Protection on the Paintball Field By Layne Emerson At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

While urban paintball fields are growing in popularity, many people still consider the real action to be out in the woods, outlaw style. When engaging in woodsball, getting hit with a paint pellet is the least of your worries when it comes to injuries. The human body just isn't built to withstand multiple high-impact collisions with immovable objects. If your paintball play tends towards the extreme environment, investing in good protection gear will keep you fit and ready for the next battlefield incursion.

Playing in a wooded environment offers much in the way of ground cover and concealment. While moving through that brier patch will provide the element of surprise, doing so without proper protection may cost more than its worth. Elbow pads and knee pads will provide cushioning and protect some of the most important joints of your body. When shopping for pads search for the type that won't hamper your movement while still providing a decent amount of protection for your body. Neoprene pads generally offer decent flexibility and protection and are a good choice to start with. Hard pads are generally not preferable.

If you tend to dive and slide quite a bit, you may want to also invest in some good hip pads as well. Slider shorts are popular in baseball and have the hip padding built in. Consider wearing a pair of these underneath your long pants. While it is possible to slide in a way that you don't need hip padding, the terrain involved in woodsball often prevents these ideal techniques from occurring.

Running through the woods is notoriously treacherous. On a dry day it seems like every stray branch, root, and rock reaches up to try to trip you up. Add a little water to the mix and the mud becomes almost impossible to navigate quickly without taking a tumble, or worse loosing your shoe completely. Wearing a good pair of cleats will improve your footing tremendously. If you find yourself twisting and spraining your ankles when engaging in woodsball, you may also want to consider wearing ankle braces. The extra support provided is often enough to avoid a costly medical visit afterward.

Crawling through all these vines, underbrush, and rocky terrain leads to another point. Protect your hands. Wearing gloves is a good thing. Wearing gloves that include a more solid palm for protection and grip is even better. No matter what type of glove you wear, make sure you can quickly remove your finger from the trigger mechanism. Falling with your finger locked in place and the muzzle buried in the ground always ends with a resounding *snap* and a nasty trigger finger break.

Renegade paintball is exciting and fun while providing a tactical challenge. Playing within a natural setting, however, also pits you against the terrain. Take the time to plan ahead and secure the protection gear that you will need to keep yourself in one piece. In addition to pads, gloves, and cleats, make sure you pack plenty of insect spray and use it often to keep away ticks and other bugs that lurk in all the places you want to use as cover.

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