It's Expensive to 'Go Hard in the Paint'

MUSC worker talks paintball, recommends the thrill

Jennifer Iler

November 16, 2012
Last Edited: February 22, 2014

                Gregory Dame sits cross legged surrounded by expensive equipment, pointing out paint stained skin from his last paintball scenario. It’s as if each hot pink splotch has a different story to tell.

            “My paintball mask stops at the chin, so when I looked up this guy just shot me right in the throat. That’s one of the places it hurts the worst,” he said.

            Dame works in transportation in the MUSC outpatient clinic in Charleston, S.C. He started playing paintball for the first time when he was 12 years old. After about two years, he quit playing the game to pursue other interests. Now he’s back again and just joined a team of 28 other active players (shown below) who avidly participate in scenario play around the state.

            
           “It’s like a really big adrenaline rush,” he said.

            Paintball is a game that’s become very popular among a variety of age groups, since its start in the 1980s. Players typically face off against another team to complete some type of objective, like capture the flag. Paintball Review lists over 1400 paintball fields across the country. However, it’s a pretty expensive hobby.

            “I’m buying a new gun on Wednesday that’s going to set me back $309. And that’s almost cheap for a paintball gun,” Greg said. “Not to mention you have to buy a case of paint each day you play a scenario. That’s $60 a day.”

            Greg estimates he’s spent about $900 already, and he’s only played two scenarios with his new teammates.

            “Scenarios are different than speedball,” he said. “In speedball you have smaller teams where you just try and shoot everyone else before you get shot. In scenarios you have really large teams and you have to complete different missions. It depends on the arena.”

            It isn’t required that individuals provide their own equipment. Arenas typically have guns, paint, air, and masks available for rent, but most people just want better gear.

            Greg (shown right) held up his $65 jersey, a part of his team uniform. “The paint comes off of my jersey pretty well. The only thing it really stains is my pants because they’re coarse to protect my legs,” he said.

            Even though the ammunition is just a ball of water-soluble polymer, the game can still be really dangerous. There are tons of rules players have to follow to make sure they don’t hurt themselves or anyone else with their guns. Players are restricted from shooting at a rate higher than 300 feet per second, to prevent injury. Wearing protective clothing like masks, which are required, and gloves makes it easier to enjoy the game without worrying about the sting of the shot. Having good quality equipment makes the game more enjoyable.

           “It’s a great game to get into. It’s just fun,” he said.

            Dame said that he likes the workout he gets playing paintball. The adrenaline rush, the anticipation of the shot, and the challenges the missions bring attracts plenty of players, of all sexes. The paintball industry saw a slight decline with the dip in the economy, but it’s hopeful that people will head to the arenas again when they have more spending money in their pockets.