← Back to the blog

Your first paintball game: what to wear, tips and how it works

Published on 12 June 2026, updated on 1 September 2026 by the Tag Brussels team

For a first paintball game, all you need is closed shoes with good support and flexible clothes: everything else, overalls included, is provided. A session lasts 2 hours, supervised from the briefing to the final round, on our 4 forest fields in Bierges, 15 minutes from Brussels. Here is what our instructors tell beginners every week, and what really awaits you on the day.

What to wear for paintball?

Good news first: we provide the overalls, which protect your clothes from the paintballs (biodegradable, the paint washes out). Three things remain up to you:

• Closed shoes with support: trainers or walking boots. THE non-negotiable point: you will run in a forest, on real terrain with roots and slopes.
• Flexible clothes under the overalls: joggers or leggings rather than tight jeans, to dodge freely.
• Weather-appropriate layers: in winter, think three layers (a thermal base, a light fleece, the provided overalls block the wind on top); in summer, light clothes, the overalls already keep you warm.

To pack your bag properly, our clothing guide covers what to wear season by season, for both activities. One last word about the ground: in wet weather the forest floor gets slippery, and soles with grip (lugged in winter) make a real difference in dodging duels.

How does a session unfold for a beginner?

1. Welcome and gear: overalls, full-face mask, marker and your paintballs (300 in BASIC, 500 in PRO). The whole kit weighs under 2 kg, and the equipment is checked and disinfected after every use.
2. Safety briefing: the rules, the distances, the surrender gesture, the end-of-round signal.
3. Getting to grips with the marker: a few test shots to get the hang of aiming: paintballs follow a curved path, so aim slightly above your target at longer range.
4. Back-to-back rounds: 15-20 minutes per scenario (elimination, capture the flag, attack/defence), with breaks and team rotations for 2 hours.

Welcome and gear-up happen before the game time starts: the 2 hours are fully spent on the field. Expect 5 to 8 rounds spread over 3 or 4 scenarios, with breaks to catch your breath. Our instructors stay on the field from start to finish: they referee, rebalance the teams every round (an odd number of players is no problem) and adjust the intensity to the group. Keen on a specific scenario? Mention it in the booking's "message" field, or ask at the briefing. And if your group is still torn between the two activities, the flow of a first Archery Tag session follows the same logic, without the paintballs.

Does it hurt?

Question number one, honest answer: a paintball impact stings, like a rubber band snapping against you, especially at close range. The overalls absorb a lot of it, the mask fully protects the face, and our instructors enforce safety distances. Most beginners completely forget the apprehension after the first round: adrenaline takes over. Any mark fades within a few days; according to our instructors, the real risk of a session lies elsewhere: a twisted ankle while running, hence the briefing's insistence on supportive shoes. And if it is a real blocker for someone in the group, our Archery Tag offers the same thrills with zero pain: the comparison is here.

From what age can you play paintball?

Paintball is open from age 12 with the standard equipment. For birthdays from 8 to 12, a dedicated kids' field changes everything: lighter gear, reduced power and stricter distances, for an impact comparable to a light flick. Until they turn 12, kids play on that field only, among themselves. Unsure about your group's mix? Flag the ages when booking: our instructors adapt the teams.

What field will you play on?

Your first game with us takes place in a private wood of 5 hectares in Bierges (Wavre), 15 minutes from Brussels via the E411, exit 5. The site has 4 paintball fields, 3 for adults and 1 reserved for children, each with a different setting: dense undergrowth, clearings, barricades and natural obstacles. The slopes and shelters make every game different, and free private parking is on site. It is a real forest field: expect some climbing, the occasional slippery patch, and dappled forest light that turns every round into hide-and-seek.

Our instructors' 6 tactical tips

1. Move. The beginner frozen behind cover is the easiest target on the field.
2. Stay low. A crouched silhouette is twice as hard to hit, especially in undergrowth.
3. Save your paintballs. Random bursts empty your stock in 10 minutes: aim, shoot 2-3 balls at a time.
4. Communicate. Call out spotted opponents, coordinate: the team that talks nearly always wins.
5. Use the forest. Trees, ditches, ferns: on our fields, the natural scenery is your best ally.
6. Keep the mask on. Always, even eliminated, even between rounds: the golden rule of any serious field.

What budget for a first time?

With us: €35 for BASIC (2 hrs, 300 paintballs) or €45 for PRO (500 paintballs): gear, overalls and instructors included, with the package priced from 10 players. For a first time, BASIC is plenty: beginners who follow tip 3 finish the session with paintballs to spare. Details on the prices page.

From 15 players, every player gets 100 free paintballs and prices go down. Booking is online up to 18 hours before the slot: a €100 deposit locks in the time slot for good, and the balance is paid on site on the day, based on the final headcount.

Frequently asked questions from beginners