If you know what to do, paintball and winter go hand in hand pretty well. Even snow just adds a new, but definitely surmountable, challenge. These quick tips will help any paintballer face freezing temperatures and snowy fields with a smile:
Use layers. When it comes to paintball, layering is the key to dressing all year long, but it becomes even more critical in winter. Wear those thermal underwear. (Don’t have any? Buy some! They’re cheap!) Put on sweaters and jackets. If it gets too warm, you can always peel a layer off, but if you don’t have enough on, all you can do is quit playing or feel miserable. As a bonus, the more layers, the more likely paintballs will bounce off, and the less likely a player will end up with a nasty bruise.
Use gloves. A numb trigger finger isn’t going to do much good. And numb hands are hopeless for anything more complicated, like cleaning a busted ball from a paintball barrel. Keeping hands warm is critical. But gloves need to be practical too: they must allow your finger to fit around the trigger and shouldn’t be so stiff or awkward that you have to take the gloves off just to reload your hopper.
Pick the right shoes. The shoes you normally wear to play paintball might not be so helpful if the ground is icy or snowy. Wear something warm, sturdy, and waterproof... like leather boots (and don’t forget to wear warm socks!) It might sound like it would slow a player down, but wearing the wrong shoe would be even worse.
Cover your head. The majority of a person’s body heat escapes from the head. Just wearing a ball cap or a stocking hat can make a big difference in your comfort level.
Beware of the glare. Even with the weak winter sun, snow can create a powerful glare. If you have anti-glare goggles, great – use them! If not, you may want to wear sunglasses underneath your goggles.
Warm up before playing. On a cold winter’s day, a paintballer’s body acts somewhat like a car. Sure, it’ll do what you want it to do if you just start it up and go, but you might pay for it later. Warming up for five minutes will increase a person’s performance and decrease the amount of soreness afterwards. Jog (don’t run!), do jumping jacks, anything to get that body heat up. Also, rotate your ankles before you play so that if you slip on ice or trip because a snow bank was deeper than you thought, you won’t sprain yourself.
Bring a warm thermos. Or two. Between games, sipping on some warm coffee, tea, apple cider, or chocolate can be wonderfully rejuvenating.
Go for the icy balls. Not all paintballs are made to withstand winter temperatures. Cough up the extra dough for paint that will perform in cold weather, or be prepared for a disappointing game.
Be kind to your equipment. Plastic turns brittle when it is cold, so things like hoppers and loaders can crack more easily. Try to keep everything protected and dry. Don’t leave gear in the car, where temperatures can easily drop below the outside air temperature.
Bring a change of socks. West socks from snow or sweaty feet can make any paintball player feel miserable (and can even be dangerous if it is cold enough). Fortunately, there’s an easy fix: putting on some clean, dry socks.
