Paintball is a hell lot of fun.
Paintball hurts.
Paintball is an action-packed recreational sport for young men.
You can have a party on a paintball field with all your friends and family.
Are you also caught between these paradoxical statements?
Let us tell you, they are all true.
But how?
Because there is not only one type of paintball, paintball marker, or even paintballs.
Come on my dear! Paintball is an old sport now. Not too old but almost one and a half centuries old is old enough. Don’t you think so?
It has evolved and so is the equipment. Now everyone can have their share and enjoy the game in their own preferred style.
So here comes the moment of truth!
A standard or regular game of paintball with .68 caliber paintballs surely hurts and not everyone can play it.
Whereas a game of low impact paintball with .50 caliber balls can be played by people of all ages and it does not hurt.
What is Low Impact Paintball?
As the name says, low impact paintball is designed to have a lower impact when it hits the target, which results in less pain. Low impact paintball is played with the use of smaller paintball rounds and different guns. Many times, the guns are set at a lower velocity as well, so it does not hit the opponent hard.
So the leading cause behind lower impact paintball is to enjoy all the fun and excitement of paintball while cutting out the pain part from the entire package.
A Peek into the Birth of Low Impact Paintballing
It is not a long time ago, there was no concept of low impact paintball. The traditional, or .68 caliber paintball was the only option available for the players.
But, as we all know, it hurts.
That gave rise to many cases in the courts. People suing fields for injuries and welts were not unheard of.
Then little kids and women wanted to jump in, but the pain was hindering their path.
Finally, it was in Japan that low impact paintball was first introduced. According to the laws of Japan, if a gun is hitting with above 10 joules of force, it is an illegal weapon. So instead of playing with a standard paintball gun that hits with 14 joules, they introduced the one that hits with only around 4 joules.
And that made it possible for kids and women to take part in the game without the fear of getting hurt.
Difference Between the Low Impact and Standard Paintball
Low impact paintball is different from standard/regular paintball at many levels. Below, we will discuss all these levels in detail.
Paintballs/ Projectiles
The first and foremost difference in both game types is the size of the paintballs. You may know them as paintball rounds, projectiles, ammunition, or simply “paint”. As mentioned before, a standard paintball marker uses .68 caliber paintballs, whereas a low impact paintball gun fires .50 caliber rounds.
When compared in size, the .50 caliber paintballs are half the size of .68 caliber paintballs. The smaller the size, the lesser pain will be that it causes the target.
Guns
Low-impact paintball games make use of smaller paintball guns. These guns are lightweight so young players do not need to worry about carrying heavy guns in the fields and getting tired under that massive weight.
Some fields do not offer smaller guns though, because a simple change in the barrel also does the job. They change the barrels of their regular guns into smaller ones and they are all good at shooting smaller paintballs. But a gun that is made to shoot smaller rounds is certainly the best option.
If you want to buy your own low impact gun, you can have a look at Mercury Rise Hail .50 caliber gun. It is one of the best low-impact guns available on the market. We will discuss it in detail later in this article.
Hoppers
With a change in the gun, you can also change the hopper sitting on the top of your gun. The low-impact paintball markers preferably use smaller hoppers.
Although these hoppers are small, they can hold around 300 paintballs because the paintballs are also smaller in size. A smaller hopper contributes to making the gun lightweight.
Gas Tanks
The smaller rounds need less force to be shot from the gun. Which means you need less gas to shoot those rounds. The low impact paintball markers often use smaller gas tanks.
A 12 gram CO2 tank is just the right size for a .50 caliber paintball gun, instead of a heavy 20 gram tank.
Pain Level
The main difference and reason behind low impact and standard paintball is the pain level that both types can cause.
If you have ever played paintball, you must be aware that it hurts when you get shot, especially from a close range. If you have never been in a field but you are afraid of getting hurt, let us tell you that it does not hit that much when you are actually playing the game.
You are all full of excitement and adrenaline that your body does not feel the pain at the actual level.
In simpler words, if you are standing straight to have a pain test and someone shoots you in the back it is going to hurt a lot more when you are hit while playing the game. But these paintballs can cause bruises on your body that may take days to heal completely.
This is where low impact paintball comes to your rescue. Reducing the size of the paintball means you have reduced the pain level too, and it is so reduced that you can hardly feel it. You will have a feeling of being pinched by surprise and that’s all.
Age limit
A standard game of paintball does not allow kids under the age of 10 because younger kids cannot endure the pain caused by a paintball.
But, as low impact equipment helps reduce the pain to more than half of its level, kids as young as 8 ( or even 7 in some fields) are allowed to have fun and start their paintball journey.
You can also check our complete article on age requirements to play paintball.
Range
The range of how far a gun can fire depends on two things.
- Size of the Projectiles
- The velocity with which it shoots
When you reduce the size of the paintballs, it automatically drops the range of the paintball gun. You can also reduce the velocity of the gun so that the paintballs travel at a lower speed and make less impact when they hit the target.
On average, a standard paintball gun has a range of 200 feet, whereas a low impact paintball gun can reach 120 feet only.
Accuracy
.50 caliber paintball guns are just as accurate as .68 caliber guns, so there is no compromise on accuracy.
Weight of the Gun
As we have been touching on this point throughout the article, low impact paintball guns are lightweight as compared to standard paintball guns. These guns work with smaller hoppers and smaller tanks.
This is an advantage to younger players so they do not have to carry huge guns around the fields and get tired under their weight.
Pros and Cons of Low Impact Paintball
Here is a precise list for you to see what are the advantages and disadvantages of a low impact game.
Pros
- Does Not Hurt
- Perfect For All Age Groups
- Smaller Paintballs make Lesser Mess
- Lets You Play With Family
- Has the Same Fun and Excitement as Standard Paintball
- Makes Paintball Easier with Smaller Equipment
Cons
- The range of the gun reduces because of the smaller mass/ paintball.
- Not as common as traditional paintball so you might have a tough time finding a suitable field around you.
Low Impact Vs. Regular Paintball – Comparison Table
| Regular Paintball | Low Impact Paintball | |
|---|---|---|
| Paintball Rounds | .68 Caliber | .50 Caliber |
| Ejectile Velocity | 280 to 300 FPS | 180 to 210 FPS |
| Field of Range | 200 Feet Maximum | 120 Feet Maximum |
| Accuracy | Depends on the Gun and its Velocity | Depends on the Gun and its Velocity |
| Pain Level | Stings when Hit | The pain level is less than what you fell with a standard gun |
| Tank and Hopper | The gas tanks are often 20 grams for a regular paintball gun and hoppers are bigger in size as compared to low impact guns. | Often 12 gram tanks are used with low impact paintball guns and hoppers are also smaller in size, and still they can hold the same number of balls. |
| Overall Weight of the Gun | The guns with big hoppers and gas tanks are often heavier. | The smaller gas tanks and hoppers contribute to making the gun lightweight. |
| Age Limit For the Players | Players Under 10 years of age are often not allowed in the field. | Players as young as 8 years can play the game and enjoy themselves. |
| Fun Levels | Arouses extreme levels of excitement and fun in the players. | Arouses the same levels of excitement and fun in the players, or even more because you are not getting hurt. |
YouTube Videos to Watch
The Best Low Impact Paintball Gun Review
If you are a regular paintball player and you intend to keep playing, it is always a good decision to buy your own gun. Owning your equipment helps you have better familiarity with it and, eventually, a consistent game.
Here we have one of the best low impact paintball guns for you, to help you make a decision.
Mercury Rise Hail Semi Auto Paintball Gun
This paintball gun is not only easy to use as a beginner gun, but it is also quite easy on the budget as well.
What’s in the Box?
Surprisingly, it is not only a .50 caliber gun that you are going to have, you will also receive a .50 caliber hopper with it too. And all of it is available for under 100 bucks.
Design
This gun is specifically designed as a beginner gun. It has a plug behind it so you do not need any help from a tool to open and maintain it. A simple twist of the plug enables you to get to the inside parts.
And this gun weighs only 1.24 pounds. This weight makes it best suited for younger players.
Performance
This is a gun that is made to last long. So you do not need to worry about breaking it while you are running to shoot or ambush.
The accuracy is also to the point and you can increase or decrease the velocity simply by turning a switch at the back.
And yet we have to unfold an amazing feature.
This gun is compatible with CO2 as well as HPA. So you can have any of the tanks attached and there is nothing to worry about. No matter, if a field is offering HPA or CO2, you will get this gun working. You will just have to prepare with both kinds of tanks though.
Ratings and Reports of Players
The players who used this gun are super satisfied with its performance. They like the design of this extremely lightweight gun and are happy with its compatibility with both the gas types.
It has got 4.5 out of 5 stars ratings from its users.
Our Verdict
We find it one of the best beginner friendly guns. It is super lightweight and extremely easy not only to use but to maintain as well.
We give it an 9.2 out of 10 on our scale.
JT Splitmaster – Another Good Low Impact Paintball Gun
In case you want to play with a .50 caliber gun which is even lighter in weight and easier to use, you must go with this one.
Insanely Awesome Feature: You do not need a gas tank to shoot with this gun!
Best Low Impact Paintball Fields in the USA
Are you still reading? We bet you have already planned a game of low impact paintball for next weekend. It is certainly not your fault. Paintball does that to almost every 3rd person.
The next thing to do is to find the best paintball field in your vicinity. And here we are to help you with the three best paintball fields in The United States that offer low impact paintball.
1. Apocalypse Paintball Park
The first field on our list is located in Wisconsin. This paintball facility has a variety of fields to offer. You can play woodsball, speedball, and a lot of different scenario games on these fields.
The staff is helpful and friendly. So if it is your first time playing a game of paintball, you do not need to worry about anything. Because they will make sure that you are feeling comfortable and having fun.
The rental equipment is also in the best shape. And they are providing CO2 and HPA in their fields. If you are planning to visit the field in a group, you can have a private field booked and a referee will be allotted for you so you can enjoy yourself with your friends and family without any outsiders.
You might find the packages a bit expensive, but everything is worth the price.
Google Ratings: 4.7 out of 5
Facebook Ratings: 4.4 out of 5
2. The Lone Wolf Paintball Center
If you have the smallest interest in paintball, you may have heard this name already. Located in Michigan, The Lone Wolf Paintball is not only one of the best paintball parks in the USA, it is also a great place to buy your paintball equipment from.
They have their fields on an area of 40 acres where you can find all types of interesting scenarios. And the variety they are offering is massive.
You can play speedball, woodsball, and scenario games, and to top it all, they also have some indoor fields too so that you can enjoy playing in extreme weather.
Talking about the low impact, they have got the best paintball equipment for that. And the best part is: it is not only low impact that you can play on those fields, they are also offering JT Splatter for the younger kids.
Their staff is knowledgeable and well trained so you can have all of the basic information and guidance even if you are a first-timer entering a paintball field.
The prices of their fields are a bit on the higher side, but they are going to charge for what they have earned. Their popularity and authority in the field of paintball are matchless.
Google Ratings: 4.5 out of 5
Facebook Ratings: 4.2 out of 5
3. “Let’s Play Paintball” Facility
If you are residing anywhere close to South Virginia or North California, this can be your go to place for a game of low impact paintball.
This is one of the best facilities to provide paintball for kids and here comes the super awesome part about them: they have five different locations to play in. You can choose any of the fields, or, can go to the one nearest to you and have all the fun and excitement. Any of the fields can be booked online through their website and that too at a very reasonable price.
You will find one of the most friendly staff in their field who is trying their best to give you the best time at their fields.
They have some of the best equipment to offer you on the fields. They are also giving good packages for groups and parties and everything comes at a reasonable price.
They have some of the best satisfied players on their side.
Groupon Ratings: 4.5 out of 5
Facebook Ratings: 4.6 out of 5
Final Words
Paintball hurts and that is a truth. But this is not the whole truth. Paintball has variations and they are without the hurt part. A low impact game is also the best way to get introduced to the game.
Once you are comfortable with the things and want to level up with your game, you can always switch to the standard game. But if you start with the traditional game, hitting paintballs may change your mind and make you leave the game.
Apart from that, low impact paintball is just the right choice if you want to have fun with your family and enjoy a game outdoors. Shooting paintballs at your siblings or other family members may sound like therapy to some.
So, if you have even a tiny bit of inclination to play paintball, you better start with a low impact game.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Does paintball hurt?
It is one of the most frequently asked questions in the world of paintball. And the answer is, YES. A standard paintball marker shoots at a velocity of around 300 feet per second and if you come in the way of those paintballs, they are surely gonna hurt. BUT, if you take the safety precautions, you can always reduce the impact.
What is low impact paintball?
Low impact paintball is a variation of paintball. It is played with the guns with lower velocity and smaller paintballs, and that helps to reduce the pain factor. It has got all the same rules and fun except for the pain part so all ages can enjoy themselves.
What is the velocity of a low impact paintball gun?
A low impact paintball gun often fires with a velocity of 180 to 210 feet per second. A reduction in velocity helps to bring the pain levels down when it hits the target.
Can I use the standard paintballs in my low impact gun?
The standard paintballs are called .68 caliber rounds and you must not try to use them in your low impact gun. Low impact paintball guns are made to shoot .50 caliber rounds that are smaller in size. Using the wrong size can cause broken paintballs inside your gun that will damage your gun and ruin your game.
What is the minimum age limit for playing paintball?
You have to be at least 10 years old to play a standard/ traditional game of paintball but you can play low impact at the age of 8. And yet better, if you find a facility which is offering JT Splatter, you can enjoy your first game at the age of 6.
