Balling on a budget? It’s easier than ever!


A question that comes up frequently on the r/paintball subreddit is what is a good setup for under $200 USD. The common response is to save up more because there is nothing worth buying at that price. I disagree. If you want to play tournament paintball or plan to be out every week spending a bit more can be well worth it, but it is easy enough to put together a setup that will be as good or better than what most fields are renting while staying under budget.

Please note, for new products I will be using prices and links from ANS Gear as I feel they are a good representative of current prices. The Paintball Post has no affiliation with ANS Gear, but I have had good experiences ordering from their website when my local store does not have something I need so I chose to use their website for reference. We do not make any money if you make a purchase through any of our links.

Mask

Rental masks suck, so this is the first place to invest in. Do not cheap out on a mask. The no name masks online are often unsafe and the name brand cheap masks are uncomfortable and prone to fogging up. I would recommend either a V Force Grill 2.0, currently on sale for $40-60, or an Empire E Vent for $50. This eats up a quarter of our budget but is well worth it.

Marker

For your marker you have a few choices depending on your local market. If your local area is like mine where used paintball guns are selling for far more than they are worth I would point you to the Azodin Kaos 3. At just shy of $100, the Kaos made my list of best markers under $500 as the least expensive marker I can recommend. If you compare the Kaos to the next cheapest marker, the Kingman Victor, you get a couple major upgrades. Not only do you have a foregrip rather than a hose to try and hold on to, said foregrip is actually an adjustable regulator making the Kaos much more consistent. The Kaos also has a metal feedneck, another big plus.

If you comb your local used market you can more than likely find yourself a used Tippmann 98. These are very commonly used as rental markers at paintball fields and for good reason. They are fool proof, incredibly durable, and can often be found for under $50. Though I personally prefer markers like the Kaos it is hard to beat a 98 for the price, especially if you can score one at a thrift store for $20.

If you are a bit more tech savvy and patient you can also keep an eye out for a used electronic marker. Some older markers can be had for $100 and are well worth it, many able to keep up with $1000+ markers in terms of performance on the field. Just be careful not to buy someone else problem. Markers worth keeping an eye out for are the Empire/Invert Mini, the Proto Rail (aka Rize), and Planet Eclipse Etha LT. I have seen these all for under $100 USD and all are a big step up from the Kaos or 98. Just make sure they are not leaking and are shooting properly before you buy.

Loader / Hopper

Most of the cheap packages you see at the local sporting goods store come with what is usually called a “shake and shoot” hopper. The nickname comes from the fact that every few shots your paint will likely get bunched up and need a shake to get the next shot down into your gun. They get the job done but if you spend a bit more you can have a much better experience.

At the time of writing this there is only one clear choice for a budget loader. Coming in at $35 the Pro Toyz Speedster is an amazing value. It’s a bit on the heavy side and doesn’t load as fast as more expensive loaders, but it is a huge step up from a gravity fed hopper. It is incredibly durable, has some impressive battery life, and loads as fast or faster than anything else near its price. There is a reason that it made out list of best loaders of 2025.

If you can swing the extra money you can look into a used Dye Rotor. They often pop up for $50 or under and feed incredibly fast (though this comes with the risk of the occasional jam).

Air Source / Tank

CO2 is dead, don’t bother with it. Go right for high pressure air. Do be aware that most air tanks have to be tested every few years to make sure they are structurally sound so cheap used HPA tanks may come with some hidden costs. If you are on a budget I would grab yourself a $25 “Grab Bag” tank from ANS gear. There is no better value out there.

Adding it up

If you go with only new gear you can have a setup that would have made me jealous when I started playing paintball.

Azodin Kaos 3 $99.95

Pro Toyz Speester $34.95

V Force Grill 2.0 (dragon) 39.95

48/3000 HPA Tank 24.95

Total $199.80

This setup is far better than what most fields rent out. If you happen to find a good deal on a used Mini or Rail/Rize even better.

Don’t Forget!

For just shy of $200 you will be more than ready to hit the field with some friends. Do budget for things like a barrel swab, podpack and pods, and knee pads down the road as they all will make your time on the field even more fun.

For swabs on a budget get yourself a pull through squeegee for $2 and fuzzy swab for $2.50 or to get that barrel nice and shiny. That said, it can be worth it to spend a bit more on something like at Exalt Barrel Maid as they will clean better and last longer.

For pod packs don’t worry about the used market and get yourself an Empire Omega 4 pod pack at $21.95. If you are on a budget you don’t need more than four pods. For the pods themselves, get whatever 140 round pods are on sale. Pro tip for the new players out there, don’t store your pods in the podpack to help preserve the life of the elastics.

For knee pads, I would skip the paintball knee pads and go with some volleyball knee pads. I personally use Mizuno T10 knee pads and they are far more comfortable than anything I owned before them. If you are mostly going to be playing in the woods a set of cheap tiling or gardening knee pads can work as well.

Now Go Play!

This $200 setup is all you need to have a great time at the field. Other than the few accessories mentioned earlier, you don’t need much to stand your ground on the field. Don’t go spend money on upgrades or barrels, just get yourself some paint and play ball.

If you find yourself out at the field often enough to warrant putting some more money into your setup, we will have a guide coming soon on where we recommend spending your hard earned cash.