Choosing the Correct Gear For You: Padding

We have arm and knee pads, bounce shirts, chest protectors, slide shorts, gloves, head bands, bounce hats and neck protectors. That is a lot of gear.

When thinking of padding think protection vs mobility. 

If you are a big guy like me, especially in the summer, also think about overheating.

If you wear every piece of protective gear, soon you look like that Michelin man and you can no longer move with fluidity. You become a lumbering target. Choose what you need.

If you are playing speedball, arm and knee pads are important.

If you are a player that dives often, knee and arm pads are important.

If you are playing renaged ball, knee pads could save you some serious injuries.

I have been playing since 1992 ( not as often now), but I played on a lot of new and undeveloped fields as well as renegade fields that had not been cleaned up. I lost track of how often I would be diving into the brush and landing on glass, sharp cans, or barbed wire. Knee pads saved me from some serious damage.

There were a number of occasions where I landed on broken sticks pocking out of the ground, they punctured my pads but not my flesh.

This shows that padding can help protect you from things other then the impact of paintballs.

I  have never worn arm pads, put for those who hang their arms out a bit and find themselves taking a pounding, consider arm pads.

Bounce shirts are a personal preference. I wear a t-shirt and am willing to take some pain.

Others want to know they aren’t going home with a dozen welts that looked like they tangled with the salt monster from  the original Star Trek.

If you have a youngin playing, added protection can give them added confidence.