First rule to keep in mind that impulsive buying is not the way to go when shopping for Paintball equipment. These items will need to stay with you for years, and the time spent in making a decision should reflect that.

Second rule is to know exactly what you need before you go out shopping. This means do your research.

* Does your gun need to be replaced?

* Do you own a gun?

* Have you played Paintball before?

* What condition is your jersey in, if you own
one?

* Do you have a suitable paintball mask?

All of these things must be answered before you go shopping, or you may find yourself spending far more than you'd like.

"There are some things you can't escape"

Third rule is to know exactly how much you want to spend on your Paintball equipment. Having an excellent mask is one of those things. Don't skimp on the mask! The paintball mask will save you a lot of pain and grief later. Going blind because you didn't want to spend the extra fifty dollars is just plain STUPID.

If you are a beginning player, do not spend more than you neeed to on your first gun. You won't know how to clean and care for the higher end guns, and learning on a cheaper gun is important.

If you keep these things in mind, you should be able to get a good set of Paintball equipment without spending as much as others - both in time and in money.