Equipment Advice Thread

Alright guys, here's where you can help me huge on this.

I'm currently leaning toward going with Paintball-Discounters to get my gear for me and the group that are going with me to Pennsylvania next year. However, I know it wouldn't be smart to go with just one company based on the idea that they're in my state and I wanna keep the money in state rather than save some money through a different dealer.

So, I'm comparison shopping but I'm also working up an idea of what I really NEED versus what I just WANT. So here's where some of you who already HAVE vests can help me out with.

Let me set the scenario for you guys and maybe that'll help. I'm proabably going to be the Team Lead even though I'm not the long range engagement guy (for future reference, sniper even though there really is no such thing in paintball) I'll either be going with being the backup to the sniper or being the lead of the security element in my team. There will be at least 3 of us total in the team, maybe as many as 6 that go to PA with us.

The other two sites I have in mind to see about if they'll give me a better break than PBD are Zephyr Paintball and Hustle Paintball. If anybody has another suggestion as to where I can/should send an email to about a package, please let me know.

Now with that in mind, let us begin.

Modular Accessories for the vest - Right now I'm looking into getting Valken V-Tac Echo Vests with Radio Pouch, ID Pouch, and a horizontal Tank Pouch. I also was considering a multipouch for carrying stuff but I'm not sure it's necessary. What do you guys think is necessary and should I be looking at getting more or do I maybe need to rethink and take something off?

Hydration System - I found an Atlanco/Tru-Spec Water Bladder on Midwestpolicegear.com that I can get 10 percent off of for liking them on facebook. So 8.69 before S&H and taxes. Does anybody know anything about this brand and should I look elsewhere and if so, what paintball sites do you guys recommend for that?

Radios - I found Motorola Talkabout FV330 radios at Radio Shack's website and that might be what I go with unless somebody knows something I don't about these.

Sights - I'm looking now at the NCStar DP130 with Weaver ring as my sights of choice because of the price point. I figure you can't beat 19.99 for a sight of any kind. If anybody has a better suggestion for what I should look into for the CQB variant I'd love to hear it.

Foregrip - For the CQB variant that I'm gonna probably do if I buy the other AB I'm looking at, I'm going with a Magpul AFG foregrip, gonna keep the barrel length down by leaving the stock barrel on it as well.

Anyway that's it for now, I think. If you think I left anything out or you think I'm getting too much for what my role will be (remember I'm gonna take on one of two roles) feel free to let me know.

I know Im just missing a couple of pouches for my vest now, then my load outs finished too.
I know a lot of guys on here have a lot of pouches with first aid kits n radio pouches n pouches for this n that for the big scenario games.
But I try n keep my load out as light as pos.
My Salvos fairly heavy as it is and I figure having a light set-up lets me move faster, once the crap hits the fan.
I personally plan on ONLY having my molle tank pouch & 2 double molle pod pouches on my vest.
Do those radios have the throat mics, cos that's really what you want for PB.
But yeah Motorolas make good uns.

I looked at the Echo vest, also. But I decided to go with the BT Static vest in OD for the price (it was only $30 when I bought mine). I figured I didn't really care about the vest blending perfectly with the camouflage I have, and I already had the MOLLE gear to set it up with. Just my opinion. I agree with Dunk above about the radios/mics thing,but it's up to you, though an ID pouch can be found alot cheaper than most of these paintball-only stores sell them for.

Also, if you're going for a CQB look, you may be losing your ability to play "long-range engager" very well. Just keep that in mind. Anyway, you may check out rockstartactical.com for some of this stuff. That's where I got most of my gear. Hope it helps!

PR: I'm actually likely getting a second marker, one to set up CQB and one to set up for more mid-range. I actually see that the BT Static Vest is cheaper and they have it in my size. I might end up going with that, and then adding the MOLLE gear as I go. How many pods does it hold or do you have to buy the MOLLE setup for how many you want? I'm intrigued.

As far as the Motorola talkabouts that I'm looking at, no they do NOT come with throat mics but I'm pretty sure I can find some for a good price.

And if you guys could, point me in the direction of where I might be able to find these ID patches for cheaper, unless they're at an Army surplus store, I might be able to find some at my local store if that's the case.

Well, sadly, the Static vest is only MOLLE, so you'll have to buy the pod holders. However, i've seen guys who can find ways to strap 10 or more pods there, depending on the holders they have. Personally, I play like you do, I fill in where I'm needed, I just run with 4 pods and a homemade utility pouch. The pros: It's light, versatile, and easy to manipulate into any position I play in game. The cons: it's MOLLE, so anything else I want to put on there, it means I've got to dish out more $$.
As for ID pouches, I have seen a few of them at some surplus stores. If you're not play scenario, though, there's really no point in having one, though. If you want a cheap alternative, lanyards work fine for that. But if you want to be more realistic, it might be a good investment for you.

Good point PR, I gave you some rep for the original advice and what not, it was appreciated greatly. I'm pretty sure the valken v-tac comes with the pod loader setup on it, so that might be the reason for the disparity in price, good to know.

I've currently got the Special Ops Paintball Marauder II jersey in Digi-Woodland camo and I had also ordered a pair of the same type of pants and never received them. Of course that was a couple years ago and I was told that since Special Ops was being bought by another company that I had no recourse. I'm gonna try again and go with a slightly different angle of it having been that time and I hadn't mentioned anything because I was furious and didn't want anything to do with the company at all, but I'm now giving them another chance to win my business back by rectifying the situation.

Hopefully this strategy works because I never got them even though they said they had shipped them.

As far as vests go, make sure you get one that you are comfortable in, nothing worse then being out there is gear that rubs you the wrong way. I have a BT Vest non-molle and an airsoft replica of a CIRAS vest that I picked up used, I use the CIRAS as my main one, and I love it.
Same goes for a hydration pack, make sure it is good quaility, and if molle that it fits your vest well.

Dont currently use foregrips so I cant help you there.
Radios, now there are a couple of things to remember on them,
One is that at a large event, everyone and thier brother will have on, and most will be using the FRS radios which the one you are talking about is, what that means is that you will have only so many channels and lots of people using them. I have Midland radios myself, and have no complaints, but I have yet to use them at a large event.

Seconed thing is that unless you spend the money for them most throat mics that I have heard about have issues, I have tactical survilence mics and boom mics for mine.
ANother idea is to use a mono earplaug that you can get at radio shack for like 3 bucks, to hear and then just use the PTT button to transmit. I used a similar set-up when I was working at a county jail in Arizona, but we had the shoulder mics, I just plugged into it and no one could hear what was on the radio but me.

But the main thing to remeber is to look over ay gear you want, read reviews, and if you can tak to people that have what your looking at and if possible try it on, then decide what works for you.

Just so I'm sure of this, basically once I get my vest I don't HAVE to buy MOLLE pouches, etc specifically FOR that vest or FROM the same company, I can get them elsewhere, correct? I ask because I've been looking around for prices for MOLLE stuff and trying to find the best buys I can. So all of it is universal, correct?

Okay back to the camo stuff for a second. Right now I've got the following...

Tiger Stripe Pants

Special Ops Paintball Maurauder II Jersey (I ordered the pants to go with it but never received them.)


And if I buy it from Tuf, I might have the Valken V-Tac Vest in Marpat.


Now to those of you who have been in the military especially, am I screwed as far as being able to blend in with this mixture of chaos or will it help or do I need to possibly standardize to Marpat setup to match my vest or maybe see about getting some kinda woodland digi to go with my jersey or do I go back to plain ol tiger stripe for everything?

Honestly if I have to replace the pants I have with some marpat ones to kinda blend with the vest I'm fine with that, I can always offload the tiger stripe and the t-shirt that goes with it to my cousin who is a shade taller than I am and just about the same size.

About the colors, I really worry about that at the start. I've always thought if the gear works, use it until you can get EXACTLY what you want, or mod it to work. For example, I didn't want to buy 2 sets of pod holders in 2 patterns, so I just bought a yard of fabric of each pattern and velcroed them on. It works really well. If you don't like a particular peice of gear, either sell it, mod it, or suck it up for the time being. Look at your terrain and test out your patterns. Whichever one works the best is the one I suggest you universalize. Although, I've seen a bunch of guys who look awesome in mismatched gear, and others who look like crap. Just depends.

And yes. MOLLE is universal for the most part. Some of the companies get lazy or greedy and true MOLLE pouches won't want to work for them, only the pouches they make, but I've never run into a big problem with that. You just have to work them a little more if you buy from a different company. No big deal.