Paintball is an intense and competitive sport that offers a wide variety of playing fields. It consists of fast-paced strategies and tactics that can temporarily turn your closest friends into your focused enemy. But when was paintball invented?

It has become a popular game played on outdoor and indoor fields around the world. The sport reflects the unbelievable adrenaline rush that accompanies the hunt of each game.

So how did it all come to be?

The concept of the paintball marker was invented back during the mid-60s by a man named Charles Nelson. However, the sport of paintball is still relatively young, with the first paintball game played in May of 1981.

So now you know: When was paintball invented? But what happened between those years that transformed paintball into the popular game we love today?

To answer this, we have to dive deeper into some exciting paintball history.

History of the marker

When asking when was paintball invented, we must take a look back to the mid-60s.

During this time, Charles Nelson of the Nelson Paint Company was asked to create a device to assist foresters.

What he invented was the paintball marker.

The notion was to shoot a projectile of paint from the marker to mark trees or livestock. The device would save foresters and ranchers time by giving them the ability to mark from a distance.

Nelson approached the Crosman company to produce a marker gun that would shoot the paintballs. So the company developed the Crosman 707. However, after a few years of poor sales, Crosman halted production as a financial loss.

If only they knew how mistaken they were.

The Nel-Spot 007

Years later, Nelson decided that he might have more success if he sold his paintball marker as a toy. With BB guns so popular, he contacted an airsoft company, known as Daisy, to construct the first paintball marker.

In 1972, the Daisy Manufacturing Company patented and manufactured the "Splotchmarker," which Nelson marketed as the famous Nel-Spot 007. This marker became a milestone in paintball history for use in the first ever game of the sport.

The Nel-Spot 007 was a bolt action or pump action marker in the shape of a pistol. Its robust design, reliability, and simplicity still place it in the gear bags of many players today.

The first paintball game occurred on June 7, 1981, in the New Hampshire woods. However, the game didn't happen overnight. In fact, the discussion took place for the first time in 1977, between two friends, over drinks.

Years later, after seeing the Nel-Spot 007 in a catalog, the two friends set out to settle an ongoing argument — could a novice survive in combat against a trained hunter?

When looking into history to see when was paintball invented, you'll see it was nothing but a simple concept.

Testing their theory, Hayes Noel and Charles Gaines invited 12 friends to compete in a game of capture the flag. There were 4 flag stations, each with 12 flags matching each of the 12 people playing. The rules were simple: The first to capture all the flags without getting shot wins.

Half of the players comprised experienced avid hunters and the other half consisted of untrained city men.

Game-day took place on June 27, 1981. They armed 12 players with the Nel-Spot 007 paintball markers and set out into an 80-acre cross-country playing field.

Incidentally, the winner, Ritchie White, didn’t fire a single shot. Instead, he used strategic stealth tactics to collect all the flags, outsmarting his friends to win.

As the first 12 players stalked each other for eliminations and flags, they were not aware of the impact this simple experiment would have on extreme sports in the years to come.

Rise of the paintball industry

Shortly after the first game, one of the participants, Bob Jones, decided to write an article about the experience for Sports Illustrated Magazine. This instantly made the game of paintball famous and brought the sport to a whole new generation of players.

His article resulted in the unexpected flow of letters from people with requests asking how they could play the game.

The sudden popularity in the game proved to be a great business opportunity for the principal creators. Gurnsey, Gaines, and Noel started selling starter kits for what they called the National Survival Game (NSG).

The kit included a Nel-Spot marker, along with some paintballs and safety goggles. They also added an official rulebook for the game and a bonus compass as used by the first players.

Bob Gurnsey opened the world's first commercial paintball field in New Hampshire in March 1982. And as we learn more about when was paintball invented, this was only the beginning.

Gurnsey began licensing out the NSG franchise to others who wanted to start their own fields. The sport transitioned from NSG to the name of paintball and began to make its way overseas in 1994.

With all these new burgeoning industries, paintball was standardized and more streamlined for consumer play.

Speedball and the rise of the semi-automatic marker

While learning when was paintball invented, it's also good to know how it advanced over the years.

In 1988, a new variation to the game called "arena ball" made its debut at a paintball field in California. Also known as speedball, it was a revolutionary addition to the world of paintball and an instant success.

This type of game was extremely fast-paced and usually lasted only three to four minutes at a time. The game required higher speed, and because of this, the 1990s soon saw a rise in demand for semi-automatic markers.

It was Tippman Pneumatics to release the first fully-automatic paintball gun: the Tippman SMG-60. Tippman remains among the most respected and well-distributed companies in the world today.

Accurate and fast to operate, these semi-automatic markers could generate very high rates of fire. However, semi-automatic electronic markers were heavy to carry. They were also considerably more expensive, making them not readily available to most players at the time.

Originally part of Kingman, Spyder Paintball made a name for itself by introducing a more affordable semi-automatic to the public. Known as the Kingman Spyder marker, an aluminum body made it much lighter than other semi-auto markers on the market.

Famous for their reliability, simple design, and ease of maintenance, these mechanical markers had high performance at a low cost. By doing this, Spyder significantly evened the playing field for those players on a tight budget.

Over time, the markers became more affordable and available on the market. Other brands started to manufacture them, and today there are several great speedball markers from which to choose.

As the passion for paintball began the spread, it started to gain a more positive and safe reputation. More companies began to appear and take the opportunity in the sport, offering cheaper markers or specialized parts and gear.

While looking into the question of when was paintball invented, another milestone hit with the entry of electro-pneumatically operated markers.

Unlike pump markers, a circuit board controls power to electronic or electro-pneumatic markers with a 9-volt battery. The consistency is more accurate with a faster firing ratio due to the electric components.

In 2003, a company known as Smart Parts got a patent for paintball markers using an electro-pneumatic valve. Unfortunately, this also initiated a series of lawsuits regarding markers built during the pending patent period.

It also created a massive backlash against Smart Parts by many players of the game.

The event sent a shockwave through the industry, and several smaller manufacturers immediately ceased production of electronic markers.

Most high-end companies were less affected

However, for those companies that continued to make the electronic markers, the competition would only rise. Some of the remaining top-quality companies included Luxe Paintball, Planet Express, DYE, and many others.

Founded in 1994, DYE is one of the oldest companies in the sport. It manufactures a wide range of paintball equipment, as well as the popular Dye Rize line of markers. The goal of the company was to deliver reliable and dependable paintball guns and gear to all players.

A small England-originated company known as Planet Express became popular after creating what they called the Eblade board. This was a complete chip kit with the ability to convert any typical auto-cocker marker into an electronic one.

Today the company is now a leading manufacturer in electronic paintball markers such as the CS2 and the Etha 2.

DLX Technologies, also known as Luxe Paintball, amazed the world with its exclusive Luxe ICE, one of the best high-end paintball markers on the market. DLX designed its marker to be as customizable as possible and continuously updates to meet the demands of the players.

So now that we've answered your question of "When was paintball invented," let's go over the facts one last time before you head out into the field!

The very first game of paintball occurred in 1981.

When the game was first played, it was merely 12 friends trying to test who had the best survival skills only to become a world-known official sport in a matter of 2 years later.

Paintball has grown over the years, from outdoor and indoor fields to elaborate obstacles including custom scenarios and tactical gameplay. It has evolved into a highly competitive sport that comes in many different forms, ranging from small groups of friends to professional tournaments.

The game is now getting the attention it deserves and is a favorite recreational past-time for many people.

Did you enjoy learning about the history of this exciting, adrenaline-driven sport? Please let us know what you think in the comments below!

Featured Image via Pixabay

One of the favorite past-times amongst many people is paintball. Some have taken it to the next level and made it a sport. 

The popularity of paintball has spread across the world so much that some organizations have established several national and regional leagues. 

What evolved from being a concept to use a marker for trees has evolved out of the woods and made a home on playing grounds. 

The popularity of paintball has established an industry of more than 10 million participants and dubbed the second biggest Extreme Sport - skateboarding being the first. (1)

The three forms of paintball are woodsball, speedball, and scenario paintball. To ensure optimal fun and safety, the right gear is essential for paintballers to participate. Our list contains the essential items to play paintball.

Paintball Marker

Commonly referred to as a paintball gun, the marker propels the paintballs toward the target. One of the key features of a paintball marker is the compressed air tank. Some markers have a Co2 tank. 

Without the compressed air or Co2 tank, the bolt will not cycle, making the marker useless.

High-quality markers can propel paintballs at 300 feet per second, though the paintball cannot retain that speed for a long period. (1)

Most marker manufacturers make the bodies from aluminum to reduce the gun’s weight and feature custom milling and color anodizing. The most common markers feature a body, compressed air tank, barrel, and hopper. (2)

The three types of markers that exist are pump, mechanically operated, and electro-pneumatic. (2)

Mask

Unless you want a paintball to splatter in your eyes, then you should wear a mask while playing.

Paintball masks protect your face. A paintball hitting your body might cause a bruise, but hitting your eyes can blind you. Numerous paintball masks exist on the market, but paintballers need to ensure that theirs contains a few essential features.

Although masks are meant to protect your face, it’s also supposed to provide you with good vision. Ensure that your mask comes with an anti-fog feature, as well as thermal design lenses. 

Some masks cover only your face, and others cover your entire head. Being able to hear is essential while playing paintball, so make sure that you can hear properly since different models provide different hearing levels. One of the things that affect the player’s hearing is the extra padding near the ear on the mask to protect it from injury by the paintball. (3)

Most masks contain foam padding to increase the player’s comfort on their face and helps with protection from the paintball. Some masks allow you to replace the foam since it gets blighted and disfigures due to constant absorption of sweat.

Visors on a mask are an additional feature but help to keep the sun out of your eyes, as well as prevent rain from dripping into the vents of the mask. 

Other features that paintballers should look at to optimize their experience are scratch resistance, sturdiness and fog resistance.

Clothing

Although a paintballer can play in a t-shirt and shorts, getting the proper attire to play is essential for several reasons.

The most recommended attire for paintball is to wear a camouflage jumpsuit. Since most paintball terrains are dusty and situated in forests, a paintballer will benefit the most from a suit that blends into the environment.

Apart from enabling the paintballer to disguise him or herself, high-quality overalls provide layers of protection. The overall contains padding that alleviates the impact when the paintballs hit the player. 

A proper overall covers the entire body of the player but is also big enough for the player to wear their regular clothing as the first layer. 

Besides protecting your body, a good overall is also easy to wash. Having a paintball splatter on your regular clothes might be difficult to clean with some fabrics, whereas a paintball overall is much easier to clean when stained.

Paintballs

After you’ve selected a proper marker, mask, and overalls, the crucial ingredient that remains is the paintballs. Players have a choice between various ammo, allowing the player to select the quality and size. Choosing the wrong ammo could lead to players losing the game.

Each marker is best suited with unique paintballs. Getting the optimal experience from the ammo means choosing the ones that are best suited to the type of game that you’re going to play. 

A paintball’s gelatin shell should break upon impact, though ricochet may occur. 

Most regular competitors will settle for standard ammo, but professionals will consider the cost, durability, caliber, quality, color, and efficiency.

High-quality paintballs cost more than regular ones. The standard caliber of a paintball is 0.63 while others are 0.43 and 0.71. (4) The durability of the paintball is important since the outer shell should be thick and tough to ensure that it doesn’t break on the impact of the bolt. 

The type of game that you play will determine the color of the paintball. Playing woodsball amongst green trees would require bright neon shades of paint. The efficiency determines how far the paintball can go and its accuracy.

Some of the best paintballs are Valkan Infinity, Vasken, RPS Empire Marbalizer, May Vary, and JT GI Splatmaster. (4)

Additional Gear

One of the final components is the vest. Mostly, professionals make use of a vest. A paintball vest provides the player with additional padding and enables convenient storage of ammo and other items such as radios and maps.

Players who choose to wear vests should ensure that they can easily breathe with it on, that it has adjustable shoulders and side straps, a mesh hydration bladder pouch, and several pockets.

Without the essential gear mentioned above, paintball won’t be a fun experience and could result in injury. Rather be safe than sorry by ensuring that you have all the necessary gear. After all, paintball is supposed to be a fun experience, not a risky task.

The better you’re prepared, the more fun you’ll have.

If you are new to the world of paintball, you may have heard that you'll need a paintball marker. But what is a paintball marker and why do you need it?

Like all sports, players have to wear protective gear and use the right equipment to play. Players use various equipment in a paintball game. And each piece of gear is necessary, but the essential part of this equipment will be your paintball marker.

What Is a Paintball Marker?

Image via Pixabay

To put it simply, a paintball marker is the gun you use in the game of paintball. The terms “paintball gun” and “paintball marker” are interchangeable.

So now you know: What is a paintball marker? But why is a paintball gun called a paintball marker? If you find yourself asking this question, then you've come to the right place!

There's a reason behind the name.

The Difference Between a Gun and a Marker

When asking what is a paintball marker, we look to the mid-sixties. In that time, a man named Charles Nelson was asked to design a device that would help foresters. What he invented was the paintball marker.

The original design of the paintball marker was initially used to mark trees or livestock rather than people. It would save foresters and ranchers time by giving them the ability to mark from a distance.

Years later, Nelson decided that he might have more success if he sold his paintball marker as a toy. At the time, BB guns were popular, so he contacted the air-soft company, Daisy, to construct the first paintball marker.

After seeing the paintball marker in a catalog, a man named Bob Gurnsey and his friends set out to settle an arguement — could a novice survive in combat against a trained hunter?

Testing their theory, they invited six woodsmen to compete in a game of capture the flag against six untrained players. All players were equipped with maps, whistles, and paintball markers.

The first paintball game occurred on June 7, 1981, in the New Hampshire woods. Incidentally, the winner of this first-ever game didn't fire a single shot. Instead, he stealthily collected all the flags to win.

One of the other participants wrote an article about the experience for Sports Illustrated. This instantly made the game famous and brought paintball to a whole new generation of players, and they subsequently shaped the sport into the paintball we know and play today.

What is a paintball marker? It's the beginning of the paintball game itself.

Understanding the Main Types of Paintball Markers

Now that we've answered your question of "What is a paintball marker?" let's learn about the different types.

Paintball markers come in many styles, and the type of gun can influence your game. Whether you are buying your gun or renting one from the field, there are a few things to consider.

The first and most important thing for you to know is what type of marker to use.

With so many options on the market, there is a paintball gun for every type of gameplay and skill level. However, every kind of marker comes with its unique pros and cons.

Even though there are dozens of models, paintball markers can be broken down into three defining types.

Choosing the Best Paintball Marker for Your Game

Now that we've gone over "What is a paintball marker?" and the different types of markers available, what paintball is right for you?

Your choice of paintball marker can make or break your game.

First, you must choose which type of game you want to play. Like your equipment, there are many different paintball fields, and there is a marker best suited for each game. So you will want to choose a marker that complements your skills and helps your gameplay.

All paintball games are categorized into two unique styles: woodsball and speedball.

Woodsball

Photo by Muhammad Taufik via Unsplash

Woodsball is the original form of the sport and is usually played outdoors. These games depend on the terrain, and the pace of the game is moderately slow. They can last anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes to hours, to even days, depending on the style of game.

There is a wide range of playing styles in woodsball, which allows you room to choose and customize your marker. You can play aggressively, or you may find that you prefer the more tactical way to defeat your opponents more appealing.

Either way, you want to focus on choosing a marker that can fire long distances. The wooded fields are large, and players get spaced out, so you are typically far from your target. Accuracy is also essential in this style due to all the trees, bunkers, and brush you have to shoot around.

And what is a paintball marker good for if it can't hit your mark?

The most common markers for woodsball are typically the semi-automatic mechanical or the classic pump-action guns. Both of these markers have a long firing range and excellent accuracy.

Speedball

Image via Pixabay

As the name suggests, speedball is all about speed. Unlike woodsball, this type of game is extremely fast-paced and usually lasts around three to four minutes at a time.

Yes, it's that fast!

In speedball, you'll have to move very quickly to get the perfect angle on your opponents as they take cover behind specially designed bunkers. The fields are usually smaller, and the play style more aggressive.

If you plan on playing speedball, you must have a gun that will respond quickly. Electronic markers are for speed. They are efficient and much faster than mechanical or pump-action guns.

Therefore, electronic markers are an excellent choice and best suited in games of speedball.

Every Game of Paintball Begins with Your Paintball Marker

via Giphy

Your first paintball marker is a significant investment. And while these devices are all paintball guns, the term paintball marker comes from the early history of paintball. Additionally, the term "marker" might be less controversial than saying "gun" when describing the game of paintball to those who don't play.

So the next time someone asks the question: "What is a paintball marker," you can tell them it's the most essential piece of equipment in the game.

Which term do you prefer using when referring to paintball? Please let us know by leaving a comment below!

You’ve probably come across an Azodin Blitz 3 review when searching the internet for a paintball marker for beginners. The problem is, there are countless reviews of other brands that offer beginner marker kits for novice players too.

Thrill seekers, gamers, athletes, and your little niece all are perfectly suited for paintball. For as hardcore as it sounds when you initially learn about what is paintball, the sport is fit for anyone with a fire in their eyes.

Paintball's a team sport with predetermined objectives. Players tag each other with gelatin capsules shot from markers. Once tagged, a player is out.

Unlike traditional sports, paintball focuses on an entirely unique set of skills. Whereas most sports require mastery over your body, paintball incorporates aim, tactics, and situational awareness into the mix. However, another loveable aspect of paintball is its fun factor, as many enthusiasts simply enjoy playing rather than winning.

What Is Paintball?

In essence, paintball is like the adult form of water tag. You run around with markers, which are like your water guns, and shoot other people with paintballs. When you hit someone with a paintball it leaves a splatter of water-soluble paint on them indicating they're out.

The difference is that markers shoot paintballs up to 300 feet per second, and can leave fat bruises all over you.

But don't let that scare you off! When learning about what is paintball, you'll find safety is the number one priority at every field. There is also clothing you can wear to make paintballs sting less.

On the other hand, fellow thrill seekers will agree the sting is part of what makes paintball so exhilarating. Charging a group of enemies gets your blood flowing, unlike any other sport.

Unlike Airsoft or laser tag, you fear getting hit not only because it takes you out of the game, but also because you simply don't want a flurry of paintballs to pelt you.

Entering the arena

So what is paintball like in person? Before even walking into a paintball arena you'll be able to hear the action. You'll first notice the symphony of markers popping off in the distant battlefield.

As you get closer you'll hear the shouts the fallen. Various voices from every direction shouting "Aghhh, HIT!"

Once you get close enough to see the action you'd think you're in a war zone. You'll see masked forms armed with markers hiding behind trees, peeking out windows, and coordinating attacks on the other team. You'll hear them calling out enemy locations while others sprint across the field, diving from cover to cover.

A sport of honor and comradery

After you watch both sides engage in high-paced combat, you might find yourself shocked by what happens when the round ends. After everyone exits the field they're all laughing. Opponents shake hands and joke about their various encounters.

Everyone shares their own stories of the battle. Also, they joke about how they got caught by complete surprise and commend other players on their heroic moves.

At the end of the day, everyone's on the field for a good time. Also, because paintball requires you to call your own hits, there's an underlying respect for each other in the sport. When you learn about what is paintball in person, you'll notice players respect one another both on and off the field.

Even if throughout your day you were getting hit more than you were tagging other players, you'll still walk away with a smile on your face. There's something special about the bonds you make with your teammates and your opponents during paintball.

So many times you'll find yourself in a pinch with one of your teammates. You'll both huddle behind a small plywood sheet as the other team bombards it. You both laugh about the situation but know you need to find a way to get out of it.

When all seems lost, your teammate yells at you to you retreat back to your team while he covers you. You sprint back to cover, and eventually your buddy dashes back to you through a hailstorm of paintballs. From then on, you know you've got a friend you can trust through thick and thin.

Finding Your Stride

After learning about what is paintball, you might decide it's right up your alley. However, now you have to figure out how to get into it.

Joining a passionate community

Lucky for you, you'll find paintball an easy sport to dive into. Plenty of paintball fields have rental equipment and paintballs for you to use. You'll have to pay to use the equipment of course, but it's a very easy way to try out the sport and see if you like it.

All you have to do is Google search for paintball fields near you and check their site. Their website or Facebook page will usually tell you if they have rental gear.

While you're on their webpage, you can find out when they have open play days. These are the days where you're free to just show up at the scheduled time and play paintball. They'll usually split everyone that arrives up into teams, and then choose various game types to play.

If you have any friends who are interested, make sure to bring them along! Paintball's loads of fun when playing with your friends.

But don't worry if you can't get anyone to come. It's easy to make friends while you're at the field because everyone there is passionate about the sport.

Suiting up for battle

Once you have a paintball day scheduled, you'll need to gear up. Paintball's an athletic sport so you need to dress accordingly. What you should wear depends on what the field is like.

If the field is in the woods, you'll want long sleeves, pants, and boots with ankle support. Covering your skin will keep you from getting scratched by thorns. Having traction and proper ankle support will keep you from spraining your ankles.

If you'll just be in a speedball field with a flat surface and the only cover is soft barriers, you won't have to worry about protective clothing as much.

If you're worried about paintballs hurting, you have a few options. Our first suggestion if you'll be in the woods is a BDU jacket. The camouflage comes in handy, but what's really special is that these jackets are thick yet breathable.

Wearing layers also really helps. Bringing a hoodie to wear over a thick cotton shirt can do wonders. You can even wear one or two long-sleeve shirts under the hoodie for further protection.

Also, covering any exposed skin and wearing a beanie to protect the top of your head is helpful. Gloves are nice too, as well as a bandana to wrap around your neck. To find out our favorite articles of clothing for paintball, visit our guide on what to wear paintballing.

Finally, you might want to invest in a paintball mask. Even though you can rent a mask at most places that rent out equipment, their masks are usually scratched up and might not fit right.

Because your mask is one of your most important tools on the field, you'll want one that fits. If you think you'd like your own mask, check out our guide on finding the best paintball mask.

Getting a feel for the ropes

Because paintball's such a unique sport, you might feel a little awkward at the start of your first match. Don't fret, as you'll eventually fall into the groove of things. Your initial goal should just be to learn and have fun.

At the start, you'll likely find it helpful to follow a group of teammates around. They'll both act as a distraction for the other team and give you a helping hand. Your teammates will be able to tell you how you can best help them, but also you'll start picking up on what they do.

You'll first notice is how they avoid getting hit. You'll see they constantly move from cover and cover, rarely opening themselves up as targets. Avoiding getting tagged will be your first priority.

Once you get a hang of using cover, you'll be able to start focusing on tagging opponents. A tip for shooting at opponents is to limit the amount of time they can see you. So once you locate an opponent, peek out of your cover and shoot at them quickly, then hide again.

If you stay still for too long while shooting at an opponent, a second unseen opponent has the chance to aim and tag you with ease.

Wrapping It Up

Now you can see the answer to "What is paintball?" is as diverse as the people who play it. Paintball can be a competitive endeavor in which players aim to be the best there is. Also, paintball can be an exciting past time to bond with friends. And finally, paintball can simply give you an exciting way to get some exercise.

No matter why you come to the field, you'll find yourself welcomed by a close-knit and enthusiastic community. We hope you'll try paintball out and find out why so many people love this sport and what it has to offer.

Be sure to share your thoughts, tips, and tricks about the game in the comment section below.

In the sport of paintball, when confronted with a question of what is best, there is often no “right” answer; players will usually defend their favorite brand or manufacturer. This holds for paintball guns, clothing, paint, and especially masks.

So how do you choose the right mask for you? All masks must be put through rigorous testing, and are all universally safe for the sport, but there are other factors that go into choosing the right mask. We’ve provided insight into a wide range of paintball masks, and several qualities that further define what each mask is like.

What Makes a Mask a Mask?

There are four parts to each and every paintball mask. Their shapes and colors change, but their functions remain the same. They are:

Lens/Frames

The lens is the most important part that you'll never see until it saves you from taking a paintball in the eye. The lens obviously stops paint, but also keeps dirt and smoke out of your eyes. There are several types of lenses, including single-pane and thermal. Lenses can have special tints like mirrored and smoke, and recently have started being increasingly UV resistant. The frames are simply what holds the lens onto the rest of the mask. Some masks have integrated frames, such as the Profit, while others have removable and swappable frames, like the Proflex.

Bottoms

As the name implies, the bottoms of the mask are everything below the lens. Bottoms wrap around to the sides to cover your entire chin and parts of your neck. The bottoms also include any protection against your nose and cheeks. The bottoms house almost all of the ventilation, as that's where your mouth and nose will breath out, so they have meshed areas or slots, angled away to prevent direct contact with the paint, to allow the mask to breathe with you.

Ears

Also called ear-pieces, the ears of a mask may be soft or hard, tall or short, but are designed solely to keep paintballs from hitting either in or on your ear. They must be open enough to allow you to hear calls and shots, while still keeping your ears safe. These can usually be swapped out, except in rare cases, such as the Profit and Flex 8.

Strap

The strap is one of the more flavorful parts of the mask. Practically, it holds the mask to your head, and should first and foremost be able to do just that. However, past its practical use, straps are often used to personalize the mask. Rare or collectible straps are often traded for upwards of $100, but there are hundreds of other options out there for any price range or color combination you need.

So, with all that technical information out of the way, let’s look at how to proceed in your search for the best paintball mask.

Choosing the Perfect Mask

Now that you have both a selection of popular mask systems and the information behind them, it’s time to pick a mask based on the below important factors. 

Budget

First, obviously, is your budget. Paintball is an expensive sport; no other sport has you buying new balls every time you play, let alone entire boxes of them. So pick a price range that you want to stick to, and go from there. The more recognized the brand and the more features the mask offers, the more expensive the product will be.

Style of Paintball

Next, it’s important that you decide which style of paintball you wish to play. Not all masks are suited for all types of play, and it’s important to be comfortable in order to enjoy the sport. For example, in a day-long scenario game, where you’re crawling through the woods for hours without water or rest, you want comfort and space to breath inside your mask. You really won’t need to worry about having a minimal profile as the enemy is going to have multiple acres to flank you, and at that point, a low profile isn’t going to help as much as a calm operator, so finding a mask with good foam and ventilation is key.

Comfort and Appearance

This leads to the final point. Pick the mask that you like and the mask that feels good on your face. If, for example, you try on a mask and notice that foam itches, don’t use it. Comfort should always surpass style when buying any paintball gear. Do you know what looks cooler than an itchy mask with a skull painted on it? Your team winning because you weren't jamming your fingers up there to scratch your face. All kidding aside, it's a serious point; the mask has to work for you. That means no fog, good peripheral vision, good acoustics, and a comfortable fit. This is why we recommend trying on your mask and wearing it prior to your game so that you have time to adjust to how it feels.

In the end, the most important piece of advice is to try different masks on, and, if you can, actually use them in a game. It’s by far the best way to find which mask is best for you.

Durability and Protection

When choosing the best paintball mask, you should definitely consider durability and protection. Paintball masks come in an array of materials and designs that can make your search even longer. Some masks are sturdy and made from plastic, while others are designed with soft rubber for optimum flexibility.

If you’re purchasing your first paintball mask, you’ll want to choose one that will protect your face from any direct hits you might receive. No matter how good you might anticipate you’ll be, you should be prepared for your opponents hitting you, and protect yourself accordingly. A harder shell provides a better job from any direct hits, although some brands feature foam on the interior so the hard plastic isn’t uncomfortable on your head.

Look For Excellent Ventilation

It’s easy to completely disregard ventilation when you’re looking at the best paintball masks available. More than likely, you’ll be more focused on protection and comfort. But, if your product doesn’t enable you to see and breathe like normal, how are you supposed to perform to your best standard and enjoy the sport?

Don’t just observe the designs that have ventilation around the front of the mouth, as you’ll also need proper ventilation in the side and back to prevent any fogging and help with your hearing. If you’re concerned about any paint coming through the ventilation, opt for a mask that has smaller holes throughout to keep out any paint while ensuring that no paint can mark your face.  

Single Pane or Dual Pane?

Another important factor to consider is if you opt for a single or dual pane lens. These types of lenses offer a different vision, durability, and maintenance. Single pane lenses have an anti-fogging feature on them, but this completely depends on the environment that you wear the mask. This type of lens is easy to maintain and clean, and will also offer great durability. Many of these also come at a reasonable price.

The other option also prevents fog from building up in your mask, but they require more care and maintenance. For example, the inside of a dual pane lens can easily get damaged with scratches and you have to clean them with water and wipe them down to ensure they remain in good condition. Although this might sound like more work, dual pane lenses generally last longer because they’re more durable. 

Ultimate Paintball Mask Comparison Table

Mask Profiles

In the above table, you'll notice a column labeled "profile." There are other ways to describe a mask's profile (thin, wide, short, etc.), but "small-large" is the best range to describe the general profile.

Now, what is profile, exactly? It’s the total area that a mask occupies in your vision from different angles. This comes in handy when you’re playing an aggressive type of paintball, such as speedball, where your mask and gun are (or, at least, should be), and the only things visible outside your bunker. In this case, a small front profile would be most useful; you're mostly going to get shot in your front. A small profile mask allows you to see from behind cover without exposing unnecessary amounts of mask that can get shot. Remember, on most fields, a hit on any of your gear is an elimination.

So, what profile do you want? What profile do you need? Smaller profile masks are generally used for speedball, although that’s not a rule. If you plan on playing in the woods (woodsball or mil-sim/scenario), then the profile isn’t as important. In that case, comfort should take precedence, but we’ll discuss how to choose the right mask later.

So there you have it! A complete guide to selecting your next mask system! Finding the best paintball mask for you doesn’t have to cost the earth, and you don’t need to purchase the most recognized brand either. Finding a durable and comfortable mask that you trust within your price range is totally possible if you prioritize what features are most important to you. It might take some time and research, but it’s definitely worth it.

Remember, there are dozens of other masks out there that aren't listed here, but these above are some of the newest and most popular selections on the market. So get out there, try some on, and get on the field!