Some friends from work and I went paintballing this past Tuesday and we all had a blast despite welts, balls to head, and bruises. I had so much fun I'd like to do it again, but with my own equipment. What I'd like to know is what is the best bang-for-the-buck setup for face shield with sun visor, and also for overall gun combination such as for hopper, marker, tank, etc. I'd like reliability for the marker (gun) to be a top priority along with cost.
A great, reliable starter marker is the Tippman 98. That was my first marker and it lasted until I upgraded to an FX Autococker. Actually, I am sure it lasted well beyond that, I traded it in. The Tipp is a good, inexpensive marker with plenty of options for upgrades (at least in '99 when I played). I do believe they still make them.
As Gen Magnus said, Tippman makes some great, durable guns. I've had one for a few years and never had any problems with it. It's made to last, even if it's not taken care of and very rarely breaks down. As for a mask, I myself use a V-Force Profiler. It's a full face mask with soft, flexible edges so it sits comfortably, while having a bug-eyed, fog-proof visor that gives excellent visibility. It comes in a variety of colors and also allows you a choice of either a small, swept back upper fin...thingie, or a small visor/beak to help block out sun from your eyes. It usually runs 50-60 bucks though so that may be a bit much. Of course there are cheaper options which may work just as well, but I can't fully recommend anything else as I haven't used anything else. But V-Force usually makes some nice masks.
I'm not sure I would just jump in and buy all the equipment, just rent the next couple of times and if you think you are really going to play a lot then look into buying some gear. Tippman was my first gun and it is a durable little beast with tons of upgradeable parts, have fun and don't get to many balls to the face.
Ah, I thought I saw the Hook signal! The Tippmann 98 Custom is indeed an extremely solid and reliable paintball marker, but it's just that - a solid marker. That is why it is widely used as the rental marker of choice pretty much everywhere. I suggest the next notch up the Tippmann line, the A-5. It is by far the most customizable and upgradable marker on the market. Period. Be it official Tippman parts or third-party components such as OPSGEAR, no other paintball marker is as versatile as the A-5. A basic A-5 package is around $200, but you can get starter packages with mask, Co2 tank and all the trimmings for about $50 more. Have a look at what actionvillage.com has to offer, they're one of the better online stores out there. But before I give you my fanboy, biased opinion of Tippmann products, it all depends what kind of paintball game style you prefer. First off, there's "woodsball" or "milsim" (military simulation) paintball, where the game takes place in the woods and fields. There are the typical last man standing and capture the flag games, but there are also mission-based games, such as infiltrating a forteress to rescue a wooden prisonner, or steal a suitcase bomb and plant it in the enemy's base. All of which are adrenaline-inducing and great fun. In milsim games, paintballers will usually wear camouflage gear much like army soldiers and will have paintball guns that ressemble real-life military rifles (M-16, AK-47, PSG-1 snipers, etc.) Then there's Speedball, where players duke it out in an arena-style playfield filled with inflatable bunkers. In this type of play, paintballers use for the most part electronic markers with high rate of fire. The look of a speedballer's marker differs vastly of a milsim gun. Speedball guns, such as the Autococker, Inver Mini, Ion and Angel look futuristic, usually sporting a high gloss, metallic paint job. The speedballer's clothing is also different and looks more like sports clothing, withi bright colors and brand name logos. Speedball games are fast and furious and last less than 10 minutes. Capture the Flag and Last man standing are forms of speedball play. If you don't plan on playing too often, start with a regular co2 tank and a good mask above all. If you're playing on a budget, put more money on a good mask, rather than a good tank. Worst case, you can rent co2 tanks at your local field. For masks, go with a nice V-Force Profiler or a JT Flex (what I currently use). After a while, you can upgrade your tank from co2 to HPA (high pressure air). Co2 is in liquid form in the tank and must become a gas before entering your marker and propelling your paintball. As suck, the stability of co2 fluctuates depending on weather, humidity levels, and so on, which will affect the way your gun fires paint. Long story short, co2is an inexpensive propellant, but can damage your marker in the long run. Of course, there are performance components you can add such as expansion chambers and regulators to stabilize your co2 output, but there is also HPA... HPA a much more expensive solution; a decent HPA tank will cost you $150-200, compared to a similar co2 tank priced at $50-70. HPA tanks are bigger than C02 tanks, because air is stored in gas state in the tank. Because of this bulk, many players will store their HPA tank on their back, on a butt pack or tactical vest. To remedy the weight, there are also carbon fiber HPA tanks, whaich are significantly lighter. Another must-get for paintballing: neck protector and jock strap. Sure, it stings to get hit by a paintball, but there is nothing worse than getting a welt on the neck or in the sack. It takes away the fun of the sport! Anyway, to get back to the A-5... You can check out the A-5 Operator's Group forum's picture gallery to see the 100's of different looks you can give your marker. www.a5og.net. Here are a few pics of my setup. When I first got my A-5 (bought used), it looked like this: The HPA tank was under my grip and I used a 'Flatline' barrel. That tube under the barrel is called a Q-loader, which is an alternative ball-feed system for those who don't like the look of the hopper, that big black reservoir that protrudes the top of most paintball markers, which feeds the paintballs in the gun. I decided to get a stock and a longer barrel afterwards: Already, the gun looked dramatically different. A few months later, I got more upgrades. Sniper mount for the Qloader system, camo decals, a new red dot sight, a sight riser rail so I could actually use the sight with my mask on, etc. Pic of my gear: Tactical vest to haul my ammo and HPA tank: Last but not least, my mask: Whew! THat's all I could think of for now. I'd have more to say on the subject, but I've been rambling for long enough. Feel free to ask more questions!
hmmm i'd definitely agree with getting an A-5. those things are sturdy as #$%^ and it will last you for a long time, not to mention it's fully customizeable. You can buy kits that come with everything you need including a mask, but the mask is probably not going to be that great. I'd recommend a V-Force Profiler, thats what i use. it will almost never fog up and you, and it gives you a great field of vision. Now, of course, this is only if you're going to be playing woodsball. I'm a big fan of speedball, myself (i play it competitively). if you want to play speedball, you need an Electro gun. I use a Planet Eclipse Ego 7 (my team is sponsored by them, so i kinda have to lol) and it's basically the best gun ever created, but it's ******edly expensive. If you're not going to get an A-5, i'd for for a Smart Parts Ion. I used to shoot one of those, and it was very reliable, while not too expensive.
I would go with anything Tippman makes. Hook that is one great setup you have there I just need to give you an AR15 and you can go work with me. For all you paintballers you guys need to try simunition rounds found here http://www.streichers.com/ProductDe... Crowd Control&Category=SIMM_GEAR&Prod=SIMU-9 They hurt alot dam more than paintball rounds.
...I need a Qloader. How much and where do you get one? Is it worth it? How does it work? Yes, I am asking a lot of questions, but my brain is screaming at me to find this stuff out so any help would rock >.>
The Qloader system is basically a spring-loaded pod which feeds the paintballs in your marker. Each time a ball gets in the marker breach, the helical spring in the pod unwinds a bit, placing the next ball ready to be shot. Thanks to this, you can shoot up to 25-30 balls per second, provided your marker is equipped with an electronic trigger/grip. The Q-Loader basic package is available at http://www.qloader.com/ The basic package, which fits a lot of different markers, is available for $80. You get the basic mounting parts and two pods which can carry 100 rounds each. I'd suggest getting the 500-round package for 130, which is what I have. Have a look on their site, there are various packages especially made for different brands and models of markers. I love my Qloader setup and would never go back to a regular hopper!
Yeah, I was browsing around there last night after googling the term Q loader, and at first wasn't really sure what the heck it was talking about and didn't fully get it. But after spending a few hours there, I started to finally get the jist of it. Currently the only Marker I have is a .98 Tippmann w/ Flatline barrel and telescoping stock so I'm not sure if I should keep that and through the Q-loader on there or just flat out upgrade to an A5. Also, I wish I knew about that two weeks ago, before I spent a ton of cash on more TFs, I'm playing paintball again next week and would have loved to bring one of those badboys onto the field. Sadly I don't think I can spare another 130 in time before actually playing. Regardless, that's a very sweet set up you got there, and thanks a lot for all the info.
You've put enough upgrades on your 98, adding a Qloader on it would be great. I'd suggest keeping your 98 and maybe get an A-5 as a secondary marker. As for me, I've got my eyes set on an AGD Tac-one, but those are expensive buggers
