In the past few months, we’ve all worn down the soles of our shoes pretty well. I joked around w/ my neighbor yesterday, “sorry man, I’m not down for a bike ride, I ran a 10K today.” He asked which one, and my response was “The Hustle Paintball Tuesday Orders 10K.” Running around, picking and packing orders has kept us all in shape, and even though we’re all working pretty consistent 7am – 6pm shifts, it just doesn’t seem like a job in the typical dreary, long-hours, I-hate-my-life way you might imagine. As Jay said a few weeks back, “we’re all in this together, this is our family and we will all bleed together!”

It’s great to have a crew like I do, everyone has a positive attitude and tons of energy (needed for the 10K’s), but more than that, everyone is willing to work together and encourage each other to get our work done. We’ve made a big promise to you, the paintball community, our extended family, and that is “We will build a community website for you (www.pbriot.com/forum.php), we will sell everything that you want to buy at the best price possible (www.hustlepaintball.com), we will bust out as many information & entertaining videos as humanly possible (www.youtube.com/hustlepaintball), and, as always, Customer Service is King.” (yes, I know, it’s a long promise, but it’s a lot of stuff) It takes a lot of hard work to back up a promise like that, but we’re doing it! (Now, if we can just clean out the video studio so we can start popping videos out once more)

A little bit of evening remodeling left undone...

But, moving forward, how are we going to keep up? Haha, well that’s still a challenge for us to overcome as it continues to arise, but rest assured that we are happy to be bleeding to get this all taken care of (and still have enough time to go play paintball on the weekend). We’ve got new t-shirts, patches, hats, stickers and more that are going to be available soon, so everyone (us included) can display some Hustle love. Keep your eyes peeled for that, and we’ve also got a crew headed to Living Legends 5 to shoot people on our behalf (Justin & the Social Paintball crew) as well. Hopefully, we’ll be able to attend these events ourselves, but in the meantime, we’re sending some trusted Allies on behalf We’re stoked to see the videos of gameplay (and shenanigans) coming from them very soon as well.

I had intended to write a bit more, but I’ve got to get back to it and help my crew keep up with the madness It’s good to get so much good feedback from you all, but we won’t rest on our laurels and just enjoy it. That’s what many other companies in this industry do, but that’s just the start of the slow slide back into mediocrity. As was requested on my last blog, I’d like to end with a decree – “We will keep striving to be better, especially when the others give up.”

Decree #2 (since I didn’t have one previously) – “Let everyone enjoy consistent paintball, good weather and friendly people when they play this weekend (and next)”

Thank you all for your support and input, we truly value you as our extended family.

-Ethan Hall
Hustle Paintball

Hey Everyone!

Today I want to talk about a pretty controversial issue. Wiping.

Going on two years ago, our team went to a scenario in Pueblo, CO (COD) as our very very first event together as a team. For some of us, it was playing the first time together period. We had a good day for the most part, but we walked away from that scenario with a bad reputation as being wipers. It is one of our strongest tenants to this day. No single member of Anomaly will wipe, and if they do the consequences will be dire. We play honest, good, friendly paintball. The memory of what kind of paintball we did play on that day is burned into all of us. Talk about an eye-opening experience.

Wiping itself is publicly considered taboo, but how many of us have glorified the art on the speedball field? Or had our coach teach us how to wipe hits effectively? Pro paintball players are seen doing this all the time as if wiping is just “part of the game”. So, which is it? Part of the game? Or completely unnaceptable? I believe in the latter, paintballs mark your target for yourself and the person to see and recognize a clear hit. Playing this way is dishonest and frustrating for those out to have a good time.

So.. I couldn't get a good picture, but you get the point

Now, I am not an angel, I used to, and have wiped before. Especially in those moments where I just respawned in a rec game, move 10 feet from the starting bunker and a rogue ball breaks on my toe. In the heat of the moment a player may think what is actually a hit was just splatter as well. These things to me are pretty acceptable and they happen due to the nature of the game. What I am truly referring to is the player that gets hit clearly. They feel it, see it, look at it, and then wipe it and continue to play on. This player will do this 3 or 4 times in the same bunker getting hit by the same player. Then, rather than admitting they were being a bit ridiculous, they claim that they just never felt it or saw it. Plus, all of those freshly dripping hits are “old, and from previous games.”

This year will be greater than any year before, that I’m confident of. Over the past few months, I’ve spent quite a bit of time reflecting on what we’re going to do different… no, more accurately, what we’re going to do better. Typically, when someone says something to the effect of “self-examination is hard,” it’s very negative and brings up connotations of finding faults that you can do nothing to change. For me, however, it’s very invigorating to look at your own faults (a few extra pounds here, some bad habits there) and getting motivated to better yourself. Maybe eat a little bit better, watch less tv – you know, the basics.

But when I take a look at Hustle Paintball, I have to think a little bit differently about how to get the company’s abs tightened up and improve our cardio (so to speak). With some insightful advice from some great friends of mine in the industry, as well as mentors outside of paintball, I’ve been presented with a laundry list of, essentially, all of the ways we can improve. Many other people would look at a list like that and see all of the ways that they’ve failed. I suppose that is technically true, but we see those as opportunities to improve, serve our family (you ladies and gents) better, and help build our community (like what we’ve been doing on pbRIOT – been putting in some long hours on that).

I hope that you’ve noticed our Facebook interaction has stepped up considerably – that is because we’ve been taking the initiative to improve our social interaction. In the past, our very talented social media expert Leslie had been taking care of that for us, but the time has come to make a change. You will start to see consistent blogs coming out, as they have in the past few weeks. The blog topics will not just be about industry issues, “we need to vent” and various paintball products, but I want to invite you to take a look behind the curtain and get to know us a bit better, so to speak. Unlike the past, we will all take turns writing blogs and talking about things you guys actually care about. By the way, do you guys like our new HD camera on our channel? I hope so, because we bought that for you

What else is happening? Well, our showroom in Colorado is disappearing *gasp* and turning more into a chatroom. I don’t want you to walk in here and browse around and look at prices on the wall – that’s what most paintball stores do (and you can do that online). If you come into our store, you’re obviously coming because you want to look at a product, feel it with your hands, and talk with an expert about it – so that’s what we do! If you walk into our shop, you basically get someone to answer all of your questions, show you anything you want, let you try it on, try it out, etc. I hope that everyone who comes in feels like this is a better way to do it (sure, more time consuming for us, but if we wanted to save time, I suppose we’d just lock the doors and tell you guys to stop bugging us, haha – not really what we’re trying to do!)

I’m starting to run a little bit long, so I’ll have to tell you all more about it a bit later, but please tell me this – have you noticed? Do you feel like my wild claims are warranted? Are you seeing us more on Facebook, enjoying more videos being produced, or feeling like you’re getting to know us a bit better on the RIOT? If not, why don’t you holler at me at let me know how we can do better.

-Ethan Hall
Hustle Paintball

An interesting debate erupted the other day in the office regarding efficiency. It started with the phrase “I loved the way it shot, but the efficiency was so horrible that I will never buy one again”. Which made me start to think… A smoother shot equates to less recoil (kick); and that means that it is easier to stay on target between shots. This is a huge advantage in any game. Yet we constantly hear people boasting that they get a full case of paint out of their 70/4500 tank. Is that a benefit that you will actually feel during a day of play? Most fields have all day air at a very reasonable price and refilling is quick and easy.

We have had the pump bug hit us hard lately and we’ve all noticed that we are having more fun, getting better at paintball and using much less paint. Even when we switch back to our electros we are more on target and still using less paint than we have grown accustomed to using.

So, should a marker that is a bit (or a lot) less efficient but gives a smoother shot be ignored because of the low number of pods per fill? How much efficiency would you sacrifice for a smoother shot? How much smoother does the shot have to be to be worth the disadvantage? So many questions and so many different correct answers that we just had to share our thoughts. Obviously, we all want the best of both worlds but the magic marker that hits everything you aim at and never runs out of air is still in testing I think

Some have said that your position will determine your choice, do you sling paint or snap shoot? Some swear that your style determines the best fit for you. I personally believe that limiting your paint as you play and learn to play will make you a better player and also make you better with your marker. In my eyes efficiency is like age; it really is just a number. If my marker gets 500 shots out of a tank and his gets 800 that means he CAN shoot more, but just because you can does not mean you should. A smooth and consistent shot is much more important to me than an extra pod or 2. I tend to play all over the field as I enjoy finding new ways to attack/defend a specific area instead of following the same trail to the same flag. There have been times where I have run out of air or paint or both on longer games but having the comfort level I have with my marker makes up for the air that it “wastes”.

Getting the best out of your marker is paramount. Whether it is accuracy, efficiency or just the cool factor that you want to maximize; we all want the best out of what is in our hands. Try that supposed air hog and see if it feels right, see if you hit more targets and maybe a less efficient marker will actually be better. Or you could just run out of air and get shot with a harness full of pods…

Remember air is very inexpensive and readily available where paint is available but not inexpensive.

Tell us what is more important for you and your game.

- Jeff

The paintball industry is still quite young, but I feel like it has a lot to learn before it can truly be successful.

I am a stalwart supporter, and I have a great love for this game (no matter the style) and the industry. I live and breathe paintball. My career, my friends, and my weekends involve the sport. However, there are a lot of things that make my favorite past time an annoyance. As both a part of this industry and a consumer myself I feel the business side of Paintball has a little growing up to do. Both retail stores and manufacturers alike are often times absolutely abysmal when it comes to customer relations.

Typical Paintball Customer Service Call

It makes me feel like the industry often times doesn’t care about the life blood of the sport. Shouldn’t they? I have seen some pretty saddening examples of how many in our industry treat customer service. There have been cases where companies have either found some way to not honor a warranty; or they just make it so difficult that the person gives up and cuts their losses. Then there is this trend that the industry has of manufacturing a popular item and then not even STARTING the manufacturing process for the next batch until they are 100% sold out everywhere. We have had more than one customer wait for a lens for 11 months. 11 months for a lens? Seriously? – This wasn’t just any lens either, it was the most standard you can get, clear.

For instance, look at an industry like Snowboarding. It started around the same time and has blown up to astronomical proportions. Not only that, but when things are out of stock, you can expect 2-3 weeks at the latest before your item is ready to be shipped. Not 5-6 months. Burton, Anon, Dragon, Ride, Morrow.. etc. these are all respected, well run, adult businesses. Aside from a few in our industry, it seems we do not have many that even come close to the type of care these businesses have for their brand. If you would like to make the argument that Snowboarding is less expensive than Paintball, you are welcome to make that argument. Though for a lot of people, it isn’t. I myself don’t board enough for a season’s pass to be economically viable for me. I have a hard time paying $80 for a lift ticket and driving for over an hour up a mountain destroying my gas when I can drive down the street and for $15 with previously purchased paint I can play paintball for 8 hours.

My point is, I love paintball – I love the rush of a game, I love the apparel style, I love my gear and I love my job. I love the community and the players I interact with on the phone, emails, and the RIOT every day. However, if we want Paintball to truly succeed and not be a niche market for action junkies and people who HHHHHHHHH all the time. Then our industry needs to start picking itself up and acting like an established respectable one. If the customers aren’t happy, they won’t be dedicated to promoting our sport.

Fix it paintball. If the Biathlon (admittedly, a little obscure) can make it to the Olympics and do quite well. I’m sure we can get ourselves off of ESPN3 and on to a real channel.

-Trevor

At some point or another we have all searched for an answer on the internet and found the answer in a forum. The answer may be from another user or someone involved in the service on the product. This is the true driving force behind forums; users, fanatics, manufacturers and everyone with an opinion can share their views and experiences. Paintball forums are no different; there are many of them out there with millions of users posting thoughts, reviews, questions, answers and sometimes just fun stuff. This has become the perfect place to visit in your search for information that will not be in a product description. Forums are about a community that shares an interest and in this case the interest is paintball.

The largest paintball forum in the world is www.pbnation.com. The Nation, as it is most often referred to, is a massive gathering of over 500,000 members from all over the world. A group of this size takes a large amount of maintenance and like all forums, it is moderated by veteran members. Becoming a moderator on most forums is a “let your actions speak your intentions, not your words” kind of test. Asking to be a mod will most likely ensure you will not be one, while well thought out posts and responses will get you noticed and promoted.

Forums like www.a5og.net are very specific to players who use, own, modify and torture the Tippmann A5. This can be a great resource for someone looking for a very specific upgrade or a long lost discontinued item. While everyone on the forum may not have the same experience or skill level you can get a large spectrum of opinions from people who are in the same boat you are. Most paintball forums are not quite this specific but the A5 has been around for quite some time and the plethora of upgrades and options available give the A5 a rabid following.

Paintball is not new and neither is the idea of a paintball forum. Old school players have been sharing thoughts and ideas on www.mcarterbrown.com for years. While the name may throw some people off track because there is no mention of paintball in the title, MCB is a fantastic resource that definitely has a different pace and style than many of the other forums. This is also the stomping ground for many pump players and also has a large section devoted to the CCM pump markers.

With a new forum www.pbriot.com launching there is now a new place for players and fans to gather and share. Whether you still rock your pre-2k Autococker or shoot lasers with your gorgeous CSL Prestige you can visit with your friends and field enemies alike. The RIOT is based on the idea that a forum can be welcoming to new players, vets and even *gasp* industry insiders. So bring your Lemonade Sandana and your ghillie suit, your Tipp 98 and your 110 tank… everyone is welcome! Speedballers, woodsballers it does not matter what you carry or where you play if you like paintball or like someone who plays paintball the pbRIOT is the place where your random search will now lead you.

I will admit, when I first heard about the Techt iFit when Ethan got back from PBE last year I was skeptical; paintballs having the limitations we are all familiar with and all. Most barrel sizers seemed to be a solution in search of a problem, but with TECHT having such a good track record with the Hush Bolt and their line of upgrades for various other markers, I decided to give the iFit a spin. When our shipment arrived from TECHT, I was immediately struck by the excellent manufacturing quality, finish and packaging. Now it being for paintball, it was an outside toy, and I was admittedly concerned about scratch resistance and that sort of thing. After using it every weekend for the last year or so it still looks brand new, but I digress…

The actual inserts come in a variety of sizes ranging from hilariously small to quite large, and they are both color coded and laser-etched with the internal diameter. After a few false starts, I got it on my Ego 11 and took it out back of Hustle with a hand held chrono for some Science!

While it does make your barrel about 2 inches longer, I barely noticed the change in length. I loaded up my marker with some WPN Elixir and fired off 5 balls, 290 +/- 3, so right where I had my gun set from last weekend at the field. I put the iFit on and repeated the 5 ball test, 305 +/- 2, I presumed the chrono I had was off, I did it again and got similar results. I retreated into the office and fetched Ethan’s marker, loaded it up with more Elixir and repeated the test from before… same thing, a gain of about 12-15 fps. Ok, so it makes for a more effective use of the HPA, that is something noteworthy but how about accuracy? Well I certainly felt more accurate, but that might have been a placebo, so in the interest of more SCIENCE, I got out the bench rest and went to work. The results were a bit more subtle, in the range of 5-9% more accuracy over the stock barrel.

So will the iFit turn you into a deadeye overnight? Well no, but combined with good quality paint it will give measureable improvements in both efficiency as well as accuracy.

As an aside, if one of your friends has one of these, take the insert out and put the empty black baffle back on to their marker, will result is a rather amusing result of his marker barely shooting paint beyond 6 inches.

-Jay

Sandana has been around almost since the beginning of paintball and has been making some of the most popular head gear in the sport for years. Never before have they made headgear for any team; pro or otherwise. But, in their 2011 line, they are releasing a custom color scheme called Anomaly Flying Skulls.For those of you who do no know, Team Anomaly is Hustle Paintball’s factory team. For years other companies, teams, and players alike have been requesting custom color schemes from Sandana, but they have always politely declined. This is a first ever!

Using the popular flying skulls color scheme, Sandana has used the Anomaly team colors: black and lime green. Not only are they making head bands and prolines in the Anomaly color scheme, they are also making Venomwear Sabotage pants and player tees in the Anomaly color scheme.

Be sure to check these out! Here is a link to the video of the  Team Anomaly Sandanas!

~Josh