The first thing to look at is your gear. If you’re just getting into the sport, I’d suggest buying used. Check out Ebay and Craigslist, or head down to your local field. When the Smart Parts Ion was released it sent shockwaves through the low and medium end markets. It was very competitively priced and had the same basic spool valve design as the Smart Parts Shocker, for less than half the price. It quickly took over the low-medium end market, which had been dominated by Spyders and Tippmann’s, causing prices for all these guns to drop. Tippmanns and Spyders are very good beginner guns. Tippmann’s are known for their durability and popularity for woodsball, and can be had for less than one-hundred dollars. Spyders are somewhat flashier and not as well known for durability, but they are still very strong guns with many upgrade options.
Once you find a good marker, it’s time to look for the rest of your gear. CO2 tanks are pretty cheap, with twenty ounce tanks costing around twenty dollars. I’d suggest buying a new tank, so that you know it hasn’t been abused and is still in date. Speaking of date, be sure to check the date of the last hydrotest on all your tanks, CO2 or HPA.
Next comes the hopper. I’d recommend anything by Viewloader or Halo. The Viewloader Revolution can feed up to twelve balls per second and has a sturdy shell. They can usually be found for fifteen to twenty-five dollars used. Halo’s are much faster, boasting speeds of up to twenty-two balls per second. They can be found for around fifty dollars used. The Viewload Revolution should be more than enough for a Spyder or Tippmann, but if you’re chopping or feel you need more firepower, upgrade to the Halo.
Lastly, but most importantly, is the mask. I would strongly suggest buying a new mask, preferably from a local store. That way you can go in and try on different kinds to see which one fits the best. Don’t get anything with cheap scratchy foam, or anything that doesn’t protect enough of your face. JT makes very good masks, most of which are less than fifty dollars.
Now that you’ve got your gear, you need somewhere to play. Paintball fields are nice, but they can be expensive. Once you’ve paid the field fee, filled your tanks, and bought their paint, you’ll easily be over sixty dollars. That’s for one day of play. If you have any friends or know anyone with some land, see if they’ll let you play there. Set up bunkers and other cover and make your own field, and be sure to chrono before you start. Small handheld chronographs are less than seventy dollars; if you can’t afford one yourself, get everyone playing to chip in for it. Be sure to keep everyone shooting under three-hundred FPS. If you’re not playing at a field, you’ll eventually run out of air and won’t have anywhere to fill up. The only solution to this is to either bring multiple tanks with you, or buy a large scuba tank and find a welding shop or fire department to fill it, and then fill your tanks off of this Unless you are very experienced, I would not recommend the latter choice; however, it’s something to look in to.
One last way to play for cheap is to go pump. While a pump may be more expensive than a low end semi, you’ll save money on paint and learn to play better. Instead of spraying, you’ll have to learn to shoot more accurately. Snapshooting will become an important skill, and a very useful one to have.
Paintball will probably never be a cheap sport to play, but knowing how to find good deals and be creative can go a long way towards making it more affordable.
