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Why do airsofters hate paintballers?

3.1K views 16 replies 11 participants last post by  covertslayer  
#1 ·
Why do airsofters hate paintball/paintballers?
 
#2 ·
I don't hate paintball, I played for years and built a sick autococker. I do hate the price of paint however, I also prefer that in airsoft more people use real tactics not just spray and pray ( though we do have our share of those guys too). Plus it seems like most fields these days are the inflatable speedball style, I started playing before the inflatable fields were a thing and dont care for them, and prefer just being in the woods.
 
#3 ·
I wouldn't say hate, it's more like a dislike on both sides.
As already pointed out, paintball is a run and gun and paintball is traditionally more strategic.
The realistic factor. Paintball guns do not have the realism that your airsoft gun will have... Even in regards to polar star weapons.
Some may say cheaters, but BOTH sports have cheaters. Which has more? Until we ALL drink some truth serum, we'll never know.
You can debate prices and dollars spent, but if you're using that as fuel to dislike something - well I'll stop there.

My reason for disliking paintball is because it's messy and tends to stain. Me being a Boy Scout, I believe in leave no trace - or at least as little as possible. After playing on an outdoor field for months, we started seeing BBs here and there. But the first time paintballers showed up one night, the next morning it was paintfully obvious. Little paintballs everywhere, trees splattered with paint, lots of underbrush destruction, and on and on. So my personal dislike for paintball is the footprint it leaves.

In the end, both sports have gearheads, and overzealous players, as well as players who simply believe they're entitled. So the "feud" the same as UM vs UF, Marines vs Navy, and on and on... Rather pointless aside from chest beating and grunting.

Disclaimer: Before airsoft, I actually was a paintball player.

-mobile device-
 
#5 ·
I don't hate it either, I just don't like dumping $200 on paint for a practice in speedball. Played for two years and now been doing airsoft for two years. Others hate each other because they are different yet similar with how we play differently but still essentially shoot people with less than realistic but dangerous toys. It's just immaturity and people need to not justify or make something unjust based on their beliefs. If there's no harm then just leave it alone. To each their own.
 
#6 ·
I don't hate it either, I just don't like dumping $200 on paint for a practice in speedball. Played for two years and now been doing airsoft for two years. Others hate each other because they are different yet similar with how we play differently but still essentially shoot people with less than realistic but dangerous toys. It's just immaturity and people need to not justify or make something unjust based on their beliefs. If there's no harm then just leave it alone. To each their own.
How is paintball immature and airsoft isn't?
 
#10 ·
I wouldn't say hate, it's more like a dislike on both sides.
As already pointed out, paintball is a run and gun and paintball is traditionally more strategic.
The realistic factor. Paintball guns do not have the realism that your airsoft gun will have... Even in regards to polar star weapons.
Some may say cheaters, but BOTH sports have cheaters. Which has more? Until we ALL drink some truth serum, we'll never know.
You can debate prices and dollars spent, but if you're using that as fuel to dislike something - well I'll stop there.

My reason for disliking paintball is because it's messy and tends to stain. Me being a Boy Scout, I believe in leave no trace - or at least as little as possible. After playing on an outdoor field for months, we started seeing BBs here and there. But the first time paintballers showed up one night, the next morning it was paintfully obvious. Little paintballs everywhere, trees splattered with paint, lots of underbrush destruction, and on and on. So my personal dislike for paintball is the footprint it leaves.

In the end, both sports have gearheads, and overzealous players, as well as players who simply believe they're entitled. So the "feud" the same as UM vs UF, Marines vs Navy, and on and on... Rather pointless aside from chest beating and grunting.

Disclaimer: Before airsoft, I actually was a paintball player.

-mobile device-
Your post reminded me of another point, the mess. I mean you get dirty playing airsoft but your not picking paint out of everything you own after a day of play, the only "real" airsoft field near me is primarily a paintball field and I never go there because I don't feel like picking paint out of my expensive camo and gear, the stuff is just caked everywhere on this field, it sucks.
 
#11 ·
Both have there up and downs some paintball guns are realistic like milsig and rap4 and magfed but paintballs are expensive $60 a case which is only 2,000 compared to 5,000 bbs under $25 depending on what you buy. Airsoft doesn't leave paint marks everywhere and you have the option to wear a mask where as in paintball is necessary. It also depends on where you live paintball is still big in some states but airsoft is growing larger due to cheaper cost of ammo the guns cost about the same $200-$1500 and more airsoft fields are opening. Airsoft uses more tactics in general as most paintballers play speedball its hard to find milsim paintball fields. Both can be realistic but never completely realistic other than gun looks.
 
#13 ·
IMO Airsoft is much more like paintball now than it was 6+ years ago. A lot more younger kids, more speedball than ever before because a lot of people like airsoft due to the cooler guns and cheaper ammo. Its much more mainstream than before.

With that said milsim has grown too, when I got into airsoft many years ago I never would have dreamed of huge national games and local stores.
 
#16 ·
I've always felt it's like the age old argument of "call of duty vs battlefield." Yeah both are the same thing, but at the same time totally different. You find people that hate on one just because it's the cool thing to do.

Honestly to me, the more mind boggling question is- why do real steel owners hate on airsoft?
 
#17 ·
Probably because we're nerds :p

Seriously though, you'd think most would love it because

1) Cheap training tool for close ranges. Lack of recoil would be something to watch out for though.
2) Can train with live targets.

Ah well, their loss.