How To Paintball

Complete Paintball Starter Kits & Packages

If you knew how cheap it was to buy a paintball starter kit, you'd never rent a single thing. Today's beginner paintball sets combine some excellent basic protective gear with reliable starter guns and markers. Some even thrown in a few extras (like free paintballs) to boot.

A starter package is a great idea, even for first-time paintballers. Renting equipment at the field will already cost a chunk of money, and by owning your own equipment you don't have to return it at the end of the day.

Best of all, you're getting brand new paintball gear as opposed to equipment that's been beaten half to death.

Field guns are almost always dirty, tempermental, and very often don't shoot straight. So many paintballs have gone through these guns that they've lost compression, they and don't shoot half as far as they did when new.

Field masks are even worse: "cleaning" the mask after the previous user returned it usually consists of someone using a 2-second spray disinfectant before placing the mask back on the shelf (if that). Put that mask and visor over your face, and there's a good chance you'll get to experience some of the last renter's lunch.

These are only some of the reasons you'll want to get your own equipment. Starter sets make it easy to own all the gear required to play paintball over and over again, without having to rent anything at all.

What Comes in a Paintball Starter Package?

As expected, there are different levels of starter sets for first-time paintballers. They range from bronze level basics up to gold and platinum level kits with all the bells and whistles.

Below is a general list of items and equipment you should expect to get when buying a paintball starter set:

• Paintball Marker or Gun
• Loader / Ammunition Hopper (Standard)
• Air Tank (CO2 compressed air)
• Paintball Mask / Goggles
• Paintball Marker or Gun
• Barrel Squeegee
• Basic Cleaning Fluid

• Everything in a Bronze Kit, Plus:
• Motorized Loader/Hopper
• Air Tank (CO2 or N2 compressed air)
• Fingerless Gloves
• Ammo Tubes (2 or 4) + Belt
• Deluxe Pull-Through Barrel Squeegee
• Mask De-fogging Wipes

• Everything in a Silver Kit, Plus:
• Upgraded Paintball Marker
• Deluxe Paintball Gloves
• 6-in-1 Paintball Harness + Ammo Tubes
• Remote Adapter for External Air Tank Mounting
• Starter Paintballs

Buying Your First Paintball Package

Maybe you played paintball once and you're totally hooked. Or maybe you're about to play, and want your own equipment. Either way, you don't want to go too crazy when getting a starter set.

Focus on the gun first. You'll want a paintball marker that's good a good reputation of solid performance. Reliability is key when choosing a paintball gun, so make sure you don't get anything too complicated or hard to maintain on your first purchase.

Below are some good entry-level paintball starter sets, perfect for beginners:

For a higher-level paintball gun, one in the mid-range, check out the following starter kits. NOTE: Some of these kits don't come with a mask, so you'll have to buy one separately (click here for masks):

Any of the above starter packages make the perfect entry-level kit for the beginning or even the intermediate paintballer. Most people who play the game do it a lot more than once, especially if they've got friends who like to hit the paintball field several times a year.

Remember: keep it simple. If you're buying a starter kit, check into the weapon by reading (or better yet, watching) some reviews first.

Check out Zephyr Paintball Gun Reviews for some great video reviews of the above paintball guns and starter sets. They also offer fast, free shipping on orders over $100.

Other Paintball Equipment For Beginners

Rookie paintballers and veteran players have the same thing in common: they both need good gear. Check out the following categories of game equipment and protective gear for all levels of play.