Good paintball gear?

I am interested in starting to play paintball and I was wondering what good quality guns are?  Thanks for any help you can provide!

Are they are crappy brans to steer clear of and great brands to look at?

I am also a big fan of pistols, but I realize they may not be the most effective in a game of paintball.

Tippmann 98 Custom. Great for beginers and pros. You can drop it, get it dirty, and the damn thing will always work!

Tippman is the best brand.

alright I will look into Tippman than :P.

Obviously paintballs last as long as the shots you fire per the amount of paintballs you have, but how long does CO2 last?  I am trying to figure out all the necessary components and prices involved.  Thanks!

Before you even think about getting a gun, make sure you get yourself a nice, quality thermal lensed mask first. Nothing in paintball is more important than the comfort, breathability, and visibility of your goggle system. That being said, if you are looking for a good starter gun there is nothing better than a good old 98 Custom or A5.

Before you even think about getting a gun, make sure you get yourself a nice, quality thermal lensed mask first. Nothing in paintball is more important than the comfort, breathability, and visibility of your goggle system. That being said, if you are looking for a good starter gun there is nothing better than a good old 98 Custom or A5.

joe11king

I was just talking to my brother who had played paintball with a couple of friends once at an arena and didn't care for it because...

"i didn't like getting geared up

[QUOTE="joe11king"]

Before you even think about getting a gun, make sure you get yourself a nice, quality thermal lensed mask first. Nothing in paintball is more important than the comfort, breathability, and visibility of your goggle system. That being said, if you are looking for a good starter gun there is nothing better than a good old 98 Custom or A5.

NaveedLife

I was just talking to my brother who had played paintball with a couple of friends once at an arena and didn't care for it because...

"i didn't like getting geared up

i didn't like how the guns shoti didn't like the small arenaand i didn't like getting hit  it wasn't fun to me" and he also said this in reply to my saying "I want to feel like james bond :P" lol... "lol with a PP7 that lobs bullets instead of shooting them straight"

Does anyone have any opinions to offer on what my brother said (as posed above and as I quoted in this post)?  I am curious if he feels that way because of his gear being poor or somethign liek that, or if other peopel feel that way too and thats just the way it is.

It's common for people who have never played paintball before to feel discouraged because of the shape of the rental equipment. More often than not, rental masks are easy to fog, scratched to hell, and uncomfortable. The rental markers at a field also seldom get thoroughly cleaned/have their velocity adjusted, so it's also not out of the ordinary to have a rental gun that 'lobs' paint at a slow fps or is wildly inaccurate. 

The field you're playing at has a huge impact on how much you enjoy yourself- the same goes for the people you're playing with. Paintball can be made a lot more enjoyable if you can get a group of friends together to play as well.

And as for not liking to get shot?  It's not so bad. If you're a newer player, one of the BEST things you can do is try to get shot your first game or two. I mean really play aggressively and move around the field and force yourself to put yourself in questionably tight/rewarding spots. The reason for this, is that it teaches you early on that getting shot isn't so bad, and that playing aggressively and getting that heart pounding is more fun than you could imagine. 

Sorry for the wall of text haha. Short answer- at a base level, it's a game of instinct. Some like it, some don't!  

Glock 21

But for the kids, Empire makes the best paintball guns.

As others have said, Tippmann.

Good, reliable, affordable, and endlessly up-gradable.

As others have said, Tippmann.

Good, reliable, affordable, and endlessly up-gradable.

dercoo

[QUOTE="dercoo"]

As others have said, Tippmann.

Good, reliable, affordable, and endlessly up-gradable.

lo_Pine

Tippmann lobs balls, bro. Don't listen to them. Save up and buy a Dragun, Halo, or Empire and you will be happier.

There's absolutely no reason for a beginner to save up and buy such expensive gear. 

I would just invest on goggles.

I used to teach paintball in japan, and the store sponsered me with a whole lot of gear.

It was all cool, but the goggles were so heavy and i needed glasses so running became almost impossible for me.

now that i have had lasik I so want to get back to playing paintball!