Paintball offers adrenaline rush
Picture sneaking through the brush in camoflage with a mask, a gun and paint pellets. Sound intriguing? Welcome to the world of paintball.
Paintball is growing in popularity around Cache Valley and the world as well. It is currently played in 40 different countries.
Jeff Keyes, organizer of the Utah State University Paintball Club, saw the potential of this new trend and started the club on campus. He also opened a store that sells and rents paintball supplies. Sight and Sound, located at 20 W. 800 North, is one of the many businesses around where students can rent paintball equipment. Keyes said his main reason for starting up the Paintball Club was to keep students informed of where they could and could not play paintball.
Renting a paintball package at Sight and Sound costs $10 per day. It includes a semi-automatic gun, a full CO2 tank, a mask and 100 paintballs. Keyes recommends wearing a long-sleeved shirt and pants while playing, but stressed that you “have to wear a mask, even if you’re butt naked.”
Paintball Adventure is a family owned business run out of David Neff’s home at 151 W. 100 North in Hyde Park. It offers a paintball package with semi-automatic or pump gun, 100 paintballs, mask and goggles for $9 per day. Neff was adamant about the importance of wearing proper safety equipment. He assures that bruises acquired from paintballs are not fatal, but the pellets can detach a retina if masks are not worn.
After renting paintball equipment, must find a place to play themselves. Keyes and Neff both agree that the most popular place to go is up Logan Canyon on National Forest property.
While there are a lot of spots to engage in battle up the canyon, some are off limits. Keyes said he is concerned about people playing where they should not. There are four regions of the mountains that have been banned to paintballers, mainly because of past abuse, he said.
Paintballers should stay away from the White Pine Lake area, Tony Grove Lake and surrounding area, all of Green Canyon and the adjacent mountains and the face of the mountain from Logan to Green Canyon, Keyes said.
In a pamphlet issued by the National Forest Service, there is a written prohibition to play near buildings, residences, campsites, across or on roads or bodies of water and near any publicly occupied area. The pamphlet also reminds users to pick up after themselves and be respectful so no more land will be declared off limits.
For those who want to try the sport, The Jungle, located at 284 N. 575 East in Hyde Park, has recently opened a paintball playing field. The field can hold approximately 30 players. A new field, to be opened within the next week, will hold 40. Avid paintball players can bring their own equipment. Others can rent guns and masks for $5. Either option requires the purchase of 100 paintballs at a cost of $6. There is a $5-field-entry fee. The Jungle also provides referees to help with crowd control and are “all about safety” said Steve Sorg, an employee at the Jungle.
The Jungle, along with the other rental companies, are open year round for those brave enough to go outside in the winter.
The Utah State Paintball Club is sponsoring a 4-man tournament on Sept. 29 for all non-professional paintball players. There is a $15 entrance fee with all the money coming back in prizes to the top three teams.
For more information about the club or about planned games, call Keyes at 753-9000, or visit his store.