Xtreme Paintball – Season 2


Xtreme Paintball FSN


Season 2 of Xtreme Paintball airs today at 4:30 on Fox Sports Network (FSN). Check your local TV listings for time changes since it varies based on your location. Xtreme Paintball is one of the very first television shows ever made centering entirely around the sport. Not only that, but the show gets a bit more “personal” with the players through interviews, stories, and other experiences. It’s not 100% tournament play – you get some drama along with the action 🙂 Check it out.



Virtue Crown – King of Hoppers



If you’ve played paintball in the last year or two, and you’re fairly observant to other player’s gear, you have probably seen a good amount of people use what’s called a “Speed Feed” on their hoppers while playing. A Speed Feed is a very simple product for your hopper/loader that attaches at the top, replacing your lid. The obvious reason for using a Speed Feed is to load and HOLD paintballs in your hopper without having to open/close the lid during games. Virtue just released their version of the Speed Feed, cleverly called the Crown, at this summer’s 2008 Chicago PSP Open.

If you run out of paint during a game, it isn’t exactly convenient for you to open your lid and pour a pod of paintballs in your hopper then close it. Today, paintball is getting so aggressive that (good) players specifically look for the exact moment where you retract into your bunker to refill paint so they can move up the field (or worse, bunker you). The Virtue Crown also keeps your paintballs from flying out of your hopper, for those “extraordinary” situations (see video below). The innovation behind the Virtue Crown has been widely accepted by most paintballers today because they’re relatively cheap ($20 retail), and can ultimately help you win a few more games with your team.



Key Features for the Virtue Crown

* Ultra Fast Lid-Less Feed
* No Rise Low Profile Option
* Secure Locking Ring w/ Thumbscrew
* Durable, Memory Resistant Elastomer Will Not Crack or Get Brittle
* Available in Ultra-Soft or Standard Elasticity Versions.
* Extra Paint Capacity (with optional, including, extension collar) – HALO only
* Compatible with HALO, Magna, Revolution, Force, Eye Force (Vlocity versions coming soon)

2008 PSP Chicago Open Firing Up


2008 Chicago PSP

In just under 24 hours the Bolingbrook Aquatic Center will be swarming with paintball enthusiasts and sounds of buzzers and flying paintballs. The 2008 Chicago Open is a national paintball tournament hosted by the PSP, and will take place June 25th-29th. Last year the Chicago PSP event consisted of over 2,400 players in the tournament, and this year is expected to be even bigger. The Chicago PSP event has historically been considered one of the bigger tournaments of the year, so you should expect to see some real competition on the field. Dynasty, Ironmen, X-Factor, Red Legion, and all the other big team names will be playing at the event among the rest of the lower divisions.


Chicago PSP

The Chicago event is ironically located in Bolingbrook, IL, a close suburb of Chicago. Its location is perfect for anybody of any age to come and watch the games for FREE. Personally, I was first introduced to the sport of paintball by simply watching the tournaments at events like these. It’s truly something you need to experience in the first person, especially while it’s summer.

For the people curious as to what the teams are playing for, here is a list of the prizes for each division:
Read More about 2008 PSP Chicago Open Firing Up

Win a 2008 Planet Eclipse Ego


2008 Ego Paintball Gun

Paintball-online is giving away a brand new 2008 Planet Eclipse Ego ($1,250). The giveaway only requires your email address to enter and nothing more. The winner will be drawn on June 30th, 2008 according to their giveaway page. All it costs you is a valid email address that you can opt-out of at any time (wait until after the winner is drawn though, of course).

You would think that giveaways like these are flooded with entries, but people usually glimpse over them when browsing the web in my experience. So why not enter – may as well be one of paintballguns.net’s visitors that wins it :). If you do enter and win, make sure you contact me so you can brag to all the other visitors that lost or didn’t enter. Best of luck to you all. Below you’ll find a short informational video on the 2008 Ego.


2008 Kingman Spyder Electra


2008 Kingman Spyder Electra
2008 Spyder Electra

On May 15, 2008 Kingman will be introducing their new 2008 Spyder Electra paintball gun into the market. MSRP’d at $249.99 and retailing for only $199.99, the 2008 Electra is already grabbing the attention from Ion and SLG users. The Spyder Electra is part of Kingman’s Classic Series gun line. The Spyder Electra use to be such a primitive electronic paintball gun way back in 2004. Things have changed since then and now Kingman is in a constant running race, along with Smart Parts and Dye, to create an affordable and reliable electronic paintball gun. Right now the battle is between the Smart Parts Ion, Proto SLG, and the 2008 Spyder Electra. Of course there are others, but these are the main players in the market today.

If you had $250 to spend on just a gun (stock, no upgrades), which one would you most likely buy?

{democracy:11}

Here’s Kingman’s sales pitch:

The all new generation Spyder Electra with Eye is back with a vengeance. The new design concept features a reduced overall profile (25% weight & 15% length). The Electra with Eye comes standard equipped with the LEAP™ circuit board developed by Tadao® Technologies providing unsurpassed speed and reliability. Outfitted with Spyder’s “Synergy Engineered Technology” the Electra with Eye operates on dual air sources (CO2 & Compressed Air) at 300PSI low operational pressure. This all aluminum constructed powerhouse will out perform every other marker in its class.


2008 Spyder Electra Titanium

Performance Features
+ LEAP™ Circuit Board with Rear Facing Color Access Mode Display (CAMD) Developed by Tadao® Technologies
+ “Synergy Engineering” Low Pressure Dual Air Source System
+ Break Beam Eye (Anti-Chop System)
+ Aluminum Eye Covers
+ 3 Modes of Operation (Semi-Auto, Ramp PSP, & Ramp Millennium)
+ Fast Charge Inline Regulator
+ Vented Pressure Relief On/Off CA Adapter
+ Reduced Overall Profile (25% Lighter and 15% Shorter)
+ Up to 25 BPS Rate of Fire
+ Steel Braided Hose Line
+ Quick Release Delrin Bolt
+ 12″ Two Piece Micro Ported Barrel
+ Twist Lock Clamping Feedneck
+ 3-Way Adjustable Magnetic Response “Saber” Trigger
+ All Aluminum Constructed Body
+ Recessed Dual Texture Grip Panels
+ All Aluminum Trigger Frame with Integrated Dove Tail
+ Standard CA Thread Vertical Adapter
+ Compatible with a Spyder 9.6v Rechargeable Battery or a Premium 9v Alkaline Battery
+ External Velocity Adjuster
+ 300 PSI Operational Pressure
+ Operates on CO2 or Compressed Air

WDP Angel A1 Fly – Will It Take Off?

WDP Angel A1 Fly Paintball Gun

Believe it or not, WDP is slowly declining in popularity in the paintball world. Dye and Smart Parts are starting to dominate the paintball gun market with their very affordable and very reliable high and low end paintball markers. The battle between these major gun manufacturers revolves around bringing the end consumer (you and me) what we want. Right now Dye, Smart Parts, WDP, Planet Eclipse, and all other major manufacturers are struggling to bring the end consumer the fastest, most reliable, most affordable, and most efficient paintball marker in the world. The 2008 Angel A1 is WDP’s stab at it. So far the gun is getting great reviews. But is it any match for the Dye’s DM8 or the new PE Ego’s?

WDP announced their new 2008 gun line at Huntington Beach in late March. Retailing at around $1,300, the Angel A1 caught the eye of many tournament ballers at the event for a few reasons. Of course just like every other WDP gun, the Angel A1 has one of the sickest designs on the market today. Also, WDP really stresses on its ergonomics (the applied science of equipment design intended to maximize productivity by reducing operator fatigue, safety and discomfort). So for example, ergonomics would involve designing a paintball gun’s grip frame to fit the human hand as comfortably as possible. This is key for tourny ballers because weight distribution and comfort for the player can really obstruct the team’s performance.

The A1 Fly has been getting mad reviews. WDP is expected to keep up with all the other major gun brands out there – the only real way to find out which one is right for you is to shoot them all! Personally, I have always enjoyed the “feeling” of WDP’s gun line. Their guns operate at such low pressure (about 55 psi) you can barely feel any kick.

WDP also put out special Miami Rage and Joy Division Angel A1’s since they sponsor them. Designer guns like these will cost you another $100 or $200 – and all you really get is different anodizing that the team agreed upon.



New features for the Angel A1 Fly:

  • New Mini-reg with what appears to come with standard regulator threads; therefore, after-market regs such as AKA or CP can be put on without the purchase of an additional adapter.
  • New Valve/Valve Stem/Ram dubbed the Magno Valve System
  • New Milling which has reduced the weight of the already light-weight A1 (the most noticeable amount has been removed from the solenoid cover)
  • 3 piece Eye Covers (these did not previously come stock with A1s)
  • New Board Graphics, not necessarily a new board
  • New Trigger
  • New Milled/Slimmed down ASA
  • New Grips with: “Fly Paper”
  • New “Fly Paper” grip on the grip frame, grip, and regulator.
  • New Milled/Slimmed down feedneck
  • New Carbon Fiber Barrel Tip
  • 6 Piece Barrel Kit is speculated to also come with the A1 Fly.

Huntington Beach 2008 Results


NPPL

The NPPL Huntington Beach event just ended March 29th. Congratulations to X-factor for winning 1st place. Who’s talking now Dynasty and Ironmen? Below you will find the score results for every division, as well as the prize money each team went home with. Also, I posted two videos that One4one.tv released after covering the entire event. Enjoy.

PROFESSIONAL
1) San Antonio X-Factor ($15,000)
2) St. Louis Avalanche ($5,000)
3) San Diego Dynasty ($2,000)
4) Golden State Ironmen ($1,000)

SEMI PROFESSIONAL
1) Arsenal Evolution ($10,000)
2) Method of Destruction ($5,000)
3) Impact ($2,500)
4) Avalanche Army ($1,250)

DIVISION I
1) Aftermath II ($8,000)
2) Hollywood HK ($4,000)
3) Splat Kids ($2,000)
4) All or Nothing ($1,000)

DIVISION II
1) L.A. Endurance ($6,000)
2) Miami Rage ($3,000)
3) DC Arsenal Predators ($1,500)
4) Aftermath Factory ($750)

DIVISION III
1) CS Union ($4,000)
2) NV ($2,000)
3) Rockstar Factory Red ($1,000)
4) Black Cell ($500)

Click here for all the results.

Can Your Paintball Gun Swim?

Once of Smart Parts’ sales representatives posted on PBN the durability of their electro pneumatic paintball markers, specifically their SP-1 and Vibe. Both of these paintball guns retail for about $150 each. These two markers are considered entry or beginner level guns, competing with most Kingman Spyders and the notorious Tippmann 98 Custom. Smart Parts is really trying to win the beginner-level market. Why? Because the average paintballer only plays for about two years… no joke. Because of this, the volume of beginner players is much higher than experienced.

A few months ago I threw together a table comparing the new Smart Parts gun line. I suggest you take a look at it if you’re curious to see how the Vibe and SP-1 will match up against the others.

By reducing and refining the electro pneumatic systems that we have perfected in professional level paintball markers, our design team has radically raised the bar for performance, reliability and efficiency that is affordable to the first time player. While both new markers share the same internal structure and operating characteristics, each has its own unique flavor: the Vibe for the player moving fast on the speedball field, and the SP-1 for the scenario player in the woods. –Scott

Tippmann’s 2008 Gun Lineup


Tippmann

Tippmann recently sent out their 2008 product catalog to all of their dealers. I got mine today and must say that I’m impressed with their innovation. On top of their X7 and A-5, Tippmann is introducing 3 “new” markers into their 2008 product line: the 98 Custom Pro Platinum Series, 98 Custom Platinum Series, and Field Rental Marker. In reality they’re just modified 98 Customs. However, they each serve a purpose.

Tippmann 98 Custom (Platinum Series)
“For the beginner or seasoned pro, the new 98 Custom Platinum Series Marker line maintains the reliability and durability you have come to expect from Tippmann. And with the new split receiver design it is even easier to customize, maintain, and upgrade.”

Tippman 98 Custom Platinum Series

Tippmann 98 Custom Pro (Platinum Series)
The 98 Custom Pro comes with an 11-inch high-performance barrel for better accuracy, double trigger, and a drop forward. Comes with A.C.T (Anti-Chop Technology). A small bump up from the regular 98 Custom.

Tippmann 98 Custom Pro Platinum Series

Tippmann Field Rental Marker
Since the 98 Custom is already a standard field rental gun, Tippmann decided to create a Field Rental version of the 98 Custom specifically made to withstand consumer use. They added the ACT technology and put an extra durable acrylic finish to it. Basically it’s a 98 that you can beat the crap out of with little ball chops.

{democracy:10}

2008 PSP Phoenix Event


2008 PSP Paintball Tournament

The 2008 PSP Phoenix event is just around the corner. It is the first of 5 events being held this year between March 13th to 16th (2008 schedule). For the noobs, the PSP (Paintball Sports Promotions) is a paintball tournament venue in the United States. Admission is free. Personally, I’ve been to about 5 or 6 of the PSP events over the past few years and had a great time. They’re tons of fun. Watching the games at the PSP are short and sweet, but extremely aggressive.

Teams should register ASAP, space is limited.

Even if you don’t have a team, definitely mark your calendar ‘PSP’ with a big red marker on March 13-16.

Team Ironmen won last year. I predict Russian Legion to take the gold for the 2008 season.

{democracy:9}

PSP’s 2008 Schedule

Phoenix Open
Dates: March 13th-16th
Location: Glendale Youth Sports Complex at the University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ

Mid-Atlantic Open
Dates: May 8th-11th
Location: PBC Sports Park, Rock Hill, SC
Chicago Open
Dates: June 25th-29th
Location: Bolingbrook Recreation and Aquatic Center, Bolingbrook, IL

Northeast Open
Dates: August 14th-17th
Location: All American Paintball Park, Greensburg, PA

World Cup*
Dates: October 20th-26th
Location: Disney’s Wide World of Sports® Complex, Orlando, FL

2008 PSP Prizes

XBall Division 1

1st – $10,000
2nd – $5,000
3rd – $2,500
4th – $1,500

XBall Division 2

1st – $8,000
2nd – $4,000
3rd – $2,000
4th – $1,000

XBall Division 3

1st – $5,000
2nd – $2,500
3rd – $1,500
4th – $1,000

5-man XBall Division 3

1st – $2,500
2nd – $1,500
3rd – $1,000
4th – $500

5-man XBall Division 4

1st – $1,800
2nd – $1,000
3rd – $600
4th – $300