Paintball was first played all the way back in 1981, it soon went on to become one of the fastest growing pastimes.<\/p>\n
The U.S. paintball market is worth an estimated $3bn, has seen an average annual growth of 4.1%<\/a> and is the third largest alternative sport<\/a> in the U.S.<\/p>\n Of course, you don’t need to know that.\u00a0You’ve played it and you’re hooked, you need to get yourself a paintball gun<\/a> (or ‘marker’ as they’re officially called).<\/p>\n But what are the questions to ask before handing over your hard-earned dollars?<\/p>\n We’ll give you all the advice you need to know and think about before making that decision.<\/p>\n Before going down the route of buying your own marker, there are a few things that you should be aware of.<\/p>\n Buying the marker is just the start of it. Don’t forget that you’ll also need all of the safety gear and maintenance equipment.<\/p>\n Try not to let your paintball gun budget be over-ruled by the need for the accessories though.<\/p>\n Do some proper research regarding your purchase. Don’t assume that the salesperson has your best paintballing interest at heart!<\/p>\n You should also be aware that these things can hurt – play safe!<\/p>\n There are\u00a0a number of questions to ask, here’s our top five questions that you should be thinking about:<\/p>\n How often do you play?<\/p>\n Is it a question of you’ve had a game or two and now want to invest\u00a0in your own equipment because you can?<\/p>\n Or you’ve been playing awhile and feel that now is the right time to step-up a gear?<\/p>\n Truthfully, if you only intend on playing once or twice a year, then there’s a good chance that you’ll be better off (financially) by renting your gear on a game-by-game basis.<\/p>\n Having said that, there’s nothing like having your own gear<\/a> when participating in a sport, and there will be benefits.<\/p>\n You should also think about ‘how often?’ when considering a budget. (see the next section!)<\/p>\n If you’re going to be playing every other weekend, then a $60 marker<\/a> isn’t going to be the best choice for you.<\/p>\n Think about repair costs – a cheap paintball gun is often going to cost more to repair when it breaks than it will to buy a new one. And you will break it.<\/p>\n Speed, accuracy, reliability – all these improve as you move further up the budgetary range.<\/p>\n How upgradeable is it? If you’re thinking long-term, then you’ll definitely want to consider what options can be fitted to it. The less-expensive paintball markers generally have fewer upgrades available.<\/p>\n Will you be carrying out your own maintenance?<\/p>\n Some guns are only serviceable by a professional, you need to do some research into what is or isn’t possible for the brand(s) you’re considering.<\/p>\n Are parts readily available? You don’t want to miss out on any action because you’re still waiting for your widgetthingamebob\u00a0to arrive from a foreign country. Via pigeon-post.<\/p>\n Generally speaking, larger brand names<\/a> have a better support structure in place, either for repairs, maintenance or spare parts.<\/p>\n Paintball guns come in either mechanical or electronic forms<\/a>.<\/p>\n More often than not, the mechanical guns are less expensive, but that’s because they are generally slower and noisier, but they do tend to be very reliable.<\/p>\n The electronic versions are usually electro-mechanical or electro-pneumatic and they both have good and bad points.<\/p>\n An electro-mechanical gun uses an electronic trigger frame which is capable of firing quickly, often in three-round bursts or as fully automatic.<\/p>\n Whereas the electro-pneumatic gun shoots the paintballs by activating a solenoid valve, allowing air to pass through and shoot the paintball.<\/p>\n The electro-pneumatic guns are usually more consistent, quieter and more expensive.<\/p>\n The final one of the ‘questions to ask’ is perhaps the most important one.<\/p>\n There are a number of different paintball game styles<\/a>, and it isn’t a case of ‘one size, fits all’.<\/p>\n If you’re looking to play scenario games or woodsball<\/a>, then something that can be used like a rifle will probably be more your thing.<\/p>\n Games like speedball require something a little smaller, faster and lighter.<\/p>\nBeginner Paintball\u00a0Guns And Gear<\/h2>\n
Questions To Ask<\/h2>\n
What sort of budget do you have?<\/h3>\n
Repairs & Servicing<\/h3>\n
What type of paintball gun do you need?<\/h3>\n
5) What type of paintball do you want to play?<\/h3>\n