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FAQ 1: "Which gun should I get?"
This has got to be the most frequently asked question on every forum around the world. I will tell you that it is all a matter of personal taste and financial and time obligation. Let me explain. I've been reading a lot on a lot of forums that this question is answered very commonly with "Get an Ion"...or something to that effect. I am not going to knock the Ion, it is a nice gun. But I will tell you that as a newbie, you will most likely take that person's advice and go blow $200 on the Ion. Then you 've got to get the tank and hopper. After all is said and done, you've easily spent about $450. For someone who's only going to be a "Weekend Warrior" and not play on a team of any kind, that's a colossal waste of money. What I tell the newbs is go to your local paintball store and try out everything they will let you try (store differ from place to place). If you are ready to spend about $100-$175 and have an idea of what you want, then head to Wal-Mart!! Even some of the Pros got their first guns at Wal-Mart!! You'll hear people telling you what pieces of crap they are, but my first gun from Wal-Mart is still owning faces!! It's really up to you, follow the advice of the seasoned people, but take into consideration your budget and time you want to spend doing this......it can get very expensive at times, so spend the money you have wisely!!
FAQ 2: "Does it hurt?"
A small, .68 caliber, gelatin filled ball is flying at you at 300 fps (feet per second). If you do the math, that comes out to about 202 MPH...that's pretty fast if you ask me!! It will hit you on your thinly covered body or bare skin (with the exception to your mask or gun). YES IT WILL HURT!!! I compare it to the impact of a soccer ball, only the impact area is more concentrated and will sometimes break the skin. But that's it. The pain won't linger on all day, unless you are unfortuneate enough to get shot in the same place twice (which really sucks, by the way).
FAQ 3: "Is it expensive to be on a team?/I want to start a team. What do I do?"
I will answer this one in two parts. This is not scare anyone away from joining/starting a team, it's the truth! The answer to the first question is yes. Plain and simple. You are traveling, it costs money to fuel your car. You have to pay to play, there's entry fees. You have to shoot your oppnents with something, right?...paint costs. You have to fuel yourself during the day(s) of play, food/drink bills. If it's a long drive or a long tournament, you have to sleep somewhere, hotel costs. You have to have spare parts and guns to shoot (even though you would've purchased these a while ago), there's another expenditure. Then we get to practices!! That can add up quick. And all of this with buying jerseys or anything to make you look like a team!! That leads me to part two. It's great that a lot of people want to start teams. As a seasoned player, it makes me proud to answer those emails I get from our team's fans (yes, we have them believe it or not). I won't go into too much detail with starting a team, but I will tell you to make sure that everyone that you call "teammate" is dedicated and responsible. Choose you roster wisely and have fun. If you do well, try getting a few sponsors on the line. Keep a protfolio and eventually a website for your team. Good luck!!
FAQ 4: "I want to practice, but don't have much money. What can I do?"
There's many things you can do and most of them don't even involve shooting a single paintball. Take your gun out of your bag, and just hold it. Seriously. You'll get a better feel for her if you just sit on your couch and hold her for a while. Speaking of couch (provided you have the space in your house) use it as a makeshift bunker and practice coming out and back in; snap shooting, posting, "Powerstance", etc. Then there's just plain old push-ups and sit-ups. Those don't even require your gun in the first place!! Go outside in your backyard and run through your sprinting drills. Run through game scenarios in your head and pratice the motions of what you would do in a game. Remember that Amatuers try till they get it right, Professionals practice till they can't get it wrong!!
FAQ 5: "What should I wear/bring when I go out to play?"
Wear to the field what is comfortable given the weather. Don't go out in 90 degree heat in a sweat suit because that will only lead to health problems as the day wears on, like dehydration for example. Don't wear only light pants and a T-shirt if it's 40 degrees outside. I think that one should speak for itself. If you bring your own gear, ALWAYS WEAR YOUR MASK!!!!! I can't stress that enough!! When you rent equipment this shouldn't be a problem, however, I will stress this point the most. I don't know how many times I've lost my voice from yelling at people to put their masks down/on (sometimes while they're playing a game!!). I would recommend that you bring some kind of padding (i.e. knee pads and/or elbow pads) especially if it's your first time. Personally, I found that knee pads slow me down and are uncomfortable, but the choice is your alone. You should always make sure you have enough water and cash to make it through the day. Again, those should speak for themselves......we covered dehydration once already and it can happen in the cold and make sure you have enough money to buy yourself some food for the rest of your bodily needs.
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