What's everybodys preference on paintballs these days?

[David Casey]

I've been out of the sport for 15 years and things have really changed. Most for the worse as far as I can tell as far as quality.
I have been having trouble getting paint to cooperate with my older markers. What does everybody shoot now that compares with the old R.P. Scherer gator black SS or Marballizer from the good ole days?

[Cyco-Dude]

Well, the Marballizers of today are not the same paintball you remember, unfortunately. The issue, for me at least, was consistency. Most of the time the paint was oily, or had defective seams, or was just stored too long and had flat spots and / or was too oblong (and was oily). If you could get fresh marbs, they would be great, but i've had no luck there.

What I have had luck with so far, is Valken paint. Specifically their higher-end graffiti and redemption paint. No trouble with those using my Tippmann or Automag, they are always fairly consistent, and dry. The seams aren't *quite* as smooth as marbs, but i'll take that trade-off for paint that's decent otherwise. It also costs less than a case of marbs, so that's a bonus.

[David Casey]

I picked up a case of marballizer and a case of Draxxus at a Dunhams Sports store yesterday. We played with the Draxxus yesterday with 6 people shooting and not one chopped ball and the accuracy was decent. We played with the marballizer today. Oily paint in the bags caught my eye and I figured well no accuracy here but was surprised at how straight they shot. However, we were chopping balls pretty often in the same guns as we shot the Draxxus with no problems.

[vintage]

I used marbs at ll7 this year and had all kinds of problems with them blowing up in the barrel and I wasn't alone, most people there had problems with both marbs and evil.

[Nobody]

I play at fields so i don't do byop, nor play recball. Paint is paint always was, when its fresh, its great. When its not, then you can have problems. My field shoots modern Marbs and its ok. The higher quality paint that Empire sells is always good. Just wish that the companies would treat both recball and tournament pint with the same care.

[going_home]

I've been having problems with Kee paint for months around here, way too many bounces and very oily.

The GI isnt oily but doesnt break that good either.

I wish someone local carried Valken, I've heard good things about the redemption paint.

[BLachance75]

I really like Valken Redemption. Seems to be round, good shell, and breaks on target and not in the barrel. I played a stock class event a few weeks ago and didn't have a single barrel break out of about 500 shots and only 1 bounce on a person who was bigger and at a pretty far distance.

[Menace_AO]

I used marbs at ll7 this year and had all kinds of problems with them blowing up in the barrel and I wasn't alone, most people there had problems with both marbs and evil.

This.

The last several times I've used marbs have impressed me, but not in the good sense. At its best it is oily and prone to bouncing. Usually flies okay. At LL7 it was positively abominable, and the Evil was some (but not much) better. Broke with great reliability everywhere before exiting the barrel.

Valken Graffiti has always been very good to me. Never once had an issue with it. Never tried Redemption.

Shot the DYE CG this year and it was absolute joy. Fed beautifully, shot like a dream, broke everywhere but in your marker, just perfect. Given the choice between this and any other high-end paint, the DYE would be my first, second, and third choice.

[Justus]

I first used Valken Graffiti and Redemption at D-Day 2012. It was so dang hot out that everything was bouncing and I didn't get a good impression. But I had a case leftover of Redemption so I brought it home. A year later I broke out that case and played with it, and it was awesome. Since then, I've switched over to Valken paint at my field. We stock Redemption and Fate, and people seem to love it just as much as I do. One of the best features is the crush-proof box packaging, and the sealed bags of paint with silica packets inside to prevent moisture escape. Other companies might be doing that now too, but the Nelson paint we were using before did not have that kind of packaging. When you lift out a bag of paint fresh from the box and it has liquid in the bottom of the bag, you realize that it makes a difference.

I prefer the Redemption in my 'Mag. Some of the guys using Tippmanns preferred the thicker-shelled Fate.

[ScottyBeans]

+1 for valken paint. Redemption is awesome and infinity is actually super good budget priced paint. depends on what you are looking for.

[Syko89]

I used marbs at ll7 this year and had all kinds of problems with them blowing up in the barrel and I wasn't alone, most people there had problems with both marbs and evil.

I have never had so many breaks in my life.

I also use valken when I have a choice. I get graffiti due to a little harder shell. More or less just a precautionary measure with the warpless feed

[rschoi_75]

I prefer the new Dye competition paintballs personally. Before that I used to play Marbs and Evil.

Pros:
- .687-.689 size so you can use all your stock barrels, and old school barrel kits.
- Super consistent
- Crisp breaks when fresh

Cons:
- Expensive
- Oily and Smelly

[going_home]

It was my understanding that Dye isn't shipping their paint across the pond any more.

And that its only available in Europe ?

[blackdeath1k]

I first used Valken Graffiti and Redemption at D-Day 2012. It was so dang hot out that everything was bouncing and I didn't get a good impression. But I had a case leftover of Redemption so I brought it home. A year later I broke out that case and played with it, and it was awesome. Since then, I've switched over to Valken paint at my field. We stock Redemption and Fate, and people seem to love it just as much as I do. One of the best features is the crush-proof box packaging, and the sealed bags of paint with silica packets inside to prevent moisture escape. Other companies might be doing that now too, but the Nelson paint we were using before did not have that kind of packaging. When you lift out a bag of paint fresh from the box and it has liquid in the bottom of the bag, you realize that it makes a difference.

I prefer the Redemption in my 'Mag. Some of the guys using Tippmanns preferred the thicker-shelled Fate.

Not sure which you had at your spring game but it shot great there. Shot great last month locally too. Quite happy with that paint.

[rschoi_75]

It was my understanding that Dye isn't shipping their paint across the pond any more.

And that its only available in Europe ?

Weird. I literally just ordered another case from ANS Gear right after you posted this. I got my shipping confirmation today. Maybe they are still selling old stock?
Btw, I'm aware of the thread over on PBN back in Jan/Feb of this year.

[GoatBoy]

While I try to avoid paint snobbery, I have never liked Marballizer over the time I've been playing. Never.

I've been using Redemption and have been happy with it. I use a 0.680 insert when it's fresh, then 0.685 after it's a few weeks old. It's usually very consistent, breaks on target, and I don't have any in-gun breaks (other than those caused by broken detents which I failed to notice). And it keeps fairly well.

Oh and the green stuff leaves a really nicely visible mark.

[Cyco-Dude]

lol that picture...

[Billz804]

Seriously, not to be off topic, but that's a great shot. GoPro or R7 or.. what?

[GoatBoy]

Seriously, not to be off topic, but that's a great shot. GoPro or R7 or.. what?

Thanks; it was taken with a Drift HD.

[Mr. Red]

I've been having great success with one of the cheapest paints made available. JT TOXIN. If you have a freak barrel kit, it seems to be a pretty consistent .682 sized ball.

[wimag]

Valken Graffiti and GI star.

[Justus]

... and infinity is actually super good budget priced paint...

Woah, let's not get carried away here, lol! Infinity is Valken's dirty-little-secret paint. It's a "budget" paint because it's not 100% PEG. From the point of view of someone shooting that paint, I can see why you'd like it, because it shoots straight and breaks on target - exactly what you need paint to do. But from the view of someone getting shot with that paint, or having to clean up a field where it was shot... not so much. That stuff stains like mad, and the most grievous knock is that the fill leaves a waxy buildup that is tough to remove. I can't stand that stuff, personally. Fate is not much more expensive (what, something like $1 to $2 more per case?) and will save you a ton of headaches in the long run.

I won't stock Infinity, nor allow it to be used at my field. I learned a few years back, it's 100% PEG or nothing. Most paint companies have caught on to that by now, Valken included for every other grade of paint they stock.

[RT Lover]

GI paint sucks @$$, marb runs very well i like it alot!!!

[David Casey]

I played another tournament this past weekend and shot Empire Premium and didn't chop a single ball. I was however using a different gun with a lvl 10 bolt. I was very happy to be shooting paint instead of watching it drip out of my gun but I was not impressed with the accuracy of it.

[ScottyBeans]

Woah, let's not get carried away here, lol! Infinity is Valken's dirty-little-secret paint. It's a "budget" paint because it's not 100% PEG. From the point of view of someone shooting that paint, I can see why you'd like it, because it shoots straight and breaks on target - exactly what you need paint to do. But from the view of someone getting shot with that paint, or having to clean up a field where it was shot... not so much. That stuff stains like mad, and the most grievous knock is that the fill leaves a waxy buildup that is tough to remove. I can't stand that stuff, personally. Fate is not much more expensive (what, something like $1 to $2 more per case?) and will save you a ton of headaches in the long run.

I won't stock Infinity, nor allow it to be used at my field. I learned a few years back, it's 100% PEG or nothing. Most paint companies have caught on to that by now, Valken included for every other grade of paint they stock.

"breaks on target" is also a strong phrase for it haha. The shell seems pretty robust and bounces pretty regularly at any range (a fine enough trait for recball, IMO). I didn't know about the PEG stuff, but that makes sense. A lot of the rec paint used at my field is hell to clean off afterwards. I usually stick to redemption, even at approx. $10 more per case. I'll have to try Fate but im relatively sure they don't sell it at my field.