Want a way to shoot your friends?! :) (Paintball in General)

Member Name: Stephoohla

Product:	Paintball in General
Date:	16/08/09 (25 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Wild, adrenaline-filled fun

Disadvantages: Does hurt, leaves you covered in bruises! Costly

I have literally just come home from my third experience of paintballing. The one I just went to was Tendring Paintballing Xtreme in Tendring, Essex.

It was an early start, having to get there at 8:30 in the morning, and as soon as we got there, they took our names, a number to identify you and give you a pair of overalls.

In this particular paintballing centre, the number you are given is basically a tab, so you can get whatever you want all day without worrying about money, and then pay at the end. This is easier as it saves faffing about having to get your wallet/purse out every time you need more paintballs or a drink, but as you don't actually count up cost until the end of the day, it's easy to forget how much you've spent, and comes as a big surprise at home time!

Once all that had been sorted out, we were given more equipment. A hard mask, another soft netted mask that goes under the hard one that also covers your hair, a velcro belt to put spare paint balls in, and a container for the balls which attaches to the gun. We then brought the paint, I chose the Gold package, which included 1000 paintballs and paint grenade (mwahaha!).

The staff then gave us a 10 minute chat on health and safety issues, what we're allowed to do, what we're not allowed to do, had to wear our masks at all times once in the firing area, etc, just general stuff that's common sense really.

We then split into two teams, and began the first 'mission'. I think the first game was a simple elimination: two teams on opposite sides of a woody area with lots of cover, and have to take the other team down to be the last man standing (or last group standing). I was on the Red team, and the other was Blue, and we had arm bands of these colours on so your teammates or opposition could clearly see who's side you were on.

The guns were very simple to use. You simply pick a gun, attach your container full of paintballs, and I think on most guns there's a safety button so obviously you turn that off if you want to fire, then you simply aim and shoot by pulling the trigger. Aiming is very difficult, as there is no scope, you basically look down the length of the gun, and have to try and anticipate wind and range. But for amateurs like myself, that's all the fun of it. Rather than properly aiming at someone I just aim in the general area, shoot about 6 balls out and hope it hits!

There were other types of 'mission', like Capture the Flag and other basic retrieve objectives where you collect something and bring it back to your team's base. Most of the time the teams don't get round to doing this and it ends up being elimination anyway! But for people who don't do paintballing professionally or too seriously, then that is expected.

Each game lasted about 15 minutes, and we went back to camp after each game to clean up and cool down. There we had a 5 minute break, then headed out again. We had about 6 games in the morning, then had lunch (all put on the tab), and 4 more games after lunch. I did think we headed out too soon after lunch though, I felt so stuffed that the last thing I wanted to do was run around!

When you get hit by a paintball, it does hurt, but because of the amount of adrenaline that's running through you, it doesn't hurt much at the time, just a bit of a sting. Once you get home and look in the mirror, you find bruises all over and wonder when you got hit there, as most of the time you probably don't even notice!

The maps that were set out were really good, full of hiding places and cover. A variety too, one map was an open field using wooden fences and barrels as cover, another was called 'Trench' which was, as you can guess, like a war scene with trenches everywhere! My favorite was a location that had huts everywhere like a miniature town, with a building in the centre where you could go upstairs and see everyone's finding places straightaway! My team did not capture this point first, and needless to say, we lost that round!

Paintballing is a really fun day out for you and your friends. Luckily for us, we had 20 people so were playing just with friends, rather than strangers, but even if two of you turned up to play they'd put you with a big group so there's always lots on your team.

A bit of a bad point about paintballing is the cost - unfortunately it will be a costly day out. The last time I went, I spent roughly £75. Ouch! That price got me 700 paintballs (I still had about 200 left by the end of the day so did not need to buy that many), lunch + drink, gloves (though you can bring your own - my mistake), and entry/gun hire. 600 paintballs cost £45 at Paintball Xtreme where I usually go. I brought the extra 100 for £6.50.

General prices are:
£6.50 for 100 paintballs only
£30 for 500 paintballs only
£45 for 600 paintballs, including lunch and drink
£65 for 1000 paintballs, including paint bombs, lunch and drink

Paint bombs, grenades and smoke grenades can be brought separately for between £3 and £6 each.

Prices will vary between different paintball companies, but are generally in the same range.

It is a tiring and painful day, but definitely worth doing at least once, and I think these places change their maps all the time so after a few months it'd definitely be good to go back to as it would generally be all different.

I especially recommend Paintball Xtreme in Tendring, Essex, as the staff are friendly and helpful, and it was a really exciting day out.

Summary: Great for friends, stag/hen parties, birthdays, or just for something different to do!