| Dont let Mother Nature throw your paintball addiction | | | | your health. |
| out in the cold! You can still play paintball, and in | | | | Youll want to be protected from head to toe. We just |
| comfort, in the winter weather. Of course, you could | | | | talked about the importance of wearing a hat. The |
| just play indoors, but why let skiers and riders be the | | | | proper shoes are important to not only keep your toes |
| only ones who have fun in the white stuff. This article | | | | warm, but also to provide the best footing. You will |
| will tell you what to wear to keep your game going | | | | want to have a better tread on the bottom of your |
| strong- no matter how cold it might be on the field. | | | | shoes since snow can make the ground slippery. (You |
| The first thing, and probably most obvious, is to dress | | | | know, like snow tires!) Also, waterproof shoes will |
| in layers. As a paintball player, you may already dress | | | | keep dampness from getting in and prevent freezing |
| in layers to cut down on bruising. However, in the | | | | phalanges. Doubling up on warm socks is a good idea |
| winter, you can take it one step further and add some | | | | as long as you can still move comfortably. Brining along |
| thermal underwear. Cover that with a turtleneck and a | | | | a dry pair of socks would be a smart idea as well. |
| sweater and then perhaps a jacket. If during play you | | | | You will still need protective eye gear. In addition to |
| begin to get hot, you can easily remove a layer. But, | | | | your goggles, you may want to wear sunglasses. The |
| not being warm enough will be very uncomfortable. | | | | sun can be damaging in the winter. It may not be |
| Next, you want to make sure that your hands are | | | | warming you up, but its rays can still be harmful to the |
| protected. Frostbite can set in rather quickly in extreme | | | | eyes. There are anti-glare goggles available as well. |
| cold temps, and its first victim is usually fingers and | | | | Aside from clothing, you can also keep your body |
| toes. The trick here is that your fingers have to fit | | | | warm by brining a thermos full of hot chocolate or |
| through the trigger hole. That said you must choose | | | | coffee. After playing a game, it could be the cherry on |
| your glove carefully. There are plenty of fleece gloves | | | | top to keep you warm. |
| that are thinner and keep hands very warm. Check | | | | In addition, you will want to be kind to your equipment. |
| around at ski shops, ATV apparel shops and even | | | | Sometimes, plastic can crack in extreme cold temps, |
| paintball supply stores to find a selection of gloves that | | | | so try to keep the equipment dry and protect it as |
| allow both movement and plenty of warmth. | | | | much as possible. |
| Going along with frostbite attacking your fingers and | | | | So, with these tips, you can take your paintball game |
| toes first, heat escapes from your head first. That said | | | | out of the indoors and into a real winter wonderland. |
| it is crucial to wear a hat. If it is really cold, perhaps a | | | | (c) 2005 by Brian Maroevich |
| robbers knit hat the also covers the face, or perhaps a | | | | ------------------------------------------------Brian Maroevich is |
| face shield worn by skiers. Finding a hat the covers | | | | a product developer, author, and webmaster for You |
| your head and ears will be crucial to your comfort and | | | | can join his Paintball Success Tips newsletter for free. |