The most dangerous injury in paintball is one to the eye. That is why paintball masks are required. Without protective goggles, a player could seriously injure their eyes and cause blindness. This can include being shot directly to the eye, however, the most common eye injuries occur when small pieces of shrapnel from the paintball projectile are scattered upon impacting the paintball. This means that without proper protection, you can injure your eye if you receive a blow from the chest and above. This is why it is not safe to even consider stepping onto the paintball field without eye protection. However, any old pair of glasses from your dad’s workshop won’t do; Buy only a mask that has an official ASTM rating. This means it has passed rigorous paintball safety tests. This is just one more reason to purchase your safety equipment from a reputable authorized dealer. Paintball goggles come in a variety of styles and colors ranging from the most basic mask to a custom full coverage helmet airbrushed to your specifications.
While masks are considered mandatory gear, protective gear for other areas of the body will serve to make your game that much more enjoyable. One aspect of paintball that keeps new players in shape when starting the game is the fear of pain associated with taking a direct hit. Accessories like chest and neck protectors greatly reduce the puncture of the paintball when it hits these sensitive areas. These injuries may not be serious, but the bruises are unsightly and can last for weeks, not to mention immediate pain. While this equipment may not prevent injury, it will certainly eliminate the fear of getting hit and make playing a lot more fun. While neck pads are primarily a strip of padded material to cover the throat region, chest pads come in two styles. Some are made of rigid plastic for the most complete protection, however these can be cumbersome to move around. The best torso protectors are made from a lycra-like material shirt with sewn-in padded cells; These move with you and sometimes even allow paintballs to bounce instead of splashing, keeping you in the game longer.
Abrasions on the forearms and elbows are also quite common in paintball, often caused by diving or the army crawling behind a bunker. Contusions and pressure injuries to the arms and elbows can occur from leaning against sharp surfaces while pointing your paintball gun. Many of these injuries can be prevented simply by wearing a long-sleeved shirt or loose-fitting sweatshirt; Most professional paintball jerseys include extra thick material or padding over elbows, shoulders, and forearms. For added protection, elbow pads and gloves are cheap and readily available. Most paintball elbow pads provide rigid coverage over the joint and are securely attached with velcro straps on the arm and forearm. They are easy to put on / take off and can be worn under or over clothing. The best paintball elbow pads are lightweight, flexible, easy to move, and may even include coverage for the forearms.
If you’ve never felt the sting of a high-speed paintball impact on the back of your hand, you’ve never really been stung by a paintball before. This area is one of the most painful places to get hit, causing lasting pain for up to 30 minutes, as well as bruising (and sometimes swelling) that can last for weeks. Paintball gloves are great for hand protection during play, but they’re also great for reducing abrasions to the palm from Superman’s head dive and crawl on his hands and knees. The gloves will also give you more traction for a better grip on your paintball gun or for carrying important gear. The best paintball gloves will not only protect your hands from incoming paintball bullets and a rough playing environment, but they can also provide additional support for your wrist joints. Gloves with thick velcro closures around the wrist offer better protection against spraining these joints due to active play.
Whether you play in the woods or on a speedball field, your thighs, knees, calves, and even ankles can take a beating in paintball. Bruises, Charlie’s horses, twisted knees, and twisted ankles are pretty common if you play hard enough to win. Without proper protection for your lower body, injuries like these can set you aside until the pain subsides, or worse, leave you hanging your paintball gun in the closet for the rest of the season. While loose fitting clothing or professional paintball pants offer thigh protection and prevent cuts and scrapes when running through the bush, they do nothing to cushion the lower extremity joints. Paintball knee pads are perfect for protecting your knees when crawling, kneeling, or sliding behind a bunker. There are also shin guards available, although they are rarely used, but they offer complete protection for the lower leg. While there are no specific ankle or foot pads, combat boots or high top sneakers are highly recommended for additional ankle support to prevent sprains.
Whether you are looking to protect certain areas of the body or full coverage armor, there is paintball protective gear available. As a new gamer, if you’re squeamish about getting hit, protective padding is a must to boost your confidence and have a lot of fun without terror. Imagine playing with reckless abandon when wearing full armor, covered from head to toe in protective paintball padding. A mask, helmet, neck and chest protector, gloves, elbow pads and knee pads will not only keep you pain free, but will also do wonders to prevent minor to severe injuries. Few players actually wear full body armor suits due to the movement restriction, however certain pieces are definitely worth the investment. Paintball protective gear is available from head to toe for both woodsball stage players and speedball tournament players.