For players that are going to play paintball for the first time, there is often a certain amount of hesitation and nervousness. There are a number of reasons for this. There is the element of uncertainty that creates nervousness and tension in people new to an activity, no matter what the activity is. There is the fear about getting hurt, especially getting the bruises and welts that are common to paintball players. There is also the uncertainty about what to wear. Wearing the proper clothing to paintball is a great way to prevent many of the bruises and welts that players commonly suffer. The following is a guide to what to wear to paintball.

Wearing too little clothing is a mistake that rookie paintballers often make. Players need to wear thick enough clothing to help prevent the bruises and welts. Do not simply wear shorts and a T-shirt, no matter how hot out it is. Do not wear sweatpants. Sweatpants usually make the paintball simply bounce off the legs and provide little padding.

Instead of shorts or sweatpants, players should wear loose-fitting jeans over compression shorts or baggy pants. If it is cold outside, players should wear full length compression tights under their jeans instead of shorts.

Players should wear comfortable tennis shoes or boots. They need to have good tread on the soles, so that players can make sudden movements without falling on their faces. For games that will occur in a grassy area, cleats or spikes can be worn for better traction.

Although sweatpants are a poor idea for the lower body, a hooded sweatshirt is a wonderful idea for the upper body. Wearing the hood up is one way to give players excellent neck protection. Wear a short-sleeved or long-sleeved T-shirt underneath the hooded sweatshirt, depending on the temperature.

As well as this normal clothing, players should to wear protective gear as well. A paintball helmet, or at the very least paintball masks, need to be worn by players for face and eye protection. Knee pads are a great idea to cushion the knees during the numerous crouches that occur during a game. Arm pads are a great idea as well, in order to prevent the bruises that can occur. Finally, a chest protector is a wonderful idea not only to prevent bruising, but to hold spare gear. A chest protector can hold extra rounds and paintball grenades for players.