Paintball is an exhilarating sport played by a wide variety of age, ability, and experience. It’s the type of sport that doesn’t require strict rules (besides safety, of course). This means that you can be as skillful as you like or make your goal simply to shoot the opposing team as much, and as quickly as possible. No matter how you prefer to play, we all have to start somewhere. Being a newbie can be super exciting, opening up to the awesome world of paintball, but it can also be a little nerve wracking.
One of the top questions/concerns we get from new customers is a simple, yet important question: Is it going to hurt?
There are many factors that play into the feeling you’ll get upon impact with a paintball. Things like distance, size of the paintball, speed of the paintball, etc. Typically, no, it doesn’t hurt, however, there are lots of things you can do (or not do) that will affect the feeling. Here’s a list of things you can do, newbie or regular, to help with the feeling of impact:
- Clothing that covers the skin
It’s easy during the winter months to ensure that the skin is covered, but this can be tricky in the summer months in the peak of the heat and sun. For the hot summer season, we suggest a thin, sweat-wicking material that will be breathable while still covering the skin. This creates a little extra barrier that can make all the difference.
- Head coverage
Head coverage is highly recommended to make for a more pleasurable experience. We usually suggest either a knit cap, or a backwards baseball cap. This way, much like the skin that gets covered by your clothes, it will create a barrier that can help prevent any pain.
- Gloves and shoes
Gloves and the proper shoes serve a similar purpose, covering up thin skin! The skin on your hands and feet tends to be thinner, making it more sensitive. This means that it’s extra important to keep them covered and protected. For shoes, we like to see our players wearing closed toed shoes with tread. For some people, that means a good pair of tennis shoes, while others will wear boots. Wearing gloves will also protect those extra sensitive knuckles. Although uncommon, getting hit with a paintball in the knuckles is arguably the spot that causes the most sting.
If you’re looking to purchase protective equipment, we have lots to offer at https://www.shopcousins.com/
Essentially, the worst you’ll feel is a slight sting. Once you get into it and start playing, most people find that they don’t even notice when they get hit. When players really get excited and into the game, the only thing they’re focused on is winning! If you take proper measures to protect your skin, the answer is that although it can sting, no, paintball shouldn’t hurt.
If you’re interested, there’s some similar information at https://www.liveabout.com/does-it-hurt-to-get-hit-by-a-paintball-2565740
Photo Credit: <a href="http://<a href="https://depositphotos.com/stock-photos/beauty-fashion.html">Side view of focused paintball player in goggle mask and camouflage aiming by paintball gun outdoors – depositphotos.comhttp://<a href=”https://depositphotos.com/stock-photos/beauty-fashion.html”>Side view of focused paintball player in goggle mask and camouflage aiming by paintball gun outdoors – depositphotos.com</a>
