Airsoft Vs Paintball
Hey everybody! So you are here to learn something about Airsoft Vs Paintball. Well I do not want to simply restate what has been said a million times on paintball forums and other posts. So instead I have decided to quickly summarize the main points that everyone makes in this argument. And then include some side issues and intangibles that are often ignored on the internet, but are important nonetheless. So if you follow along with me, I am going to have a section about:
-why people pick paintball
-why people pick airsoft
-ignored, but relevant issues regarding these sports
-why people pick paintball
-why people pick airsoft
-ignored, but relevant issues regarding these sports
Paintball
Paintball is better than airsoft
People pick paintball because it distinguishes itself as a sport first, simulation second. For example, the gear that players use is very unique, and there is very little attempt to recreate a real life gun fight. Because paintball emphasizes sport first, paintball has many sport related advantages
1- Less pain- The reason for this is because paintball gear is designed to be safe and comfortable for human vs human competition. And strives to include not just the serious and dedicated participants, but also all of the recreational players out there. Which leads to reason number 2
2- More players - paintball is friendly towards recreational players. This does not mean that serious players do not gravitate towards paintball. NOPE! paintball has a very strong following of experienced players. It just also likes to involve the not so experienced, or die hard players.
3- More accessible- Accessibility is a result of the first two advantages. There is more of a demand for paintball Which causes more supply, to fill that demand. You can play paintball in almost any region in North America. But most of us will have a hard time finding an airsoft location.
1- Less pain- The reason for this is because paintball gear is designed to be safe and comfortable for human vs human competition. And strives to include not just the serious and dedicated participants, but also all of the recreational players out there. Which leads to reason number 2
2- More players - paintball is friendly towards recreational players. This does not mean that serious players do not gravitate towards paintball. NOPE! paintball has a very strong following of experienced players. It just also likes to involve the not so experienced, or die hard players.
3- More accessible- Accessibility is a result of the first two advantages. There is more of a demand for paintball Which causes more supply, to fill that demand. You can play paintball in almost any region in North America. But most of us will have a hard time finding an airsoft location.
Airsoft
Airsoft is better than paintball
Hardcore and die hard fans of gun combat choose airsoft as their favorite option. And the reason is because airsoft is considerably more life-like than paintball. A guy suped up in airsoft gear, looks exactly like a military soldier suped up for Iraq. If real is your deal, then airsoft is for you! Here's airsoft's main advantages.
1-Cheaper- Yep, by quite a bit actually, and not where many would innitially expect. Sure the guns are cheaper but not by all that much. The real money saver comes from the price of ammunition. Paintballs will cost you about 67% more than airsoft bb's. And furthermore, airsoft guns are not designed to disperse as many bullets as their paintball counterpart. Essentially, you will save a ton of money by playing airsoft instead of paintball.
2-Clone of real combat- Military and police forces train by using airsoft rifles because they are the most relatable to actual weapons. If you want a hightened sense of realism, go with airsoft.
1-Cheaper- Yep, by quite a bit actually, and not where many would innitially expect. Sure the guns are cheaper but not by all that much. The real money saver comes from the price of ammunition. Paintballs will cost you about 67% more than airsoft bb's. And furthermore, airsoft guns are not designed to disperse as many bullets as their paintball counterpart. Essentially, you will save a ton of money by playing airsoft instead of paintball.
2-Clone of real combat- Military and police forces train by using airsoft rifles because they are the most relatable to actual weapons. If you want a hightened sense of realism, go with airsoft.
Unspoken Factors
So this is the section that I think is most valuable. Why? Because we have all been over the other advantages time and time again. In fact, if you wan't a good quality, complete breakdown of these two sports, check out this informative article on Airsoft Vs Paintball.
Here are the factors that are not talked about often, but are certainly significant.
Which weapons provide more maneuverability?
And the answer is airsoft. Airsoft guns are slightly smaller and lighter, and as a result, are not as constricting as paintball rifles. In paintball, you are at a disadvantage because you can not as quickly move your gun around. Airsoft guns can be moved with insant speed. When you also consider that paintball guns are obligated to have a hopper (cargo area) for paintballs, this issue does not even come close. 200 paintballs can add a good 3 pounds to the weight of your gun. Which was already heavier than an airsoft rifle to begin with. If you play paintball long enough, you will soon understand how often a paintball hopper, or other accessory, can become snagged by a bush, or other paintball field object.
Paintball is more accessible, but more than you may think!
Laws are different from state to state, but many areas do not allow you to use an airsoft rifle in public without a permit. This, of course, does not apply to airsoft venues, which are designed specifically for airsoft. But you may run into trouble if you try and play airsoft anywhere near public property. Many airsofters have had an unfortunate circumstance in which the authorities have come to shut them down. I know of one example, where a person's gear was confiscated. You may be thinking, well maybe that's true, but wouldn't they do the same for paintball. Actually, no. And the reason is because paintball classifies itself as a sport first. The guns don't look anything like real guns. And therefore, there is no problem. Paintball does not produce any fear in society, and is not seen as a threat, so it is not treated like one in regard to the law. Airsoft guns look too much like the real deal, and the authorities feel like they are a public risk. I do not completely agree with the authorities decision, because people with airsoft guns are almost always just trying to have a good time. But I could also understand why other random spectators would be scared of airsoft. Airsoft looks TOO REAL!
Overall, these new factors haven't really made your decision any easier. I give a slight edge to paintball because its less restricting. Wherever you live, you can find a place to play paintball. For most of us, its hard to find somewhere to play airsoft.
Come check out the co2 paintball guru's webpage for more information on what paintball has to offer.
Here are the factors that are not talked about often, but are certainly significant.
Which weapons provide more maneuverability?
And the answer is airsoft. Airsoft guns are slightly smaller and lighter, and as a result, are not as constricting as paintball rifles. In paintball, you are at a disadvantage because you can not as quickly move your gun around. Airsoft guns can be moved with insant speed. When you also consider that paintball guns are obligated to have a hopper (cargo area) for paintballs, this issue does not even come close. 200 paintballs can add a good 3 pounds to the weight of your gun. Which was already heavier than an airsoft rifle to begin with. If you play paintball long enough, you will soon understand how often a paintball hopper, or other accessory, can become snagged by a bush, or other paintball field object.
Paintball is more accessible, but more than you may think!
Laws are different from state to state, but many areas do not allow you to use an airsoft rifle in public without a permit. This, of course, does not apply to airsoft venues, which are designed specifically for airsoft. But you may run into trouble if you try and play airsoft anywhere near public property. Many airsofters have had an unfortunate circumstance in which the authorities have come to shut them down. I know of one example, where a person's gear was confiscated. You may be thinking, well maybe that's true, but wouldn't they do the same for paintball. Actually, no. And the reason is because paintball classifies itself as a sport first. The guns don't look anything like real guns. And therefore, there is no problem. Paintball does not produce any fear in society, and is not seen as a threat, so it is not treated like one in regard to the law. Airsoft guns look too much like the real deal, and the authorities feel like they are a public risk. I do not completely agree with the authorities decision, because people with airsoft guns are almost always just trying to have a good time. But I could also understand why other random spectators would be scared of airsoft. Airsoft looks TOO REAL!
Overall, these new factors haven't really made your decision any easier. I give a slight edge to paintball because its less restricting. Wherever you live, you can find a place to play paintball. For most of us, its hard to find somewhere to play airsoft.
Come check out the co2 paintball guru's webpage for more information on what paintball has to offer.
