Paintball is all about friends and enemies.  Your team is the "good guys" and the other team is the "bad guys."  The key to this distinction, though, is all dependent upon your friends remaining your friends and your enemies staying your enemies.  In one variation of paintball, the roles of friends and enemies is a little less clear as your friend may become an enemy.  If you think you've mastered the basic version of the sport, try out one of the many different types of paintball games.

Friends and Enemies originally appeared on About.com Paintball on Saturday, October 22nd, 2011 at 22:46:54.

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Over the years I've written hundreds of blog posts on paintball.  They've ranged from summaries of major events in paintball to commentaries on the sport to random, amusing paintball-related internet memes.  While many of the posts have been forgettable (even to me), there are a few that I have liked and I remember.  To remember some of the better ones, I've put together a list of some of the posts that I like.  If you're interested, take a look.

My Favorites originally appeared on About.com Paintball on Saturday, October 8th, 2011 at 23:01:08.

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There's just something about upgrading.  Whether a gun needs any improvement or not, I just find it rewarding to do something to it and try to make it better.  Did my gun need a red dot scope?  Absolutely not, but it fit the mil-sim decor.  Does  the new bolt perform better?  Not from what I can tell, but the manufacturer claims it does.  Is my new regulator make my gun more consistent?  If it is, I can't tell a difference.  But none of those questions matter.  The joy comes from planning, tinkering, implementing and then having a customized, upgraded paintball gun that is fun and rewarding all in itself.  I know some upgrades do make a difference, but most don't.  There's just something about upgrading.

Upgrading Paintball originally appeared on About.com Paintball on Thursday, September 29th, 2011 at 20:38:51.

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Do paintballs stain?  I've been asked that question more than a few times and I give the same answer - usually not.  Paintballs, though, come from many different manufacturers with many different combinations of ingredients in the paintball.  While the vast majority of paintballs do not stain the vast majority of fabric, there are some fills that do stain certain articles of clothing.  I have one white shirt that I was wearing under another shirt and when I got hit, the paint seeped through the outer layer and permanently stained the white shirt.  Other than that, though, I've never had anything leave a permanent stain.  And, if you do get hit, be sure to clean your clothes.

Cleaning Up Paintball Stains originally appeared on About.com Paintball on Wednesday, September 28th, 2011 at 20:47:11.

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Paintball is a game of memories.  Whether it's the first time you played the game or your most recent game, there are always memories to share.  If you haven't shared any memories, yet, I recommend you take a minute and share some with your friends.  Better yet, share those memories with someone who has yet to play and introduce a new person to the sport.

Paintball Memories originally appeared on About.com Paintball on Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 at 20:15:06.

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I've always considered paintball to be a very safe sport, as long as people made sure to wear their masks.  In my experience, the only common injuries in paintball are welts, bruises, strains and sprains.  The only severe injuries that I hear about involves an eye injury from someone who was messing around without a mask or took their mask off during a game.  Now, though, there's a report detailing how many people end up in an emergency department because of paintball gun injuries.  The verdict?  Of the millions who play, very few get seriously hurt.

How Many People Are Injured Playing Paintball? originally appeared on About.com Paintball on Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 at 02:51:29.

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There's a lot to like about paintball.  Not only is it one of the most fun and exciting sports (in my humble opinion), it is a great way to make friends, enjoy the outdoors and get some exercise.  Not all, though, is right in paintball.  I've previously mentioned some things that I don't like in paintball, and I decided to expand the list a little.  My biggest dislike - the obnoxious players who think they are better than they are - is number one and then comes wiping.  After that, though, it actually turned out to be kind of difficult to make a list of the things I dislike - I only made it to 5 things and the last one was pushing it.

If you have anything you think belongs on this list, feel free to add it in the comments.

Things Aren't All Rosy in Paintball originally appeared on About.com Paintball on Tuesday, September 27th, 2011 at 02:02:24.

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Paintball is a game of stories.  From the story of your first day to the story of your best move to the story of your team's greatest achievement or disapointment.  As much fun as paintball is to play, much of the enjoyment that I find in the game comes from the times between games when you can sit around and talk and reminisce about the game.  Sharing stories about paintball, though, doesn't require you to be on the field.  To this end, I will begin to present occasional stories about paintball written by whomever wants to share.  I'll kick things off with the story of one of my favorite days of paintball when I climbed up Bunker Hill.  I also invite anyone who would like to share their story to write it up and email it to me at paintball.guide@about.com.  I may edit it for style and length, but the story will be published under your name as it is yours.

Share Your Favorite Paintball Story originally appeared on About.com Paintball on Wednesday, September 21st, 2011 at 01:03:17.

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Paintball started on the back of pump paintball guns.  When many players, including me, started playing, the gun of choice (or the only rental available at our local field) was the PMI Trracer.  Since that time, there have been countless semi-automatics that have taken the place of the original pump for rentals and new players, eventually leading to the end of the Trracer.  KEE, though, decided to bring back the Trracer through its Empire line in an attempt to rejuvenate the model.  I, personally, would love to see the pump make a comeback and more fields return to pump lay, but I doubt it will make any sort of a comeback.  In relation to Kee's offering,  I appreciate the effort and like the gun. I just don't expect it to become a bestseller.

Will Pump Paintball Make a Comeback? originally appeared on About.com Paintball on Saturday, September 17th, 2011 at 17:40:16.

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Airplanes have been used as a form of advertisement for years, whether it's because they are pulling a sign or carrying a message.  Paintball is now going to get some of that same treatment as an AirAsia A320 gets a custom-designed paint job representing Paintball World Cup Asia.  The company is hosting a contest where anyone who wants to design a potential paint scheme can submit an entry and the winner not only gets to see their artwork put on a plane but gets $1,000.  More details can be found at PALS' Facebook page.

Design a Paintball Plane originally appeared on About.com Paintball on Monday, September 12th, 2011 at 12:10:24.

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