It is crucial to wear the correct clothes while playing paintball. Wearing the right clothes not just makes the sport of paintball more enjoyable however it also makes it safer. The gear you wear does not have to be made for paintball specifically and does not need to be high-priced.
Every now and then I’ll see someone out there playing in shorts and a t-shirt and that’s just not enough protection to be frank. Of course you’ll also see the folks that are all decked out in the latest paintball clothes from the most popular paintball apparel manufacturers. You can spend a small fortune on paintball clothes like pants and a jersey but at the end of the day it won’t improve the way you play. When deciding what to wear it really is important to wear something you’ll be comfortable in, wear something that’s flexible and cover as much skin as possible.
When deciding what clothes to play paintball with choose clothes that are preferably thicker and make sure you pick clothes that will cover both your arms and your legs. Wear clothes that are darker because you probably don’t want your clothes getting ruined when the paint splatters all over them. If wearing your own gear, wear clothes that are preferably thick, wear clothes that cover your arms and legs and finally wear something that is loose enough to allow you to be flexible.
When playing paintball you’re going to get paint on your clothes and you’re going to get dirty because you’ll be on the ground occasionally crawling around on your belly. When it comes to your clothes just keep it simple… choose clothes that are comfortable and that cover as much of you as possible.
I get a lot of questions about camouflage and all I have to say is that paintball isn’t real combat so camo may be overkill. A lot of folks worry about whether or not playing paintball will hurt and paintballs can and will bruise and welt your skin so again… wear clothes that are a little thicker (like a sweatshirt) that cover your arms and legs. Another body part you want to consider is the back of your neck because paintball normally takes place outside.
All this talk of gear and such is minuscule because the most important piece of gear you can wear is a good paintball mask. A paintball mask will protect your face, your ears and your eyes. You can also wear goggles to protect your eyes but goggles will do little to protect your face and ears. The biggest chance you have for getting seriously injured on the paintball field is by not protecting your eyes.
At the end of the day you want to be comfortable in your clothes and you want to cover your legs and arms if at all possible. If your hands are sensitive you may also want to consider wearing some gloves to protect your hands. Most paintball guns fire paintballs at a velocity of 250-300 feet per second so it’s important to wear clothing that is thick enough to absorb that. If you plan on playing paintball, wear clothes that are functional and follow the advice in this article and you should be ok.
