| Paintball is a widely recognized sport played by all | | | | paintball and maybe a few marks for airsoft. |
| different kinds of people and even in places such as | | | | The Game Field: While paintball fields are common, |
| colleges. However, within the recent years airsoft has | | | | airsoft is a different story. Due to paintball's popularity it |
| come to emerge as a rapidly growing sport and rival | | | | is more widely supported, resulting in more areas to |
| to paintball. This has left the question to many aspiring | | | | play. The downside is that it's also more |
| players, "Which is Better?" To fully answer this | | | | commercialized and it is therefore uncommon to find |
| question one must analyze the different aspects of | | | | to find free fields. Airsoft fields are often free to play |
| each sport noting their respective advantages and | | | | at, but fewer which may require longer drives to get |
| disadvantages. | | | | to. If you play airsoft often though, it can be quite |
| Cost: One of the first major differences between | | | | economical compared to paintball. When playing airsoft |
| airsoft and paintball is the cost. In paintball the cost | | | | you also have consider the fact that someone with a |
| tends to be higher while in airsoft it's usually more | | | | 700 dollar gun isn't going to have much of an |
| moderate. A paintball gun, sometimes referred to as a | | | | advantage over you with your 300 dollar gun. In |
| "marker", can cost anywhere from $150-400 on | | | | paintball, the gun's cost level can make big difference. |
| average. An airsoft gun's average cost is somewhere | | | | A paintball field is often setup in a "speedball" layout, a |
| between $75-300. While the initial cost of the gun is | | | | square field with relatively low cover that implements |
| close the cost of upkeep is not. The sport of paintball | | | | fast paced action. Airsoft fields can cover more |
| uses paintballs as ammunition, these can cost 7-10 | | | | ground, are slower in action, and use less ammunition. |
| times as much as airsoft bbs do. When you take into | | | | Players in airsoft also frequently use real military gear |
| consideration that most paintball games use up far | | | | as game wear, whereas the paintballers don't. Unlike |
| more ammunition than airsoft, then it really starts to | | | | paintball, airsoft promotes teamwork and strategy as |
| become apparent just how costly it can be. Spending | | | | part of the game. Scenarios such as hostage, rescue, |
| 50 dollars for a days worth of ammo is not | | | | frontline, and many others make airsoft a continually |
| uncommon for paintball, airsoft players usually don't | | | | interesting sport to play. |
| spend more than 20. Another factor to consider in the | | | | Disadvantages: There are disadvantages in both |
| cost is maintenance: unless you use gas, electric and | | | | airsoft and paintball. In paintball it's the cost and upkeep |
| spring airsoft guns don't require costly CO2 canisters | | | | that is the main obstacle. In airsoft it's the problem of |
| to function. Paintball guns also need to be cleaned and | | | | knowing when another player is out. Since airsoft bbs |
| oiled regularly, although not as necessary, cleaning your | | | | don't mark an opponent like paintballs do, airsoft relies |
| airsoft gun isn't such a bad idea either. | | | | more on players' honesty and integrity. Usually airsoft |
| Equipment: A typical setup for a paintball player is a | | | | teams will ban a player that is caught cheating or being |
| marker, hopper, CO2 canister, extra paintballs, and | | | | dishonest. That does not mean however that there is |
| protective gear. Paintballs being larger than airsoft bbs | | | | no cheating in paintball, many players have reported |
| take up more space and require the use of larger | | | | seeing other players "wiping paint like crazy". In paintball |
| packs to carry them into battle. This is another | | | | the heavy CO2 canisters can prevent swift |
| disadvantage for light travelers. Airsoft players have | | | | movement and when combined with the top mounted |
| their airsoft gun, airsoft bbs, and protective gear. The | | | | hopper can be outright obstructive. |
| guns for airsoft are also more realistic and lately | | | | So which is better?: In comparison, airsoft can seem |
| manufacturers have started adding weight and metal | | | | like a great choice for a low budgeted beginning action |
| to make them even more so. While both paintball and | | | | sport enthusiast. Then again some people prefer |
| airsoft players use protective gear, airsoft players use | | | | paintball because of it's faced paced adrenaline |
| lighter gear than paintball players do. This is easier on | | | | inducing action. The choice in the end is really up to |
| the wallet as well as encouraging for those of you | | | | your particular style. Although I would have to say that |
| allergic to pain. Yes it's true, paintball does hurt more | | | | during this economic decline airsoft is bound to see an |
| than airsoft - the common spoken rule is welts for | | | | increase in popularity. |