Are High-end Paintball Guns Still Worth It?

I want a newer marker when I started getting back into paintball, but when I realize all I do is play on the local field in semi auto with my buddies I figured to rebuilding my tippmann 98/A5 was a better value and would suit me just fine.

Most people didn't need a high end gun even back in 2000. The angel was a huge improvement over other guns, but cheap e guns came around that did most of what a average person would want. Most people aren't shooting 20 balls a second. Paint is too expensive for that.

I remember I wanted the dm5 so bad but that price tag. Night was well been 1000000 dollars at my age

Wow what a throwback. The Ion was my dream gun when I was a kid.

Srill rocking my dm6

My brother had an Ion and I had shockers. My older shocker(the one right after the box shocker,dynasty shocker era) was better than the ion for sure and my newer one was exceptionally better but here is the rub, his ion NEVER malfunctioned. I would have to sit games out ever couple of months or weeks just to work on my gun to get it back to pristine function. He would have no idea what to do if he had to fix it but he never needed to. That was a pretty big selling point for me trying to get new people into the game.

I think my last high end marker buy was a dm9. Unfortunately I sold all of my stuff in the military and never got back into it, this gives me a bit of hope that if I wanted to it wouldn’t be as wallet busting as I thought.

My biggest mistake in paintball was buying a Timmy. Actually, scratch that. My biggest mistake in paintball was buying my SECOND Timmy.

Also, this video ignores a HUGE market of used markers. Markers that were $1,500 brand new two years ago can often be bought on the cheap, second hand. Plus, the folks who are buying then flipping high end guns, typically take decent care of their gear.

ive always thought the empire axe was the best value gun you could get it. swapped my geo 3 in 2014 for one and loved it

i ought a mini gs when they first came out and you worked on it it just didnt work then like 3 years later i threw a tank on it and it worked

I'm sending this to my buddy that recently started playing with me. He currently rents or uses one of my autocockers. I told him you don't need to speed a fortune to have fun. Great video.

i started back in 98 and played thru 02/03 , i remember dropping $2k for a warped sports dark LCD Angel and WDP Air , would i pay for it today, probably not, but back then it was normal for that pricing, look at The Automag RT prices, AGD Emags and even Belsales Predator Autococker prices, and then all the stuff that Eclipse put out

Had a SP ions. I think the first gen. That was maybe 2008? Anyway it was junk

The machine vapor I had just never worked for some reason and it was 1600 bucks

man i remember when the ion dropped, also i had a syx 1.5 for a few years, i just bought a very lightly used CS2. the differences in that are even marginal most noteable is the efficiency. But at least i got my buddy hooked selling my syx to a friend for a good deal just brings another player into paintball!

Guns used to have more character too. An expensive Timmy would have nice milling and cool anodization, while the Ion I rocked just had a plastic body. Today guns are all minimal tubes. There are no cool annos or milling to draw your eye to an expensive marker.

Ive been debating on what to get my oldest for his first. It has been "Do I just get him an EMEK or go with the Etha3M for $100 more". Why? The differences are so minute any more that is that extra $100 getting him something objectively better? Or could I literally spend that $100 on an extra day out at the field. Coming from my early days in 1996 and coveting those few hundred or thousand dollar legitimately high end markers when I was rocking a $98 Walmart Special Spyder Compact. Now my collection consists of what WAS mostly high-end back in the early 2000's, back then there WAS a difference. Today? I could not tell you what the difference between any of the high-ends are. They really do all look the same and functionally, mostly are. I remember going to my local field in about 2008 for a 3man, rocking a Karnivor STO and seeing other teams carrying Ions and being competitive! The Ion really did change what was considered "Tourny level / entry level".

I bought guns that interested me. I could never afford to keep up with the latest and greatest constantly. I really miss my e2 autococker, and automag rtp.

I got back into paintball after years of not playing and all I did was re-lube all the o-rings on my gtek and it was ready to go. I looked into getting an upgrade but everything looked like it did the same exact thing with the same bolt design so I just decided to keep the gtek.

Ions shot okay (when they worked), but they were absolute pain to maintain or fix.
The biggest improvement in modern guns for the past few years have been maintainability.

Although ill drool for a CS3, Im perfectly content with my Axe 2.0, and lt-r. It works great for me!

bro im still rocking my angel fly joy edition. angel IR3, shocker and i have an ion laying around. id never replace them with anything new. coming from early 2000s paintball it just wouldnt feel right.

nothing beats going to the local field with an angel fly or the IR3 and seeing people get taken back by it. it actually blows their minds. cant replace that

Is the Emek still your primary shooter now? What else do you use when you go play?

Bought a used tm40 and it’s so good and it was 7 and some change best option atm

Newb question, i only recreationally paintball with friends. Ive kitted a red dot laser and a red dot laser site on my gun. Are these attachments not allowed in comp play?

Very sobering video. Didnt realize the value proposition for most of these guns was REALLY that bad. I have some nice collectors guns, but the most "modern" gun I have is a 1.6 that I bought used. After watching this video and really thinking about it, I don't think I'll be getting a new gun anytime soon.

as someone who owns a cCS2 and a LV2 I agree with you 100% whenever I play and someone asks what guns I'm using I always say the same thing. I tell em what I'm using but then immediately tell them they can get a mid tier set up and be just as good. paintball is one of those sports when having the coolest and best guns doesn't mean victory in the field. I'd say it can help but it usually falls on skill, field knowledge, and a bit of luck when you play. (I used to own a Etek 5 which correct me if I'm wrong was around 600 new? and now a days I hear you can get em for around 350? id get practically the same results on the fields as I would with these high-end guns.) Now I will go and say that yes there are slight things that can be helpful on newer guns such as air efficiency improvements newer bolts and ergonomic redesigns and these can have an impact on a more competitive scene like pro play but shot quality is pretty similar and range is about the same on all paintball guns so I'd say for your average player you don't need the high end stuff to do well.

I really liked my etha2.. but the trigger sucked and my cs1.5 was a lot better. But looking now?! I’d have both. Get a used cs3 or r5 and still have a etha3 cause they are rock solid.

I remember seeing Team STRANGE win NPPL Tampa using ION's and Shockers, and DYNASTY winning NPPL using Prophecy's and Shockers.
Remember Spyder Cup when all teams used Kingman Spyder's and won cars? 🤷‍♂️

The bps cap pretty much killed the high end market

My last gun was a spyder something...20 years ago. Just picked up a etha3. Blown away. This thing is better than the multi thousand dollar guns guys had years ago. It shoots and plays just as nice as the "high end" stuff at the field currently. Just not quite as fancy. Hes right...todays mid range guns are better than the ultimate guns from years ago. You dont need anything more technically.

This video is great! I’m 32 and new to the sport and I’m getting the Etha 3 for my first gun! Thanks to this video!

I’m convinced the dsr+ will be the new geo 3/3.1/3.5 in the future, where it’s a smooth shot and it’ll last a while

I’m so lost here I’ve probably shot every gun out there top and low the low end guns are heavier for the most part less reliable, harder/clunkier shot and horrible on paint spending your money on a older higher end gun is better than buying a brand new low end those guns are great for your once a month rec player but absolutely horrible for tournament play

The only argument for this then I can think of is new versus used
Some people just don't like buying used things or want the latest and greatest

I thought you have and had alot of markers ?!?!?

I have a 10 year old empire axe with a freak barrel kit still have fun

I am currently selling my ego 07 SL74 and want to upgrade but honestly nothing is calling out to me.

I have a force, the most expensive gun of all. Grown men have money and want the best.

This is many years ago, but when I took up paintball again as an older guy. The difference between my cheap used shocker and a DYE NT was that my had less efficiency, a drop of first ball, but then it was more reliable, easier to maintain etc. But the price difference was like 1200$, I couldn’t understand what was better. And now, the Etha that came out then, it was cheap and it had flaws but this Etha 3 seem awesome?! And the high end guns, there doesn’t seem to be much of a difference so the whole vid, it’s really interesting…. I would love to see some answers so ”we” shut up.

Ive been running an Empire Mini since I got back into playing this year, easily competing and doing consistently well against the guys running “higher-end” markers. I plan on getting an Etha 3 when I eventually want to have a different option.

Smart parts Ion changed the game for sure.

honestly ive been looking into maybe picking up a new marker. i started when i was 8 years old in 97 with whatever my folks got me i think it was called a griffin BL? then i moved to a spyder compact. and had that same kind of progression i didnt get my hands on a electronic marker til i was older when the spyder e-99 and then a bushmaster B2K and i had a ton of issues with both of them. then one day my dad got his tax return or something and picked me up a ripper 2.5 and himmself a 04 angel speed and the rest is history once ii was working i started to invest my own cash into it and got a ego. a fly. a karnivore. i played for a few teams in socal i think i made it to division 2. and after a REALLY bad car accident just out of highschool i got dropped from the team i was on and just kinda quit playing. now im 36 and want to get into a healthier hobby that doesnt involve PC gaming or a screen. did the airsoft thing and had fun with the milsim side of things but nothing ever really scratched the itch for that high speed action sport like paintball did. so i started poking around online seeing what people are using and whats changed in the past decade and i straight up have NO idea what makes a 1700 dollar gun any better than a 500 dollar gun.

Got a pm8 with a dye ul frame and the mfer is leaking. Gonna make it a project gun and sell my etek4 and buy a Shocker amp

💯
All true

Honestly the best thing any new player could do is buy a used high end or mid end gun. Typically they’re highly discounted with minimal issues that anyone could fix.

Bought an Axe 2.0 second hand back in 2018 to start playing again. I stopped in 2008 when my son was born. That thing shoots so good. Even now, I can't justify getting anything else. It's reliable, efficient, and easy to maintain. That's all you need. I would like a nice mech now like the Etha 3M.

Bought a 180r to have a nicer gun.started with a smart parts ion,then a proto rail and put in about 500$ into it then a etek 3 and now have a gtek180r . And with havving all thoes they all feel great .

Just picked up an etek5 after being away from the sport since 2018. To me the etek5 is high end because I don't know the difference, it's smooth AF and easy to work on compared to older markers.

Virtue board ion we ripppppin lmaooo

What's faster than an ego8 chronic edition? 😂