Posted by
James Trenchard
Paintballing for a stag do
Stag do paintballing is one of, if not the most common stag do activity and it's highly likely that you may have taken part in paintballing before. The aim of this article is to give information about every aspect of stag do paintballing. You may have only ever taken part after someone else has organised it, so we're giving you all the information about this brilliant stag weekend activity.
Our aim is to give you loads of useful information about stag do paintballing, but if there's a question you have which we haven't covered, get on the blower and just ask us. We have no problem with answering your questions and can then help you to work out the next stages of how to plan a stag do.
Anyway, enough of the rambling on, let's get in to paintball!
Stag Do Paintballing Packages
There are plenty of options for stag do paintballing, from basic entry upto full-blown, all-out action packages. It will depend on everyone's budget, but the basic entry packages are pretty standard across the UK and tend to include half day entry, all the basic gear you need and some paintballs to start you off. Packages that include more than the basics tend to work better for longer days, for example if you choose to stay all day. The packages vary between companies but some have sites all over the UK which make the price the same for their packages.
More heavily-laden stag do paintballing packages may include extras such as flashbangs, paint grenades, larger quantities of paintballs, armour/gloves and more, so it's your choice how full-on you decide you want to go. You can of course stick with a basic package and buy a few extras, which is usually easy enough to do.
- Basic is great for a low-cost stag weekend -
Stag Do Paintballing Costs
Stag do paintballing can be one of the cheapest activities to choose for the weekend, giving you another reason to add it in. The entry-level packages we have already written about offer the cheapest way to get a couple of games of paintball. For entry, basic gear and 100 paintballs you're usually looking at prices around the same price as the cost of a round of drinks, maybe less. This makes it a great, budget-friendly option... but not necessarily the best value-for money.
One common question is how long will 100 paintballs last? The answer is dependant on how itchy your trigger finger is. If you're completely tight and scared of shooting at people (maybe paintball isn't the game for you), you might be able to make 100 paintballs last for a few games which could be either a morning or afternoon session. This, however, is unlikely and will mean that you'll have to splash out on more paintballs. If you run out then it becomes a lot less fun and will probably increase how much you sit behind a barrier and scream/rock back and forth like a madman. In summary, 100 paintballs are unlikely to last long and stag do paintballing is all about trying to win in style and inflict pain on your stag do rivals... not easy with limited paintballs.
If you want better value for money, it's best to go for a package which includes more paintballs as they tend to more expensive when buying them on-site.
- Think bigger about paintball volume -
What should I wear to play paintball?
You certainly don't want to be wearing your Sunday best for stag do paintballing. It's the norm to wear old clothes that you don't mind getting a bit dirty and possibly putting a few little rips in. Ideally you want to turn up in clothes you can easily run in, keeping comfort and movement in mind. Some people opt for a couple of layers to try and pad more for the impact of paintballs hitting you (we'll cover the pain factor in a bit).
At the vast majority of stag do paintballing centres, you will be provided with overalls, a mask, gun and paintballs. The overalls will help to reduce the amount of wear to your own clothes and provide an extra layer of padding (although quite a thin one).
Fancy dress for stag do paintballing is a sight to behold. Before you run away with your thoughts though, hold on! You won't be able to put the stag in anything like a Borat thong due to the risk of actually breaking his skin (something about insurance yadda yadda yadda) but something like a banana costume and other things to make him stick out like a sore thumb are usually fine. You'll just need to check with the venue before you go, just to make sure they're fine with it.
- You'll be given all you need -
Stag Do Paintballing Games
With stag do paintballing, it's a bit like living in a game. Most sites have great 'maps' and you'll be given different games to play during your visit. These are what keep paintball varied and fun, so no matter even if you've been before, you won't get exactly the same experience.
Some of the most popular stag do paintballing games are:
1 - Team survival
You'll be split in to two teams and set upon one another in a frenzy of paint and pain. Work out the best strategy to wipe out the other team first. All players get one life each. The team to hit all opposing players wins.
2 - Domination
The 'map' will have a position in which each team will try to occupy. The team who occupies the position for the longest wins. This can mean that players get unlimited lives and if you're hit you just return to your start point and try again.
3 - Capture the flag
Another game which often utilises unlimited lives. You'll have to try and get across to the opposing team's start point which is home to their flag. You'll then need to try and get the flag back to your start point. This can have different variations, one being that you start with a flag and just have to take it into the opposing team's start area.
- Game on! -
4 - Defuse the bomb
This game is similar to capture the flag but is often done over two rounds so both teams get a crack at defending and attacking. There will be a 'bomb' (thankfully not a real one). The attacking team has to get the bomb into the defending team's area with the defending team aiming to stop the attacking team from destroying them.
5 - Last man standing
Like it says, everyone has the aim of not getting hit and the last surviving person wins the round. All players have one life each.
Stag Do Paintballing Venues
Because stag do paintballing is such a popular choice of activity, there are hundreds of paintball sites spread across the UK. Most of them are outside city and town centres due to the space they require, but there are some that are inside buildings, meaning that they can be in towns or cities. Whichever stag do destination you choose though, it's extremely likely that you'll be able to add stag do paintballing and make it an even more amazing weekend.
- Stag do venues include some cool set-ups -
Stag Do Paintballing is Fun
The best thing about paintball is how much fun you can have. Running around in woods, diving dramatically behind barriers and trying to actually shoot other people is a fantastic combination. It's something that pretty much everyone in the group is likely to want to do, despite any differences in hobbies or sporting ability, making it ideal for a stag do weekend.
The Pain of Stag Do Paintballing
If you've ever played paintball before and been hit, you should know all about this. Getting hit by a paintball can be quite painful, but it is part of the game. Trying to avoid being hit is a lot of the fun of stag do paintballing, but isn't always achievable. If you do get hit you could well end up with a bruise, but like all bruises, they will fade. The pain level of a standard hit from a safe distance isn't the worst pain in the world, otherwise people wouldn't keep going back for more and the bruises are battle scars.
The worst pains you'll experience come from closer-range shots and paintballs that don't burst upon impact, but these are uncommon occurrences.
Basically, there is pain involved, but it's part of the fun and so isn't a massively big deal.
- Pain is part of the game -
Stag Do Paintballing Food
If you've got a busy stag weekend planned, then fitting lunch in may be a bit tricky. A lot of stag do paintballing sites offer food options like pizza, burgers, hotdogs etc. Whether you're doing a half or full day of paintball, not having to go anywhere else to get food is a real time and energy saver. You can just stay put, have lunch and then continue on to the next activity with minimal fuss.
The prices of the food don't usually cost an arm and a leg either, meaning you're going to get a reasonable meal for a decent price.
Stag Do Paintballing Summary
Stag do paintballing is an undisputed winner in our eyes. Here are our reasons as to why it is one of the best stag weekend activities available:
- Affordable for any stag do budget
- Available pretty much everywhere
- Lots of variety of game types
- Simple to take part in
- Easy to organise
- Doesn't require a big group
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