Pods, Tubes and Packs

            Don’t you just hate it when you are in a fast moving game and you reach for a pod of paintballs to find out that the lid popped open and all the paintballs are gone?  It has happened to everyone who plays paintball at some time.  Probably more often in speedball games than others.  There is no sure fire way to prevent this from happening, but there are some things you can do to help the problem.  The pods go into the packs upside down or horizontal so it is important to have pods with secure lids on them.

Paintball pods/tubes are made by several companies.  Some are better than others obviously.  Gen X pods are ok.  The lids normally stay shut and keep the paintballs where they are supposed to be.  The only drawback is the way the lid attaches to the pod.  They are not as secure as they could be and they have a tendency to open at the wrong times.  Java pods are probably in the mid range.  They are ok, but I have had problems with the tops coming unglued and you may have to glue them back on.  The lids are fairly secure and they keep the paintballs in.  They have a reinforcing ring around the top to help keep them round should you lean or fall on the pod.  Proto pods are also in the mid range.  They perform well and I have had no problems with them.  Dye Super tubes go in this range also.  They are reinforced at the top also. Probably the best pods are the Dye Lock lids.  They are sturdy and well built.  The tube has “bubbles” on it to aid in grasping the pod.  This is helpful if you happen to have paint on your hands or gloves.  The lid has a latch on it that stays shut under extreme conditions.  In order to open the pod you have to push a release button.  They cost a little more than the other pods, but they are well worth the extra dollar or two. 

            Packs are the other item that can reduce the loss of paintballs.  Some packs consist of a belt and a pouch that the pods go in.  They are not comfortable to wear for the most part and they bounce around when you are running.  The better packs are one piece with an elastic belt that is wider and much more comfortable.  They keep the pods from bouncing and reduce the possibility of breaking paintballs inside the pods.  That creates a big mess, but that is another story.  The good packs have “ejection assist” which helps force the pods out of the pack.  This is basically an elastic band that holds the pods in the pack.  This makes it easier to get the pod out of the pack.  If you pull on the pod, which is upside down, it is possible that you will open the pod before you want it opened and paintballs will be on the ground and not in your hopper.  Some of the better packs are the Dye, NXE and Redz.  There are others that are probably just as good.  You can always talk to other players to get their opinions on pods and packs.  Then you can make an informed choice on what you want and what will work best for you.

In the majority of cities a paintball gun is considered a firearm.  It is illegal to shoot them within city limits.  They are capable of shooting a paintball in excess of 200 mph or 300 fps (feet per second).  The paintball gun should be treated as a real firearm.  You should never point at anything you don’t intend to shoot.  The barrel should be pointed up or down until you are on the playing field and ready to play.  The barrel plug or sleeve should be in or on the barrel when you are not playing. The CO₂ tank has 3,000 psi when it is full.  It should be removed from the gun when you are not playing.  Many guns have a safety on them and it should be engaged except when you are playing.  The electro pneumatic guns do not have safeties on them, but you can turn the gun off which you should do when not playing.  Most accidental shootings of the paintball gun the typical “I didn’t know it was loaded” scenario.  You should never look down the barrel and always handle the gun as if it is loaded!  You should always chronograph you gun before you play and occasionally during the day.  The velocity should never be above 300 fps.  Most fields require the gun to be around 280 fps or below.  It is set lower for indoor paintball due to the close range.

There have been two deaths caused by equipment malfunctions.  These both involved the valve on a CO₂ tank.  Instead of the valve unscrewing from the gun, it unscrewed from the tank causing the tank to become a projectile.  There are a couple of precautions you can take to prevent this type of accident.  First, point the barrel up when removing the tank.  If the tank comes off of the valve, it will strike the ground.  Secondly, use nail polish or paint and make a line across the valve and C0₂ tank.  Do this when the tank is fully attached to the gun and put the line where it is easily visible when you start to remove the tank from the gun.  If the line breaks or is not lined up, you know something is wrong and you should not continue removing the tank.  If your tank needs repair, take it to an authorized dealer who is qualified to work on them.  Also, have your tank hydrotested at the recommended intervals.  The tanks have dates or codes on them that will indicate when the testing is due.

Taking the extra safety precautions will make your paintball experience a more enjoyable one.  Don’t ever try to take short cuts or ignore the safety steps. Have fun and enjoy the game!

Paintball Mask/Goggle

The paintball mask is the most important piece of equipment you can have when playing paintball.  It protects your eyes, face, ears, and part of your neck.  You should only use apporved paintball masks when playing.  They are made to withstand the 200 MPH paintballs without breaking or cracking.  Do not use safety goggles, ski goggles, motorcycle goggles or the likes because they will break when hit with a paintball.  You could end up without an eye.  Don't be "cheap" when purchasing a mask.  In the long run it will be money well spent.  I suggest that you get a mask that has thermal lenses.  Normal lenses can and will fog over during play and not being able to see where you are going is not the safest situation to be in.  I know this from past experience.  Thermal lenses will not fog over and that is why they are a better choice.  Make sure you have a good field of vision when wearing the mask.  Not all masks are created equal and some have a much wider field of view than others.  Also, if you wear glasses, make sure the mask is big enough to fit over them comfortably without causing undue pressure in any area.  Never play with cracked lenses because you are only asking for problems.  It is recommended that the lenses be replaced every six months to a year.  New lenses can be purchased for 10 to 20 dollars and replacing them is not hard to do.  Do not leave paint on the lenses.  Clean them with approved paintball lens cleaner or plain water.  Using Windex or other glass cleaners with damage the lens and can discolor them as well.  Never store your mask with paint on it!  One other note, get a mask with a visor.  It will keep the sun out of your eyes and make it easier for you to see where you are shooting.

I also suggest that you wear some type of head cover.  The top of the head is a tender area and unless you have a lot of hair, it will hurt if you get hit on the top of the head.  Wearing an old hat or beanie will provide some protection.  There are a couple of paintball masks that provide full coverage for the head.  They may be a little warm in the summer, but they do provide the extra protection.  Full Coverage 

Body Protection  Safety Gear

Neck protectors are a faily common item worn by players.  The neck is another tender area and if you ever get hit in the Adam's Apple, you will definitely know it!  Neck protectors come in different thickness and widths so you will have to check them out and decide if they are something you want to wear.  They are not that expensive and in some cases the better quality ones are actually less expensive than others.

Chest protectors will add protection to your torso.  They are light weight and have small holes in them to help with ventilation.  Have no doubt, you will sweat, even in cool weather.  For those people who bruise easily and want the added protection, they are great.  Some designs even add a "six pack" to your tummy.  I find them to be a little restrictive in movement, but that may be a small factor when deciding if you want to wear one or not.

Knee and elbow shields are worn by numerous players.  Those that play speedball may find them to be a necessity.  If you do a lot of sliding and diving into bunkers, these shields provide excellent protection from bruises and scrapes.  The shields will protect you from rocks and gravel injuries.  If you mainly play woodsball, you may not feel the need for the added protection.  I play both woodsball and speedball and I have found that a pair of knee pads from the local harware store work fine for me.  It is a matter of personal choice as to what you want to use.

Gloves are a necessay item when playing paintball.  The first few times I played without gloves.  After being hit in the hand a couple of times, I decided that gloves would be a good thing.  The hand doesn't have much soft tissue, muscle or fat, to absorb the impact of a paintball.  It definitely hurts when you get hit in the hand or wrist.  Any type of hand protection is better than no protection.  If you don't want to buy a pair of gloves, then get an old pair and cut the fingers off to allow for better movement.  Understand also that gloves will protect your hands from scrapes and scratches from rocks, gravel, stickers and sticks.  Wear gloves.

Paintball safety is extremely important!  Paintball is actually one of the safest sports being played today.  I believe this is in part due to the self governing of players.  We follow the safety rules and if we don't, we are told by fellow players to fix the problem.  There are always those few who think they funny or cute and do something stupid and unsafe.  If those individuals want to continue unsafe practices, they will be asked to leave the game or I simply will not play with them! 

I am going to break this subject down into a couple of seperate blogs rather than make one huge one that most people will not read the whole thing.  I do want to add information that was collected in 2001 by the The National Injury Information Clearinghouse of
the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in Washington D. C.

They collected statistics on sports injuries and other activites.  These were injuries that were treated at emergency rooms in hospital.  They also included heat exhaustion and heat stroke.  I am sure that these numbers have changed somewhat due to the huge increase in people playing paintball. Below is the information they collected.

My intentions on this blog are to provide and share information about all aspects of paintball.  I believe paintball is one of the most enjoyable and exciting games to play.  It definitly gets your blood pumping and the adrenaline to a higher level.  The first time I played was about eight years ago.

My son talked me into renting a Tippmann 98 and buying a case of paint.  It was a bit expensive, but I decided later that it was well worth it.  We went to a wooded area with six other players.  This was in the spring time so the weather was nice, which is always a plus.  Needless to say, I was a little nervous.  I had no idea what was going to happen.  Everyone said that getting hit with a paintball wasn't that bad.  I was skeptical on that.

We divided into two team and the other team walked about 100 yards into the woods.  When everyone was ready someone yelled "Go, Go Go!"  I ran for the nearest cover and tried to determine where the "enemy" had gone.  I couldn't see anyone except my team members.  We started to advance and the paintballs started flying everywhere, or so it seemed.  I didn't make it very far before I was hit.  Yes, it does hurt when you get hit, but after the first one you don't worry about it any more.  I raised my 98 and walked back to the starting point.  When the game was over, all of us got together and talked about what had happened.  The excitement was obvious in all of us as we described the events that had just taken place.  We prepared for another go at it and I was having the most fun I had had in ages.  As the games went on, I got better at using cover and locating the opponents.  Needless to say, I got shot a few more times, but the welts became bragging rights and didn't seem to hurt at all.  I also shot several others during the course of the day.   After about three hours we were all low on paint so we called it a day. 

I was impressed by the comradery and helpfulness of everyone there.  Spare parts were loaned to fix markers, CO2 was shared as well as paintball just so we could keep playing.  I was hooked!! 

The next week I bought a Tippmann 98 players pack and I couldn't wait to go out again, and again, and again!  Those of you that have played know what I mean. 

Let me hear about your first time out or comments.