You can only play 2x a year: what marker do you keep?

[iamthelazerviking]

Piggy-backing off my last post about time away from paintball, it made me think. For those of us who's time and budget only allows for paintball only a handful of times per year, what kind of setup are you hanging on to? Something practical that makes sense to keep, even if doesn't see much use.

Open class sniper? Straight up stock class and hoard 12 grams? A reliable mechanical like an Emek and use a larger tank and hopper?

I'll be able to budget and save up for gear again, then be able to make it out in the fall and spring when the weather is mild. With 3 little ones and a 2.5 hour round trip to and from the field, I'll have to take whatever I can get!

[Cdn_Cuda]

For me a nice open class sniper. It’s my favorite way to play. My Karni pump in one of the markers I’ve owned the longest. Obviously doesn’t need to be that fancy.

For a secondary marker a nice shooting mech. Likely an upgraded Emek. Reliable but boring but can shoot fast enough to never feel outgunned and you don’t have to worry about crap paint like you do for the pump.

[Reflex0283]

Only 2x a year? I'd probably build a nice stock class phantom and just go to two of Slim's games each year

[iamthelazerviking]

That's the dream honestly!

[Maxwell]

Hard agree

[Quickling]

Thats what I am doing. Open, stock, back yard ball... the phantom does everything I meed it to.

[Jonnydread]

Open class sniper? 2.5 hour round trip

100% an OC Sniper. more than 25% of my collection is open class Snipers. They're easy to shoot, I have the muscle memory needed and they're fun in 99% of all playing situations. I don't stress about bad paint cause I like to run people down and most paint shoots the same at 20 feet.

Dude I wish I had a field that was a 2.5 round trip. We have a local field that's maybe 20 minutes from me, but it's a crapshoot if you'll have people to play against. Any of the fields that get solid walk on numbers are at least 3.5+ hours for me. To be fair I don't have crotch goblins or many other hobbies, for what it's worth.

[Jordan]

I had the same question in my head at the beginning of the year. 🙂

I "downsized" to four three now (!) - two are essentially wall hangers and the last one is a pump I built. It fits the bill for nearly any style of play I want to do - open class with a hopper and tank, or swap in a stick feed and 12gram changer for SC play.

[EvilCreature]

EMF 100 for me - mag fed, hopper fed, tube fed (with adapter), reliable, easy to service.

I did that once before 20 years ago and picked an Egripped A5 as my do-it-all marker for woodsball or speedball during the start of college.

[ChuckLove]

My CCM MBP for sure. As many have said, an Open Class Sniper is the way to go.

[iamthelazerviking]

Feeling like that's the answer, and what I've always had the most fun with. Even if I can't hit anything with them, a stock class Phantom is fun to run around with. I'll probably stick with a 17ci tank and 50 rounder but then have a stick feed and tubes for extra light weight fun

[Trbo323]

Really depends on my local field at that point.

If it's typically a bunch of rentals, mech or pump

Toury try hards something electric (but with more class than whatever the current pe marker is)



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[scottieb]

Only one to play with? That's a difficult question.

I'd keep one that I can keep upgrading and reconfigure, so I guess I'd keep one of my Millennium Spyder builds.

[JohnB]

Open class sniper preferably ccm and an emek or ETHA 2

[The Jayster]

Pretty much as Cdn_Cuda mentioned, I'd keep an OC pump and an upgraded Emek. I'd keep the Emek for the firepower and 'traditional' snaps hooting ergos it affords, as well as for being trouble-free with readily available parts. One of my Emeks has the first version of the DW hAir and a Fang trigger. It can keep up with electros. I also have a FLE body so the sleek profile makes it great for gunplay moves.

As for the OC pump, it would be a very hard decision between my Nova NX-1 Sentinel Sniper and my Phantom set-up. My favourite gun ever is that Phantom, so I'd go with that. Yet, I really like the smooth pump stoke and feel of the Sniper. Very tough choice.

I have a host of different tanks and loaders, so I'd keep my Spire V and Ninja 45ci 'peanut' tank for the Emek and my 100rd PAL loader and Tippmann 13ci tank for the Phantom.

I'm lucky enough to live 20 minutes away from what must be surely one of the largest fields in North America, and about 50 minutes away from another smaller but very nice field as well. Within a radius of 1.5 hours of driving distance I also have access to half a dozen other fields.

That being said, this question is more than theoretical for me as for the last couple of years I've experienced growing paintball fatigue. I even thought of selling every piece of equipment I own. I'm very tired of the same formats where you shoot strings of subpar paint at 10bps all day long. Even when I manage to pull off a flanking maneuver and wipe out a fair chunk of the opposition, I feel like 'meh'. Instead of getting rid of everything, I'm thinking about downsizing my gear collection and only keep my mechanical and pump guns and play mostly with the latter, using mechs once in a while or as a backup when the paint is utter crap. By playing pump I'll be satisfied if I achieve one or two eliminations per game, using patience and stealth.

[iamthelazerviking]

The fatigue is real, especially when you're a busy dad and the closest field is an hour and 15 minute drive, and the paint almost always sucks. But they do hold pump days thanks to me, a couple times a year and hopefully that keeps up.

I love the Emek, but I've sold at least 2 to my same buddy so I can always just borrow one instead of outright buying another!

[Cdn_Cuda]

My only knock on the Emek is that it's boring. If it was my choice I would go with something more interesting to shoot, even if it's not as reliable. My pump has been dead reliable. So that would leave something that is just enjoyable to shoot, like a warped mag, a Nova N1, or an autococker. On my my longest owned markers in my collection is a nice mech cocker.

On the busy dad front, I totally understand. Hard to get a day out and away. I end up coaching both my kids teams which leaves me extremely busy. But I like getting to tech and tinker in the basement in the evening once the kids are asleep. That has gotten me more involved in paintball.

[Ecapnation]

Probably for me an emek and a high end pump.

[ThatBobbyjoe]

Realistically I’d say phantom with all the options, open /stock/pistol whatever. I love a sniper but phantom has the edge on flexibility and weight over performance.

Only 1 semi? Id go for the alleycat, simple and bomb proof and absolutely the coolest markers to me.

[Fossilhead]

Emek and a Phantom is ideal for me.

They can sit for long periods, pick 'em up and go.

[flyweightnate]

You mean I get to pay twice a year?!

I kid... but that's about how often I get out regardless. A Phantom and my Torque have been consistently the two I use, one for fun and one when I get frustrated. Neither needs maintenance, ever. And that's the single most important thing right now. Nothing worse than hitting the field after 6 months with a gun that misbehaves. (Actually happened to one of my Phantoms last time with a random black cup seal since it was too hot for the off brand material.)

Fortunately, my oldest is on the cusp of playing age, so it might start getting more frequent soon. He can use my Sterling or Spyder.