The Basic Parts of Paintball Equipment

If you're someone interested in the sport of paintball, rest assured that you don't need to form your own team to join a nearby game. Most teams that are already there are happy to welcome new members and are often eager to expand their ranks. However, before you do, you obviously need to know some basics about the game, safety, and of course have the right paintball equipment.

The gun used in paintball is actually called a marker, since it really does mark the opponent and doesn't shoot him or her. The marker is the most basic but probably the most important piece of paintball equipment. While having high-quality equipment does assure you of winning your games or tournament, having poor equipment is probably a surefire bet that you'll lose. The paintball marker barrel ranges in size from 3 inches to 21 inches, and some are custom-made to be even longer, although these are usually left to the paintball experts. Additional paintball equipment that's required are goggles or some type of mask to protect your eyes and preferably a large portion of your face, a supply a paintballs, and what's called a loader which holds the paintballs. There is also a thing called a barrel sock or plug which goes over the barrel of your paintball marker when you're not in play in order to ensure safety.

Depending on the type of game you're playing, you may consider other safety items as basic paintball equipment, including elbow and knee pads, a chest protector, a throat protector, and gloves. Remember that some players are very serious about their paintball experience and will cut you no slack if you don't have a chest protector, so to keep yourself free from bruises, you might want to invest in these pieces of paintball equipment, especially if you're serous about this hobby!

Items such as the marker can be custom made just for you, and often times there are pieces that can be removed and upgraded, such as the barrel, trigger, or propellant tank. Obviously these types of changes can be a bit costly, but customizing your paintball equipment to your particular fit can go a long way toward success or failure on the battlefield. If you're serious about competition, whether it's for paintball or any other sport, remember that even your most basic equipment can make the difference between winning and losing.