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It is rare to hear of a group being dissatisfied after a day on the paintball field or forest course, and there is a simple explanation - Paintball is a candy bar of action-packed matches and tactical battles. When the bullets wind around the head and the smoke screens rise from the shooting ramps, there are few activities that are as adrenaline-filled as paintball. Airsoft and Paintball have a lot in common. Both sports share the military-authentic equipment and the realistic playing fields, but what characterizes this particular sport are the top-fed rifles, the futuristic protective masks and the small colorful balls that so characteristically explode and leave color on impact.
Buying your first marker or equipment is not always easy. Therefore, we have put together this guide to help you in your purchase. Here you will find a lot of information about clothing, markers, protective equipment, etc. If you can't find information about what you are looking for, please feel free to contact us at Tacticalstore, we have knowledgeable staff ready to assist with any assistance we can provide!
Paintball is a hunting sport that can take place on widely different fields and in hugely different forms, but basically it is about marking opponents with round projectiles filled with paint, so-called Paintballs. Paintball is synonymous with adrenaline and excitement, many call it an extreme sport and those who practice the sport are driven by the cool equipment and unforgettable days with friends and (opponents) out on the paintball fields.
The sport has developed greatly over the past 30 years to today being played all over the world and including many different variations. In Sweden, the most common game forms are Speedball and Woodsball, or simply explained tournament paintball and forest games.
At established companies and associations, you can play Paintball in most environments, everything from deep, dense forest courses to "urban environments" where the courses consist of cars, airplanes and buildings. All categories of players can usually play in these areas as most of the games are adapted so that new and experienced players can play at the same time. If you choose to play by yourself with a group of friends out in the forest, you should first ask the landowner for permission before playing on the land.
A popular matchup that many associations and companies are adopting is the drop-in game, also known as "Walkon". These game days are often regular and are played weekly, or on fixed dates. Walkons are usually open to everyone, beginners or experienced, you can bring your own equipment or rent it on site, and there is usually a fireplace and food and drink sales. To participate, you usually pay a fee before the start of the game and many organizers require that you also buy Paintball balls on site.
If you want to be part of an awesome experience, the Big Game is something beyond the usual game day. These clashes often take place on established playing fields with different real-world environments. It can be about dilapidated industrial premises, old military bases or other places that the organizers have chosen to use where up to several thousand players can participate at the same time. Of course, great planning is required to carry out an event of this kind, but the greater the reward for the players who participate.
The paintball marker, the piece of equipment that defines the sport, has gone through a long evolution to get to where it is today. New technology has improved air consumption and precision, and also the weight of many markers has been significantly reduced over the years thanks to new materials and smoother designs. The high standard of these markers is important to us, which is why we have chosen to focus on a range of only quality products from the market's leading brands such as e.g. Dye, Eclipse, Milsig and Tippmann. Regardless of whether it is speedball or Woodsball products that are in demand, we want to be able to meet our customers' needs in the best possible way. You don't need to invest in expensive equipment to start playing Paintball, a simple marker, a shaking magazine, an air tank and overalls are enough. In fact, this is how most people start their paintball hobby, then upgrade equipment and clothing as interest grows.
There are no requirements for what marker you use for Woodsball, but it is simply a matter of what level of ambition you are in your playing. If you have a tight budget, a simple marker with a shaking magazine works great as a first marker, after the hobby grows, you can upgrade everything as needed. With a wide market and a number of major manufacturers, there is a wealth of choice covering everything from pistols to sniper markers and the different price ranges differ depending on functions and looks. As a rule, the classic forest marker is at a relatively good price level compared to e.g. speedball or MagFed marke
For speedball, small and light markers are used to make the player as agile and fast as possible on the field. The body, which is often stripped slim and with a design specific to Speedball, is very different compared to e.g. woodsball markers, the majority are also electrically powered and can shoot at speeds well over 30 balls per second. To complement the high rates of fire, an electric magazine is needed. It is not a requirement but the electric motor in these magazines helps to supply the marker with ball and thus reduces or completely eliminates fire breaks. Remember to keep the total weight down. A fully charged marker with an air tank has a tendency to drag on weight so it is important to choose light accessories so that it does not become too heavy. Initially, you usually choose a simpler marker and then move on to a more advanced competition gun.
There are always strict rules both on and off the paintball field when it comes to the use of the mask. The reason is simple - it protects your and your fellow players' eyes and is the most important investment you can make in the sport. All the masks we sell are approved and manufactured especially for paintball, which means that no matter which mask you choose to invest in, you get approved and good protection for the face.
This segment contains the simplest masks on the market but also the cheapest, a good option for e.g. the beginner or the paintball park. What these masks i.a. lacking is good comfort, something that the more expensive masks are more generous with. Despite the low price, you obviously get an approved mask that does the job on the pitch. There are both single-glass and double-glass lenses for these masks.
Here, there are a variety of masks to choose from with everything from slightly cheaper to options over the thousand kroner class. Comfort varies and you usually get what you pay for. There are also many good competition masks in this segment that maintain very good quality and comfort for a relatively cheap investment, these are e.g. V-force Grill and Dye Invision 4 (i4) which both deliver top quality both in the form of mask and lens.
The coolest masks can be found in this segment, but it comes at a price to be on top! Unfortunately, you have to shell out a relatively large amount of money to be able to show off these valuables which can cost you as much as SEK 1500-2000 or more. However, it is usually a really good mask you get with a good field of vision, good comfort and solid "padding" for the face. You usually get a double-glass lens with each copy, and the wide range of replacement lenses means that you can color-combine the masks with everything from smoke-colored to mirror glass. If you want to be able to replace certain parts and color combine the mask itself, there are brands such as e.g. Virtue Vio which offers this, you can then configure the mask to your liking and taste with hundreds of color choices.
Den billigaste masken i V-force serien tillverkad- och mest lämpad för nybörjare och parkverksamhet. Det finns mer att önska av en Paintballmask men för nybörjare är detta ett bra alternativ för att billigt kunna testa på och komma in i sporten.
En populär nybörjar mask som även används flitigt av många Paintball parker runt om i Sverige. Linsen kan snabbt och enkelt avlägsnas vid rengöring eller linsbyte. Rikligt med vaddering på insidan ger hyffsat bra passform trots det låga priset.
Today, a paintball marker is mostly powered by high-pressure air. Carbonic acid was for a long time a very popular fuel precisely because the low cost, but in recent years has been exchanged precisely for the many advantages of air. Air is e.g. significantly more reliable, gives the marker a more even pressure, is completely independent of outside temperature and is significantly more gentle on the marker's internal parts. The maximum pressure on a paintball tank today is 4500psi, i.e. 300 bar! Filling a tube is not something you can do at home with dad's garage equipment, only diving and industrial compressors can generate these high pressures.
An air tube for paintball must be pressure tested at an authorized company at regular intervals. This usually happens at 5 or 10 year intervals depending on the brand and type. Specific information on when the next test printing should take place is printed on the body of each tube together with the date of manufacture, weight, etc. If it is to be used in Sweden, it is also important that it is PI marked, i.e. approved for use in the EU, therefore make sure to always buy tubes in Sweden and not from e.g. USA as these may neither be used nor tested here.
The simplest and cheapest in the area of air tubes is the steel tank. It is usually approved for pressures up to 3000psi (200 bar) and has a simple regulator with bell and blasting plate. A good and cheap alternative if you are looking for a budget tube but do not have such high demands on weight or the need for a 300 bar bottle.
If you feel it is time to upgrade the equipment with a new tank, the lightweight tank is the next step on the investment ladder. Light weight and a maximum pressure of 300bar (4500psi) make the lightweight tank an obvious choice for the more avid player. These bottles can reduce the weight of your marker by as much as 400-500 grams compared to the standard steel tank, and those are grams that can make a big difference to your marker's overall weight in the end as every small weight reduction adds up to a smoother marker in your hand.
The regulator is the part on a paintball tube that regulates and limits the pressure that goes from the tube's chamber into the marker. Usually the level is regulated between 800 and 500psi but it can vary between different types of markers and even go much lower than that. On each regulator there is a pressure bell and two burst plates that act as pressure relief valves in case the tube should accidentally be filled above the maximum limit.
The ammunition used is called Paintballs or paintball balls. As the name suggests, these are small round balls filled with paint that break on impact. There are currently three different sizes, .43 ,.50 caliber and .68 caliber, with the latter being the industry standard. In recent years, however, the .50 caliber has become increasingly popular as its low impact power makes the balls particularly favorable for e.g. younger players.
The balls are manufactured in different hardnesses and colors. The cheaper options usually have a harder shell and the contents vary in color, while the more expensive competition ball has a bright yellow filling and a very fragile shell. You usually choose a variety according to the type of game, the weather and which marker you use. A fragile ball thinks e.g. not if low temperature, humid air or a hard-hitting bolt, then it is always better to choose a more suitable alternative such as a winter or "field" ball, to ensure good functionality while playing. Messing with paintballs that break in the magazine or when shooting is never fun and often ruins an otherwise fun day in the woods or on the range.
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