Safety is word number one in paintballing. When you’re looking to invest in some new paintball gear, look first at ramping up your safety gear.

Safety is the most important piece for outfitting your paintball gear. Take a look at chest protectors, slider shorts, knee and elbow pads, neck protectors, and especially goggles. You may want to consider anti-fog or thermal goggles, or larger masks, depending on your playing situation. The larger masks will provide some degree of head protection as well. As with most gear, the higher the price gets, the lighter, more comfortable and more protective the gear becomes, so keep this in mind as well.

Padded protective clothing is one of the most important things you can get to add extra protection to your paintball gear. Wherever you wear it, you can get protective safety gear for it. Padded chest protectors will help keep your core protected: chest, back, shoulders and upper arms (depending on the style). Chest protectors are designed to give you optimal movement as well as protection.

Neck protectors help keep your neck and throat covered and slider shorts help pad your butt, hips and crotch – there is a lot of side-sliding in paintball maneuvering. Some slider shorts have removable crotch protection, men, to protect from paintball hits in the junk. Knee and elbow pads are some of the best and easiest paintball gear – keeping the joints protected from bruises and abrasions while allowing contact with the ground or obstacles.

Eyewear may be the most important part of your paintball gear. Goggles with thermal-sealed gradient lenses help shade your eyes from glare and ultraviolet and infrared light, while covering your eyes from flying paintballs and debris. Some have changeable lenses for varying light conditions, and many are equipped with thermal UV and IR-resistant or anti-fog lenses to keep them from becoming steamed up. Some goggle systems have interchangeable interconnected parts to secure the lenses and a frame to protect the nose, chin, cheeks and ears, as well as adjustable shades – entire vertical and horizontal coverage. You may want to protect your lenses with anti-fog spray cleaning solution and microfiber goggle lens cloths, or purchase replacement or backup replacement lenses to fit your goggle or mask.

As with most gear, the higher the price gets, the lighter, more comfortable and more protective the gear becomes, so keep this in mind as well.