What Is Paintball?
Paintball is an action-packed, adrenaline-fuelled game in which participants use guns to shoot capsules of paint at one another. It was invented in the 1980s and has grown in popularity ever since. Paintball is one of the most fun and exciting outdoor sports. It is a game of skill and tactics and is especially great to play as part of a team and with friends.
Paintballs
Paintballs are round gelatin capsules made of non-toxic, water-soluble, biodegradable, eco-friendly materials. The thin gelatin skin splits open when paintballs are shot, leaving a brightly-coloured liquid on the tagged player. A paintball gun can fire a paintball up to speeds of 300 feet per second and can fire a paintball as far as 50 yards.
Game Formats
The aim of each paintball game varies, and there is a multitude of different formats and rules to choose from. Most paintball games involve eliminating the opposing team by hitting them with paintballs. One of the most popular games involves capturing the flag, in which two separate teams must capture each other’s flag while protecting their own.
Team Sizes
Teams vary in size. Most recreational teams typically have about 10-20 players, but the number of players on each team can vary from one or two to over 1,000 a side, depending on the size of the playing zone. Depending on the game format, games also vary in time, with the average recreational game lasting from 15-20 minutes to 45–60 minutes. In fact, the largest and longest paintball games act out scenarios over multiple days and incorporate 4000+ players.
Game Zones
Paintball games can be played indoors or outdoors in various fields and scenarios. Some of the most impressive and thrilling fields take place in themed game zones, such as trenches, jungles, forests, Wild West, battlefronts, and temples.
Safety Equipment
When playing paintball, it is important to wear the correct safety equipment to protect against paintballs. The standard kit includes safety goggles to protect the eyes, a mask to protect the face, a snood to protect the head, coveralls to protect the body, and a protective vest to protect the chest. If this kit is worn and safety rules are adhered to, statistics show that paintball is actually safer than golf, tennis and swimming.
Paintball Gun
An essential piece of equipment for paintball is, of course, the gun, which is used to shoot paintballs at the opposition. The gun, or marker, comes in a range of different shapes and sizes, and most use an expanding gas to fire the paintball through a barrel.
Paintball Is Fun For All!
Paintball is enjoyed by people of all demographics and lifestyles, from kids and schools to stag and hen-dos and corporate groups. For beginners, for recreational purposes, or for professional leagues and tournaments, paintball is fun for all, so give it a go and rekindle your adventurous spirit at BPF.
