• Planning for Playing Paintball in the Rain

    Southern New Jersey has a moderate climate which means that the weather changes from month to month. Due to the fact that paintball is an outdoor sport, it is important to think about the weather and plan ahead. Weather can affect various aspects of a paintball game from the speed of the game to your equipment to what strategies are best to use. When you plan for a day at AC Paintball in advance, there is always a chance that you will pick a rainy day. With this in mind, we have created this guide for planning and playing paintball in the rain.

    ac paintball ready to roll

    What to Wear

    If you know there is a good chance of rain when you are going to play paintball, the first thing you want to think about is what to wear. Lighter and tighter fitting shirts and pants will help keep your control when moving about the field. Waterlogged loose or baggy clothing can weigh you down and make it more difficult to maneuver. Also, be sure to wear shoes with good traction so that you can keep your balance while playing in the mud.

    Bring Extra Clothing

    When the day is over you will want to be as dry as possible so that you are comfortable and don’t get sick. Bringing a light poncho can help you keep your clothing dry while playing and bringing an extra pair of clothing to change into when you are done will ensure that you don’t have to sit in soaked clothing on the way home. It is also a good idea to bring a few extra pairs of socks. No one likes running around in wet and squishy shoes.

    Bring Towels

    Another helpful tool you may want to bring is a towel. A small hand towel will be useful to wipe condensation off of your goggles and other equipment. A large beach towel will help you dry off at the end of the day and give you a cover to keep your valuables dry.

    Bring Electrical, Hockey or Medical Tape

    Tape can be a very useful tool for rainy day paintball. It can help you seal of your goggles and equipment to keep them from getting waterlogged. Good vision is an important aspect of paintball and when your goggles get foggy and covered in water, it can make it difficult to see. Make sure your goggles are tight to your face and seal them to your face with tape. This will help keep water out. A visor can also be helpful in blocking water from falling in your face. Bringing a spare pair of goggles may also be helpful.

    While playing in the rain, it is also important to protect your paintballs and equipment. Paintballs can turn squishy with just a single drop of water and water can ruin the interworking of a marker. If you bring your own paintball gun, you can wrap tape around the grip frame of your marker. This will help you grip your gun after it gets wet as well as protect the circuitry. You may also want to put tape around the porting on your barrel. Seal off all openings to ensure that the wiring and board of the marker do not get wet.

    Tape

    Keep Your Equipment Dry

    During play, you will want to keep your equipment as dry as possible to keep it working properly. You can use the bag your paintballs came in or another plastic bag to cover your hopper. Many players also suggest putting the lid on your hopper rather than using a speed feed.  In between games, it is a good idea to take cover inside AC Paintball’s facility. This is the best way to keep both you and your equipment dry. If you do not wish to go inside, cover your equipment with a towel or bag.

    Prepare for Slower Play and Less Time on Field

    While playing in the rain at AC Paintball in southern New Jersey, it is important to be safe and cautious while playing. Rain can make the paintball courses very muddy and slippery. You should prepare for a slower-paced game and shorter games. Rain completely changes the gameplay and you may find that you and your friends will want to stop more often to dry off their gear. Playing paintball in the rain can make for good stories as you encounter and overcome new challenges, but it is important to take your time so that your story is not accompanied by a serious injury.

    Choose a Good Field and Game

    Weather is a significant aspect to take into account when choosing which AC Paintball field you want to play on and what game you wish to play. One of our fields with fewer trees would likely be the best choice. If you slip and fall, it is nicer to grab onto or hit one of our softer obstacles than it is a tree branch. Our Speedball Tournament Field or Hyperball Field are two good choices for rain paintball.

    When choosing a game, you should try to stick to slower and more strategic games that do not require as many paintballs. Also, be aware that the game will be more unpredictable as players skill levels may change with new obstacles and conditions. Some game suggestions for rain paintball include attack/defend, blackjack or tag. Try to pick a game that does not involve players having to dart as quickly across the field. This will help prevent injury. At AC Paintball in Southern New Jersey, we prioritize safe and fun play. If you would like to schedule a game, follow this link: https://acpaintball.com/schedule-paintball-game/.

    June 28, 2016

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  • 4 Tips for Cold Weather Paintball

    winter paintballAC Paintball keeps our outdoor fields open year round, through rain, shine, snow, or ice. Don’t let a little cold keep you indoors! Instead, use these tips to change up your paintball game in preparation for the winter weather.

    Maybe you’ve played paintball through the summer and fall and feel pretty confident in your skills. But once winter rolls around, you may find you need to adjust your game. The conditions presented by this season like snow and ice can pose more of a tactical challenge (Not always a bad thing; Look at it as an exciting way to improve your skills!). There are a few key things you need to do differently when playing paintball in cold temperatures:

    1. Pack a Room Temperature Insulated Cooler

    • Pack paint in an insulated cooler to keep warm
    • Use heat pack to keep paint warm in pod pack
    • Bring a squeegee in case paint breaks inside marker

    Just because the hot weather is long gone, doesn’t mean you won’t need your cooler any longer. Keep the cooler around (or find one with added insulation), this time to keep the cold out instead of in. Paintballs can just as easily shatter from the cold as they can melt from the heat, so aim for a room temperature inside your bag. Too much premature cold exposure can cause the paint to become brittle and prone to cracks or breaks with the lightest touch.

    Help prevent paintball breakage by keeping paintballs in the cooler as long as possible and loading your hopper at the very last minute. If you use a pod pack or vest, a heat pack can help keep the paint at a good temperature during the game. Wear the pod pack underneath your outer layer of clothing and carry a heat pack on your body. Try to avoid shaking your hopper unnecessarily once loaded. Bring a squeegee on the field to use in case some paint does shatter inside your marker.

    2. Have Patience with your Co2 Tank

    • Shoot less and at slower rate
    • Point marker up when not shooting
    • Upgrade to a HPA tank if you play often in Winter

    Co2 tanks may have some difficulty and delays functioning in the winter because Co2 expands slower in colder temperatures. The primary solution is to shoot less and at a slower rate to give your marker more time to operate and help prevent a jam. Point your marker towards the sky when not shooting, which will keep the liquid Co2 in the bottle and out of the valve. Remove expansion chambers and never use heat packs on your tank, which can be counterproductive.

    If you play often in the winter and find that you have many issues with your Co2 tank, you can upgrade to a high pressure air tank (HPA). HPA tanks can be a bit of an initial investment, but won’t have any problems because of cold weather. In fact, these will increase efficiency and accuracy when shooting year round.

    3. Choose Cold Weather Clothing and Gear

    • Wear Under Armour, sweatshirt, and waterproof coat
    • Always wear flexible gloves and a hat
    • Upgrade to a thermal lens

    While this may be a bit of an obvious tip, remember to dress for the cold weather. You’d be surprised how many players come under-dressed because they figure they will quickly work up a sweat. Or worse, don’t know to wear layers and end up overheating in a heavy coat. Layers is the key concept to dressing for Winter paintball (actually, paintball year round). Running and shooting (and adrenaline) can cause you to become hot, but hiding or standing still will bring the cold right back in. Layers allow you to choose the perfect amount of clothing that you need.

    Wear thermal Under Armour, a sweatshirt, and a zip-up waterproof coat that allows for comfortable movement. Flexible gloves and a beanie or hat will help for the cold. Bring a change of clothes for after the game as snow or moisture on the ground will make the game wet and muddy. Upgrade to a thermal lens during the winter to avoid fogging up your googles.

    4. Prepare for Tactical Challenges

    • Watch out for icy and slippery patches
    • Wear waterproof boots with traction and ankle support
    • Bring extra socks

    The different conditions presented by winter– snow, sleet, ice, freezing air– can all pose a higher level of tactical challenges than the warmer weather. Moving around becomes more difficult as everything is slippery and wet. This offers a chance to improve your skills as you maneuver the new conditions. It is certainly a thrilling way to shake things up after a few months of playing in the dry summer heat. However, it can also pose more of a safety risk.

    Tread carefully and look out for slippery or icy patches. Wear waterproof shoes or boots suitable for the weather and make sure they have traction and ankle support. Always bring extra socks in case any moisture gets inside.

    November 30, 2015

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  • Paintball Tips in the Summer Heat

    paintballchecklistFinally the season highly anticipated by paintball players has arrived: Summer! School’s out, giving you more free time to play and the weather has warmed up for beautiful game days. However, summer paintball can bring some challenges unique to this time of year, namely the heat messing with your body and equipment. Check out this checklist with some of our best tips, tricks, and solutions for playing paintball during the summer:

    Drink Plenty of Water

    Make sure to stay hydrated on the field. Dehydration is worst case scenario on the field and will ruin your day much quicker than 90 degree heat. The solution is simple enough: Drink plenty of water before, during, and after game day. A solid foundation of fluids in your body before participating in any extreme activity will help prevent potential dehydration.

    Start hydrating a few days prior and consume twice your normal amount of water for maximum effectiveness.  Drink several glasses the morning of and a bottle while gearing up. Hit your water bottle in between games, even if you’re not thirsty yet. Dehydration can sneak up on you if you don’t consciously prevent it. For extended scenarios games, make sure to bring a water bottle in your pack.

    Wear Less Clothing and Ditch Excess Weight

    Though we often recommend sweat pants, long sleeves, and layers, 90 degree weather is an exception. Choose lightweight, single layer clothing and supplement with knee and elbow pads for protection. Lighten up your pack as well by ditching any excess gear for a reduced weight. Use a goggle visor to block out sun. You can also wear a sweatband, bandana, beanie, or hat and bring an extra to absorb sweat and prevent it from fogging your lense.

    Bring Coolers for Gear and Drinks

    Bring two coolers: One for paint green paintballscases and the other for drinks and snacks. Fill one cooler with ice, bottled water, and gatorade. Avoid soda, sugary juices, and energy drinks that can dehydrate your body.

    Transport your paint and air tank in the cooler and keep it there before play. Put paint cases in a cooler with an ice pack (wrapped in a towel) in the shade to keep it chilled as long as possible. Don’t place ice cubes in the cooler because this can cause steam and humidity. Plus, the cold towel and ice pack can double to help cool you down between games.

    Heat can cause paint to swell or melt. The shell may soften, expand, and take the shape of whatever it is stored in. It will cause jams in your marker if you’re not careful. Heated paint is also much less likely to break on target if it does feed through.

    Prepare Your Mask

    Heat, humidity, and sweat can easily fog your mask and cause reduced visibility. Remember to take your mask off completely in between games to aid in cooling (but only after all barrel plugs are in place). You have a couple options when it comes to keeping your mask chilled and clear:

    1. Bring a spare pair of goggles or rent one from the field and switch out in between games.

    2. Bring an extra lens for your mask and switch that out in between games.

    3. Find goggles with a thermal dual pane lens to keep the heat and fog out much better than a single lens.

    4. Purchase a goggle fan to keep them clear and increase visibility

    Seek Shade

    Seek shady spots for yourself and your gear (especially your pod, paint, and Co2 tank) in between and even during games. Try to find a bunker or tree with plenty of shade while you attack and defend. Avoid placing your pods and Co2 tank in direct sunlight for long periods since Co2 and paint may expand in heat. HPA tanks are not as sensitive to high temperatures, but still shouldn’t be left in the sun unnecessarily.

    Don’t Be Afraid to Take Breaks

    Feel free to sit out of a game or take a break under a shady tree if you’re feeling the heat. Have a great time, but don’t exert unnecessary energy. Heat affects people differently and only you can judge when you’ve hit your limit. Seek shade and water especially If you feel dizzy, nauseous, fatigued, or extremely thirsty.

    July 9, 2015

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