How To Choose Your Paintball Clothes

If you participate in the sport of paintball but only take it casually as more of a game than an actual sport, then you're probably not worried about what exactly is the best clothing to wear when you engage in a game.  There's nothing wrong with having a more offhand attitude toward taking part in the sport, or the way you dress for it.  A pair of old jeans and a t-shirt will do just fine if you're one of those part-time players.  If however, you have a more intense view of the sport, then you need to get yourself some serious paintball clothes.

What constitutes appropriate paintball clothes?  Here is a basic rundown of what you should look for when buying paintball clothes:

Mask

First of all, get yourself a paintball mask.  Yes, it's true that a paintball mask doesn't really qualify as an article of paintball apparel, but it's too important not to mention it.  You won't regret it.

Clothing

Paintball clothes need to be tough but flexible and long-lasting.  In other words, they should be able to take a beating without falling apart.  For the game of woodsball, camouflage clothing is recommended because it will help you to blend in with your surroundings.  But as a general rule for the game of paintball, wear paintball clothes that cover your entire body -- long pants and long sleeve shirts that are made of strong material, because they will allow for more freedom of movement, such as rolling, sliding, diving, etc., and you won't end up too scraped and bruised.

It's also advisable to wear loose or baggy paintball clothes.  This will make it easier to move about in general and let you make quick or sudden moves with less difficulty.  It will also reduce the sting of getting hit by a paintball.

Paintball jerseys and pants are designed to be loose fitting, but they also have extra padding, even a layer of thin rubber over the knees and elbows for additional protection when crawling, etc.

When it comes to paintball shoes you should wear only ones of a dark color, both soles and material.  In hiding it's easy to think that you're completely concealed from sight and be unaware that your toe or part of your shoe is showing.  If you happen to be wearing white or some other bright colored type of shoe that's as good as a neon sign to your opponent about your whereabouts.

Also, it's important to have a comfortable though sturdy pair of shoes.  Don't forget that you'll be on your feet a lot so good cushioning is a necessity, and make sure your shoes also provide ankle protection.

An offspring of Abercrombie and Fitch, Hollister comes highly recommended as somewhere where you can get the paintball clothes you need at a reasonable price.

Now that you've gotten your paintball clothes, you need to concentrate on acquiring some paintball gear, which is equally important.  Everyone who participates in the sport of paintball should wear protective paintball gear. 

A paintball vest which will serve to protect your heart, back and kidneys is a good investment to consider.  There's also chest protectors, neck pads, elbow pads, knee pads, shin pads, and gloves.  Another worthy investment is paintball goggles to protect your eyes.  There's no need to overdo it, but taking the necessary precautions to protect yourself is well worth the expense and effort.  

You don't have to buy all of these items at once, but just a little at a time until you've accumulated all the paintball clothes and paintball gear you need to be well-protected and have fun playing the sport.