- PaintballCow.com Forum (Oregon) - http://paintballcow.ipbhost.com/index.php

- PaintballForum.ca - http://www.paintballforum.ca

- PaintballForum.com - http://www.paintballforum.com

- PaintballForums.com - http://www.paintballforums.com

- PaintballForums.net - http://www.paintballforums.net

- Paintball-Forums.com/BGnM’s Paintball Forums - http://www.paintball-forums.com

- Paintball-Guns.com - http://www.paintball-guns.com/forums.htm

- Paintball In 5 Forum - http://www.pbn5.com/paintball_forum

- Paintball Review Forums - http://www.paintball- review.com/forums/index.php

- PballCanada.com - http://forum.pballcanada.com

- PbFreak.net Forums - http://www.pbfreak.net

- PbNation - http://www.pbnation.com

- Phoenix Paintball Forum - http://www.paintballuk.com/phoenix/forum/default.asp

- Southwest Paintball Forums (UK) - http://www.southwestpaintball.co.uk/forum/index.php

- Utah Paintball Forums - http://www.mypaintball.com

- Vancouver Paintball Forums - http://xtremepaintballcanada.com/vancouver/forums/index.php

- WARPIG Rec Talk - http://www.warpig.com/forums/rec

5. Subscribe to Paintball Magazines

There are several good paintball magazines, both in print and online.

For print magazines, go to your local bookstore and spend some time at magazine racks. Pick magazine that appeals to you most and look in front for their Web address (URL) or subscription address. Subscribe online or by mail. It's a lot cheaper to subscribe to a magazine than to buy it each month from newsstand.

For online magazines, search on Yahoo or Google for "paintball magazine online" or "online paintball magazine." Several online magazines are listed in Resources section of "Paintball Heroes" ebook, including:

- Action Pursuit Games - http://www.actionpursuitgames.com

- Crossfire Paintball Magazine - http://www.crossfiremag.com

- Force of Nature - http://www.forceofnature.com

- Paintball Games International - http://www.p8ntballer.com/magazine/index.shtml

- Paintball Sports International - http://www.paintballsportsint.com

- The Paintball Times - http://www.paintballtimes.com

- Paintball 2Xtremes Magazine - http://www.paintball2xtremes.com

6. Watch Experienced Players

So, you just got marked, eh? Disappointed? Well, don’t be, this is your opportunity to quietly observe those more experienced players from sidelines. Pay attention to:

- The way they hold their gun

- The way they move from bunker to bunker

- The way they signal to their teammates.

See if you can figure out their plan. All good players go into every game knowing plan their team decided on before game started. Here are some questions to ask yourself as you observe experienced players:

- What are they wearing?

- How do they shoot from a bunker?

- How do they steady their gun?

- What bunkers do they choose? See if you can figure out why.

- How do they keep from getting marked?

Keep mental notes of everything you see. Later, compare what you noted with information you’ve been researching. Where does it match? Where are there differences? Can you figure out why? Does it have to do with:

- The terrain

- The type of game being played

- The player’s age or experience

- The rules of field

- The player’s style of play or position (point man, safety, sniper, back man, front man, rover, etc.)?

7. Volunteer

Later, when you have a few games under your belt, volunteer to referee at your local field. This is fast way to becoming an expert paintball player, as you are able to observe not only great players’ methods, but all newbie mistakes, too.

Pay Attention to Experts, Not to Know-it-alls

All in all, paintball information can be found easily and quickly, especially online. Just remember to go to experts for help (books, e-books, magazines, forum leaders, pro players, etc.) and to stay away from newbie-talk and ramblings of know-it-alls that fill many of forums.

Fogged-up goggles or glasses can be a safety hazard in paintball. Tripping and falling hard on your knees can cause serious injury. Get goggles that have thermal lenses or a built-in fan to keep them from fogging up.

If you wear glasses, use anti-fog spray on them. Your goggles may have an anti-fog coating, but your glasses don’t! You can also buy special inserts made using your glasses prescription that fit inside your goggles. Then you don’t have to wear your glasses at all.

4. Sunburn

Remember to wear strongest sunscreen you can find to game. A bad sunburn can totally ruin a wonderful day! Even if day starts out looking cloudy, put on sunscreen. If weather changes, you’re already protected and it’s one less thing to think about while you’re on field. You never know when sun will come out. And in case you didn't know, you can get burned even on an overcast day.

At least, take a container of spray-on kind of sunscreen to game. It's easy to apply so you'll be less likely to "not bother."

If you forgot your sunscreen and you do get burned, apply aloe vera gel to your sunburn as soon as you get home. You'll be glad you did in morning.

5. Welts

The game of paint ball is quite physical. It’s definitely not a game for young children, as paint balls sting when they hit an exposed spot and sometimes leave welts that don’t heal for days.

You should wear clothing that covers your legs and arms completely, such as jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt or jersey. Wrap any exposed areas of skin in strips of cloth and wear gloves that at least protect your hands, if not your fingers. As I mentioned before, a backwards baseball cap gives back of your neck some protection if your mask lacks adequate neck coverage.

A few welts are an inevitable part of playing any paintball game. Most don't hurt much, but some can feel quite tender after game. During game you'll be too busy and distracted to notice! (If you can't handle a little pain, don't play paintball!)

If you do get a few welts, take a hot bath or shower when you get home and apply a soothing gel like aloe vera. Afterwards you'll feel a lot better.

Is Paintball Safest Game Around?

While there is a slim chance of getting seriously injured playing paintball, it has proven to be one of safest sports and recreational activities that youths and adults alike can enjoy. Be sensible, follow rules, buy ASTM F1776 certified equipment and play at fields that follow ASTM F1776 standards. Your chances of having an enjoyable day in outdoors are better than with virtually any other sport or activity, including walking around block!