A gear guide
BY RONDA ADDY

Some time ago, you decided to give paintball a try and now you are hooked. You're getting tired of renting your equipment, however, and would like to buy your own. While there are all kinds of accessories you can get later on, there's some basic equipment that you will definitely need right away.

The paintball marker is an important piece of equipment, so don't buy the first one you see. Look for one based on your skill level instead. A pump paintball marker is inexpensive and works well for beginners and all skill levels. It should not be used in frequent tournament play. A semiautomatic marker is a good choice for players at all skill levels. It offers fairly good accuracy and faster firing, and will work for tournament play. An automatic marker is a good choice for experienced players. It is extremely fast and accurate, and is ideal for regular and tournament play. An auto cocker marker is more expensive but suits experienced players equally well. It is fast and works well for tournaments. An electric marker can go from a semiautomatic to automatic with the flick of a switch. Its ability to fire two or three shots without being reloaded makes it a good choice for highly experienced players who play frequently.

A crucial piece of equipment is a barrel-blocking device. This device prevents the accidental firing of your marker when you are not playing. You can't play at any insured paintball field without one.

No matter what type of marker you choose, there are two types of paintball air systems that will deliver the pressure needed to propel the paintball from the marker. Most recreational players choose a cheaper carbon dioxide system. The number of rounds a marker can fire is determined by the tank size. The tanks can be refilled at most paintball fields. For more serious players, a high-pressure air system is the system of choice. This offers more shot volume and is lighter in weight and more accurate. Few can refill this type of tank, however.

Paintballs are made of water-based paint surrounded by a gelatin coating. They come in .50-caliber, .62-caliber, .63-calibur, .68-calibur and .73-calibur. The most common is the .68-caliber, but regardless what caliber you use, there are many things that can affect the exact dimensions. In order for the paintball to work the right way, the barrel must be slightly smaller than the paintball. Paintballs, which are not perfectly round, are subject to moisture and heat. To prevent them from swelling, you should keep them in a cooler away from the sun and moisture. More expensive paintballs are subject to a higher manufacturing quality, making them more consistent in shape and size, which results in greater accuracy. They also have higher quality fills and thinner shells, which allows for them to break easier on contact. Paintballs come in a variety of colors. Brightly colored ones make it easier to see a hit. Red or orange are ideal for play in a forested area.

The hopper feeds the paintballs into your marker. The most common type is a simple black shell with a hinged lid on the back for feeding the hopper and a necked down area, which slides down into the marker's feedneck. If you have a marker that fires at 12 bps or less, a standard 200 round hopper will work. If your marker is faster, you will need an electronic hopper or loader. A loader uses electrical or mechanical means to feed the paintballs into the feedneck and down the chamber. This provides a faster, steadier supply of paintballs, which makes the system better for tournaments.

You must have protective gear to play paintball. A paintball vest will protect your kidneys, heart and back. Other protective equipment includes neck, elbow, knee and shin pads, chest protectors and gloves. To avoid eye injury, you should wear paintball goggles designed to protect your eyes from all directions. There are some that come with face shields that protect your ears, jaw and head. A full paintball mask will give you the full protection in one piece of equipment.

After buying the basic equipment, you can buy other accessories as time goes on to improve your play. You may fit your marker with a new barrel. Barrels come in different bores and lengths ranging from 10 to 18 inches. To lighten your paintball maker, you may use a remote air hose. This line connects your marker and air supply. To store additional paintballs, you may use paintball pods or tubes. To clean the barrel and breech of your marker of debris, you may use a squeegee, available in pullthrough or stick form. For a quick cleaning, you may use a battle swab, and once the marker is clean, you should lubricate it with a paintball lubricant.

Paintball can be considered an equipment-oriented sport because you need a marker and air source to power it, the paintballs themselves and a loader to hold them, and gear for protection. With all of the right equipment, paintball can be a very safe sport.