| What is a paintball gun package? | | | | typically be a small carbon dioxide (CO2) tank. If you |
| When looking for a cheap paintball gun, you may come | | | | are looking for a nitro or high pressure air (HPA) tank, |
| across gun packages (player kits). These are offered | | | | or a bigger CO2 tank, then the package tank may not |
| either by paintball gun manufacturers, or a paintball gun | | | | be of any use to you. |
| shops or dealers, and they purport to give you all you | | | | Packages represent compromise, and for some of us |
| will need to get you onto the playing field. | | | | compromise is not easy to swallow. If you are one of |
| Typically you might get the following in a paintball gun | | | | those people, then maybe you should delay your |
| package: a paintball gun (known as a marker), a mask, | | | | purchase, find some more funds for the budget, and |
| an air tank, a hopper, a barrel plug and perhaps some | | | | then go out and buy the products you really want. In |
| accessories, o-rings, paintball gun oil, and some paint | | | | the long run you will be happier, and we are all in |
| balls. On the face of it, this would be a pretty good | | | | paintball for the fun of it. |
| looking paintball gun package. | | | | Further, I think there are two items over which you |
| Paintball gun package - advantages | | | | should not compromise: the mask and the paintball gun. |
| The main advantage is value for money. Buying all the | | | | A good cheap paintball gun should be durable, reliable, |
| items in the package separately will definitely cost you | | | | give good performance, and be easy to maintain. A |
| more. | | | | good mask should be comfortable and non-fogging. |
| If you are on a very tight budget, and you are not | | | | These are crucial bits of equipment upon which you |
| overly choosey, then a paintball gun package might be | | | | should not cut corners. Do thorough research and |
| your only way of getting all that you need. On the | | | | identify a good cheap paintball gun and mask, and if |
| other hand, you may have budgeted to buy everything | | | | the mask and the gun in the package are not the |
| separately, and buying the package could now free up | | | | products you want, then my advice would be not to |
| funds for other things (but see below on the perils of | | | | buy the package. |
| cutting corners). | | | | The other disadvantage of packages is inflexibility. A |
| The last advantage is convenience. You get all the | | | | packages sold by a manufacturer is sold as a single |
| buying over and done with in one go. | | | | products - you either take it or leave it. However, there |
| Paintball gun package - disadvantages | | | | may be some flexibility in dealer packages, which are |
| The main disadvantage with packages is that in most | | | | just the latest deal put together by a shop. You may |
| cases, you do not actually want all of the items that | | | | be able to convince the dealer to swap some of the |
| you are buying! For example, in most packages the | | | | items in the package (though probably not all, unless |
| hopper you will get will be a traditional gravity feed. | | | | you pay more) for gear you really do want. If you can |
| With a traditional gravity feed hopper your gun will | | | | get the gun and the mask you want, you might be |
| never be able to fire more than 11 balls per second | | | | prepared to put up with the other items. Or maybe you |
| (BPS). However, if you are buying a gun with a BPS of | | | | could offer to pay a little more for an upgraded |
| more than 11, then only an electro hopper will ensure a | | | | package more to your choosing. A bit of 'dealer |
| feed to take full advantage of the fast shooting rate. | | | | wheeling' is what is needed here. Then you could find |
| Using a gravity-fed hopper will just retard performance. | | | | that you are properly kitted out and on the paintball |
| Similarly, the air tank offered in the package might | | | | field at a bargain price. |