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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!

Andrea Wilson is a writer and mother of a teenage paintball fanatic! To learn more about paintball, she recommends the following Web sites: http://www.PaintballPicks.com and http://www.PaintballHeroes.com.