[shadow2k1]

hello all
my son is just getting started playign paintball as a recreation thing for a couple times a year
im looking to buy him he own gear but dont know what is a good gun and gear for someone who only plays but maybe 3 times a year.

can someone offer suggestions on what to buy
and maybe any places online that have good deals or packages
im not looking to go broke over it but i dont want to buy something that is junk and/or will be a discontinued model in the next 3 years
maybe a total cost of around 300 give or take

any help someone can provide would be appreciated

[pigtech]

At only playing 3 times a year, I would definitely consider renting over buying. If more frequently, renting is still a great way to start, so he can get the feel of what he like and doesn't like, to avoid the problem of buying then being dissatisfied and wanting to buy something else 6 months later.

I would also suggest this article:
http://www.warpig.com/paintball/newbie/primer/index.shtml
_________________
Bill Mills - Technical Editor, WARPIG.com

[shadow2k1]

thanks for the tip but he usually does rent the gun and goggles but complains that the gun is to heavy and the goggles are always fogging

[Paintzapper]

first off, this is my suggestion, not the final word.

to tackle the fogging problem, JT paintball makes some great thermal masks that will just about eliminate the fogging problem. the stuff with the antifog layer isnt as good as the thermal masks.

for a lightweight gun with the setup under 300.... the main things that I have noticed that will add to the weight of the gun tremendously are the hopper and the air source.

gun:
for just playing a couple times a year, you have no need to get anything fancy or super fast. If you want a basic one, the Kingman Spyder lineup is great. the 2009 models look like they are a little smaller, much more sleek and hold the same great relyability.



hopper:
now many guns don't shoot fast wihout a good moterized hopper. keep in mind the bigger the hopper, the more paintballs, the heavier it gets. there are a good amount of hoppers out and available now, a good one to start off with is the empire reloader II. its light, cheap, and effective.

CO2 and Compressed air:
usually the rentals are using steel compressed air tanks, these things weigh a good amount and throws off the balance. a lightweight alternative is carbon fiber, a good amount more expensive but quite light in compairison. now due to that you can only get compressed air tanks filled only at paintball fields.

If you want another air source, CO2 is a great cheaper way to get started. the tanks are a great deal cheaper and many places will fill them (sports authority, some hardware stores) along with the paintball fields. they do the job and will only work with the lower end paintball equipment.

exta info on the differences:

[pigtech]

Goggles are a great place to start. It's also definitely worth getting to a paintball shop to try on different goggle systems to see what fits his head the best - because everyone's head is different and a poor fit is a key cause of fogging. Thermal lensed goggles, or large volume goggles (like the larger curved lenses on VForce) are the best prevention for fogging. Anti-fog coatings on smaller lensed goggles just don't compare.

There definitely are great values to be had on e-bay for paintguns. For reasons of safety I would not purchase used goggles - or at the very least if they are used, immediately buy and install a replacement lens. Polycarbonate in goggle lenses can be weakened by a variety of factors, including age.

I hold a similar concern over used CO2 tanks and air systems, as these items have probably the most potential to cause injury if they have been damaged, and damage to components like the neck threading or integrity of the valve/bottle mount are not readily visible.

For the paintgun however, you can for sure find some great deals on eBay.
_________________
Bill Mills - Technical Editor, WARPIG.com