The most dangerous injury in paintball is one to the eye. This is the reason paintball masks are required. Without protective eyewear, a participant could sustain a severe injury to the eye resulting in blindness. This can include a shot right to the eye, however, the more common eye injuries occur when little bits of shrapnel from the paintball shell that disperses upon the impact of the paintball. This means without proper protection, you might get an eye injury from being hit anywhere from the torso and above. This is the reason it's dangerous to even consider stepping onto the paintball field without eye protection. Yet just any old set of goggles from your Dad's workshop won't do; only buy a mask that has an official ASTM rating. This means that it has passed rigorous safety testing for paintball. This is just one more reason to purchase your safety equipment from a licensed reputable dealer. Paintball goggles come in many different styles and colours which range from the most basic mask all the way to a custom full coverage helmet airbrushed to your own specifications. If you are looking for more information on accurate paintball guns, check out the mentioned above website.
While masks are deemed mandatory equipment, protective equipment for other regions of the body will function to make your game a lot more enjoyable. 1 aspect of game that prevents new players from starting the game is fear of the pain associated with taking a direct hit. Accessories like neck and chest protectors greatly reduce the sting of this paintball when struck in these sensitive areas. These injuries might not be serious but bruises are unsightly and may hang around for months, and of course the immediate pain. While this equipment may not prevent an injury, it will definitely take the fear out of getting hit and make playing a lot more fun. While neck protectors are largely a strip of padded material to cover the neck area, chest protectors come in two styles. Some are made from rigid plastic for the most complete protection, however, these may be cumbersome to move in. The ideal torso protectors are made of a lycra type material shirt with padded cells sewn into it; these proceed with you and sometimes even allow paintballs to bounce rather than divide, keeping you in the game more. Abrasions on the forearms and elbows are also quite common in paintball, often caused by diving or army crawling behind a bunker. Contusions and pressure wounds on the arms and elbows can be gotten out of leaning against sharp surfaces while aiming your paintball gun. A number of these injuries can be prevented by simply wearing a long sleeve shirt or a baggy sweatshirt; most professional paintball jerseys include extra thick material or padding over the elbows, shoulders and forearms.
For more strengthened protection, elbow pads and gloves are cheap and easily available. Most elbow pads worn in paintball provide rigid coverage over the joint and attach securely with velcro straps on the arm and forearm. Whether you play in the woods or on a speedball field, your thighs, knees, lower legs and even ankles can take a beating . Paintball knee pads are fantastic for protecting the knees when crawling, kneeling or knee slipping behind a bunker. Whether you're seeking to protect certain regions of the body or full coverage armour, there is paintball protective gear readily available. As a new player, if you're squeamish about being hit, protective padding is crucial to increase your confidence so you can have plenty of fun without dread. Imagine playing with reckless abandon when you wear a full suit of body armour, covered from head to toe using protective paintball padding. A mask, helmet, neck and chest protector, gloves, elbow and knee pads will not only keep you pain-free but will also do wonders for preventing minor to severe injuries. In reality, few players really wear full suits of body armour because of motion restriction, however certain pieces are definitely worth the investment. Paintball protective equipment is available from head to toe for both scenario woodsball and tournament speedball players.
Tactical paintball uniforms are not only camouflaged in as many patterns as real army fatigues but also have extra padding in all the right places and pockets specifically designed for carrying paintball gear. When buying a paintball jersey, pay special attention to the collar, making sure it is large and low enough to avoid irritation around the neck. Neck protection is better served by a specifically designed neck protector, so there is no need to make the uniform uncomfortable for the sake of covering up the neck area. The best jerseys have padding over the elbows and forearms to make army crawling less painful. Padding over the chest and shoulders in these garments can also help replace other types of protective gear like a chest protector if you can find a jersey with padding that's substantial enough. Look for jerseys that have mesh panels under the arms or on the sides of the torso for excellent ventilation. Many players just buy a paintball jersey without the rest of the uniform and get away with a cheaper version and still look the part. Another part of a complete paintball uniform that you should pay special attention to is footwear. Paintball shoe options include cleats for speedball and jungle or military-style boots for tactical play.
Players need to wear thick enough clothing to help prevent bruises and welts. Do not simply wear shorts and a T-shirt, no matter how hot out it is. Do not wear sweatpants. Sweatpants usually make the paintball simply bounce off the legs and provide little padding. Instead of shorts or sweatpants, players should wear loose-fitting jeans over compression shorts or baggy pants. If it is cold outside, players should wear full-length compression tights under their jeans instead of shorts. Players should wear comfortable tennis shoes or boots. They need to have good tread on the soles so that players can make sudden movements without falling on their faces. For games that will occur in a grassy area, cleats or spikes can be worn for better traction. Although sweatpants are a poor idea for the lower body, a hooded sweatshirt is a