Games set up like real life military missions offer the chance to get lost in the scenario; forgetting you are only playing paintball, the adrenaline is much higher and the play is much more fun. Tactical scenario paintball will only allow total immersion however if your gear is as realistic as possible. When shopping for the best equipment, you have the choice of how authentic you want to get by choosing paintball guns that are life like replicas of real rifles, camouflage gear and high tech accessories. Depending on how far you’re willing to push the envelope (and how much you’re willing to spend), you can show up at the battlefield like a special ops paintball ninja decked out with the latest weapons and accessories for an experience you will never forget!
When it comes to paintball gear, there are lots of items you’ll need and want but the main piece is your marker. For a total immersion into the world of scenario paintball, choose a paintball marker that’s a realistic replica of a rifle or machine gun used in actual combat. Fortunately, there are tons to choose from, allowing you to not only cater to both your sense of style but also the position you play on the field. If you prefer the fast action of close quarter fighting seen on the front lines, choose a compact paintball sub machine gun for speed and mobility. If you’d rather pick your shots from a safer distance, sniper paintball rifles are fun to shoot and much more accurate if you like a stealthy advantage. If you want to keep your options open, try an M4 carbine replica dressed up with the coolest accessories to roam the field and be effective from both close or distant ranges.
Perhaps the most realistic tactical paintball guns on the market recently are magazine fed. Instead of the traditional hopper that sits clumsily on top of the gun, magazine fed paintball markers use functional magazines just like real rifles. While these guns behave nearly exactly like the real thing, there is a trade off for carrying less ammo; most paintball gun magazines carry no more than 20 balls. Another fun aspect of using tactical paintball guns is their ability to accept accessories and parts from real guns. Most tactical markers have military spec rails that are compatible with any scope, sight, laser, grips or carry handles that would work any real firearm. This makes customization totally fun as there are tons of accessories available to offer virtually unlimited options for what you can transform your marker into. These accessories not only make your tactical paint gun look the part but can also improve aim and accuracy for better results on the field.
Other than a paintball gun, hopper and air tank, there is only one more piece of equipment that’s mandatory to play, a protective mask. Masks are the only mandatory paintball protective gear required to keep the game safe. While getting hit by a high velocity paintball anywhere in the body is not dangerous, it can cause permanent blindness if one hits the eye, so masks are must-have gear no matter which type of game you play. Since you have to have one, you might as well choose a paintball mask that will enhance your tactical outfit while you’re at it. There are many styles and colors to choose from including army colors and camouflage patterns to match the rest of your realistic gear. Choose a paintball mask that will not only give you a fierce tactical look, but also perform well too. The best paintball masks have anti-fog lenses and plenty of ventilation so you don’t overheat and won’t muffle your voice when calling commands to your team. For the coolest look, choose dark lenses and make sure you pick a mask that will fit under a paintball helmet.
After your gun and goggles, choose a tactical outfit that will glue it all together for a cohesive look. Camouflage clothing can be bought at a military surplus store however best equipped for your sport from a paintball supplies store that carries woodsball gear. There are several brands of paintball jerseys and pants made specifically for this type of play; this style of clothing is your best bet because they have pockets designed for carrying specific pieces of paintball equipment. They are also made with certain features to cater directly to certain actions commonly performed while playing, like extra padding over the knees and hips to offer more protection when crawling or sliding. When choosing a camouflage outfit, it’s best to try and match the color pattern with the specific environment you’ll be playing in whenever possible to take full advantage of the invisibility they could offer.
If you want to look (and play) like a special ops paintball ninja, pay attention to the details. For a complete costume, covering your hands and feet with matching cool accessories is the way to go. Paintball gloves will not only offer more protection for your hands against scuffing them up in the woods, but will also take the sting out of getting nailed in the hand with a paintball. Camouflage tactical gloves make a nice addition to your matching scenario paintball uniform while also improving your grip when holding your gun or other gear preventing you from dropping and losing valuable items. Gloves come in various styles including full finger, two finger or fingerless depending on how free you like your trigger fingers to be. You can use any type of shoes for scenario woodsball but the best type of paintball footwear for this game is combat boots. High top combat boots will not only give you a realistic soldier look but are great for providing plenty of support when running around in the bush and uneven ground common to this game.
One of the best additions to any realistic scenario outfit is a tactical vest. These garments come in all typical military colors including various camouflage patterns to match your underlying BDU’s exactly. Tactical paintball vests not only give you a fierce look, but offer many pouches for carrying tons of gear in a very balanced way. If you use a magazine fed paintball marker, a vest with pouches to carry extra magazines is essential. Tactical vests can be customized with pouches to cater to whatever types of gear you need to be effective for the particular position you play on the field. Vests are the best way to pack tons of extra ammo for extended play and still be able to run and be active without feeling unbalanced from all the extra weight. Customize your vest with pockets to carry your paintball air tank, grenades, extra parts for your gun or even supplies for your teammates.