This article covers the best gear to wear for a great paintball experience.

Pants: Jeans aren’t as good as you’d think. Ideal pants should be roomy, but without any extra material that could get in the way. Try running in them beforehand to check for chafing and restriction. Make sure the fabric will withstand the grass, turf and sliding around that comes with playing.

Top: Try and pick a top that suits the way you play. Paintball jerseys are popular as are camouflage. With your top, make sure it doesn’t hang off you but has enough room to let in air. Camouflage tops tend to have more pockets so you can carry extra equipment easily. Don’t give in to the temptation of keeping loose paintballs in the pockets – dirt may damage them and a huge mess will be made if you’re hit!

Padding: Proper padding is essential for safe play. For men an athletic cup would help, and chest protection for women. Knee and shin guards, elbow pads and neck protection are also worth investing in. Kneepads in particular enable you to get into tricky positions, crawl and dive with lower risk of injury.

Footwear: Combat boots are great for playing in the summer. Sneakers are good for less rugged fields. Make sure your footwear is durable above anything – the amount of slipping, running and crawling that happens in the course of a day is likely to test their durability to the limit!

Accessories: Ammo belts are great for holding all your extra paintballs, while paintball gloves give your hands that extra protection. Try a neck protector or bandana around your neck for those places your mask doesn’t cover!