Does Paintball Hurt?
If you are about to hit a paintball field to confront your opponent and wonder whether a paintball hurts or not, this article was curated with you in mind. The most common question that paintball enthusiasts usually ask is how much does paintball hurt?
When you are on the paintball field, you’d be running around the field, jumping obstacles to evade being shot by your opponents, and paintballs would splat all over the field. Plus, your opponents will do everything possible to defeat you.
Sounds good, right?
Dressing in your paintball regalia alone to protect yourself from paintball sting will trigger adrenaline. The game of paintball is a fun sport anybody that has the opportunity would dream of playing. Every weekend, people from all walks of life gather on a paintball field to watch different team combat. And at the end of the game, a winning team will emerge.
However, the big question is, does paintball hurt? We would answer this question in two dimensions – YES and NO.
How bad does paintball hurt?
In this article, it would be impossible to mention the exact amount that paintball hurts. The reason is not far-fetched. First, each player’s pain tolerance varies, plus, several factors may also contribute to how much paintball hurts. The following are the factors:
What Makes Paintball Hurt?
Let’s now explain each of these factors above. If you ask an expert paintball player, the chances are that he/she is likely to tell you that the most prominent reason why paintball hurt is the quality of the paintball.
Paintball comes in varying quality from different manufacturers. Lower quality paintball comes with a harder shell and contains a less-dense material. If you use lower quality paintball to shoot at your opponent, the inferior quality used to make the paintball won’t break when it impacts your opponent; as such, it would be very painful.
The general rule of thumb is that paintballs should break when they impact a player, but shouldn’t break when it’s in the gun. Because of this, high-quality paintball doesn’t hurt that much compared to lower quality paintballs.
Paintball gun velocity
Another reason that makes paintball hurt is the velocity of the player’s gun. Velocity in this context means, the harder your opponent fire a shot at you, the more pain you would feel. To keep every player safe, most paintball field operators have standard velocity; you’re allowed to fire a shot.
The distance of the Shot
One thing you should know about paintball is that it loses power as it travels through the air. That means if your opponent at a far distance shoots at you, you will feel less pain compared to if the person was at a close range. Because of this, most paintball field operators limit the distance to fire a shot to 10 feet. If you fire a shot less than 10 feet, the person at the receiving end will get hurt and feel severe pain.
Point of impact
The point of impact is the point where the paintball hits your body. You will feel severe pain if the shot hits your back, where there are fat and less muscle. On the other hand, if the shot hits your stomach, you will feel less pain.
Conversely, if the paintball hits you on your bare skin, you will also feel severe pain. As such, it is advisable always to cover your bare skin before you get to the field of play.
The number of times the paintball hit you
This is another factor that is responsible for how much paintball hurts. You may not feel pain when a paintball hits you in a particular spot for the first time, but if your opponent continues to fire a shot simultaneously, you will start to feel pain.
The tactic to be on the winning side in a paintball game is to avoid your opponent’s shot from hitting you. However, it is completely inevitable to participate in a paintball game without being hit by at least a shot.
Paintball Bruises
Paintball bruises are a common occurrence after playing paintball.
A paintball bruise is caused when a paintball hits your skin and then breaks open, leaving a stain on your skin.
For most people, the color of these bruises will fade within a few days. But if you have dark skin or you’re prone to bruising, it may take longer for your bruises to fade away. Bruises can also be darker in areas where there’s less blood flow: for example, bruises on your arms and legs will likely be darker than ones on your face or torso.
If your paintball bruises don’t fade within two weeks, talk with your doctor about getting tested for hemophilia or other blood disorders that can cause long-lasting bruising.
Paintball bruises can be a real pain, but you can avoid them. Just follow these tips:
-Wear long sleeves and pants (or at least long-sleeved shirts) to protect your arms and legs.
-Make sure your mask has good coverage. If not, get a new one or a replacement lens for your current mask.
-Wear gloves to protect your hands.
-Eat plenty of vegetables—they’ll help keep you hydrated and help you avoid cramping up during the game.
-If you’re still getting bruised, take a few days off from paintballing before trying again.
Most Asked Queries
How common are serious paintball injuries?
Well, this issue of paintball injuries or how much paintball hurt is usually overblown. We all know that paintball stings when it hits your bare skin, but it doesn’t last for so long.
Players barely sustain injuries because paintball field operators have measures to check the excesses of overzealous players not to cause bodily injury to other team members.
Does Paintball Safe For Children?
Paintball is very safe for children. But if a paintball touches their bare skin, he/she will feel severe pain. Ensure you don’t allow children to play with adults. Also, you may limit their gun’s power so that the degree of pain will be less.
Some paintball field operators won’t allow a child less than 14 or 16 to participate in a paintball game. Ensure you comply with this regulation so that the operators will not prosecute you in a law court.
Is Paintball Dangerous?
Paintball is not dangerous if you comply with the game’s rules and regulations by wearing your protective gear before entering the field. If you don’t wear your complete safety gears, you may experience pain in any of the following:
– Falling on the ground
– Being shot at by your opponents
– Running into an obstacle.
What Are The Basic Safety Rules Of Paintball?
The following are the basic safety rules you need to know before you hit the field of play:
– It is disastrous pulling off your mask while playing, so do not attempt it.
– Fire your shot pointing directly at your opponents
– Participate in regular training on how to use a paintball gun
– Store your paintball gun in a good condition
– Do not be afraid of paintball sting, as the pain doesn’t last long
Wrapping Up
Paintball doesn’t hurt as new players believe. Before you hit the field of play, keep in mind those factors we have highlighted above so that you can play safely.
And again, don’t forget to share your playing experience with us in the comment section.
