pads, neck and chest protectors. Make sure to cover every inch of your body to reduce pain when hit by paintballs.
4- Leave No Part Exposed
Regardless of the situation, remember not to leave your skin exposed. Paintballs hurt when they come into contact with exposed skin. If you are shot in an unprotected area, a paintball leaves a welt on exposed skin. Make sure your paintball experience is as pain-free as possible.
Final Thoughts:
Choosing the suitable gear for paintballing might be a challenging process. Through this comprehensive guide will provide you several hours of untainted fun under perfect conditions. By following these tips, you will experience almost no pain.
Paint on your skin or hair can be easily washed out, though remember it can be painful when paintballs directly hit on your skin. Protection is the foremost thing to consider when deciding what to wear for paintball. Remember not to leave your skin exposed as paintball hurts a lot more on bare skin.
Have FUN!
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