PaintBall Equipment

If you are going to play paintball, you are going to need equipment to play the game well. Some paintball equipment is cheap, while other types or brands of equipment are high priced. A higher price does not guarantee better quality; however, the better equipment usually is priced higher.

The equipment you will need, other than your gun and clothing, is a quality mask, air, a hopper, a squeegee, paintballs, a barrel plug or barrel sock, paintball gun oil, extra o-rings, a neck guard, a gun case, and a bag for your gear.

Masks – You cannot play on most fields without a mask. A good mask will provide protection for your eyes, face, head, and ears. Paying more for a quality mask is worth it. You want a mask that fits well and does not fog up.

Air – CO2 comes in both tanks and in cartridges. If your gun can use a tank, that is what you should use. The tank you choose should hold between 12 and 20 ounces. You may choose to use Nitro instead. Many paintball guns require a constant amount of air pressure to function properly, and Nitro provides consistent air pressure. Nitro also allows you to fire more rapidly, without freezing up. However, nitro tanks are harder and more expensive to fill than CO2 tanks.

A Regulator – Regulators control the air pressure that is released from the tank. This may help to prevent your gun from freezing up. Using two regulators can provide more pressure stability. You may also choose to use an anti-siphon tube. Hoppers — You can use a plastic hopper if you gun shoots 12bps or less, however, if your gun shoots more than 12bps, you will need an electric hopper.

Squeegee – You will need a squeegee to clean the barrel of your gun.

Paintballs – Bring your own paintballs to the game when possible. Buying paintballs at the field will usually cost a little more, and you may not get the quality that you prefer. Make sure the caliber of the paintballs you buy are the right caliber for your gun. When the paintball caliber matches the barrel’s bore, you will be able to fire more accurately and have fewer breaks. Do not use old paintballs. Buy fresh ones.

Barrel Plug or Barrel Sock – Using a blocking device prevents injury if your gun is accidentally fired. Most paintball fields will require you to have a blocking device.

Paintball Gun Oil – Use paintball gun oil for lubing the inside of your gun. Do not use regular gun oil, or any other type of oil. Only use oil that is specifically made for paintball guns.

Extra O-Rings – Always have extra o-rings. These will most likely need to be replaced often.

A Neck Guard – These wrap around your neck to protect it from injury.

A Gun Case – There are many cases designed for paintball guns. You may also choose to just purchase a barrel sleeve.

A Gear Bag – You will need some type of bag to carry your gear. You may also consider a small, lightweight backpack or harness for gear that you will need out in the field.

Equipment that you also may want to purchase includes a new barrel, pods or harnesses, a scope, a periscope, a radio headset, and gloves.

New Barrel – At some point, you may wish to upgrade to a better barrel for your gun.

Pods – These devices can hold between 10 and 120 paintballs. This allows you to feed balls into your hopper quickly.

Scopes – A scope can help you see things more clearly, and will help with your accuracy.

Periscope – A periscope will allow you to see over and around the barrier that you are hiding behind, so you do not have to stick your head up and take a chance of being shot.

Radio Headset – Having communication with other team members is a plus. You can use standard hand held radios for this, however, a headset is better because it frees up your hands.

Gloves – A good pair of gloves is recommended to protect your hands. Make sure you choose a pair that still allows enough flexibility in your fingers.

Expansion Chamber – If your gun is not performing well with CO2, you may want to purchase an expansion chamber. This connects from your tank to your gun and helps stabilize the air pressure going into the gun.

Before purchasing any equipment, do some research from professional paintball portals such as getpaintballgun.com. It is also a good idea to ask experienced paintballers for their opinions.