Paintball 101

So you've heard about this game called paintball and want to know a little more. Maybe you've been invited to a game and you are are a little worried about getting hurt. Maybe you just want to know what to expect, how it works or how to extract the most fun out of it. We'll take you through all of this.
It's meant to be fun
Paintball is a game that is meant to be fun. Although there are serious tournaments, as with all sport, most of the players do it for one thing: fun.
Paintball does involve quite a bit of running, hiding and lots of adrenalin and is therefore more suitable for young people or those with a minimum level of fitness. Having said that, it is not a marathon - you will usually get ample time to rest in between actual games and if you drink some fluids, you should be fine :)
On the field
Paintball is played on a field. Fields are build either to host a quick variant of the game (called "Speedball") or more of a natural, military simulation variant (called "Woodsball").
Speedball fields are generally scattered with inflatable cover called bunkers that are generally symmetrical so that both sides of the fields have exactly the same cover. The fields are flat and usually covered with grass. This makes for quick movement and short games which last anything from 3 to 10 minutes. The biggest tournaments in the world are Speedball tournaments due to the ability to specify the layout and size of the field.
Woodsball on the other hand is generally more of a recreational variant. The fields are generally in the bush or in a similar environment and there are no rules as to what cover is to be used. For cover there are hundreds of materials that is suitable and sometimes entire buildings are constructed. Examples of covers used are wooden pallets, car and truck tyres, ditches, decks, netting, trees and shrubs.So you'll never find two fields that look exactly the same. Some really creative fields have been built across South Africa and worldwide - that is part of the appeal of Woodsball.
Skulls Paintball offers only Woodsball. Get a better feel by looking at our Fields, Games and Gallery pages.
Equipment
Paintball is played with paintball guns (called "Markers"). It is called markers because guns are generally associated with violence and that is not what paintball is about. Furthermore, it brings honour to the origin of the game as the original paintball guns was actually tools used to mark trees in the forestry industry.
Markers propel paint balls using compressed air or other stable gasses. Although some markers are able to propel balls at enormous speeds, the speed allowed at fields is always limited. Different fields use different limits, but nevertheless, it is applied to ensure the safety of the players. The speed of the paintball is measured in feet per second ("fps") and limits are generally 280 fps or sometimes 300 fps. Markers also have safety switches/devices that when activated prevents the marker from firing.
Paintballs themselves are small gel encapsulated balls containing a coloured substance. Generally the entire ball is made of natural and bio-degradable substances. This is becoming the standard and most fields and manufacturers have adopted this important feature. It does not harm the environment and therefore promotes a sustainable sport.
The other equipment you will use include protective clothing, a mask and a barrel sock. Protective clothing is not prescribed, but is highly recommended. It is generally overalls or separate jacket and pants which aims to keep the paint off your own clothes and provides a little layering for added protection. In addition, a great add-on is a neck guard which sits loosely around your neck and provides ample protection in this area. Masks also come in lots of flavours but the main principle is to protect your face and especially your eyes. It has breathing holes and a big visor so that you can actually see where you are going. Barrel socks is a physical barrier that first onto/over the marker's barrel - it is an added safety device that prevents a paintball exiting the marker barrel in case of accidental firing.
Have a look at the equipment we use on the Prices page.
What to expect
In short, you will experience a lot of adrenaline, laughter, fun and excitement in a relatively short space of time. Paintball is something great to do as a group of friends and even as a family unit. What could be better?
You might have some concerns though, so let's not beat around the bush and get straight to the biggest ones.
The first question new players always ask is: "Will it hurt?". The answer is "Yes,...but so does love". More seriously, the truth is that if you get hit on open soft skin by a paintball shot from a short distance, you might get a blue mark. But it was necessary to start with the most extreme case and then share what practically happens. Practically you should have no open soft skin exposed because you should wear protective clothing and a mask. Furthermore, players do not usually get very close to each other - and you can obviously make sure that you don't. And the most important factor is that the speed of the balls are regulated. Overall, you will have a lot of adrenalin pumping during your play and this in itself protects you from feeling the slight pain caused by paintballs hitting you. You'll soon realise that it is not nearly as bad as you probably think.
The second question new players ask is: "Is it safe?". The answer is "It depends on you". The reason for this answer is to really bring home the idea that although there are elements of the safety that lies in the hands of the host, the critical factors are in your own hands. The single most important safety rule is that you should keep your mask on during play and as instructed by your Marshal. Your Marshall is a person assigned to your group with the main purpose of ensuring your safety. Way more information is available on our Tips and Tricks page.
We often have players that come for their first time and we take good care of them. However, if you still feel at all uncomfortable with the idea of getting hit by small projectiles, you can chat to us directly - either ask a question on our Facebook Page or Contact Us. Remember, if it is not fun then your host is doing something wrong.
It's meant to be fun
Paintball is a game that is meant to be fun. Although there are serious tournaments, as with all sport, most of the players do it for one thing: fun.
Paintball does involve quite a bit of running, hiding and lots of adrenalin and is therefore more suitable for young people or those with a minimum level of fitness. Having said that, it is not a marathon - you will usually get ample time to rest in between actual games and if you drink some fluids, you should be fine :)
On the field
Paintball is played on a field. Fields are build either to host a quick variant of the game (called "Speedball") or more of a natural, military simulation variant (called "Woodsball").
Speedball fields are generally scattered with inflatable cover called bunkers that are generally symmetrical so that both sides of the fields have exactly the same cover. The fields are flat and usually covered with grass. This makes for quick movement and short games which last anything from 3 to 10 minutes. The biggest tournaments in the world are Speedball tournaments due to the ability to specify the layout and size of the field.
Woodsball on the other hand is generally more of a recreational variant. The fields are generally in the bush or in a similar environment and there are no rules as to what cover is to be used. For cover there are hundreds of materials that is suitable and sometimes entire buildings are constructed. Examples of covers used are wooden pallets, car and truck tyres, ditches, decks, netting, trees and shrubs.So you'll never find two fields that look exactly the same. Some really creative fields have been built across South Africa and worldwide - that is part of the appeal of Woodsball.
Skulls Paintball offers only Woodsball. Get a better feel by looking at our Fields, Games and Gallery pages.
Equipment
Paintball is played with paintball guns (called "Markers"). It is called markers because guns are generally associated with violence and that is not what paintball is about. Furthermore, it brings honour to the origin of the game as the original paintball guns was actually tools used to mark trees in the forestry industry.
Markers propel paint balls using compressed air or other stable gasses. Although some markers are able to propel balls at enormous speeds, the speed allowed at fields is always limited. Different fields use different limits, but nevertheless, it is applied to ensure the safety of the players. The speed of the paintball is measured in feet per second ("fps") and limits are generally 280 fps or sometimes 300 fps. Markers also have safety switches/devices that when activated prevents the marker from firing.
Paintballs themselves are small gel encapsulated balls containing a coloured substance. Generally the entire ball is made of natural and bio-degradable substances. This is becoming the standard and most fields and manufacturers have adopted this important feature. It does not harm the environment and therefore promotes a sustainable sport.
The other equipment you will use include protective clothing, a mask and a barrel sock. Protective clothing is not prescribed, but is highly recommended. It is generally overalls or separate jacket and pants which aims to keep the paint off your own clothes and provides a little layering for added protection. In addition, a great add-on is a neck guard which sits loosely around your neck and provides ample protection in this area. Masks also come in lots of flavours but the main principle is to protect your face and especially your eyes. It has breathing holes and a big visor so that you can actually see where you are going. Barrel socks is a physical barrier that first onto/over the marker's barrel - it is an added safety device that prevents a paintball exiting the marker barrel in case of accidental firing.
Have a look at the equipment we use on the Prices page.
What to expect
In short, you will experience a lot of adrenaline, laughter, fun and excitement in a relatively short space of time. Paintball is something great to do as a group of friends and even as a family unit. What could be better?
You might have some concerns though, so let's not beat around the bush and get straight to the biggest ones.
The first question new players always ask is: "Will it hurt?". The answer is "Yes,...but so does love". More seriously, the truth is that if you get hit on open soft skin by a paintball shot from a short distance, you might get a blue mark. But it was necessary to start with the most extreme case and then share what practically happens. Practically you should have no open soft skin exposed because you should wear protective clothing and a mask. Furthermore, players do not usually get very close to each other - and you can obviously make sure that you don't. And the most important factor is that the speed of the balls are regulated. Overall, you will have a lot of adrenalin pumping during your play and this in itself protects you from feeling the slight pain caused by paintballs hitting you. You'll soon realise that it is not nearly as bad as you probably think.
The second question new players ask is: "Is it safe?". The answer is "It depends on you". The reason for this answer is to really bring home the idea that although there are elements of the safety that lies in the hands of the host, the critical factors are in your own hands. The single most important safety rule is that you should keep your mask on during play and as instructed by your Marshal. Your Marshall is a person assigned to your group with the main purpose of ensuring your safety. Way more information is available on our Tips and Tricks page.
We often have players that come for their first time and we take good care of them. However, if you still feel at all uncomfortable with the idea of getting hit by small projectiles, you can chat to us directly - either ask a question on our Facebook Page or Contact Us. Remember, if it is not fun then your host is doing something wrong.