Paintball

What’s a game actually like?

You might be defending a woodland fort, trying to capture a flag or working out how to get past the player who’s got your whole team pinned down. You don’t need to be the fastest person there, but talking to your teammates helps.

You play with a marker that fires paint-filled balls. When one breaks on you, the paint makes the hit fairly obvious. What happens next depends on the game: you might sit out the rest of the round or head back to a designated point before rejoining. The marshal explains the rules before you start.

Never played before?

You don’t need a garage full of equipment to give it a go. Look for a session with hire kit, tell the venue it’s your first time and let the staff get you started. You’ll get equipped, hear the briefing and learn how the marker works before heading into a game.

The first round is often about finding your feet. Where can you move? Who’s covering that side? Why has everyone gone quiet? A few games in, you’ll have a much better idea of what’s going on. Listen to the marshals, follow the mask rules and ask if anything is unclear.

You don’t necessarily need to organise a whole party, either. Ask the venue whether you can join a public session. If you are bringing a group, find out whether you’ll play together or alongside other bookings.

Classic or low impact?

Classic paintball uses .68-calibre paintballs; low-impact uses smaller .50-calibre paintballs. Both are paintball, but you need to know which format you’re booking, particularly when choosing a session for children. Ask the venue about its age requirements and the equipment it uses.

Read about low-impact paintball →

Check the whole price

Before you book, ask how many paintballs are included and what more will cost. An entry price doesn’t tell you much if you still need to pay for hire equipment and everything you’ll fire.

It’s also worth checking how much of the session is playing time, what to wear and whether there’s somewhere to eat or take a break. Speak to the people running the venue. They can tell you what the day actually looks like.