Does A Paintball Hurt?

Ah paintball: guaranteed to provide an exciting time in any outdoor gathering. No doubt you've heard of the game before even if it's the lighthearted, fun version involving toy guns shooting those pesky, paint-filled bullets. But behind those toys lies a question does a paintball hurt? We'll address this inquiry in this article with clarity and to the best of our knowledge.

How It Works

Paintball has been around since the early 1980s, and ever since then it has gained great popularity. Before we dive into whether or not it hurts let's take a look at how the game works. Paintballing is a team sport and consists of two teams who face off against each other. The goal is to eliminate opponents by hitting them with a paintball fired from a compressed air gun. The paintball guns launch gelatin capsules filled with a paint-based marker, and when the paint hits an opponent they're eliminated, or tagged out. According to the rules of Paintball once a person is hit with a painted projectile, they're out of the game.

The Impact

So with the basics out of the way what does the impact of a paintball feel like? Again this varies on a case-by-case basis depending on the distance of the shot, gear worn, paintball itself, etc. Some people liken the sting of a paintball to a bee sting, while others feel more of a tap than a sting. Generally, the closer the paintball is fired the more of an impact it will have on the recipient.

Protective Gear

You can reduce the impact of a paintball by investing in the right protective gear. Wearing gear such as chest protectors, gloves, and face masks offer good protection from those paint-filled pellets. It is also important to pay attention to the type of paintballs you are using some paintballs simply don't sting as much.

Is Paintball Dangerous?

Unlike airsoft guns, paintball guns are specifically designed to be non-lethal and not cause serious injury. Paintball guns operate at much lower velocities than airsoft guns and pellets so the potential for serious damage from the impact is much lower. However, it is important to keep in mind the potential for injury especially when people don't use protective gear or pay attention to the distance of the shot they're taking.

Brief Recap

So to answer the question of whether paintball hurts or not yes, it does. The sting caused by a paintball varies from person-to-person, but this can be minimized by wearing the proper protective gear and using the right paintball type and distance. Paintball is non-lethal and as long as proper safety precautions are taken, there should be no serious consequences caused by paintballing.