New to Paintball?

If you're new to paintball, that's ok! We have newcomers at almost every paintball event, and we enjoy helping people learn the sport.

The Basics:
Paintball was invented on June 27th, 1981 in Henniker, New Hamshire. A couple of friends started an impromptu game of tag with several Nelspot 007 agricultural paint marking pistols. Now, players use more advanced paintball markers that fire .68 caliber paintballs powered by High Pressure Air (HPA) or CO2 tanks. The game can be played a number of ways. An elimination game is when two teams compete to eliminate the entire opposing team. In capture the flag, players must find the opposing flag and capture it without being eliminated. One single breaking hit (if it bounces off you are ok) with a paintball eliminates a player until the next game. Paintballs fly at a speed of 285 fps, so players wear masks to protect their face and neck. It may sting for a few seconds after being hit, but it does not cause significant pain. Check out this Wikipedia article for more information.

What marker/gun should I get?
At our field we typically have about 10 guns that we loan out to guests free of charge. You just need to bring paintballs (buy at Walmart), water, bug spray, long pants & shoes! However, many players like to get their own marker because it will perform better than a loaner marker, and you will become accustomed to how your marker shoots.There are basically two different ways paintball is played; Speedball and Woodsball. In Speedball, players compete on a flat field that has dozens of manmade bunkers. They typically buy high end guns that shoot rapidly and utilize battery powered accessories. In woodsball, players typically dress up in camoflage and play in the woods. They buy durable guns that can take a little bit of a beating. For the most part we are woodsball players. We therefore prefer markers made by Tippmann. Tippmann markers are extremely reliable, and perform well. PLEASE, WHATEVER YOU DO - do not buy a marker for less than $100 at a discount store. It will perform poorly and will break down sooner than later. If you're looking for an entry level marker, check out the Tippmann '98. It sells for $120 - $150. It has a reputation for reliability and performance (so save up a little, you won't regret it). PbReview.com is a great website where you can check out player reviews of paintball equipment.