Paintball has become a popular sport since its introduction in the early 1980s. Thanks to new technologies, today a beginner paintball player has thousands of options to consider when buying the equipment that suits his skill level and style of play. And while you should not skimp on safety equipment and paintballs, paintball guns can be bought cheaply and still have a variety of cool features.

When selecting the right paintball gun, or marker, you should be realistic about your skill level. If you are a beginner or play randomly, you can easily start with a cheap paintball gun. Consider buying a cheaper paintball gun if you don't know how often you'll be playing or what features to look for in a paintball gun. To determine what kind of a paintball gun you need you may decide to borrow a few markers and try playing on different fields. After you realize what features and qualities you look for and understand what type of a paintball gun you need, you can upgrade your cheap paintball gun to a newer and more complex model.

If you play only once or twice a year, it's definitely worth renting the equipment rather than buying even a cheap paintball gun. Paintball experts suggest that you rent a mask, tank, gun, and hopper when you play occasionally. When you develop the taste for the game and start playing more frequently, then you can buy at least a cheap set of paintball equipment, including the gun.

Serious paintball players always look for new models loaded with features such as electronic aiming and automatic fire controls. You can find a cheap secondhand paintball gun with all these features and then get rid of it and buy a new one if repairs get too expensive. Remember that with your own paintball equipment you will have clean and maintain your gear.

The cost of your paintball gun usually depends on the pressure system used in the gun, and on the various accessories. Carbon dioxide pressure system is the most popular one. It is commonly used in the cheaper paintball guns. The main drawback is that carbon dioxide depends greatly on the outside temperature changing its state from gas to liquid, which results in velocity fluctuations and affects shooting accuracy. For paintball beginners, the carbon dioxide system is quite safe and costs less.

High-pressure air and nitrogen systems are used by serious players because they are more accurate since nitrogen never liquefies. As a result, nitrogen operated paintball guns are not cheap.

Remember, you can always upgrade your cheap paintball gun as your skill level and requirements increase.

Additional accessories affect the price of your paintball gun, too. A hopper, or a loader, is a popular paintball accessory. Basically, it's a container with your paintballs that feeds them into your paintball gun. Hoppers can be automated and powered, and come in a variety of sizes. Lightweight and fast hoppers usually cost more.

Another useful feature of your paintball gun is an air supply tank that can be carried on your belt and connected to your marker with a tube. As a result, the belt needs an upgrade, too, to hold your ammo and other supplies.

If you are serious about buying a paintball gun, spend some time researching the cheapest yet dependable guns on the market. Even with the perfect paintball gun you may soon find some hidden flaws or simply fall out of love with it. When buying the paintball gun, check and double check your options, and buy a marker only when you exactly know what you want.