It’s hard to capture the essence of a thing in a single word. In paintball, the term “low impact” is used to describe games played with the guns that shoot lighter rounds at lower velocities.
Here today I’ll state key facts about low impact paintball and how it works. This painball gun is basically an adapted version of paintball for kids and younger players. But it uses modified equipment and gear which offers less force and thus involves less risk.
In this blog I’ll tell you about low impact paintball speed limits and guns. But first let me explain the difference between regular and low impact paintball.
Regular Paintball vs Low Impact Paintball
What is the difference between low impact paintball and regular paintball?
Low impact paintball is a great option for beginners, younger players, or anyone who doesn’t want to be bruised by paintballs. Compared to regular paintballs which travel at 300 feet per second and leave welts, these paintball guns operate at around 150 feet per second and leave little or no marks.
Another difference between both is the size of the ball that is shot from the marker.
❗As with regular paintball, games can be played in the woods or indoors in specially designed playing facilities. Typically, low-impact games are shorter and have less participants than regular games because the equipment is more expensive and harder to find.
These paintball guns are also great for indoor paintball games. It will not break on walls or other surfaces like regular paintballs would, making cleaning up a breeze.
Low Impact Paintball Guns
A low impact paintball gun is a paintball marker that shoots a smaller projectile than normal. This makes the game safer, as you are less likely to experience bruising or welts when hit.
These guns use 0.50-caliber balls, which are half the size of standard 0.68 caliber balls. Yet because they’re lighter, they don’t travel as far as standard paintballs do. You can expect them to shoot about half as far as standard paintballs when fired from the same distance and with the same velocity.
Another more reliable and accurate type of these gun is the electronic gun.
The electronic low impact paintball guns fire at a lower velocity than traditional mechanical paintball guns while maintaining the same reliability and precision.
Speed Limits
By reducing the projectile speed at which players are hit, low impact paintball ensures that there will be minimal injuries. These guns usually don’t shoot faster than 180 feet per second.
The lower velocity means less pain when getting shot, making it a great option for younger players. Or anyone who wants to play on a regular basis without the lingering bruises and soreness that can come from playing regular speedball.
Age Limit
What age is low impact paintball for?
Low-impact paintball games are perfect for younger kids or players who want to enjoy the game without getting beat up. Usually a player more than the age of 8 years can take part in low impact paintball matches.
Due to its improved and modified equipment, there is a lesser chance of getting injured for younger kids. Mostly the low impact paintball fields allow players from ages 8-10 to play these matches alongside their elderly teammates.
Some Drawbacks of Low Impact Paintball Games
Though low impact paintball is considered as an environmentally friendly and risk free sport, it too has some drawbacks as any other sport;
- It uses a special type of equipment that is not easily available in the market.
- These guns or markers are less common in the market and hence are more costly than their regular counterparts.
- These paintball markers aren’t capable of shooting as far as their standard counterparts so they’re not suitable for some types of play such as woodsball where long-distance shots might be required.
- It also needs to be cleaned more frequently, which limits its usefulness for rentals.
Here are my answers to some of the widely asked questions about these types of paintball guns.
FAQs:
Do low impact paintballs hurt?
Low Impact Paintball is not as harsh on your body and doesn’t leave you with bruises after you’re done playing.
What is a low impact paintball gun?
A low impact paintball gun is one that, for safety reasons, has been modified to shoot lighter paintballs at lower velocities than the standard tournament marker. A typical tournament-grade gun shoots .68 caliber paintballs at 280 feet per second (fps). Low-impact guns shoot .50 caliber paintballs at 150 fps or less.
Is low impact paintball safe for kids?
Safety is always a concern in any sport. And while there is no such thing as a completely safe activity, low impact paintball reduces the risk of injury for kids by using low velocity markers.
Takeaways for playing low impact paintball
Low impact paintball is gaining more popularity in the USA. The game is getting this vogue for being an eco friendly sport and its safe equipment for kids. Even younger players can participate in low this contests.
Though it’s less risky or either risk free, still it needs some precautions on the part of referees and field owners to arrange the matches in a safe environment.
By going through the above facts and figures, it must have become susceptible for you to decide if you still want to get your child registered for a low impact paintball field.
Stay connected to us for more on the related topics!
