Paintball is a sport that is full of fun and excitement. As a beginner player, when you are all dressed up in tactical clothing, your adrenaline level automatically boosts up and you become excited to jump into the battlefield. But what makes you reluctant to play is the question that pops up in your mind: does paintball hurt? And if it is so, then how badly does it hurt?
Well, you are not alone. Every beginner paintballer has this question in mind. Yes, paintball hurts, but it doesn’t hurt you so bad that you need to visit the hospital. Paintball pain is just like a strong finger flick on your skin. Obviously, when a paintball pellet hits a person with a speed of 200mph, it will at least give a slight sting. Pain caused by paintballs depends on numerous factors and you can avoid the pain by following different tricks. Here we will reveal some useful information about how much does paintball hurt.
How Bad Does A Paintball Hurt?
Paintball hurt, and the intensity of the pain depends on the players’ pain tolerance level. Of course, we cannot tell in figures the exact amount of pain it causes as there isn’t any pain measuring scale.
Here a question arises! how much does paintball hurt? It feels like a slight sting, which resembles the pain associated with a firm flick on the arm. In simple words, it’s like a rubber band hit. Luckily, the paintball pain is pretty minor and it fades away with time.
But yes there are some incidences where players experience bruises and welts caused by paintballs. This happens because of the severity of the shot.
Pain is Regulated by the Factors
Paintball pellets are 16-18mm in diameter and are made up of gelatin with dye-filled in them. They are not hard pellets that makes serious injuries but they might cause serious bruises and welts. The severity of pain associated with paintballs is dependent upon multiple factors which are;
Paintball Quality
Like every other product, there are different qualities of paintball ammos in the market. Based on the outer shell, there are two qualities of paintball ammo low quality and high quality. Paintball Ammos that are of low quality comprise of harder shell and contain less dense material. Just because of harder shells, such paintball ammos are difficult to break on impact. Therefore, low quality paintballs hurt more.
On the flip side, high quality paintballs have a soft outer shell that breaks on impact only. Usually, high-quality paintballs are designed to prevent the breaking of paintball in the barrel of the gun. High quality paintball hurt very little as they are made up of soft material.
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Speed of Paintball
The velocity or speed at which the paintball is getting shot determines how much you are going to hurt. That’s the reason; the majority of the paintball fields have limits over paintball’s velocity so that every player remains safe and sound during the game.
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Distance of the shot
A quick fact about paintball Ammos: they lose their power as much as they travel through the air.
If your opponent shoots you from a distance of 20 feet, you will feel less pain as the paintball ammo has to cover the distance of 20 feet, which means it loses its power. And if your opponent shots you from 8 feet, trust me; definitely, there will be a bruise. That’s the reason why the majority of the paintball fields have set a minimum distance limit which is 10 feet.
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Body part where you get hit
The intensity of pain varies with the part of the body where you get hits. Like if you get hit at the back, you will feel more intense pain as there are fewer fat muscles at the back. In contrast to this, if you get hit at any place where there are more fat tissues, you will feel less pain.
Also, paintballs break on bare skin with comparatively more pain. If you have observed any experienced player, you will hardly see any bare skin. Just to protect themselves from paintball shots, they completely cover their skin using multiple protective gear.
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Frequency of getting hit
Ever wonder why paintballers get most hits at the neck and feet? Players do not protect them properly. If you get multiple shots at bare skin it will badly hurt. In fact not on bare skin, but if you get hit at the same spot for more than one time, it will be painful for sure.
Does Paintball Hurt More than Airsoft?
A burning hot question!
Airsoft are small plastic pellets that are known as BBs. Airsoft BBs do not leave any paint marks since they are solid plastic or rubber pellets. These are around 6mm in diameter, and that’s the reason they fly faster than paintballs. Players who get hits by airsoft feel like a nasty strong sting.
Paintballs are comparatively larger than airsoft balls and have a greater surface area because of which they have a harder impact. Also, due to their large size, they travel comparatively slower than airsoft and hence exert less pressure and produce less pain.
How to Prevent Paintball Pain
The first thing to avoid paintball pain is not to get shot. Paintballing is all about protecting yourself from getting hit. If you are getting paintball hit multiple times then it’s time to change your game strategy and playing style. At some point in game, you may get shot but you can even stop the paintball from hurting you by mentioned instructions.
1. Wear proper protective gear
Fortunately, there are numerous types of protective gear available in the market. These safety geas will not assure that you won’t get paintball hit but yes they will lessen the intensity of pain. Keep in mind that a paintball hurt more on bare skin. Therefore, the best option is to give full coverage by wearing the right protective gear and clothing
Clothing: Every sport has its decorum that has to be maintained by following instructions properly. For paintball wearing a thick, loose jersey with long sleeves goes well. Make sure that the jersey has a neck collar too that protects your neck and stretchable paintball pants.
Paintball mask and headband: Always wear a suitable paintball mask that protects the face and neck not only from getting shot but also from sun exposure. If you don’t like wearing a full paintball mask, then wearing a headband is a good option. The headband provides a cushioning effect, and therefore you will feel less pain. There are few paintball gun packages that provides complete kit with masks as well in a budgeted price.
Groin cup: Since the groin is the most sensitive area so you need to keep it safe by wearing a groin cup.
Footwear: Try to wear footwear that gives complete coverage to your feet, a majority of the paintballers get smack at the feet.
2. Strictly stick to safety guidelines
The Paintball Association has developed safety guidelines to avoid any unpleasant incidents. Following these guidelines strictly may reduce the chances of serious injuries. For instance, if at a field, the minimum distance level to shoot is 10 feet, then you must follow it. Getting hit at a closer distance would result in bruises.
3. No pain, no gain
Paintball pain is not an extreme pain like that of hitting by a real bullet. In fact, it’s a pain that makes you stronger and leads you to the road of professional paintballers. So as a beginner stop getting scared of paintball pain. Remove it from your mind that you will get pain if you get hit. That’s the part of the game. The more you think about pain, the more you will get anxious and this anxiety will reduce your confidence in playing.
Accept the fact that you will get hurt while playing; this will let you fight in a tough style. Remember, no pain. No gain.
Wrapping Up
You can’t excel in any sport until or unless you get injuries. The same goes with paintball. A slight stinging hurt will make you determine that you won’t have to get smacked. Paintball hurts, but as a player, you can get yourself prepared to face this pain. Dress properly, wear proper safety gear, and above all, stick to the safety guidelines. All these tips will reduce the pain so that you can paintball for a long time.