Paintball Journal

Every once in a while I see something posted somewhere that makes me go, “Wow, I have a lot to say about that, but I really don’t feel like taking the time to answer on this thread.”

And then I realize that I’m in a constant struggle to find topics for this blog.

Which brings us to today’s (and many past and future) posts.

Today I’ve got a bit of a guide for choosing the best cleats for playing paintball.

Playing Surface

The surface that you play on makes a big impact on the types of cleats you’ll want to choose from.

The most common surface for most of you will be the standard outdoor grass. It’s that green stuff that grows on the ground for the better part of the year outside of your computer room and house.

I like the baseball and soccer cleats for grass. They are typically lightweight and cheap, as well as offering a good amount of traction for those “Oh, snap!” moments, when suddenly leaping sideways seems like a good idea. They’re fairly durable and should withstand even the most brutal running on rec-ball fields.

For those of you who prefer to rough it in the woods, I’d suggest boots or high ankle cleats. Support and comfort are two things you should look for, because often woods games last a long time and you want to be comfortable staying on your feet for hours on end. Traction becomes less of an issue because being quick on your feet often isn’t nearly as good as tactical knowledge.

Now, all you indoor and tourney players, here’s what you’ve read through all that duff for. Probably the best traction you’re going to achieve is with paintball cleats. I’m not gonna lie though, unless you’ve got way too much money laying around, then you won’t be able to pick up a pair. If you play on thick turf, go with the soccer or baseball cleats as a more economical solution. If you play on thinner carpet, track cleats work very well. However, track cleats also tear up turf pretty bad, so you should definitely ask the field owner if metal spikes are allowed.