| As long as you play safe and dress correctly, Paintball | | | | Dress Uniforms), you can get fatigues in all sizes and |
| can be an awesome sport for everyone involved, | | | | all kinds of patterns for any terrain from jungle to |
| even when you're losing every match. It's probably the | | | | desert. |
| most fun you can have without playing actual military | | | | Before you make a buy, though, you need to check |
| war-games with weapons equipped with flash | | | | for signs that you are getting the real deal and not |
| suppressors, laser sights, and blank rounds. | | | | cheap knockoffs. Real fatigues made for use by the |
| Goggles, chest/neck protectors, and facemasks come | | | | U.S. military are made in the U.S.A., not in China. My |
| in all shapes and sizes for paintball, and they can all be | | | | own fatigues, issued by the United States Air Force |
| very pricey items. Yet, when you get nailed in an | | | | Academy, are 50% cotton and 50% nylon and made |
| uncovered area you find out quickly just how much | | | | by Golden Manufacturing Company in Golden, MS. My |
| you need all of the above. If you're worried about your | | | | cousin once bought a set of fatigues that were |
| budget, search Craigslist and e-bay first. Sometimes if | | | | virtually identical in appearance to mine, but they were |
| you search the "free" section on Craigslist you might | | | | made by a company called Atlanco and were indeed |
| even find someone unloading all their gear or giving | | | | manufactured in China. The big difference upon close |
| away an item they just replaced with something new. | | | | inspection was the thickness of the material. The |
| If cost is not an obstacle, get the best equipment | | | | Made in China pair of fatigues were very thin and light. |
| money can buy and make all your opponents and | | | | The real ones are thick and durable and may not be |
| teammates jealous. Just remember that more | | | | available in too many stores. Even Army/Navy stores |
| expensive products aren't always better. Ask around | | | | might try to sell the knockoffs as the real deal, so look |
| and find out what is used by the most people and | | | | for the Golden Manufacturing tag or find someone in |
| what works the best. | | | | your family in the military who is your size and has |
| As far as clothing, don't forget to dress in layers, no | | | | some extra fatigues he or she is no longer using. |
| matter how hot it is. Paintball involves lots of hiding and | | | | Of course you will also want a great pair of boots that |
| running and is usually done in wooded areas where if | | | | will not weigh you down too much but also won't wear |
| you overheat you can find a spot in the shade to hide | | | | down under pressure. Hi-Tec makes affordable boots |
| pretty easily. Just drink a lot of water to compensate | | | | that feels like sneakers and are great for running or |
| for wearing three or four layers. | | | | walking in. Their backpacking and light hiking boot |
| Start first with long underwear and thick socks. Next | | | | models are perfect for paintball. |
| should be a tight-fitting long sleeve shirt and a tight pair | | | | Just be smart and think first of your most sensitive |
| of spandex or sweat pants. Finally, you will need to | | | | areas. If you don't feel like getting a stinging direct hit in |
| find some dark or camo outerwear. Try to get official | | | | a certain area of your body, cover it up the best you |
| military fatigues if you can. Also called B.D.U.s (Battle | | | | can. |