People take an interest in different activities – it could be indoor or outdoor. It doesn’t matter what kind of activity it is as long as it is fun and convenient. However, there are open chances to try out new activities, especially outdoors, because of the limitless options available.
One of many outdoor activities to try out is Paintball. It is a military- or combat-inspired outdoor game that is enjoyed often amongst a group of people – friends mostly. This game has two or more groups depending on the setting, trying to achieve one common goal – defeating the competition. In order to do that, they are provided with unique paint guns, which in their usual self are harmless but can cause an amount of pain when used to shoot someone.
Due to the pain that may be experienced while paintballing, it is recommended that players use protective shields or coverings, just like those in the military. While these worn coverings aren’t entirely the standard military types – more like makeovers, they offer a good amount of protection against the effect of the paintball. Unfortunately, not everyone knows what to wear.
If you would like to know what to wear to paintball as a beginner, see below.
What Areas Do You Need to Protect?
In a bid to find out what you need to wear when paintballing, you must first learn the areas that need protecting. You need this piece of information to pick out the right things you need for the activity. So, here’s what you should know:
Head
The head is one of the weakest spots in the body that must receive little or no impact. Different things could go wrong when the head is affected, making it a big priority, especially for an outdoor game like paintball.
Ideally, the head consists of the eyes and other important organs of the body (including the major sense organs), which definitely makes it vital to protect. However, whatever you need to protect your head must be high-quality, withstand impact, and enhance visibility. Paintball is a mental and physical alert outdoor game; you need your eyes to see and aim at your target.
Chest
Apart from face and head protection, the Chest is another body area you need to prioritize when going paintballing. It is the part of the body that houses important organs like the heart, lungs, etc.
Paintball shots sting, and there is only an optimal amount of energy that your body can absorb, especially around the chest. Therefore, you need proper chest protection to keep you safe.
For your choice of chest protection, you should go for thick but air-conditioned clothing and a vest. You need to wear breathable clothes because you’ll do a lot of running around, which would make you sweat, and the vest will have to protect your chest if you ever get shot.
Hands
The other part of the body you may find inconsequential but needs absolute protection is the hands. It is possible to get hit because you could find yourself caught between finding and shooting the enemy or hiding to safety. Hand shots can be painful because they directly affect your bones – the knuckles hurt even more.
So, you might want to protect your hands by wearing breathable gloves that will allow you to hold the gun easily and reduce the impact of shots.
12 Things You Need to Wear For Paintballing?
Now that you know the areas that need protection, here are 12 great things to wear for paintball.
1. Battle Dress Uniform Army Fatigue Pants (BDUs) or Army Combat Uniform (ACUs)
One of the most important things you need to wear for a paintballing experience is the Battle Dress Uniform Arm Fatigue Pants, or generally, the army combat uniform (BDUs or ACUs). These are military-inspired clothing made suitable for intense situations like combat. Indeed, it is an excellent choice for paintball since it is a fun type of combat.
The BDU and ACU are designed to have camouflage designs, making it possible to hide away from the enemy without being easily discovered. The material is also incredible, as it is lightweight, durable, and comfortable. It is also a piece of clothing known to have several storage options, i.e., pockets and other features like strong knee guards. Hence, these combat uniforms assure you of overall body protection.
2. Paintball Jersey and Long Pants
If you cannot find a BDU or ACU, a paintball jersey with long cargo pants is another incredible clothing option. It is a piece of clothing designed for paintballing, considering all the necessary qualities needed for protection and comfort.
Paintball Jerseys are quite team-inclusive because they come with either names or colors. The color options available are vibrant and also camouflage to prevent being discovered easily. These jerseys are also made of lightweight materials, even when they can withstand impact and ensure proper bounce.
On the other hand, the long cargo pants have match patterns with the paintball jersey for complete stealth. They also have knee paddings built into them to absorb impact and ensure easy crawling and kneeling.
3. Loose Outfit
The entire purpose of wearing paintballing clothes is to ensure a good barrier between your skin and clothes. Your choice of clothes matters too because you will be running around most of the time and you cannot afford to have sweat all over you. Therefore, you need to pick a loose outfit that will protect your skin and provide great comfort. It could either be a complete outfit or something to protect your arms and maybe your legs.
You should, however, have a change of clothes, with the loose outfit in consideration if you cannot get BDUs, ACUs, or paintball jerseys.
4. Dark or Camouflage Clothes
Another clothing option accepted or recommended for paintball is one with patterns or can blend well with the environment – camouflage. The whole idea of paintball is to hide from the enemy and hit them where or when they least expect – that means you have to stay stealth throughout the experience. What better way to do that than with dark or camouflage clothes if you cannot get the abovementioned options?
Apart from Dark or Camouflage clothes preventing easy detection, they are comfortable and can be washed easily when stained with paint or mud. However, the clothes need to be loose to enhance free or easy movement in the arena.
5. Paintball Vest
Since Paintball is military-inspired, that means you will need 0ne of the things military men wear a lot – a vest. A Paintball Vest may not be as intense as a military-grade vest, but they still offer a lot of protection against stinging hits.
Paintball Vests come with built-in padding that can absorb impact and also reduce bounce. They prevent you from getting shot in the chest.
The interesting thing about this vest is that it comes in different forms – those with several pockets are quite a big deal. The pockets can be used to hold many items like keys, maps, radios, paintball pods, etc.
6. Combat Boots or Running Shoes
Paintballing is an outdoor activity, which means whatever you wear must fit the setting. That means it isn’t the ideal place to wear formal shoes; instead, you should opt-in for combat boots or running shoes (sneakers, tennis shoes, etc.). These shoes, generally, will make you very much active and able to run around easily.
Your choice of combat boots or running shoes is so important because you need something great to keep you comfortable and supported all day. Running shoes with ankle supports are one of the best choices.
You should also know that open-toe shoes like sandals are unacceptable.
7. Pod Pack
What is combat without having enough ammo to defeat the enemy? In the military, there is a need for a pack where all ammunition can be kept. The same goes for paintballing.
One of the things you will have to wear for paintballing is a pod pack. It is a small purse or bag used to hold extra paintballs, should you exhaust the ones you have in the paintball gun. This pack or strap can be worn in two different ways – vertically or horizontally.
Accessibility is an important factor for wearing the pack in either way. Besides, you also need to wear the pack in the most convenient way that won’t limit you from laying down and rolling.
8. Pod Belt Pouch
If you cannot afford a pod pack, you’ll have to get a pod belt pouch. It is another piece to wear around you if you want to hold the pod carrying paintball paints properly throughout the whole paintballing experience.
The pod belt pouch is almost similar to the pod pack, but the only difference is that it allows you to carry only a limited number of pods. Ultimately, the pod number affects the quantity of paint.
Therefore, you can opt for a decent belt pouch that can carry up to 3 pods.
9. Hand Gloves
Since the hands aren’t exempted from the places with a good chance of taking a hit, wearing a pair of hand gloves will also be useful. The hand gloves must cover every part of your hand and make sure you find it easy to pull the trigger without stress.
Interestingly, the hand gloves recommended for paintballing are special – fingerless gloves. These are gloves almost similar to the weight lifter’s glove, but the difference is in the cushioning. The former doesn’t have thick padding for weight cushion like the latter. However, paintball hand gloves are breathable with rubber backing to protect every part of the hand – especially the knuckles.
10. Neck Protector
Paintball Neck Protectors are also important for you to wear because they protect the throat and neck like the face. The paintball paints sting, and hitting you around your neck isn’t always a pleasant experience; hence, you need good gear to do some protection.
Neck Protectors come in different forms; the intense their designs, the more effective they are. However, it is highly recommended that you wear paintball neck protectors with ergonomic fitting and padding (double throat protection, in fact) for comfort. You should also make sure that they are secure around your neck using a suggested Velcro attachment method.
11. Beanie or Baseball Cap
Paintballing isn’t any game you should predict; you could get hit by paint anywhere. The most common place to get hit is in the head because it scores more points. So, your enemy will be looking for every opportunity to make sure to hit you around that spot. However, to protect yourself against impacts from the shots, you need a beanie or baseball cap.
Paintball beanies or caps protect the most sensitive part of your body, and for some obvious reasons, against the impact of direct sunlight. In better words: you don’t risk serious injuries when you have this piece of gear worn on your head.
Your choice of beanie or baseball cap is vital – you need it in dark or camo colors to blend perfectly with your outfit and gear. Also, the camo color will help you maintain stealth when playing against an enemy.
12. Paintball Mask or Specialized Goggles
Finally, on what to wear to paintball, the Mask or Specialized Goggles is an important piece – if not the most important gear for the activity. It is vital because it offers good protection to the eyes and face, in general. Playfully, the mask gives the combat kind of vibe.
Depending on the manufacturer, the paintball mask or specialized pair of goggles come in different forms and shapes. However, the most significant things to consider before choosing a mask to use for paintballing are anti-fog shield and protection, comfort lining, and good visibility. There is nothing to worry about as long as these factors are considered and used to pick the most preferred mask.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Kids Wear Paintball Gear?
Kids above the age of 10 are eligible to play paintball. However, they are only accessible to a few pieces of paintball gear. There are some things appropriate for them and others that aren’t.
For instance, kids can wear eye goggles, vests, and camouflage overalls because they are simple. When it gets complex, i.e., adding other gear like belt pouch, pod pack, etc., they start to feel uncomfortable, and their movement is limited.
What Paintball Gear Do You Wear in Summer or Winter?
Your choice of paintball clothes often depends on the seasons of the year. You cannot wear winter clothes during summer, and vice-versa – hence, the same goes for paintballing.
During winter, you can wear long camo overalls with great padding; during summer, you can wear clothes with thin layers but excellent protection. Whatever you decide to put on should provide heat during cold seasons and ensure proper ventilation during hot ones.
Can Paintball Paints Wash Out of Clothes?
If you’ve always wondered if paintball paints can wash out of your clothes, the answer is Yes, they can. Paintball paints are made non-toxic and water-soluble so that they can get off your skin and clothes when you are done. Although you may have to do a bit of washing, paintball paints aren’t as dangerous as you’d expect them to be.
Clothes stained with paintball paints can be machine-washed or hand-washed based on personal preference.
Conclusion
Paintball is one of the most active outdoor games because it requires every part of you to be invested in it. The game has you throwing your arms, protecting your body, and running around to avoid getting shot. And while you are interested in defeating your enemy, you should get the best protection available – hand, head, and every other part of the body. Indeed, what you wear to paintball determines the level of protection you get.
