Paintball Tips for Girls

We welcome players of all kinds here at AC Paintball. I (a girl) am particularly excited when other girls become interested in the sport. It’s an intense, challenging, and fun game (not to mention a great workout). I love it when girls show up and prove that we can play just as rough as the guys. However, I won’t deny that there are some key differences between the genders. Most newbie girls ask different questions than newbie guys before their first game. This blog post will look at the most popular topics girls are thinking about before playing paintball for the first time. If you’re a guy looking to attract your female friends to the sport, this is also a great read for you.

What Girls Wear to Play Paintball

A quick checklist:

Sweatpants with leggings underneath
Layers (tank top, long sleeve shirt, sweatshirt)
Padded bra or chest protector
High ponytail or low braids
Dark colors for camouflage
Clothes that can get dirty
Comfortable athletic shoes
Flexible and padded gloves

Choose loose clothing. Personally, I love playing sports in yoga pants, but these just don’t work for paintball. The material is too thin and tight to offer any protection. Sweatpants are the ideal solution, allowing for flexible movement and providing some padding. You can wear leggings or gym shorts underneath for added protection. Find a pair of sweatpants that fit properly so you don’t have to worry about tripping or losing your pants while running. If it’s really hot I will wear basketball shorts with knee and skin protectors. However, this is not recommended until you’ve played a few times and know how it feels to take a shot.

Pile on the layers. Wear layers that you can take off as you get hot. A good combination is a thick tank top, thin long sleeve shirt, and thick pullover sweatshirt.

Protect your chest. Wear plenty of layers and a thick sweatshirt and you should be fine. Find a specially designed paintball chest protector for the summer months. Alternatively, if you want a more convenient (and comfortable) option just wear a super padded bra.

Clothes will get dirty. Wear clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty or even ruined. Make a quick run to Walmart or borrow some old clothes if you don’t have any. Paint, dirt, mud, and sweat will probably cover them by the end of the day. Most of it can be washed out, but don’t count on them ever being sparkling clean again.

Color matters too. Wear dark colors like black, navy, or forest green. These will resist staining better and also offer camouflage for you to blend into the environment.

Pull your hair back. Pull your hair back to keep it out of your face while playing. A very high ponytail or super low braid will work best with most masks. Wear a bandana if you are worried about getting paint in your hair. Paint can be oily, but just use a clarifying shampoo and your hair will be back to normal.

Choose comfortable shoes. Wear any type of athletic shoe you prefer, as long as you can run in them and don’t mind if they get dirty. This includes hiking boots, sneakers, running shoes, skate shoes, ect. Bonus if they are thicker or have a protection at the toe.

Remember your hands. Nothing hurts more than a shot to the hand without padding. Find a pair of thick, well-fitting gloves that offers protection while still allowing for free movement to operate your equipment. Bonus: crawling and hiding on the ground will be much easier. These don’t necessarily need to be gloves made for paintball. For your first time, any pair you have around the house that meets the qualifications should work just fine.

Other Paintball Tips for Girls

Bring your friends. Some girls prefer to play paintball with other girls the first few times to get the hang of things. This is totally fine. Call up your field and ask if they offer hours just for girls, or else gather up a few of your female friends for a game. When you do play with guys, you don’t have to worry that they’ll be too rough for you. In fact, you might have the opposite problem. Many guys aren’t used to playing with girls and may take it a little too easy on you. Just make sure you shoot them out first chance you get and they’ll realize what a tough competitor you are. Problem solved.

Communicate with your team. I find that girls are great at analyzing the environment and developing winning strategies. Let your teammates know if have any ideas or notice where the other players are and what they may be planning.

Don’t be scared to get shot. Getting hit for the first time will be a shock and might hurt, but not much more than a rubber band snap, especially if you take preventive measures. Adrenaline from the game often acts as a natural pain reliever as well. Yell “I’ve been hit!” or “I’m out!” as loud as you can or risk getting shot repeatedly by players that didn’t see you get out. Raise your arms and gun in the air and walk to the safe zone immediately.

Check out AC Paintball. If you live in the south Jersey area, we welcome you to play paintball with us. We offer walk-on hours every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and take appointments for groups every day of the week.