What do paintballs look like

Your top half… The main rule of thumb for paintballing is to leave as little skin exposed as possible — those paintballs can really sting — so avoid vests and anything with short sleeves and instead wear a jumper, hoody or a long-sleeved t-shirt.

Remember to pack a waterproof jacket in case it rains, too! Head and hands… Two of the most vulnerable parts of the body when paintballing! Camouflage overalls — designed to maximise your ability to hide from the enemy and minimise the risk of getting your own clothes covered in paintball splats, our camouflage overalls fit over your own clothes for an extra layer of cover. All paintballers need to be at least years-old or year seven at school — this is an industry-standard supported by the UK Paintball Sports Federation — and there are no specific paintball clothes for youth or younger players, just different sized overalls.

There are dozens of other major and minor variations on how to play paintball, with many fields offering their own twists. Check out the field's website or ask when you arrive to learn about which game types are available there. And after you've gotten out onto the paintball battlefield, read up on our paintball tips and strategy for how to take your game to the next level.

The Guide: we cover the coolest food, beauty, and entertainment trends happening nationwide. What equipment do I need? A typical rental package will include the following items: Paintball marker AKA "paintball gun" Facemask Hopper paintball container that attaches to your marker CO2 or compressed-air tank to power the marker You'll also need to buy paintballs to be able to play, which you can do when you arrive.

How much does paintball cost? Do paintballs hurt? What to wear paintballing? There are many different game variations, but almost all of them have a few rules in common. Never remove your facemask for any reason while on the field of play. Only fire at opponents from beyond a given minimum distance.

You also shouldn't shoot players who you know have already been marked. At Paintball USA, for instance, "you can't go closer than 10 feet and just stand there and unload your gun on someone," says Schwarz. If you're hit by a paintball and it leaves a solid mark, you're out of the game.

Paintballs that bounce off without breaking don't count. Put your hands in the air to indicate you're out, then walk off the field once the referee has acknowledged you. Be quiet, and listen for tree branches snapping, gravel crunching, and echoes on cement. Breathe through your nose. Most masks will fog up when you breathe through your mouth. So crouch down look around, breathe easy and pay attention to your surroundings.

Paintball should be more than running around, ducking from cover to cover, and freaking out. Stay calm! Be stealthy. Learning to creep around will make you a better paintballer. A game shouldn't be about running around like a chicken with your head cut off, or stalking around like the Terminator.

Try to move quickly between cover, running with your knees bent and your head down. You want to be as small as possible to avoid getting hit. When you find cover, stay small. Keep your head down and pop up quickly to find a target. Pop back down, get ready, then pop back up to fire a few rounds.

Aim carefully and be smart. Conserve your ammo. It's easy to run out of paint on the field, which makes paintball a lot less fun. Depending on the size of your hopper, you may have plenty, but it's always a good idea to conserve your shots as much as possible, and only shoot when you have a good shot. Don't just blast off shots every time you hear something.

Wait until you see someone and have a clear shot, close enough to actually hit something. Occasionally, you'll have to engage in a little running and gunning. If you know how to handle yourself, you'll be in a lot better shape on the paintball field. Practice moving side to side, and keeping your gun at a steady level.

Part 3. In this game mode, two teams compete to reach the other side of the map and return the other team's flag to their own base. If you are shot, you are out, as in normal play. If one team loses all of its players, the other team is free to walk the flag back. Often, this game will be played with a time limit decided by both teams.

Even if you eliminate everyone, you still have to navigate to the other side and find the flag and get it back to your side. This game requires teamwork and tactical speed. Play Deathmatch. This is as nitty and gritty as it gets. In this game mode, two teams fight to eliminate all other players on the opposing team. The game ends when all of one team's players are out, or the time limit is reached.

Play Fort Assault. In this game mode, one team has one life each and must Try to defend a fort from oncoming attackers within a fairly short time limit. The attackers, however, have unlimited respawns, so they can wipe off the paint, return to their base, and then start their assault again. The game is over if the attackers infiltrate the base or the time limit is reached. Play Free-for-all FFA. This game mode is similar to Deathmatch, but there are no teams. Everyone fights everyone, and the game is over when only one person survives.

It's usually common to form alliances in the middle of the game, which will obviously be broken somewhere down the line. This can be a lot of fun. Play by the local rules. All paintballing places will have a strict set of rules, which must be followed at all times for the safety of yourself and of others. For example, many places enforce a 3m rule.

If you are closer than 3 meters 9. Some paintballing places give bonus points based on good tactical skill or plays. There are countless variations and local games, but the basics are usually the same. Some paintball parks will have blue or red arm bands to discern between teams. Not Helpful 1 Helpful Depends on arena's rules. Sometimes yes, other times it may only be in the chest, or a certain region. Not Helpful 2 Helpful I always hesitate before I shoot, and the opposing team always gets me because of that.

How do I stop, so I can play to my full potential? Pretend the people you're shooting at are idiots, and you're so frustrated that you just want to wipe them out. Not Helpful 8 Helpful I'm not old enough to work yet and my parents wont buy me the equipment. What do I do? You can always rent equipment at your local field. Your parents will have to sign a waiver for you, but you don't need your own equipment for it.

Not Helpful 7 Helpful You'll be fine! You'll most likely wear armor and it won't hurt, you'll just feel it. If you do get hit with a paintball in a uncovered spot, it may cause a small bruise. Check with the arena rules, they should tell what motion, position, or what to say in case of injury of which you can no longer play. It can hurt if the paintball hits a unprotected area, and it may cause a small bruise. But, most of the time, you'll wear armor and you'll feel it, but it won't hurt.

Not Helpful 3 Helpful As the article says, you can rent it at most paintball arenas, but if you want to buy your own, check your local sporting goods store. Amazon has some stuff too, it just depends on what you're looking for. Not Helpful 5 Helpful It depends on the gun, but mostly the speeds range from - FPS feet per second. Not Helpful 4 Helpful You'll typically be given a face mask, terrain boots, body plate, arm and shin guards, and helmets.

Not Helpful 9 Helpful Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Always stay low, but don't crawl unless the situation calls for it.

Laying down makes your movement slow as can be, but in a crouch, you can move quickly upon being fired at. Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0. When you're prone you are much less visible and much harder to hit, but also stationary. Stay hydrated, dehydration can lead to a number of problems so make sure you get your fluids when you need them.

Be honest.