Are you an airsofter or paintballer? That is the question that many enthusiasts in the sport want to know. But for a beginner who is not sure where to start, it can be difficult to determine the difference between the two. So, for all of you newbees to the sport of simulated combat, here is the rundown.

Paintball is a sport which is often played outdoors. This exciting extreme sport is very popular all over the United States and is played all over the world.

The usual game of choice in paintball is capture the flag. Each of the teams wears an arm band and tries to capture the flag from the other teams base.

The object of the game is to capture the other teams flag and bring it back to you home base without getting hit by a paintball. Once you are hit, you are out of the game.

The weapon of choice for this game is the Paintball gun, or marker. These guns usually have a barrell, trigger, and a reservoir to hold extra paintballs.

Airsoft, on the other hand, does not use paint pellets at all. Instead their choice of pellet is the BB pellet. This entreme sport, which was developed in the 1980s in Japan, can be referred to as a more extreme version of paintball.

The weapon of choice for this sport, is the Airsoft BB guns. These guns are unique because of their realistic appearance. In fact you can get almost any kind of airsoft gun from a simple airsoft pistol to a Desert Eagle Beretta, or eve an Oozie machine gun.

Airsofter enjoy a more war-like atmosphere. Arenas in airsoft are played in buildings, allotted indoor airsoft battlefields and outdoors. You will often see an airsofter in bdus and more tactical military gear. This makes for an extremely exciting realistic gaming experience.

Games that are played usually include Capture the Flag, Team Deathmatch, Close Quarters Battle and Military Simulation.

So, which one is better? Honestly, both games have their pros and cons.

On the up side with paintball, it is far easier to to tell who has been hit. People who have bee hit are clearly identified by the paint left on their suit. Also, it is far easier to find a paintball arena in the United states than an airsoft facility. This is primarily due to the overall popularity of paintball.

On the down side, paintball games tend to cost a bit more than airsoft games in many areas. The BBs for paintball can be more expensive as well. Also, some people argue that the battle simulation in paintball is not as realistic as in airsoft, but this is mostly speculation.

On the other hand, airsoft battles are boasted to be more realistic. The weapons overall have a more realistic look and feel. People also seem to dress up more for the battle. In fact, it is almost an unwritten rule that a person should dress for battle in an airsoft game. Plus most materials for airsoft can be relatively affordable in comparison to paintball.

On the downside, space for airsoft facilities are far more limited in comparison to paintball facilities. Also, the age range for many airsoft arenas is 18 and over in comparison to paintball arenas that cater to younger ages overall.

Also, in airsoft, it is far more difficult to tell who has been hit. The game is on the honor system, in that, if you know that you have been hit you go out on your own. Although, most airsofters will tell you that most people are pretty good about the honor system, and will leave if they have been hit.

So, are you an airsofter or a paintballer? Well, the best way to truly decide is to try both. You may be surprised at what you find.