Posted by: Clayphoto on November 11, 2003 at 17:38:54

I think it's all about perspective. For me, I shoot anywhere from 400 to 1000 rounds with a field paint usually costing about $55 a case. My main field I payed $100 a year for with what amounts to free CO2 over the year. I also spent a grand total of $500 with of equipment my first year and will not have a NEED to buy anything for at least the next two years. For me, that adds up to the following expenses since March; Hardware: 500/36 weeks $14 per week Paint: $11-28 per week ------- $25-42/week this year $11-28/week next year Yeah, that's some decent money. But I look at it as if I go with the friends to eat at Old Chicago before seeing a movie, I'm going to be out a minimum of $20. If I go to a concert, I'm spending a good month of paintball money. I obviously do photo on the side, which a full day of shooting will cost me anywhere from $5 to $300 per day. To me, it is definately more expensive than staying at home and watching Monday Night Football. But it's very compariable to other entertainment. And I have a friend that's SCUBA certified, and I KNOW my summer was a hell of a lot cheaper than hers!!! :) : I've recently considered getting back into paintball after a long break. I'm much undecided because of some considerable disadvantages of playing paintball vs. other hobbies that I have, namely mountain biking and SCUBA diving. The criteria that I'm weighing include: fun, exercise, reward, cost of getting started, and cost of participation. In comparing paintball to my other hobbies, paintball is equally fun and the cost of equipment is about equal for high end gear. Paintball is not very good exercise, but that’s not what paintball is all about. The two biggest obstacles to my return to paintball are the cost of participation and low reward. I’ll explain. : Local field fee: $15, all day air: $10, half a case of paint: $50. That’s $75 dollars for one day of play. I find this to be ridiculous. I realize that paintball is a fledgling industry and companies have to pay for overhead, but this is a real roadblock for the growth of the sport. I feel lucky that I can afford this hobby, but I’m not convinced it is worth it. I can hop on my mountain bike and hit the local trail for free and have just as much fun. I feel that once I pay for an expensive gun, it shouldn’t cost nearly 10% of the price of the gun to play. : Another consideration is the reward factor. I’m a senior in college and I have played at the tournament level, but mainly rec ball. When I go to the field, the majority of participants are 15 years old, plus or minus two years. I believe that’s true of most other places as well. Sure it is fun to play with them, but it is not as rewarding as participating with my own peers. There seems to be a gap of participants in my age group, everyone is generally much younger or a lot older and a little creepy. Unfortunately due to the cost, paintball is not on most college student’s radar, except for a once in a blue moon frat activity with first time participants with Tippmans. : To find a solution to my problem, I want to start a club and competition team at the University of Texas at Austin. I know that starting such an organization has been attempted twice since I have been attending UT without success. However, a school with the largest student body in the nation should have a small but dedicated group of paintballers. That is the only way I feel that I could justify the cost of participation. If it doesn’t workout, I will stick to the mountain biking and leave paintball to the kids with their parents credit cards. : Sincerely

Follow Ups: Post a Followup Show your name as: DefaultRealnameBothNickname E-Mail address (eg: joeschmoe@aol.com): Show your e-mail address? DefaultYesNo Your Password: Don't have a password? CLICK HERE - Forgot your password? CLICK HERE Subject: Subject:Message: : I think it's all about perspective. For me, I shoot anywhere from 400 to 1000 rounds with a field paint usually costing about $55 a case. My main field I payed $100 a year for with what amounts to free CO2 over the year. I also spent a grand total of $500 with of equipment my first year and will not have a NEED to buy anything for at least the next two years. For me, that adds up to the following expenses since March; : Hardware: 500/36 weeks $14 per week : Paint: $11-28 per week : ------- : $25-42/week this year : $11-28/week next year : Yeah, that's some decent money. But I look at it as if I go with the friends to eat at Old Chicago before seeing a movie, I'm going to be out a minimum of $20. If I go to a concert, I'm spending a good month of paintball money. I obviously do photo on the side, which a full day of shooting will cost me anywhere from $5 to $300 per day. : To me, it is definately more expensive than staying at home and watching Monday Night Football. But it's very compariable to other entertainment. And I have a friend that's SCUBA certified, and I KNOW my summer was a hell of a lot cheaper than hers!!! :) : : : I've recently considered getting back into paintball after a long break. I'm much undecided because of some considerable disadvantages of playing paintball vs. other hobbies that I have, namely mountain biking and SCUBA diving. The criteria that I'm weighing include: fun, exercise, reward, cost of getting started, and cost of participation. In comparing paintball to my other hobbies, paintball is equally fun and the cost of equipment is about equal for high end gear. Paintball is not very good exercise, but that’s not what paintball is all about. The two biggest obstacles to my return to paintball are the cost of participation and low reward. I’ll explain. : : Local field fee: $15, all day air: $10, half a case of paint: $50. That’s $75 dollars for one day of play. I find this to be ridiculous. I realize that paintball is a fledgling industry and companies have to pay for overhead, but this is a real roadblock for the growth of the sport. I feel lucky that I can afford this hobby, but I’m not convinced it is worth it. I can hop on my mountain bike and hit the local trail for free and have just as much fun. I feel that once I pay for an expensive gun, it shouldn’t cost nearly 10% of the price of the gun to play. : : Another consideration is the reward factor. I’m a senior in college and I have played at the tournament level, but mainly rec ball. When I go to the field, the majority of participants are 15 years old, plus or minus two years. I believe that’s true of most other places as well. Sure it is fun to play with them, but it is not as rewarding as participating with my own peers. There seems to be a gap of participants in my age group, everyone is generally much younger or a lot older and a little creepy. Unfortunately due to the cost, paintball is not on most college student’s radar, except for a once in a blue moon frat activity with first time participants with Tippmans. : : To find a solution to my problem, I want to start a club and competition team at the University of Texas at Austin. I know that starting such an organization has been attempted twice since I have been attending UT without success. However, a school with the largest student body in the nation should have a small but dedicated group of paintballers. That is the only way I feel that I could justify the cost of participation. If it doesn’t workout, I will stick to the mountain biking and leave paintball to the kids with their parents credit cards. : : Sincerely [ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] [ WARPIG Rec Talk ]