When you’re in the thick of battle, the use of protective gear could be the difference between a pleasant game of paintball and a nightmare of sorts. All that heavy gear naturally raises an important question, “how should paintball pants and jersey fit”?
Active paintball veterans choose paintball pants and jerseys with a loose and comfortable fit. You want adequate room in the jersey for a chest protector, if not already built in. The Pants should be loose and light enough for evasive maneuvers, but sturdy enough to withstand some punishment.
Loose fitting jeans and a hooded jersey will certainly do the job. The thickness of the denim jeans and woolen jersey can dull the impact and sting of fast paintballs. No matter what you choose to wear, your pants and jersey should fit your body type comfortably.
If you aren't wearing pants and a jersey specifically designed for paintball, then you will want enough room for a chest and knee protector. You will likely be running, jumping and potentially crawling, tight jeans won't cut it.
If you really want to mean business, you will want to wear thicker jersey with built-in padding. The padding will provide additional protection if you’re sliding and diving. Make sure the jersey has long sleeves to cover up your arms and that your skin isn’t exposed in any way. Underneath the jersey, you will want to wear a long-sleeved t-shirt.
Most paintball players roll around, kneel, crawl, and even dive during play. All this action will take a toll on regular clothing not designed to take so much punishment. Therefore, the thicker and baggier the pants, the better off you’ll be. Thick clothes allow you to move with greater freedom and reduce the chance of getting bruised, not to mention the fact that the paintball is less likely to break upon impact due to the extra padding.
With thin pants, you run the risk of tearing a hole in the fabric. Not only is this embarrassing, but you will have exposed skin for the remainder of the game. Besides, thin pants will not protect you from the outdoor environment.
In this case, the paintball is going to be the least of your worries. You will have to contend with the rough terrain, twigs, rocks, dirt, thorns, and other sharp objects that can cause injuries. Cargo pants, on the other hand, may soak up moisture because of the heat and cause discomfort.
If you really mean business, you will want to wear paintball pants with built-in kneepads. Putting on these specialized pants is simple enough: just wear them like regular pants.
Jersey sizes are subject to preference, but the rule of thumb is to buy a jersey that is about one size larger than what you would usually wear. For instance, if you wear medium t-shirts, you should get large-sized jerseys for a game of paintball. This is important because all the extra padding results in the jersey being tucked in tightly, restricting your range of movements.
Another advantage with large-sized jerseys is air pockets. This minimizes the chances of the paintball breaking upon collision since the extra air pockets cushion the impact, and this increases your chances of winning. Players are eliminated if the incoming paintball breaks and leaves a paint mark.
You may even want to go two sizes higher than your normal getup. Just make sure to check in with your rule book to see if there are any limitations about jersey sizes.
Before you go shopping for paintball jersey and hoodie, you should learn what sets the bad ones from the good ones. Here’s what you should look for:
Choose paintball jersey and pants that are comfortable to wear. They should have lots of padding that fit well around your chest, thighs, groin area, and legs without restricting your movement.
Breathability is an important factor that determines your comfort level during a game of paintball. You will be moving a lot during gameplay and the heat is only going to crank up the humidity in your clothes. Wearing breathable paintball clothes will allow your skin to breathe instead of being choked up with all the sweat! This will keep you comfortable and cool while playing on the field.
Another issue with paintball jersey and pants is that they get heavier with the addition of extra bells and whistles. In a fast-action game involving lots of evasive maneuvers, heavy overalls will restrict your movement. With that being said, you should find clothes that won’t overburden you.
You want your jersey and pants to be comfortable to wear, but retain extra durability. It should last long after you’ve bought it and have a good tolerance for punishment. A single game of paintball will cause lots of wear and tear, and if your paintball overalls are not up to the task, they will tear easily. So choose one that is made from strong materials such as nylon. This ensures your jerseys and pants stand up to the test of time.
Your paintball gear is going to get messy very easily. No matter how good you are at avoiding the mud, twigs, and dirt, you will get dirty. This is why ease of maintenance should be a top priority. The last thing you want is for your gear to lose its quality after just a few good swirls in the machine washer.
Most denim pants designed exclusively for paintball feature knee pads as an extra layer of safety. You can cut down on your costs and buy normal denim pants.
You may be tempted to wear aftermarket knee pads over your denim pants (make sure the material is thick enough). While this is a good idea, separate knee pads may limit your flexibility and mobility, and even risk breaking loose during the battle. It may be worth your while to wear purpose-built paintball pants since their knee pads are designed to stay attached at all times.
The choice ultimately comes down to personal preference.
Chest protectors may sound overkill for a game of paintball, but if you’re sensitive to the fast little pellets, you will definitely thank yourself when you’re mercilessly swarmed by paintballs during a game. Most paintball jerseys have built-in chest protectors to give you an all-in-one package and maximize safety.
But some players may find it discomforting to have something this bulky on their chest at all times. If you fall in this category, you can buy chest protectors as an add-on, just make sure they’re the correct size. Jerseys with built-in chest protectors do this for you. If you’re going the aftermath route, just make sure to strap on your chest protector tightly to your chest because it can fall off easily.
Most players don’t appreciate proper neck protection until they get hit straight in the neck. This is where neck protectors can come in handy. Some paintball jerseys feature built-in neck protectors that perfectly wrap around your neck and absorb the shock of paintballs while providing support to your neck. Good padding may even improve your skills.
If you don’t feel comfortable purchasing a jersey with a built-in neck protector, you may want to choose a bandanna that can be tied around your neck, or even a turtleneck sweater. Just don’t skip out on nerck protection.
The groin remains the most sensitive part of your body, and it is quite vulnerable during a game of paintball. This especially holds true for men (for obvious reasons!). This is where groin cups come in handy. They may sound overkill, but when you’re hit there, all hell breaks loose. Yes, crotch shots are rare, but that’s a chance you don’t want to take.
Paintball doesn’t discriminate. A crotch shot can bring even the toughest of all men down to their knees. Most new paintball players don’t even consider wearing protection given how sensitive the groin area is. You should not leave this up to chance because you may get hit, and this experience could end up ruining paintball for you.
A game of paintball can quickly get heated up and all the action may easily tear a hole in your clothes. You can avoid the ensuing embarrassment by having an extra pair of clothes on-site. You shouldn’t have to worry about getting dirty when playing paintball!
It is given that your paintball clothes will get coated with splotches of paint, mud, and other debris. You don’t them to get on your car seat because they are stubborn to remove afterwards. Fresh clothes will help you in keeping your car (and house) clean!
If you’re serious about winning in a game of paintball, you might want to use ‘tactical espionage’ and ‘stealth’ to gain an advantage over other players. You can achieve this by buying camouflaged pants and jersey to help you blend in with the environment. The human eye is trained to pick up on straight lines and flat surfaces and identifies them to be out of place, so any solid and bright colors will give away your location to the ‘enemy’. It’s not a requirement, but a great advantage nonetheless.
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