Yes paintball hurts just a bit. Is it more than you can stand? Probably not in most cases.
Protection for certain areas is not a must but there are other areas that you might want to protect because of possible injuries more suvere than a welt. Here is a quick list of the areas you might want to protect as well as some you have to:
Face: A mask is required in on any playing field for good reasons.
Neck: Front shots and shots to arteries can be very serious.
Hands: Since there is very little meat to protect them from the inpact you can tear flesh pretty easy, so gloves might be a good idea.
For men: A cup. No need to explain that I am sure.
For women: A bra and some padding in the groin area.
Knees and elbows: Much like the hands they are skin to bone but the reason for protection is more from the enviorment than paint.
Outside clothing: Two thin layers of clothing will protect you from paint just fine and one layer of thicker clothing works but can be very warm. Leaving areas of skin exposed itsn't to bright if someone brings old paint or cheap paint that has a brittle shell, then you can get cut pretty good. Nothing major generally though.
Is the pain the game? No not really but for those of you that like welts, brusies and/or bleeding just ask and I am sure someone would be happy to beat on you a while.
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