{"id":839,"date":"2020-08-15T10:39:16","date_gmt":"2020-08-15T10:39:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/paintball4all.com\/?p=839"},"modified":"2021-08-21T13:35:18","modified_gmt":"2021-08-21T13:35:18","slug":"does-paintball-hurt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paintball4all.com\/does-paintball-hurt\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Paintball Hurt?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

How Much Does Paintball Hurt?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The most common question asked by paintball beginners<\/a> is \u201cdoes paintball hurt?\u201d<\/strong> There are many factors to consider, but the short answer is, yes it can in some cases. The pain can vary, from a slight sting, to something like an insect bite. It\u2019s impossible to say exactly how much paintball hurts, as pain levels vary from person to person. However, the worst injury you\u2019re likely to get is a bruise or welt<\/strong>[1<\/a>], nothing worse, as long as you take sensible precautions and follow the rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Does Being Hit By A Paintball Feel Like?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re far enough away from the shooter, the paintball might be going slow enough that it won\u2019t even break. On the flip side, if you go to open play on a speedball course, your rivals will be shooting in the 270-280 fps<\/a> range, and you\u2019ll likely be facing more than ten balls per second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When playing tournament paintball, there is no rule preventing firing from close range, and more severe pain or injuries are possible. Bleeding welts are not unheard of, and mild concussions can result from being shot multiple times in the head at short range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both of these situations are more likely to result in painful impacts. However, in most recreational situations, this is unlikely. If you are playing woodsball or in a private group, you don\u2019t need to worry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does Paintball Hurt More Than A Tattoo?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Getting hit by a paintball can hurt \u2013 it can undoubtedly sting a little, especially at close range<\/strong>. You\u2019ll have a decent bruise in the best-case scenario, but paintball hits often result in painful welts that stick around for weeks. With tattoos, your adrenaline eventually kicks in and dulls the pain more and more until its more just discomfort. And it\u2019s a continuous feeling, unlike paintball, where you could get hit anytime, anywhere, making you more anxious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which Hurts More \u2013 Paintball Or Airsoft?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Paintballs are much larger than airsoft pellets[2<\/a>], usually measuring about .68\u201d in diameter and weighing about 3 grams. Because of this larger size and heftier weight, paintball guns<\/a> generally fire at about 280-300 fps -significantly slower than the airsoft pellet\u2019s velocity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A paintball has more than 10x the energy of airsoft ball-bearings. Airsoft guns generally shoot around 400 fps. A paintball has more surface area than a 6mm BB. All of this means paintballs are going to hurt a lot more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Manufacturers have been pushing 0.50\u2033 paintballs as an alternative \u2013 the smaller paintball does hurt a lot less than the 0.68\u2033 standard paintball, as their lower mass means they carry much less energy. However, they are not nearly as popular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Full face protection is still recommended for both airsoft and paintball, regardless of gun power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Factors Make Paintball Hurt?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Paintball Quality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The quality of the paintball can be a significant factor in how much the shot hurts. Lower quality paintballs contain a less-dense paint but often have a harder gelatin shell. Manufacturers design high-quality paintballs not to break in the gun, but to break easily when you get hit. So, lower quality paintballs will often hurt worse on impact than higher quality ones. Make sure you get the best paintballs<\/a> your budget can justify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paintball Type<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

First Strike Paintball Rounds look more like small missiles than the typical round paintballs. They’re more aerodynamic, so they fly farther, which means for a given distance, they are traveling faster than a traditional paintball round. Their casings are relatively solid too, so the combination of higher average speed and solid casing makes these rounds hurt more than traditional pellets – so much so that many venues have banned them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Temperature<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If it\u2019s particularly cold, you may find the direct hits more painful than normal. This is mainly due to the paint material inside the paintball becoming more solid (viscous) at lower temperatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Velocity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Simple physics dictates the harder the paintball is shot at you, the more it will hurt. Most fields<\/a> limit the velocity of a paintball marker, to keep everyone safe \u2013 usually in the 280-300 fps range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Distance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

As the paintball flies through the air, it loses energy. Therefore, the further away your opponent is when they fire, the less it will hurt when you get hit. Most paintball fields ban shooting at close range<\/a> (usually within 10 feet, but it varies) \u2013 too close, and getting hit by a paintball could cause a considerable amount of pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Impact Point<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Which body part takes the hit will significantly affect how much it hurts. Generally, areas with more muscle and fat (built-in padding) will hurt less than the opposite \u2013 so a shot to the neck or back will hurt more than one that gets you in the front of your torso. Equally, taking a hit to a….sensitive area…will not be a walk in the park!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, a hit on your bare skin will hurt more than a covered area of your body. That\u2019s why more experienced paintballers generally wear long sleeve tops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Multiple Hits<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

While it may not hurt much the first time you\u2019re hit, if you\u2019re continually getting hit in the same place, the pain will add up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How To Reduce Pain When Playing Paintball<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Distance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another way to decrease the pain of a paintball hit is to stay far away from your opponent \u2013 though the nature of the game means this is not always practical. The farther the paintball has to travel to hit you, the less velocity it will have when you\u2019re hit. If you are overly close to your opponent, you can expect getting hit to hurt a little more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ideally, the rules of your game will have the option to surrender if a player is being hit multiple times at close range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protective Gear<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

How badly getting shot hurts also depends on how much protection you wear<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some players also wear protective vests, though you may find this unnecessary. Some fields require players to wear vests no matter what their preference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You should always wear your safety gear<\/a> on the field, at the very least a good-quality paintball mask<\/a>. You might also want to get some type of neck protection and consider a helmet protecting your full head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you like diving and crawling under and behind obstacles during the game, knee, and shin protection (paintball pads) will reduce your pain levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Professional paintballers often also wear lightweight armor similar to motocross armor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are fully suited up in basic paintball protective gear, the amount of hurt and pain will be minimal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protective Clothing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If a paintball strikes your exposed skin, you’ll feel it, and it will hurt. Often it hurts more if the paintball bounces without bursting.<\/div>\n\n\n\n

One thing you can do is make a barrier between you and the paintball. The best approach is adding an extra layer of protective clothing. Throwing on an extra shirt or wearing thicker trousers will help quite a bit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You should wear gloves to protect your hands – as there’s not much fat or muscle on your hands (for most people at least), they’re among the most painful places to take a hit. You can buy armored gloves or just bring your own regular pair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Paintball players are also advised to wear extra padding around vulnerable areas such as wrists, arms, and thighs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Velocity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The most common cause of severe bruising is guns that are chrono\u2019d too fast. It\u2019s essential to ensure your paintball gun is calibrated to fire in a safe range<\/a>, which is typically 280-300 feet per second (fps). This varies from one field to another \u2013 be sure to check the rules where you\u2019re playing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Painkillers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One suggestion you may not have heard is to take a painkiller containing Ibuprofen before heading out to play \u2013 this type of med reduces the pain associated with inflammation, which should help with bruises.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does Paintball Hurt Children?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Paintball is a fun hobby for all ages, offering excitement and challenge, in a safe and controlled setting. It\u2019s just as much for kids as for adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Younger players will be matched with similar age groups and carry less powerful markers; this allows them to enjoy the game just as much as adults.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Make sure your child is old enough to be allowed to play, both in your jurisdiction and the range. Some fields may enforce a minimum age, regardless of state laws.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter what, always ensure the child understands and follows the rules of the game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Dangerous Is Paintball?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There is an element of risk in most activities, and the threat of being shot adds to the excitement of paintball. It\u2019s generally a safe hobby, and the safety rules, regulations, and protective gear keep injuries to a minimum. If you and your fellow players follow the precautions, when you do get hit, it should cause no lasting damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No one will be shot to death with a paintball gun, barring some extremely unusual circumstances (involving deliberate bypassing of a number of precautions). The necessary safety precautions such as wearing a mask, minimum age, and chronoing the gun to the recommended speed range will prevent a lethal or near-lethal event. Having said that, over the years there have been some deaths from heart attacks after being shot in the chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surprisingly, the bigger danger in paintball isn\u2019t being shot \u2013 it\u2019s actually related to the air supply. Compressed air and CO2<\/a> are hazardous, and have caused several deaths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The classic causes are one of these three:<\/p>\n\n\n\n