So, you are trying to get better at the game of paintball? Or are you just intrigued by the game and thinking to get in to get a piece of the action? No matter what the case is for you, the first thing that most people wants to know about is how much does paintball cost. And the chances are that you are finding yourself pretty lost.
Well, worry not because we will put you right back on track. Because of being in a professional team, we do have a fair idea regarding the cost of the balls and the other equipment.
And in this article, you will get to know about them all. So, sit back, get yourself a cup of beverage, and continue reading.
How Much Do Paintballs Cost?
Before getting into the other segments, let us first clear out what you are probably here for. Yes, you are most likely here to know about the cost of buying the balls only.
Well, let us state that they will not break your bank. If you can afford proper gears for the game, those are going to be pretty affordable too.
However, if you are here for exact numbers, the prices start at $15. You are going to get a bag of 500 rounds at that price.
But, depending on the quality and other factors, the cost can go all the way up to $30. Yes, we are talking about getting 500 rounds bag with that cost.
On that note, you would probably save some bucks if you opt for the cases. Those usually contain 2000 rounds. And the minimum cost of those is $50.
That is about $0.025 per round. In comparison, with the lowest-priced one for the bag, you will spend $0.030 per round.
Now, do note that we have mentioned $50 is the lowest price for the cases. These can go all the way up to $75. And, of course, the price increase will get you rounds that are higher in quality.
What Can You Expect to Get with Pricier Paintballs?
After looking at the regular pricing of the balls, you are probably thinking, is it worth spending the extra money and getting the high-quality balls.
Well, let us say one thing you are not the only one thinking like that. We even thought about it when we first heard about the different prices of the paintballs.
As we mentioned above, you are paying $0.030 per round with the lowest price of the case. On the other hand, with the expensive option, you are looking to pay at most $0.0375.
Now, that amount of price increase might not seem all that much to you, but if you buy a load of them, the total cost might surely surprise you.
That being said, the elephant of the room is whether it is worth spending the extra cash on the pricier options. Well, before answering that, let us first look at the things that make a bag or case of paintball high in quality.
Quality of the Shell
The first important thing about the paintballs is the quality of the shells. It is basically the shape of the balls. As you know by now, paintballs require to be round in shape.
Without being round in shape, it would not be possible for them to fly straight. Now, regardless of the cost, the balls will seem round.
But with the increase in price, you will notice that the shape has a greater perfection. In other words, the roundness will be perfect. And the consistency of perfection on each of the balls will be reasonably high.
The Material of the Shell
Another crucial thing for the paintballs is the material of the shell. The thing we talked about earlier goes for this case because regardless of the cost, the shells will be made of gelatin. But the quality of the material will vary a lot from one offering to another.
For the expensive options, the shells are going to be a bit more brittle than the lower-priced ones. As a result, the splatter will be perfect, and it will even hurt a bit more when it hits you. Also, they are less likely to burst inside the hopper, which is a very common thing.
Quality of the Fill
Last but not least, the quality of the fill is going to vary a lot too. The paint for the expensive ones is going to be thick. This thick paint will be bright in color and will be pretty easy to spot.
On the other hand, the fill of the affordable ones is going to have less viscosity. It means this paint will not be that hard to wipe. Well, if the paint is easy to wipe, the opponents can easily wipe it. And that would not be fair, would it?
What Gears Should I Have to Play a Game of Paintball?
If you are just getting into the game, there will be no need to purchase any gear. The field you are planning to go to will have all the rudimentary gears, and they would let the players rent them for the game.
However, if you are getting serious about the game and want to go a bit deeper, we recommend buying your own gear.
With your gear, you will have the option to choose the best version of all the available options. Also, using your own and using the rented things do not usually offer the same experience.
On that note, if you get your own gear, there will be no need to pay the extra fees for the rent. Now, renting the gears, in the beginning, is not a bad thing.
It gives you an idea about the gears and a first-hand experience of the things you can expect. But it is not that cost-efficient in the long run.
Nevertheless, let us have a look at the things that you would want to purchase if you want to get a good paintball experience:
We guess it is pretty evident that you would want to start with getting a proper gun. Now, just like any other thing in the market, you will find plenty of these.
And not all of them will perform the same. Some will offer stellar overall performance, while some will be pretty mediocre.
And if you want to own the game with accurate shots and land proper shots on moving targets, you would want to opt for the ones that offer higher overall performance. Well, to get one of those, you need to keep the crucial considerations in your mind.
Hopper
In most cases, the gun will come as a standalone. As in, it will not come with a hopper. Now, if you are wondering what exactly is a hopper.
Well, in the case of regular guns, the magazine is going to hold the bullets. But here, the hopper is going to carry all of the paintball.
Here, the things that must be in your consideration are the capacity, build quality, the feeding mechanism, and finally, the feed rate.
On that note, there are usually three types of feeding mechanisms. And to get the right one, you need to consider the type of your gun.
If you happen to get a hooper that was meant for the manual guns and your gun is electronic, then the performance will not be up to the mark.
Cartridge
The cartridge is what is going to power the paintballs. It is the thing that gives the paintballs the velocity and the speed it requires to travel to the target. Now, there are three types of cartridges. One is CO2, which is the most common type used by the players.
Among the other types, N2 cartridges are not that common. However, the use of HPA cartridges is rising day by day. These hold the ability to offer a higher FPS count thanks to the higher PSI level.
On that note, your marker might not be compatible with all of the cartridges. Some will be compatible with CO2 and N2, while most will only be compatible with the CO2 tanks.
Also, there are not that many that will be compatible with HPA. In fact, some of the guns might even need modification to get full advantage of that tank.
To wrap up the gun section, you would require paintballs. And we have already gone through the things and the factors that make a set of paintballs better than the other available ones.
Mask
One of the most important things about the gears required for playing paintball is the mask. This is what is going to dictate whether you are going home with bruises and sting marks on your face or not.
It will protect your entire face. There are two essential parts. One is the lens, and the other is the rest of the body.
Now, not all of the masks will be the same. Some will feature a great lens, accompanied by a body that has a good build quality. Those will offer you an appropriate field of view while offering you full-face protection.
On that note, not all of the masks offer protection for your head. Most of them will focus only on the face. However, if you want the paint to stay out of your hair, opt for the ones that offer protection to the back of your head.
Clothing
Apart from the face, you need to ensure that the rest of your body is also protected. And for this, you need to wear proper clothing.
Usually, it is essential to wear armor, a good t-shirt, gloves, and proper paintball pants for the intense games. With those on your body, you will be fully ready to conquer the game.
However, for the casual games and hot environments, all those things might not be necessary. But do not just get into a game wearing shorts and short-sleeved t-shirts.
With those on, the chances of you going home with bruises and pain all over your body. Also, you might want to invest a bit on a good overall.
Boots
The terrain of a paintball field can be pretty challenging. There, the grounds might be steep at some point and sloped at the other points. And with flip-flops, you will struggle a lot to move on those terrains.
Also, the muddy nature of the terrain can even slow you down if you are wearing flip-flops.
It is highly recommended to wear proper boots, considering all the challenges. And by proper, we are referring to the ones that will cover your feet and offer good enough traction to tread on those challenging terrains easily.
The most important thing we forgot to mention for most gears is checking the comfort level.
If you are planning to be competitive, you are most likely planning to play for an extended period of time. And it will not be possible to play for a long amount of time by wearing uncomfortable gear.
How Much Will It Cost Me to Play Paintball If I Bring All My Gears?
The entry fee of the field will vary a lot. It will usually depend on the location and the size of the group.
Nevertheless, the cost starts from $10 and can go all the way up to $20.However, one thing we learned is to prebook the fields if you have a large-sized group. That will make the organizer offer you a discount.
In addition to that, it will cost you to get air refills. Typically, that will cost about $10 to $15 per person.
Again, you can bring that down a bit if you bring a large group. Also, you can avoid that cost by bringing your own refill to the field.
Final Words
We have tried to cover each of the factors that you might want to know about when the question of how much does paintball cost comes into your mind. And now that you know all about it, hopefully, you will be well prepared for the game or get better at it.
Meet Leo Roman, a dedicated paintball enthusiast hailing from the United States. He started as a casual player but quickly became a fierce competitor known for his strategic prowess and precision shooting. Beyond the thrill of the game, Leo values the camaraderie and sense of community in paintball.
He’s a respected figure who not only excels on the field but also volunteers to introduce newcomers to the sport. Follow Leo on our paintball blog for insights and stories from the world of this high-adrenaline adventure. Learn more