| Preparing for Competitive Paintballing or Airsoft | | | | movement. While one ghillie suit might be best for |
| Gaming | | | | hunting, where you sit for a prolonged period of time, |
| Paintballing and Airsoft are both popular games in the | | | | you may want a different suit for paintballing or airsoft |
| United States, and the popularity of the games just | | | | gaming, where you may want to stalk your opponent |
| keeps growing. Serious paintballers or airsoft gamers | | | | or flee quickly. |
| compete both in teams and on solo missions, complete | | | | · Don't forget to camouflage any exposed skin. |
| with advanced weapons, camouflage, and strategies. If | | | | Use face paints to camouflage your face and hands |
| you're an amateur paintballer or airsoft gamer, you | | | | and any other exposed skin. Vary the colors to match |
| might want to take extra precautions to make sure | | | | your ghillie suit and the local environment. Remember |
| you're ready to compete with the regulars. Here are | | | | to make the patterns uneven to mimic the dappling of |
| some tips for quickly getting competitive in both of | | | | the sun on the earth and vegetation. Don't forget to |
| these games: | | | | camouflage your lips! They will stand out if you don't. |
| · Ready yourself for an exhilarating | | | | · Use local foliage to improve your invisibility |
| experience. Most paintball and airsoft fields are | | | | factor. Snap off branches and leaves from local |
| complex scenario set ups designed to mimic | | | | bushes and trees, and attach pieces all over your ghillie |
| battlefields, so prepare to be out in the elements for an | | | | suit. Add twigs and dried leaves also, imitating the |
| extended period of time. Remember to incorporate the | | | | natural occurrence of the greenery around you. |
| layout of the terrain as part of your strategy, since | | | | Replace pieces as they wilt. Try to angle the natural |
| hiding behind rocks, trees, bushes, and other natural | | | | foliage in a similar manner as the real underbrush |
| camouflage is a huge part of the game. Use natural | | | | surrounding you. |
| formations to your advantage. | | | | · Practice walking quietly. Moccasins are still |
| · Arm yourself with the proper weapon. There | | | | one of the quietest footgear available, and they are |
| are multiple models of both paintball guns and air soft | | | | tough enough to protect the soles of your feet while |
| rifles. Tailor your weapon choice to the type of game | | | | muffling the sound of your movement. If you can, tread |
| you will be participating in, dependent on if you need | | | | only on dirt or live grass, because any crunchy dead |
| long-range accuracy or short-range potency. | | | | branches or leaves will make loud crackling and |
| Ghillie camouflage for your rifle is also available, often in | | | | popping noises, announcing your arrival. If you are |
| the form of a sleeve which will conceal most of your | | | | stalking someone, try to walk at the same pace he or |
| weapon. | | | | she is walking, placing your foot down at the same |
| · Invest in appropriate outerwear. When | | | | time he or she places his or her foot down. Practice |
| purchasing a ghillie suit, make sure you consider what | | | | this in the woods near your home before your first |
| your strategy will be. If you will be sitting, squatting, or | | | | paintball or air soft game. |
| slowly stalking, a poncho style ghillie suit may be the | | | | · Familiarize yourself with the rules of the |
| best option. If you plan on crawling on the ground or | | | | game before you get there that day so you can focus |
| lying on the ground, you definitely want a form-fitting | | | | on making a plan in tune with the terrain and layout of |
| ghillie suit, not a poncho, since a ghillie poncho may | | | | the playing field. Consider whether you will be a part of |
| bunch up on you and constrict your movement. Some | | | | a team or play solo. |
| suits are padded in the front to make lying on the | | | | As paintballing and air soft gaming continue to rise in |
| ground more comfortable. | | | | popularity, more and more gaming fields and scenario |
| Consider also the weight of the ghillie suit and how | | | | set-ups will come available. Both sports are poised for |
| much it may or may not interfere with your range of | | | | growth and long-term accessibility. |