A quick checklist:
- Sweatpants, something to cover your legs
- Layers (tank top, long sleeve shirt, sweatshirt)
- Dark colors for camouflage
- Clothes that can get dirty
- Comfortable athletic shoes
- Flexible and padded gloves
- Chest Protector ($7)
Choose loose clothing. Personally, Sweatpants are the ideal solution, allowing for flexible movement and providing some padding. Find a pair of sweatpants that fit properly so you don’t have to worry about tripping or losing your pants while running. If it’s really hot I will wear basketball shorts with knee and skin protectors. However, this is not recommended until you’ve played a few times and know how it feels to take a shot.
Pile on the layers. Wear layers that you can take off as you get hot. A good combination is a thick tank top, thin long sleeve shirt, and thick pullover sweatshirt.
Protect your chest area. Wear plenty of layers and a thick sweatshirt and you should be fine.
Clothes will get dirty. Wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty or even ruined. Make a quick run to Walmart or borrow some old clothes if you don’t have any. Paint, dirt, mud, and sweat will probably cover them by the end of the day. Most of it can be washed out, but don’t count on them ever being sparkling clean again.
Color matters too. Wear dark colors like black, navy, or forest green. These will resist staining better and also offer camouflage for you to blend into the environment.
Ladies pull your hair back. Pull your hair back to keep it out of your face while playing. A very high ponytail or super low braid will work best with most masks. Wear a bandana if you are worried about getting paint in your hair. Paint can be oily, but just use a clarifying shampoo and your hair will be back to normal.
Choose comfortable shoes. Wear any type of athletic shoe you prefer, as long as you can run in them and don’t mind if they get dirty. This includes hiking boots, sneakers, running shoes, skate shoes, ect. Bonus if they are thicker or have a protection at the toe.
Remember your hands. Nothing hurts more than a shot to the hand without padding. Find a pair of thick, well-fitting gloves that offers protection while still allowing for free movement to operate your equipment. Bonus: crawling and hiding on the ground will be much easier. These don’t necessarily need to be gloves made for paintball. For your first time, any pair you have around the house that meets the qualifications should work just fine.
First time Paintballers checklist:
-Extra full clean outfit for the ride home
-Bring garbage bag to put all your dirty clothes in after you get done playing.
-Bring lots of drinking water
-Towels or rags to clean off equipment and old hits
– Jacket (preferably a rain resistant one)
-Hat or headwear of some sort
-Cash (some parks don’t have credit card machines)–plus it is always a nice gesture to give your buddy that decided to drive a few bucks for gas.
-Check weather 48 hours prior
-Last but not least don’t forget your sense of adventure, as paintball is the most exciting and heart pounding experience that you will ever have.
