Paintball equipment
Paintball equipment varies depending on the type of paintball game being played and the skill level of those playing. Every player, however, is required to have two basic pieces of equipment:
*Mask: Necessary for players' protection.
*Complete paintball marker: Guns usually also require some sort of loader/hopper and propellant to work (CO2, nitrogen or compressed air).
The most common gas propellant is CO2, which is typically packaged in the four sizes of 9 oz, 12 oz, 16 oz, and 20 oz.. The larger 20 oz. tanks typically provide enough propellant for 800 to 1100 shots depending on the efficiency of the marker. CO2 propellant is considered to be of lower quality compared to compressed air, but is cheaper to manufacture. CO2 tanks sometimes malfunction when the temperature is lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit, while compressed air tanks have a much wider operating temperature range.
Compressed air tanks come in 3000 and 4500 psi variations and typically have a volume of between 45 ci and 88 ci. The 3000 psi tanks can provide enough air for 500 to 1300 shots depending on the gun, while 4500 psi tanks can give 1000 to 2000 shots. Compressed air tanks give more consistency and accuracy.
Regular paintballs are made of a gelatin shell filled with food coloring and vegetable oil. The gelatin shell is designed to break upon impact, however, bounces (ricochets) may occur. There are many types of paintballs, such as glow in the dark paintballs for use at night, scented paintballs, formulations for winter play, and more.
Reusable paintballs
A reusable ball is a rubber substitute for a paintball, but is often used when describing Reballs and other brands of reusable paintball-sized spheres. Most reusable paintballs are the same size as normal paintballs, but weigh less and do not contain a paint filling. They do not break open to leave a paint mark on players, so the lack of filling makes them practical for indoor locations where accumulation of paint from broken paintballs would be a problem. This fact also makes this form of paintball questionable, since no mark of paint is left, it allows players to cheat much more easily. A Reball is more expensive than a paintball, but since they can be cleaned and reused many times, they potentially have a lower cost per use. Some paintball parks have added dedicated reball fields, and some fields have actually gone exclusive with Reballs, eliminating the use of paintballs entirely. The primary use of Reballs, as intended initially by the manufacturer, is as a practice aid for teams who wish to save money by using reusable ammunition. Other manufacturers have created similar products, such as the V-Ball, a Velcro (hence the name V-Ball) reusable paintball. Reballs are also used at a lower velocity because of their inability to break on whoever they hit. For example, a Regular paintball will normally be shot at approximately 300 ft/s (91 m/s), but a Reball is supposed to be used at around 250 ft/s (76 m/s).
The term 'reusable balls' does not refer to paintballs that have been picked up from the ground. This 'loose paint' should not be used in a paintball marker, as groundwater or condensation may have swollen the paintball, which could cause it to jam in the barrel, or rupture and foul the internal workings of the marker.
Paintball tanks (vehicles)
Paintball tanks are a wide variety of vehicles sometimes used in woodsball events to eliminate large numbers of opponents by using protection and superior firepower. They can range from golf carts covered in plywood to real military tanks with real guns converted to paintball guns. Many paintball sponsors and businesses have their own paintball tanks which they take to events.
*Mask: Necessary for players' protection.
*Complete paintball marker: Guns usually also require some sort of loader/hopper and propellant to work (CO2, nitrogen or compressed air).
The most common gas propellant is CO2, which is typically packaged in the four sizes of 9 oz, 12 oz, 16 oz, and 20 oz.. The larger 20 oz. tanks typically provide enough propellant for 800 to 1100 shots depending on the efficiency of the marker. CO2 propellant is considered to be of lower quality compared to compressed air, but is cheaper to manufacture. CO2 tanks sometimes malfunction when the temperature is lower than 50 degrees Fahrenheit, while compressed air tanks have a much wider operating temperature range.
Compressed air tanks come in 3000 and 4500 psi variations and typically have a volume of between 45 ci and 88 ci. The 3000 psi tanks can provide enough air for 500 to 1300 shots depending on the gun, while 4500 psi tanks can give 1000 to 2000 shots. Compressed air tanks give more consistency and accuracy.
Regular paintballs are made of a gelatin shell filled with food coloring and vegetable oil. The gelatin shell is designed to break upon impact, however, bounces (ricochets) may occur. There are many types of paintballs, such as glow in the dark paintballs for use at night, scented paintballs, formulations for winter play, and more.
Reusable paintballs
A reusable ball is a rubber substitute for a paintball, but is often used when describing Reballs and other brands of reusable paintball-sized spheres. Most reusable paintballs are the same size as normal paintballs, but weigh less and do not contain a paint filling. They do not break open to leave a paint mark on players, so the lack of filling makes them practical for indoor locations where accumulation of paint from broken paintballs would be a problem. This fact also makes this form of paintball questionable, since no mark of paint is left, it allows players to cheat much more easily. A Reball is more expensive than a paintball, but since they can be cleaned and reused many times, they potentially have a lower cost per use. Some paintball parks have added dedicated reball fields, and some fields have actually gone exclusive with Reballs, eliminating the use of paintballs entirely. The primary use of Reballs, as intended initially by the manufacturer, is as a practice aid for teams who wish to save money by using reusable ammunition. Other manufacturers have created similar products, such as the V-Ball, a Velcro (hence the name V-Ball) reusable paintball. Reballs are also used at a lower velocity because of their inability to break on whoever they hit. For example, a Regular paintball will normally be shot at approximately 300 ft/s (91 m/s), but a Reball is supposed to be used at around 250 ft/s (76 m/s).
The term 'reusable balls' does not refer to paintballs that have been picked up from the ground. This 'loose paint' should not be used in a paintball marker, as groundwater or condensation may have swollen the paintball, which could cause it to jam in the barrel, or rupture and foul the internal workings of the marker.
Paintball tanks (vehicles)
Paintball tanks are a wide variety of vehicles sometimes used in woodsball events to eliminate large numbers of opponents by using protection and superior firepower. They can range from golf carts covered in plywood to real military tanks with real guns converted to paintball guns. Many paintball sponsors and businesses have their own paintball tanks which they take to events.