The choices for what to wear when playing paintball can vary depending on where you’ll be playing. Let’s start by talking about playing at indoor facilities. Playing paintball at an indoor field is very different from playing at an outdoor park.
Because an indoor paintball field usually has air conditioners, so the paintball clothes needed are different. In this guide of what to wear paintballing we will cover the paintball clothing by dividing the body parts. So, you can easily understand what exactly to wear for paintball game.
What To Wear for Face and Head Protection
Let’s start with keeping your head and face safe and then move on to the rest of the body. The masks, which can also be called goggles or helmets, are made to cover your entire face from ear to ear and from chin to forehead. These masks have a special lens made of polycarbonate that is strong enough to stop a paintball. It’s important that the masks meet the ASTM standards for eye protection.
Most masks typically cover the face and extend back to the ears, but there are some masks that provide full head coverage. However, these full head masks are not very common. In reality, getting hit on the top of the head is not very common in paintball.
Usually, people don’t shoot from above, aiming down at you. The only way you might get hit on the top of the head is if you look down while a paintball is coming towards you. Getting hit on the top of the head during paintball can sting a little, but most players are mainly concerned with keeping the paint out of their hair.
If a player wants to cover their entire head, a simple solution is to wear a baseball cap backwards. This way, the cap’s bill stays away from the mask and provides some protection for the top of the head. Another popular option, especially among tournament-style paintball players, is a sandana. A sandana is a protective headband for paintball that keeps your head safe.
What To Wear for Upper Body Protection
Different sized paintballs hit with different amounts of force. Mostly the in fields players use smaller and lighter paintballs called low-impact .50 caliber. They don’t hurt as much as the regular .68 caliber paintballs. So, you don’t need as much padding, but it’s still important to cover your whole body because it hurts more when it hit on bare skin than on clothing.
For example, the paintball players especially those who come for birthday parties and are younger, wear long-sleeve t-shirts when playing. Some players may choose to wear a sweatshirt or hoodie over your t-shirt for extra protection, especially if they’re more sensitive to pain. Layering them provides an added cushion against the hits. Sometimes a player gets a feel for the hits, they can decide if they need extra protection or if they want to remove a layer.
If you’re playing at an outdoor field, it’s important to be cautious about overheating, heat exhaustion, and heatstroke, especially during summer. In such cases, wearing a sweatshirt may not be ideal. You can consider purchasing jerseys that have some padding but also have breathable panels to allow airflow. This way, you get a combination of protection and ventilation.
What To Wear for Lower Body Protection
It’s important to wear long pants, whether you’re playing indoors or outdoors. Wearing pants serves two purposes. First, it provides an extra layer of protection in case you get hit by a paintball, similar to what we discussed earlier. Second, it helps protect you from the environment.
If you’re playing outdoors, there might be bushes and brush that can scratch your legs or insects that could bite you or tics that could attach themselves to you. So, wearing clothes that cover your legs will help shield you from these potential issues. In our indoor fields, we have AstroTurf, and if you crawl behind a bunker, you might get turf burn if your skin is exposed. This can happen if you’re the type of player who likes to crawl, slide, or dive during the game.
Camouflage Coveralls
Camo coveralls are clothing items that are designed with camouflage patterns and are made to cover your entire body. They are typically one-piece garments that provide full coverage from head to toe. Camo coveralls are often used by paintballers, or individuals participating in outdoor activities. The camouflage pattern helps the wearer to hide in with their natural environment, making it more difficult for other players to spot them.
Protect Your Hands
In reality, your hands are one of the most likely areas to get hit during paintball. When you’re playing, you’ll often be hiding behind objects and peeking around corners to locate and shoot your opponents. If they’re shooting back, chances are you might get hit in the mask, the gun, or the hand holding the gun.
Getting hit on the hand can be quite painful because there’s not much padding there! So, many paintball players choose to wear gloves for protection. Unlike winter gloves, you’ll want to wear gloves that allow you to still feel and squeeze the trigger.
Paintball gloves are similar to weightlifters’ gloves, but instead of having padding on the palm to cushion a weight bar, paintball gloves have rubber backing to protect the back of the hand and the first knuckle. These gloves are usually fingerless, allowing you to have better dexterity and grip on the gun.
Footwear To Wear for Paintball
When it comes to footwear for paintball, most people just wear the same kind of shoes they would for any other outdoor activity. Simple running shoes, tennis shoes, or sneakers, whatever you prefer to call them, are usually perfectly fine. However, if you’re playing in a rugged outdoor area with uneven surfaces, it might be better to wear hiking boots for extra ankle support.
In most indoor paintball fields AstroTurf is used, which is a level surface, so regular running shoes work great. Some players choose to wear cleats, but if you opt for cleats, make sure they are plastic turf cleats. Metal cleats can damage the AstroTurf and the carpet in the lobby area.
It’s important to note that most paintball fields do not allow open-toe footwear, so it’s best to avoid wearing sandals or any shoes that expose your toes.
What Is the Age of the Player?
The main factors to consider when deciding what to wear for paintball are the type of field, the type of paintball guns being used, and the age of the players. However, at low impact fields, kids as young as six years old can play, but many fields only allow players starting at age 10 with standard paintball guns.
Everyone has a different sensitivity to pain, so getting hit with a paintball can feel different for each person. To help you understand, imagine being snapped with a rubber band or a towel. Some people might shrug it off and say, “Is that all you got?” while others might start crying. However, if you have a layer or two of clothing on, the experience can be quite different.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Is It Better To Wear Jeans or Pants in Paintball?
Most of the time, it's better to wear pants than shorts for paintball. Pants protect you better from hits and give you more room to move around without making you feel stifled.
What Does a Girl Wear to Paintball?
Girls can wear the same clothes as guys when they play paintball. Choose clothes that fit well, let air in, and keep your face covered. You might want to wear a sports bra for extra support and more clothing options.
What To Wear To Make Paintball Hurt Less?
You can wear more layers of clothing to make paintball hits less painful. Also, think about putting padding or protected gear on vulnerable parts of your body like your chest, back, and hands. Wear a mask to protect your face, because getting hit in the face can hurt more.
Do Paintballs Wash Out of Clothes?
Yes! Paintballs are safe to use and easily cleaned off as they dissolve in water. But the recommendations are to wear clothes so you don't mind getting filthy as nobody wants to paint splattered clothes.
Don't be worried if paint gets on your hair or skin! Showering removes it. Since paintball paint is non-allergic. Sometimes it may leave a mark on your skin when it hits, which is quite natural.