Paintball is a highly charged, adrenaline filled sport based on combat simulations. While it is naturally much safer than the real thing, it’s still a potentially dangerous sport if you don’t observe some safety considerations.
No doubt, it would leave a welt if you were hit by a paintball bare skinned. It follows that you would need protective gear during play, or else you could sustain more serious injuries.
Special pants and jerseys are available, and using them comes highly recommended. You will also need a helmet and a face mask with goggles. Considering that the paintballs travel at about 300 feet per second, what do you think that would do to your eye if the paintball hit it?
Now that protective gear is covered, let’s talk about safety practices. Most paid fields have their rules spelled out for you, but you may not always go to one of these places to play paintball. Outside of this context, many people can get carried away with the thrill of combat. Here are a few safety rules:
- Never shoot an opponent when he’s down. When they’re hit, they’re done. It’s that simple.
- Never shoot an opponent point blank. Regardless of safety precautions, this can cause serious damage.
- Always make sure your gear is in good condition. The slightest crack in your lens can be a major problem. If your marker has seen better days, it’s time to replace it.
- Always assume a marker is loaded and air is in the chamber.
- Stay hydrated, and don’t drink alcohol when you play.
- Do not try to “tweak” your gear outside of normal guidelines.
This is just a very short list of the things you will need to keep in mind to keep from getting hurt, or from hurting someone else. This is supposed to be fun, not hazardous.
Tags: Paintball
