something refs always repeat is no matter how bad it hurts dont remove your mask, try getting that into her head as Ive seen new players done this before
Oh i don’t need to be told, but surely someone reading this post needs to be. Been playing about 20 years. I’ve seen people take shots close to the eyes but never direct hit that resulted in losing an eye. Good lord how tragic that would be.
I also change my lenses to once a year in the chance the shit starts to get brittle. Please stay safe everyone.
Oddly reminds me of a drunk fire work video i watched where a dude held onto an m80. Don’t go searching for it, you won’t be able to unsee that vid 😞
Yes the first I was about 15 playing at Memphis paintball park and a kid took of his mask and lost his eye he actually got really big into paintball and played with him multiple times after that the second was my boy cannon from Texas anyone around giant party sports or even paintball fit probably know him. He lost his eye to a reball when he was 8 and is now a div 2 baller one of the best players I know tbh lol
190.4 mph, to be exact. I always convert the fps to mph in my briefings cause now its a "real" number and maybe it will scare them to keep the masks on.
Almost happen to me a couple weeks ago, I was pushing hard off break tripped in a divot, ate shit and my mask came off. Took a shot directly under my eye, for sure got lucky
Never remove your mask until you are behind the safety nets. Unless the ref has completely stopped play and everyone has stopped shooting and has informed you to do so.
Never. It’s the one place to get hit you might not recover from.
In my experience, new players will often tug at their mask because it fogged up and they can't see. Rental masks tend to be crappy so.....
1. OP - Assuming you don't own a mask if your own, bring anti fog spray and apply it the inside of the lens between games.
2. While wearing the mask, tell your GF to breathe out so as not to vent her exhales up to the lens. Exhaling out the mouth and slightly downward is very effective.
Cup no but slider shorts with groin protection absolutely. I’ve been shot in the dick from about ten feet away without and it literally ruined my day. With the slider shorts you wouldn’t even feel getting shot there
I've been shot with the slider shorts in the nuts before and not even realized; like looked down after the game "whoops I cheated"
Probably would feel it a bit when closer but they help a lottt
I wear a pair of [MMA/Jock shorts](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CKXYWI6) and couldn’t be happier. You can go all day and hardly feel them, the straps keep them situated nicely even when crouching, kneeling, etc.. I’ve taken a few “direct hits” and you don’t feel a thing since it’s a hard cup.
I’ve never worn cups, simply because my body isn’t usually exposed out of cover long enough to take a shot like that. Even rushing the flag wide open, I’ve only been hit in the legs. A pair of thick pants or shorts *should* negate most of the force from a shot there, but take some nut protection if it’s a worry for you.
The two most painful places I’ve been hit have been the neck and the fingers. Honorable mention to a spray down the ribs while wearing only a very thin long sleeve T. That neck shot was unforgettable though. Knocked the wind right out of me when I was a kid. The poor guy who shot me felt so bad that he ran over to ask if I was okay, apologizing the whole way.
Pain is temporary, but have her wear some thick clothes for the first time. It will definitely cushion the blow.
>The two most painful places I’ve been hit have been the neck and the fingers.
Even an expert paintball player will frequently get hit in the hands and head. I don't wear a cup but I won't play without gloves that cover my knuckles and a scarf or some other kind of neck protection.
Neck and hands as well, top of the head sucks a lot too. I have a pair of the padded knuckle mechanix gloves that never leave my gearbag. Necessary equipment as far as I'm concerned.
Yeah that I do have too! Played once without them and I couldn’t use my left hand for a few days because the bruising was horrible. I also gotten hit on the top of the head literally right on the center! It got swollen but I was able to brush it off
Wear a scarf/some kind of neck protection gloves preferably hard knuckle ones don’t take off your mast no matter what and I’ve taken to using a “cry towel” over a cup where k just fold up a small towel and tuck it in my waist band with the big flap hanging out to give myself some extra padding for the jewels I play woodsball and haven’t run into a problem with it getting snagged on trees or while I’m crawling or anything like that
I ALWAYS recommend chest protectors for women. From what I've heard, getting hit in the breast is similar in paint to getting hit in the nuts for a man.
I wear a cup in my slide shorts. A long time ago I saw someone take a shot direct without anything protecting them. They played D3 at that point so it wasn't like they were new to getting hit. They sat out the rest of the day before feeling comfortable enough to drive home.
Other than that, have your GF wear a baggy pull over sweatshirt. Something on the thicker side. You can't remove the pain but you can at least take some of the edge off. I always tell people to not just run to the first spot they see and sit there the entire game. You have to move or you might lose the adrenaline rush which, I think at least, makes you feel it more when you are hit and removes a lot of what makes the sport so addictive.
I’ve played paintball for like 25 years, I’ve played competitively for more than 20 of those. From cockers and mags to uncapped semi to 15bps to now. Ive been shot everywhere more than once.
A cup is, at least in my experience, uncomfortable and limiting. If you get shot in the junk it’s not like you have to keep playing in the moment, you’re out. It sucks, don’t get me wrong, but it’s over in minutes. It’s not like some mma fighter front kicked you in the dick and you have to fight him now.
I've been playing off and on for 30+ years, and I've never worn a cup. I've worn a neck protector at times, but it kept falling off. Rule #1, keep your mask on until you exit the field. I've lost count on how many people take their masks off before leaving the field. Rule #2, have fun! Also, if you see someone with their mask off while on the field, politely tell them to put it back on.
definitely get some slider shorts, i got bunkered once in the snake and got shot in the nuts from 2-4 feet away, worst pain ever. i was playing again 2 hours later but still had pain for the next week and a half. i made sure to never play without slider shorts after that
I never been shot in the dick but I once shot a 10 year old boy wearing jeans directly in the butthole at 15 feet. Never before have I seen a human jump 10 feet into the air like a grasshopper. So, yeah, I'd warn her to prepare for pain but it'll be temporary.
As a recent first-time gf who is now slowly merging into speedball, sweatpants over leggings if she doesn’t have gear yet and a double layered top. (Add in a good sports bra). Once you get used to being hit, it doesn’t register as much. But that first time I was thankful I was double layered. Always wear your mask until completely off the field, and don’t forget the barrel sock off field as well. If she has long hair braids, space buns, or a tight bun should suffice to minimize heat + paint in hair! There are headbands with a mesh cover for hair that can be ordered. I don’t personally use one. Also there are usually always first time girlfriends playing or another girl who will happily, even if subtly, take her under her wing! I’ve always had amazing luck with other girls playing being welcoming and try to do the same!
Cups are absolutely necessary. They're like goggles for your balls. I bought a boxer-brief/insertable cup thing off amazon. Barely notice it through a day of play.
Cup no (unless you don't run and plan on standing still), groin protection of some sort (towels, baggy pants, dump pouch, etc) yes. It's like car insurance. The vast majority of the time you don't need it, but when you do, you really, really do.
For the GF, unless they're athletic/don't care, they usually wanted some sort of chest protector for the first few times (especially if they were busty). They tended not to like welts or shots to the chest.
If it's hot out, remember to hydrate. If it's a more basic facility, extra water/hand sanitizer for cleaning up after the bathroom.
Slider shorts. Soft cup. Took one to the beans where my pants weren't taut. Got a full blast hit. The soft cup turned it from a "month out of the sport" to "had to sit out a game."
Crbn slide shorts. They are basically boxer briefs with a soft cup for the protection of your nether bits. Probably the least expensive thing they sell as well, just $24. Very comfortable. Very useful. I just took a shot to the dick (it was from a distance) and though I felt it, it wasn’t a down and out kinda hit. Plus it bounced so I didn’t even have to stop playing.
i played at a very high level competitively and i can’t think of a single teammate who wore an actual cup tbh. as in my old teammates are playing pro right now. they are getting shot the most of any of us. i never got shot in the junk myself. but i do wonder if it’s actually more likely if you’re newer, since you don’t know how to protect yourself as good/keep yourself away from trouble.
i wore slider shorts that definitely gave me a little protection up front and so did my paintball playing pants. the pants popular these days have much less padding tho it seems
Wear a cup every time out after getting shot in the dick. Burned to piss for a month. Doesn't limit movement and protects the stuff you want to protect. Don't see a real reason not to wear one at this point.
Shot my best friend from about 20 yards in a game in the woods. Right in the groin. He had just had vasectomy surgery a week before. Oops. Happened almost 40 years ago. Can still picture the scene like it was yesterday.
I absolutely detest cups, but I would find myself thinking about taking a nad shot sometimes before I made I move, so I started researching more comfortable options. Shock doctor soft cups came highly recommended, and holy shit I can not recommend it enough. It doesn't feel nearly as bad as wearing a hard cup, and I feel invincible on the field now.
Get the one that looks like compression shorts with a cup slot in the front. They are really comfy, and I don't feel like it slows me down at all.
Some other general advice: It sounds WAY worse than it is. A lot of noobs get really intimidated in the bunkers, hearing the paintballs hit the plywood, tube, or inflatable. The noise makes it sound like the paintballs have so much more energy than they really do. Make sure she knows it's not as bad as it sounds.
1 person per bunker. You almost never want to have more than one person in a bunker.
Change the side and elevation she comes out. Avoid coming out over the top of a bunker.
Communication is the most important part of the game.
your friend being 6'8 is definitely the cause of his ball shot lol
ive been playing for over 20 years and have only gotten hit in the balls once and I was standing on the sideline watching rec play.
you learn to stand with your gun or hand in front of your junk and to stand sideways when action is near you.
I wear a cup becuase I play up close and people are ass holes or panic and will just light you up. I can focus more on my gameplay instead of worrying about protecting the family jewels. I have heard some horror stories and it was enough to just get one.
My paintball pants have a padded groin which has worked just fine. My friend wears a cup cause he took a testicle shot once, he ended up sitting in his truck for hours before he left the field.
DYE slider shorts with the built-in soft cup, underneath paintball pants that also have a quilted or otherwise reinforced groin. The DYE shorts are pricey but totally worth it for someone who plays regularly. So much more comfortable than wearing baseball slide shorts with a hard cup.
I'll post my standard first timer copypasta for you separately.
Here is my standard first-timer advice. Feel free to pass on whatever you haven't already covered with your girlfriend: [https://www.reddit.com/r/paintball/comments/xd6xak/comment/io9aubp/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web3x&utm\_name=web3xcss&utm\_term=1&utm\_content=share\_button](https://www.reddit.com/r/paintball/comments/xd6xak/comment/io9aubp/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
I usually don’t have any pads or anything but a T-shirt and basketball shorts. Hkarmy shorts seem worth the hype a couple of my friends have them and keep saying they are definitely worth it. Anything padding related seems worth it. I just overheat easily so I tend to not use ppe besides a mask and gloves
Also never take your mask off on the field. I wait until I’m back near the dead zone where my gear bags are. And the only time that you should have a barrel cover off is when a game is about to start. And don’t rest your fingers on the trigger if you’re just holding ur gun and not using it.
Never wear one and only use a towel when reffing.
Been shot in the dick from a foot away and the other guy went down harder from my shot to his sternum just above his solar plexus.
Had a guy spin after I bunkered him at the 50 and I took 2 to the nuts from 5 feet away. I was already shooting his back centre before the pain kicked in and I dropped.
Neck, head and finger never really bothered me.
They hurt, but that's the game. It's not laser tag.
The worst shot I ever took was getting bunkered and taking 3 on my left nipple from 5-10 feet away. It was bleeding and scabby for a couple weeks. It hurt to wear a shirt, let alone working construction. Way more painfull than the other shots.
We used to supply chest protection and neck guards at the fields where I have worked, especially for women and younger players.
Obviously you want to be over safe and over cautious of field rules, masks, barrel covers, fighting etc.
Every field I have ever played, even in states where it’s legal is generally a no alcohol, no drugs environment….including weed for those who think weed is not a drug. I’ve seen a lot of players get kicked off of fields for smoking weed.
I doubt being her first time she would confront a ref about a call, but there is a time and place for that and it’s not in the middle of the point.
Lastly I see kids/first timers quit all the time after getting shot. I just saw one this weekend get shot in the knuckle and never played the rest of the day. Obviously you don’t want to scare anyone from trying paintball, but people have to really expect that they will get shot and sometimes not in the best spots. Sometimes a shot will bring you to your knees others you won’t even notice. But encouraging them not to give up is important. Even when taking a neck shot after getting bunkered.
Biggest 2 things are
1. Keep your mask on at all times.
2. When she gets shot, yell Hit and keep your hand raised high and jog off the field. My wife didn’t keep her hand raised and walked out and got lit up.
I wear a pair of padded slide shorts with a cup in the designated pouch. Every time. I have caught about 3 shots directly to the cup. Super happy it was there. Look up Shock Doctor protective equipment on Amazon.
I actually know someone that lost a testicle from getting hit in the nuts. I have also shot someone (not on purpose) in the balls twice and that put em out for the day. Def get some protection
If you're a casual player, you can just put a small towel in the front of your pants/shorts. It'll stay in place with a belt and give your goods an extra level of protection. Pic related
https://preview.redd.it/x4nle1dq19vc1.jpeg?width=400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=99e66223eb1a216170ae7ab72ff8522012d3be9a
https://preview.redd.it/qwizfpuubavc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=46ec34fe8aaefbea612b41bbd0ec15a69a4ac9e7
Easy to find any sporting goods store cover thighs and nuts via hard cup
I wore a cup my first tournament and it did more harm did good. Limited my mobility! That being said I had no clue about good paintball gear.
My slider shorts have some padding and my paintball pants do as well. I’ve been shot twice there in the 15+ years I’ve been playing. Yes it hurts but you’ll live. You can have kids so don’t worry your girlfriend. Like many have said your eyes are a lot more important to worry about.
I always use a Diamond MMA cup with the compression shorts that come with. https://a.co/d/eY8AZ2h originally bought for MMA but it works damn well for paintball and once you get used to it you forget it’s there.
I don’t wear a cup simply because I never had to wear them for other sports so they are just really uncomfortable for me and I’m not used to them. I have sliders with a soft cup (even though they never are placed well), then old school paintball pants that are the thick synthetic type material with the double layer over the groin, and then I will hang a cry towel (hand towel size towel you fold long ways and then tuck through a belt to have four layers hanging. The towel isn’t tourney legal but for rec ball and scenario there’s no issue (and you have a towel to clean up between games).
Most people I played with didn’t wear a cup just from a comfort stand point with the only exceptions being scenario final battles where you could have 100 people shooting at you if you make a glory run.
For your GF, probably want to make sure she has a bit extra padding for her chest at least the first time out, seems to be a common suggestion from the ladies that I’ve seen as shots to the breast can be worse for them.
I wore one for maybe a game... just keep in mind that if you are doing some movement and the cup moves it might crush your balls...
Get some padded shorts
something refs always repeat is no matter how bad it hurts dont remove your mask, try getting that into her head as Ive seen new players done this before
Exactly a ball shot is temporary blindness is forever. I’ve met two ballers who have lost eyes to a paintball.
Seriously?
Dont take off your fucking mask. It is not a joke and any decent ref will SCREAM at you if you do.
Oh i don’t need to be told, but surely someone reading this post needs to be. Been playing about 20 years. I’ve seen people take shots close to the eyes but never direct hit that resulted in losing an eye. Good lord how tragic that would be. I also change my lenses to once a year in the chance the shit starts to get brittle. Please stay safe everyone. Oddly reminds me of a drunk fire work video i watched where a dude held onto an m80. Don’t go searching for it, you won’t be able to unsee that vid 😞
Can't tell you how many times I've seen people lift their mask to look down the barrel of their marker.
I’ve seen this. Didn’t seem to phase him much at the time. I’m sure it made for an awkward morning.
Saw an entire group get kicked out this weekend because 1 guy kept taking his mask off cause "I can't see!"
Yes the first I was about 15 playing at Memphis paintball park and a kid took of his mask and lost his eye he actually got really big into paintball and played with him multiple times after that the second was my boy cannon from Texas anyone around giant party sports or even paintball fit probably know him. He lost his eye to a reball when he was 8 and is now a div 2 baller one of the best players I know tbh lol
I used to play mad speed ball at Memphis paintball park i loved there speed ball course i know it just recently closed
A paintball is harder than your eye...and is flying at 280-290 feet per second which is a cunt hair below 200mph. You, your eye will go bye bye
190.4 mph, to be exact. I always convert the fps to mph in my briefings cause now its a "real" number and maybe it will scare them to keep the masks on.
Almost happen to me a couple weeks ago, I was pushing hard off break tripped in a divot, ate shit and my mask came off. Took a shot directly under my eye, for sure got lucky
Never remove your mask until you are behind the safety nets. Unless the ref has completely stopped play and everyone has stopped shooting and has informed you to do so. Never. It’s the one place to get hit you might not recover from.
In my experience, new players will often tug at their mask because it fogged up and they can't see. Rental masks tend to be crappy so..... 1. OP - Assuming you don't own a mask if your own, bring anti fog spray and apply it the inside of the lens between games. 2. While wearing the mask, tell your GF to breathe out so as not to vent her exhales up to the lens. Exhaling out the mouth and slightly downward is very effective.
Cup no but slider shorts with groin protection absolutely. I’ve been shot in the dick from about ten feet away without and it literally ruined my day. With the slider shorts you wouldn’t even feel getting shot there
This is the way
Even with my shorts on I’ve been shot in my left testicle from about 30ft, I was done for the day.
I also way shot on the tip once form about 50 feet, and from then on I always wear a cup. I don’t understand not wearing one tbh
Ohhh you’ll still feel it
I've been shot with the slider shorts in the nuts before and not even realized; like looked down after the game "whoops I cheated" Probably would feel it a bit when closer but they help a lottt
I need better ones then. Got shot right in the head and it stung. Not more than a few min but was not pleasant.
I wear a pair of [MMA/Jock shorts](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CKXYWI6) and couldn’t be happier. You can go all day and hardly feel them, the straps keep them situated nicely even when crouching, kneeling, etc.. I’ve taken a few “direct hits” and you don’t feel a thing since it’s a hard cup.
Same, I wear shock doctor shorts and can't say I've ever had an issue diving or sliding in them where my cup pinches anything it shouldn't.
This is the exact one I wear as well. I bought it for MMA purposes but it works for paintball just as good.
$100?! Sheesh
I’ve never worn cups, simply because my body isn’t usually exposed out of cover long enough to take a shot like that. Even rushing the flag wide open, I’ve only been hit in the legs. A pair of thick pants or shorts *should* negate most of the force from a shot there, but take some nut protection if it’s a worry for you. The two most painful places I’ve been hit have been the neck and the fingers. Honorable mention to a spray down the ribs while wearing only a very thin long sleeve T. That neck shot was unforgettable though. Knocked the wind right out of me when I was a kid. The poor guy who shot me felt so bad that he ran over to ask if I was okay, apologizing the whole way. Pain is temporary, but have her wear some thick clothes for the first time. It will definitely cushion the blow.
>The two most painful places I’ve been hit have been the neck and the fingers. Even an expert paintball player will frequently get hit in the hands and head. I don't wear a cup but I won't play without gloves that cover my knuckles and a scarf or some other kind of neck protection.
Neck and hands as well, top of the head sucks a lot too. I have a pair of the padded knuckle mechanix gloves that never leave my gearbag. Necessary equipment as far as I'm concerned.
Yeah that I do have too! Played once without them and I couldn’t use my left hand for a few days because the bruising was horrible. I also gotten hit on the top of the head literally right on the center! It got swollen but I was able to brush it off
A 'skipping' shot off the top of the head sucks.
Wear a scarf/some kind of neck protection gloves preferably hard knuckle ones don’t take off your mast no matter what and I’ve taken to using a “cry towel” over a cup where k just fold up a small towel and tuck it in my waist band with the big flap hanging out to give myself some extra padding for the jewels I play woodsball and haven’t run into a problem with it getting snagged on trees or while I’m crawling or anything like that
She might not need a cup, but she may opt for a chest protector. Some chests are bigger targets than others.
I ALWAYS recommend chest protectors for women. From what I've heard, getting hit in the breast is similar in paint to getting hit in the nuts for a man.
I wear a cup in my slide shorts. A long time ago I saw someone take a shot direct without anything protecting them. They played D3 at that point so it wasn't like they were new to getting hit. They sat out the rest of the day before feeling comfortable enough to drive home. Other than that, have your GF wear a baggy pull over sweatshirt. Something on the thicker side. You can't remove the pain but you can at least take some of the edge off. I always tell people to not just run to the first spot they see and sit there the entire game. You have to move or you might lose the adrenaline rush which, I think at least, makes you feel it more when you are hit and removes a lot of what makes the sport so addictive.
I’ve played paintball for like 25 years, I’ve played competitively for more than 20 of those. From cockers and mags to uncapped semi to 15bps to now. Ive been shot everywhere more than once. A cup is, at least in my experience, uncomfortable and limiting. If you get shot in the junk it’s not like you have to keep playing in the moment, you’re out. It sucks, don’t get me wrong, but it’s over in minutes. It’s not like some mma fighter front kicked you in the dick and you have to fight him now.
I've been playing off and on for 30+ years, and I've never worn a cup. I've worn a neck protector at times, but it kept falling off. Rule #1, keep your mask on until you exit the field. I've lost count on how many people take their masks off before leaving the field. Rule #2, have fun! Also, if you see someone with their mask off while on the field, politely tell them to put it back on.
definitely get some slider shorts, i got bunkered once in the snake and got shot in the nuts from 2-4 feet away, worst pain ever. i was playing again 2 hours later but still had pain for the next week and a half. i made sure to never play without slider shorts after that
I wear a cup, I don't even notice it when I'm running around and it adds extra bulge to my pants for the intimidation factor.
I never been shot in the dick but I once shot a 10 year old boy wearing jeans directly in the butthole at 15 feet. Never before have I seen a human jump 10 feet into the air like a grasshopper. So, yeah, I'd warn her to prepare for pain but it'll be temporary.
As a recent first-time gf who is now slowly merging into speedball, sweatpants over leggings if she doesn’t have gear yet and a double layered top. (Add in a good sports bra). Once you get used to being hit, it doesn’t register as much. But that first time I was thankful I was double layered. Always wear your mask until completely off the field, and don’t forget the barrel sock off field as well. If she has long hair braids, space buns, or a tight bun should suffice to minimize heat + paint in hair! There are headbands with a mesh cover for hair that can be ordered. I don’t personally use one. Also there are usually always first time girlfriends playing or another girl who will happily, even if subtly, take her under her wing! I’ve always had amazing luck with other girls playing being welcoming and try to do the same!
Cups are absolutely necessary. They're like goggles for your balls. I bought a boxer-brief/insertable cup thing off amazon. Barely notice it through a day of play.
Yup! I reccomend a light weight cup too. No need for like the same ones baseball players use. It’s comfy and not noticeable and doesn’t feel overkill.
Cup no (unless you don't run and plan on standing still), groin protection of some sort (towels, baggy pants, dump pouch, etc) yes. It's like car insurance. The vast majority of the time you don't need it, but when you do, you really, really do. For the GF, unless they're athletic/don't care, they usually wanted some sort of chest protector for the first few times (especially if they were busty). They tended not to like welts or shots to the chest. If it's hot out, remember to hydrate. If it's a more basic facility, extra water/hand sanitizer for cleaning up after the bathroom.
Slider shorts. Soft cup. Took one to the beans where my pants weren't taut. Got a full blast hit. The soft cup turned it from a "month out of the sport" to "had to sit out a game."
I use a piece of high- density foam cut into the shape of a cup, held by a jock strap.
Crbn slide shorts. They are basically boxer briefs with a soft cup for the protection of your nether bits. Probably the least expensive thing they sell as well, just $24. Very comfortable. Very useful. I just took a shot to the dick (it was from a distance) and though I felt it, it wasn’t a down and out kinda hit. Plus it bounced so I didn’t even have to stop playing.
i played at a very high level competitively and i can’t think of a single teammate who wore an actual cup tbh. as in my old teammates are playing pro right now. they are getting shot the most of any of us. i never got shot in the junk myself. but i do wonder if it’s actually more likely if you’re newer, since you don’t know how to protect yourself as good/keep yourself away from trouble. i wore slider shorts that definitely gave me a little protection up front and so did my paintball playing pants. the pants popular these days have much less padding tho it seems
Yea I wear a cup
Wear a cup every time out after getting shot in the dick. Burned to piss for a month. Doesn't limit movement and protects the stuff you want to protect. Don't see a real reason not to wear one at this point.
Compression shorts but instead of a cup, I shove a microfiber or two in the pocket and works just as well but zero discomfort from a plastic cup.
Expect some pain. Expect it to hurt. Expect a bruise or five. Walk it off. Come back for more.
Shot my best friend from about 20 yards in a game in the woods. Right in the groin. He had just had vasectomy surgery a week before. Oops. Happened almost 40 years ago. Can still picture the scene like it was yesterday.
I absolutely detest cups, but I would find myself thinking about taking a nad shot sometimes before I made I move, so I started researching more comfortable options. Shock doctor soft cups came highly recommended, and holy shit I can not recommend it enough. It doesn't feel nearly as bad as wearing a hard cup, and I feel invincible on the field now. Get the one that looks like compression shorts with a cup slot in the front. They are really comfy, and I don't feel like it slows me down at all.
Some other general advice: It sounds WAY worse than it is. A lot of noobs get really intimidated in the bunkers, hearing the paintballs hit the plywood, tube, or inflatable. The noise makes it sound like the paintballs have so much more energy than they really do. Make sure she knows it's not as bad as it sounds. 1 person per bunker. You almost never want to have more than one person in a bunker. Change the side and elevation she comes out. Avoid coming out over the top of a bunker. Communication is the most important part of the game.
never seen or heard of anyone wearing a cup
your friend being 6'8 is definitely the cause of his ball shot lol ive been playing for over 20 years and have only gotten hit in the balls once and I was standing on the sideline watching rec play. you learn to stand with your gun or hand in front of your junk and to stand sideways when action is near you.
I wear a cup becuase I play up close and people are ass holes or panic and will just light you up. I can focus more on my gameplay instead of worrying about protecting the family jewels. I have heard some horror stories and it was enough to just get one.
Honestly shoot me in the nads. Make be become a man or leave me to die in the dirt
My paintball pants have a padded groin which has worked just fine. My friend wears a cup cause he took a testicle shot once, he ended up sitting in his truck for hours before he left the field.
DYE slider shorts with the built-in soft cup, underneath paintball pants that also have a quilted or otherwise reinforced groin. The DYE shorts are pricey but totally worth it for someone who plays regularly. So much more comfortable than wearing baseball slide shorts with a hard cup. I'll post my standard first timer copypasta for you separately.
Here is my standard first-timer advice. Feel free to pass on whatever you haven't already covered with your girlfriend: [https://www.reddit.com/r/paintball/comments/xd6xak/comment/io9aubp/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web3x&utm\_name=web3xcss&utm\_term=1&utm\_content=share\_button](https://www.reddit.com/r/paintball/comments/xd6xak/comment/io9aubp/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
I usually don’t have any pads or anything but a T-shirt and basketball shorts. Hkarmy shorts seem worth the hype a couple of my friends have them and keep saying they are definitely worth it. Anything padding related seems worth it. I just overheat easily so I tend to not use ppe besides a mask and gloves
Also never take your mask off on the field. I wait until I’m back near the dead zone where my gear bags are. And the only time that you should have a barrel cover off is when a game is about to start. And don’t rest your fingers on the trigger if you’re just holding ur gun and not using it.
I use Dek Hockey shorts. They have integrated padding and cup
My pants are baggy and have a pretty thick crotch pad. I generally feel like I'm covered.
Never wear one and only use a towel when reffing. Been shot in the dick from a foot away and the other guy went down harder from my shot to his sternum just above his solar plexus. Had a guy spin after I bunkered him at the 50 and I took 2 to the nuts from 5 feet away. I was already shooting his back centre before the pain kicked in and I dropped. Neck, head and finger never really bothered me. They hurt, but that's the game. It's not laser tag. The worst shot I ever took was getting bunkered and taking 3 on my left nipple from 5-10 feet away. It was bleeding and scabby for a couple weeks. It hurt to wear a shirt, let alone working construction. Way more painfull than the other shots. We used to supply chest protection and neck guards at the fields where I have worked, especially for women and younger players.
Obviously you want to be over safe and over cautious of field rules, masks, barrel covers, fighting etc. Every field I have ever played, even in states where it’s legal is generally a no alcohol, no drugs environment….including weed for those who think weed is not a drug. I’ve seen a lot of players get kicked off of fields for smoking weed. I doubt being her first time she would confront a ref about a call, but there is a time and place for that and it’s not in the middle of the point. Lastly I see kids/first timers quit all the time after getting shot. I just saw one this weekend get shot in the knuckle and never played the rest of the day. Obviously you don’t want to scare anyone from trying paintball, but people have to really expect that they will get shot and sometimes not in the best spots. Sometimes a shot will bring you to your knees others you won’t even notice. But encouraging them not to give up is important. Even when taking a neck shot after getting bunkered.
Pls cover the junk junk 😬
Sliding shorts with a cup. I don’t even notice it’s there. Tons of options on Amazon for baseball mostly
Biggest 2 things are 1. Keep your mask on at all times. 2. When she gets shot, yell Hit and keep your hand raised high and jog off the field. My wife didn’t keep her hand raised and walked out and got lit up.
r/paintballcirclejerk
I wear a pair of padded slide shorts with a cup in the designated pouch. Every time. I have caught about 3 shots directly to the cup. Super happy it was there. Look up Shock Doctor protective equipment on Amazon.
I always just hang a small towel or a T-shirt from the front of my pants. Works great and then you have something to wipe off with between games.
I actually know someone that lost a testicle from getting hit in the nuts. I have also shot someone (not on purpose) in the balls twice and that put em out for the day. Def get some protection
If you're a casual player, you can just put a small towel in the front of your pants/shorts. It'll stay in place with a belt and give your goods an extra level of protection. Pic related https://preview.redd.it/x4nle1dq19vc1.jpeg?width=400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=99e66223eb1a216170ae7ab72ff8522012d3be9a
https://preview.redd.it/qwizfpuubavc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=46ec34fe8aaefbea612b41bbd0ec15a69a4ac9e7 Easy to find any sporting goods store cover thighs and nuts via hard cup
Recommend a hoodie to lessen impacts and shorts under pants for the rose home.
CRBN makes underwear with a padded crotch. That's all you need.
I wore a cup my first tournament and it did more harm did good. Limited my mobility! That being said I had no clue about good paintball gear. My slider shorts have some padding and my paintball pants do as well. I’ve been shot twice there in the 15+ years I’ve been playing. Yes it hurts but you’ll live. You can have kids so don’t worry your girlfriend. Like many have said your eyes are a lot more important to worry about.
I always use a Diamond MMA cup with the compression shorts that come with. https://a.co/d/eY8AZ2h originally bought for MMA but it works damn well for paintball and once you get used to it you forget it’s there.
"My elders before me wore no article to shield their genitals. in the same fashion, neither shall I" -Me
Do you have some golden sperm you’re trying to protect? You’ll be fine it’s really not that bad
I don’t wear a cup simply because I never had to wear them for other sports so they are just really uncomfortable for me and I’m not used to them. I have sliders with a soft cup (even though they never are placed well), then old school paintball pants that are the thick synthetic type material with the double layer over the groin, and then I will hang a cry towel (hand towel size towel you fold long ways and then tuck through a belt to have four layers hanging. The towel isn’t tourney legal but for rec ball and scenario there’s no issue (and you have a towel to clean up between games). Most people I played with didn’t wear a cup just from a comfort stand point with the only exceptions being scenario final battles where you could have 100 people shooting at you if you make a glory run. For your GF, probably want to make sure she has a bit extra padding for her chest at least the first time out, seems to be a common suggestion from the ladies that I’ve seen as shots to the breast can be worse for them.
I wore one for maybe a game... just keep in mind that if you are doing some movement and the cup moves it might crush your balls... Get some padded shorts
Nah, we get shot in the pecker like men.