How Many Paintballs Will You Use In An Average Game?
All sports are not created equal. Some sports require minimal equipment. For example, with basketball, you only need a basketball and a court to play. For soccer, you need a little more equipment, such as shin pads and special cleats. But with something more complicated like baseball, you need bases, bats, mitts, helmets, and more.
Taking a look at paintball, you can easily see the many layers of gear and equipment needed for a successful game. From safety gear and paintball markers to vests and pods to the ammunition itself—it is a lot to think about and prepare. Knowing exactly what you will need for the game ahead of you will help you be as ready as you can be for whatever comes your way. Keep reading for a rundown of necessities, including the all-important question of how many paintballs you are likely to go through in a game.
Getting the gear
What is a paintball player without the right gear? You can’t expect to win a game without having enough paintballs at the ready, and you certainly will need to have safety in mind at all times with all of your gear and equipment. Starting with a good mask, such as the V-Force Grill Thermal Paintball Mask, will let you build up what you need for the rest of your safety equipment from there. Remember that some playing fields have different requirements when it comes to what gear is needed, so be sure to follow all the rules.
Along with safety gear, you will also need to start calculating how many paintball you may need once your game begins. On average, if you are playing a normal game where your duty is spread evenly between shooting and running, you are likely to go through around 200 paintballs for each hour that you play. That means having everything ready on hand that you may need. Grab a vest like the Maddog Tactical Paintball Battle Vest, which holds up to six pods of extra ammunition.
Choosing the game
When you play paintball, no two games are alike. You may find yourself in the midst of a themed scenario battle where you are to defend the President at all costs, or you may be guarding your team's flag from the other team, ready for action at any given moment. The game play options for paintball are so varied, and it’s helpful to keep this in mind when prepping for play.
Knowing what’s ahead for you in the game can help you ensure you have the right gear and, more importantly, the right amount of ammunition. Without enough paintballs in your gun or on your person, you can really find yourself in trouble later on in the game.
Knowing your level
Something else to be aware of is your skills and level so you can be realistic when setting yourself up for a game. If you don’t normally go through a few hundred paintballs in an hour, you might not need to weigh yourself down as much if it is not necessary.
Similarly, if you know that you are going to be shooting extra hard and long in your upcoming game, be sure to prepare yourself with the right number of paintballs. It can’t hurt to ask those on your team what their plan is for filling up on paintballs so you are all on the same page.
Taking notes for next time
As we can see, preparation is key, and that doesn’t just mean preparing for one game and then forgetting all that has gone on. Try to stay mindful of how many paintballs you go through each time you play so you can start to paint (no pun intended!) a more accurate picture of how quickly you use up your ammunition on any given day.
Some players aim to get all of their aggression out on the field and can therefore find themselves going overboard with shooting more than is needed for that particular game, but that doesn’t matter! All that matters is that the player is aware that they will need to have more paintballs at the ready for future games to set themselves up for success.
Whether you have a trigger-happy finger or are more reserved with your paintballs, you can still easily go through a few hundred paintballs a game. Prepare your gear accordingly so you aren't caught out on the field empty-handed.