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If you are looking for a fun and exciting alternative to shooting sports, paintballing may be your game of choice. Similar to battles involving actual firearms, a game of paintball consists of teams fighting to be the last one standing. However, no real shots are fired. Instead, balls of paint, hence the name paintball, are shot out of cO2-powered guns towards the enemy. Once marked with paint, the person is out for that round.
Though it can be a fun, and action-packed, hobby, anybody looking to get into the game of paintball should ask themselves this question; how much does paintball really cost? Depending on the situation, this may be difficult to answer.
Renting vs. Buying equipment
Before you spend tons of hard-earned money on the sport of paintballing, you should look at how much it costs to rent the necessary equipment. Especially if you don’t have the money to invest in purchasing equipment, renting may be the course you take.
Renting Equipment
Most venues that host paintballing events will have equipment for rent. When renting, there are specific pieces of equipment you want to have included. These include:
- The Paintball gun (these range from sharpshooter style guns to fully automatic heavy-shooter style)
- Mask (In most instances, no other body armor is included with a rental)
- cO2 Tank
- paintballs
Depending on the type of gun you choose to rent, you can anticipate spending between $60-80 for low-end equipment to $100 plus for high-end accessories.
Buying Equipment
If you are deadset on becoming a paintballer, purchasing equipment may be the best option. If that is the case, let’s break down just how much you could be looking to spend. Remember, as with anything you buy, the more you spend, the higher the quality.
- Gun– $50-150 and up
- Helmet/Mask-$25-60 for the low end
- Body Armor (optional)-$70 and up, depending on the style and amount of protection
- Paintballs-$20+ per 2000 rounds
- cO2 Tank-approximately $30
As with anything, your overall cost will be solely determined by the quality and style of equipment you purchase. Every piece of equipment you can buy has different styles and protective abilities. For example, when looking for the right gun to acquire, you may want to check with the other members of your team to determine what their needs are from you. However, if you will be going solo, just determine the type of gun (sharpshooter, heavy gunner, etc.) that you want to man.
Entry Fees
Depending on the location of your paintball battle, there may be rental charges for the facility. If you know someone who owns a big field or arena, this may not be an issue. However, if you don’t, you could be looking at fees of $10-25 per person.
Also, when picking a facility to hold your battle, determine if you are required to use “field paint only.” Under these circumstances, you must purchase your paintballs from them onsite. These prices can range from $30-60 per 2000 round box, depending on the facility.
Membership Dues
If you and your team are avid paintballers, joining a range may be best for you. Simply put, you pay a yearly fee and have complete access to their facilities. Just remember, these dues are set by the facility’s owners, though they can be anywhere from $175-300 per year.
There’s no doubt about it; paintball if an extremely active and exciting sport to play. If you are looking for it to be a hobby or a full-time sport, paintball can be expensive, but incredibly rewarding. With that knowledge in mind, take up your arms, divide and conquer. May the best man, or woman, win.
