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What to wear for Archery Tag and paintball? Advice from the field

Published on 1 September 2026 by the Tag Brussels team

Closed shoes with good support and flexible sportswear that can get dirty: that is all you need for Archery Tag or paintball. Everything else, full-face mask, bow or marker, overalls for paintball, is waiting on site and included in the package. Here is the advice of the team that gears up players every week on our 5-hectare forest field in Bierges (Wavre), 15 minutes from Brussels.

What do you need to bring to play?

The list is short, on purpose: at Tag Brussels, all the playing gear is supplied and included in the package. Bow and rubber-tipped arrows for Archery Tag, marker and paintballs for paintball, full-face safety mask for everyone: you bring none of it, and all equipment is checked and disinfected after every use.

What depends on you comes down to two things: closed shoes with good support, the only mandatory item on your side, and clothes you can run, pivot and crouch in without a second thought for the full 2-hour session. Sportswear you are not afraid to get dirty works for both activities, in any season.

Which shoes for a forest field?

Trainers or closed walking shoes with good support: that house rule is no whim. The main real risk in our activities is not the projectile but a sprained ankle while running: you sprint, brake and switch footing on a forest floor full of roots and slopes, and your ankle needs to be held firmly.

In wet weather the forest floor turns slick, even muddy in places: a lugged sole, like on walking or trail shoes, makes a world of difference. Sandals, flats and smooth city soles stay at home, summer and winter alike.

What should you wear for a paintball game?

For paintball, the overalls we provide protect your clothes from paint and mud alike: you go home clean. Chest protectors are also available if needed. Underneath, wear flexible clothes, joggers or leggings rather than tight jeans: you will crouch behind barricades and squeeze between obstacles, and stiff trousers get uncomfortable fast. The gear itself weighs less than 2 kg: it will not slow you down.

The paint in our paintballs is made from water-soluble food colourings: the odd splash comes out in the wash. First time playing? Our article our tips for your first paintball game completes this checklist, from handling the marker to managing your 300 to 500 paintballs.

And what should you wear for Archery Tag?

Archery Tag is played without paint: a classic sports outfit is enough. The arrows with their wide soft rubber tip, about 5 cm across, leave no bruise or mark: you feel a light push on impact. The only protection you need is the full-face mask: it stays on at all times, even between rounds. Overalls are not necessary, but we do have them, the same ones we use for paintball.

Just avoid anything that gets in the way of your shot: a thick hood that catches the string as you draw the bow, a scarf that flaps around, dangling jewellery. A fitted top and flexible bottoms, and you are set for rounds of 15 to 20 minutes.

How do you adapt your outfit to the season?

We play all year round, rain and snow included: the forest cuts out a good part of the rain, and only genuinely dangerous conditions (thunderstorm, gale, black ice) lead to a free move to another slot. Your outfit, though, adapts with a few simple choices:

Two articles complete this guide depending on the weather for your slot: can you play Archery Tag in the rain? and Archery Tag or paintball in winter, the season with the quietest slots of the year.

What is provided on site?

The package is all-inclusive, with no extra charge: gear, protective kit, instructors and game hosting. Concretely, here is what you get at reception:

• the full-face safety mask, mandatory at all times on the field, for both activities;
• the bow and arrows with rubber tips for Archery Tag;
• the marker and the paintballs of your package for paintball;
• the overalls for paintball, the ones that keep your clothes clean from briefing to final round.

All this equipment is checked and disinfected after every use. Do you wear glasses? The full-face mask fits over most frames and an anti-fog spray is available at reception: our article can you play Archery Tag with glasses? covers every detail. And for the packages themselves, everything is on our prices page.

Frequently asked questions about clothing