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Introduction to Paintball

Paintball has only been around since 1981, but it's gaining popularity and has a very loyal fan base. If you've never played, it's time to find out what it's all about.
How To Help Paintball's Image
Image matters and players need to do their part to improve the image.
Is Paintball Safe?
Paintball is very safe as long as you follow the rules and use common sense.
Is Paintball Fun?
Paintball is a fun sport that just about anybody can play and enjoy. It's an exciting blend of action, strategy and adrenaline and comes in countless forms and variations.
Is Paintball a Sport?
Paintball is a sport. It is composed of opposing teams, fixed objectives and requires physical activity and fast-paced movement. It's true that it is different from basketball and football, but so are tennis, javelin throwing and diving.
Is It a Paintball Gun or Paintball Marker?
Paintball is simply a variation on the classic game of tag. What sets it apart is thing you shoot. What do you call it? Is it a paintball gun or a paintball marker?
Political Paintball
Articles and blog posts discussing the politics of paintball.
Is Paintball Legal in Every State?
As far as I know, it is legal to play paintball in every state. Different communities, though, do have different requirements to play and individual communities can make playing paintball illegal.
How Many Miles Per Hour (MPH) Does a Paintball Gun Shoot?
A paintball going 300 feet per second (fps) is moving at 204.5 mph (329 km/h) and a paintball going 280 fps is traveling at 191 mph (307 km/h).
Do Paintballs Biodegrade?
Paintballs are completely biodegradable and will wash away from most surfaces with water or will vanish after a rainstorm. Paintballs are gelatin capsules filled with an oil or polyethylene glycol (the base of cough syrups) and food-coloring dye mixture. Both the shells and the fill will naturally biodegrade and will not leave lasting marks on the environment.
Does Paintball Stain Clothes?
Paintballs generally will not stain clothing or fabrics. I have found that certain brands of paintballs will stain certain light-colored fabrics. This is dependent upon the dye used in coloring the fill and the fabric. I have found that cheaper paints are more likely to stain white cotton or cotton/poly fabrics. I have never seen a paintball stain a dark-colored fabric. A good rule of thumb is to not play paintball with light clothing and you shouldn't have a problem.
Can You Play Paintball Indoors?
There are many indoor paintball facilities throughout the country where you can play paintball indoors, though it outdoor fields are much more common. These facilities typically charge an entrance fee and require you to use in-house paintballs (which typically cost more).
What Gear Do You Need To Play Paintball?
There are four basic pieces of paintball gear that you need to play paintball: a mask, a hopper, a tank, and a paintball gun. You will also need paintballs to play.
How Many People Needed To Play Paintball
You can play paintball all by yourself or join in a group of a thousand to enjoy the sport. Match your variation to the numbers you have and you'll be sure to have a great time.
Where to Buy Paintball Equipmment
While paintball is a fast growing sport with millions of players worldwide, there are still just a few places you can buy new equipment: large retailers, specialty stores and online.
Social Paintball Sites
An SPS focuses on what's important to paintballers: finding new people to play paintball with, space to brag about exploits and a convenient way to share information about equipment, strategy, teams and events.
How to Meet Other Paintball Players
Seeing the success of social networking sites, web-savvy paintballers have created the concept of the Social Paintball Site (SPS). An SPS focuses on what's important to paintballers: finding new people to play paintball with, space to brag about exploits and a convenient way to share information about equipment, strategy, teams and events.
How Much Paintball Costs to Play
Paintball can cost as much or as little as you are reasonably willing to pay. Similar to many other action sports, it can be relatively inexpensive to begin, but the more involved you become, the more you can expect your costs to rise.
How to Chose Teams
While it might seem basic, evenly matched teams are necessary for a competitive game of paintball.
Does it hurt to get hit by a paintball?
Paintballs can cause small welts and bruises, but proper preparation and following basic safety rules will keep you from any major injury.
How To Play Paintball (Basic Rules)
The key to a fun game of paintball is to have everyone on the same page. It only takes a few minutes, but quickly going through the rules each time will help maximize your paintball experience.
Bare Necessities to Play Paintball
Getting started in paintball is not difficult. You only need a few, basic items, and you will be ready to play.
Who is Paintball For?
Paintball is for anyone who likes competition, action, strategy and skill.
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