Elite Paintball Guns

Of what I hear about the C8 it is better from the C7, but still players prefer the C6. So guess Dye decided too keep the new design, no matter it is worse than what they had with the C6, and work on it till they get rid of the flaws. But they didn’t, at least not in this version…hopefully they’ll manage for the other. The jersey does look better than any of its predecessors even that the design changes are small, but still the peak in Dye jerseys is with the C6. The C8 is even better padded and they’ve manage to get rid of the venting problem with the C7 as now the material is thinner, but still shinier. They’ve also changed the weird cuffs the C7 had and made them wider, but yet again the C6 ones were better. The problem with the armpit design stays, though. When you lift your hands upright there’s that irritating pulling again. I don’t think I’ve mentioned the sizing issue (sorry about that), but there is one – it’s recommended that you get one or even two sizes up from what you’re wearing this way the jersey feels baggier and gives you more freedom (it also solves the pulling issue to some extent). Dye added a thumb slot with hand padding which I think is very cool if you decide not to wear gloves, but for using that new feature you’ll need to get a bigger size jersey again. Check the features before I give you the price and colors:
• DYETACK - Patented DyeTack technology is a direct injection process that bonds to the material of the jersey. DyeTack is a durable polymer creating a friction point that stabilizes marker position. We invented DyeTack in 2002, since then we have perfected the level, position and density of DyeTack to ensure optimal tank stability.
• 3D CONTOUR PADDING - Giving protection a new definition, we introduce a first in paintball jerseys - 3D contour padding, utilizing responsive air foam. These segmented pads are contoured to the shape of the arms and shoulders, which means they are always in the proper position. No matter how you move, the pads move with you.
• VENTING - In today’s fast paced style of paintball, venting is critical. Our multi-mesh venting helps to channel heat away from the body. It works with your body’s natural cooling system, pushing heat out to the sides and under arms, and keeping the area around your chest cool. We have increased the venting channels on the forearm, shoulder and neckline. This results in exceptional airflow, delivering a jersey that truly breathes.
• GLOVE CUFFS - The cuffs on the C8 Jersey have been re-designed to provide more protection to the wrist and hand, while offering freedom of rotation. The new anti-abrasion wrist has a quilted, air foam back pad that protects the back of your hand when sliding; and the underside of the cuff extends to the center of the hand, providing protection to the base of your palm. The thumb-hole in the cuff secures the anti-abrasion wrist in place.
• COMFORT V-NECK COLLAR - The lightweight comfort v-neck collar features a tri-fiber construction. We use multi-density vented mesh, along with a 4-way stretch air-mesh to keep the player cool. The contoured panel assembly ensures that the jersey moves with you. The collar is secured with reinforced stitching, and the neckline is double layered for added comfort. Front Logo is 100% silkscreen.
• NO FADE SUBLIMATION - Our graphics are sublimated for a no fade style. This process ensures that the graphics stay crisp and clean.
• REINFORCED ELBOWS - For 08, we’ve increased the overall coverage of the elbow pads. The pads now start at the wrist and extend well past the elbows. Today’s game is more intense than ever, requiring fast moves and aggressive slides. By reducing injuries, you can stay more focused on winning.
It is much better than the C7 as you can see, but again the C6 is the one I’ll prefer. But if you insist on having the newest out there (I’ll understand you completely) you’ll have to be prepared to pay its price, which in our case is $64.95 – it’s not cheap, but it’s the newest. As to the colors – the same choice you had with the C7 but somehow duller (I think they look great) - black/grey, blue, red, olive green and gold. No limited editions here - at least not yet. So we’re gonna be waiting for the next Dye jersey addition and as I said earlier hopefully it will outdone those last two by far.

So here’s the C7 review. I’ll start by confessing something – when I praise something in advance it often turns out to be disappointing. And I know that, but still I do it…so blame it on me that the C7 version is worse than the C6 if you want. Yes, it is. Guess something went wrong with the Dye desire to upgrade the C6 jersey. Not that the C7 is crappy (it still is much better than many of the jerseys on the market right now), but compared to the Dye C6 I just have to put it one place down. Dye kept the high level of durability and padding of the C6, but did wrong with the material change and the design change. Check the features before we continue:
• Dyetack, the surest way to grip your tank and steady your shot.  With a steadier shot you’re more likely to hit your target.
• 3D Logos - Double embroidered 3D sphere logos add style, and style is a key ingredient to looking good.
• Reinforced Elbow - Padding in the forearms and elbows.  Reducing injury means you can play harder
• Padded Collar - The C6 jersey features a new style of collar.  A double cross layered collar with slight padding.  It helps take the sting out of those annoying throat shots.
• More Venting - Highly breathable venting in critical heat zones.  This year there is layered mesh for style and protection.  Venting is important, it helps keep you cool, dry, and comfortable.
• High Back Cut - New high back design to prevent the jersey from getting tangled in your harness.  Offers a much more comfortable fit for all types of playing situations.
Nothing new in the features as you notice. I’ll start explaining what I meant with the reproach for the material and design now. So guess Dye have decided to try some new material – the C7 feels more nylon than the C6 which makes it stiffer when you put it one and some may find it more irritating to the skin. It is also double layered which kinda gets in the way of venting (but not that much as the sides are greatly vented). The new material does make it shiner, though and it looks better, but I put comfort first. As to the design – Dye changed the cuffs and made them very thin in width compared to last year’s model, now they feel weird and are just the right length to get hung up on the front of the jersey’s core elbow pads which is irritating, but it’s not a biggie. Another thing they’ve tried to better and failed is the armpit structure. The fabric that connects from the armpit to the side makes it kind of a pain to lift your arms upward without pulling your jersey up - again not a biggie, just irritating. The price is higher – which is normal as the model is newer – it costs $49.95. Other than that it’s a cool jersey and if you’ve got the other C7 equipment this is the one you should get. There is abundance of colors – black, olive green, blue, red and gold. And there are some LTD editions that differ only as a shade – Digi Camo, Icon, Mecca and Skull Camo. They cost $54.95, but are a real pleasure for the eye and guarantee you’ll gather the attention on the battlefield.  Still, if you’re not too much in matching completely your outfit I’ll advise you to stick with the C6 version.

Here’s another product for which we can say that Dye have outdone themselves with. Not to mention that there are now C7 and C8 versions that are somehow better (sounds impossible but let’s not forget that it’s Dye we’re talking about). From all the reviews I’ve done for Dye products you may be left with the impression that I’m a huge fan and think that that’s the reason for me not to point out any big disadvantages and always give absolute positive reviews, but that’s not true. The truth is Dye is probably the best brand in making paintball goods out on the market right now (closely followed by Empire, but still followed). And there’s only one way you can deny that – by being a Dye hater. If you’re neutral to all the brands available there’s no way you dislike or question the advantages of their products. But let’s get back to the C6 jersey – check its features:
•   Dyetack, the surest way to grip your tank and steady your shot.  With a steadier shot you’re more likely to hit your target.
• 3D Logos - Double embroidered 3D sphere logos add style, and style is a key ingredient to looking good.
• Reinforced Elbow - Padding in the forearms and elbows.  Reducing injury means you can play harder
• Padded Collar - The C6 jersey features a new style of collar.  A double cross layered collar with slight padding.  It helps take the sting out of those annoying throat shots.
• Micro Fiber Lens Cloth - For 2006 Dye has added a convenient and effective micro fiber lens cloth to the jersey.  The unique placement to the underside of the jersey prevents unwanted dirt and debris from jeopardizing the cloths effectiveness, and makes it extremely easy to use on the fly to clean your lens.
• More Venting - Highly breathable venting in critical heat zones.  This year there is layered mesh for style and protection.  Venting is important, it helps keep you cool, dry, and comfortable.
• High Back Cut - New high back design to prevent the jersey from getting tangled in your harness.  Offers a much more comfortable fit for all types of playing situations
 I’ve said that before (every time if I’m not mistaken) but this is a jersey that does exactly what it’s supposed to do. It has great padding; it is light, breathable and extremely comfortable. It also looks awesome. Sounds just like every other jersey I’ve reviewed – but a little bit better, as it’s a Dye. It has something that many of the other shirts don’t – the lens cloth that is just a great add to the whole concept. The only thing some players are dissatisfied of are the vulnerable sides where the jersey has no padding, but to tell you the truth I don’t think I’ve stumbled on a jersey that has side padding yet. I’ll investigate this matter and report soon.  As to the price – with the introduction of C7 and C8 versions on the market you can find the jersey much cheaper than it was in the beginning – for $39.98. The colors you can find it in might be slightly reduced, though. What’s left is grey and red, but if you do some more digging you may find some blue available, too. What more can I say – Dye is the best choice in that business, but again it’s a matter of personal opinion and I don’t want to force mine. Still if you decide to try it, I’m sure you won’t regret it.

That’s the latest Empire edition – The Contact 08 SE jersey. It is, as you already know, the attempt to upgrade the Contact 07 one. Have they succeeded or just like with the pants they only added up something little and boost up the price a lot. Guess you have to see the jersey features to find out:
• Fitted Thumb hole loops on the cuffs to help keep the jersey in place when you dive and protect your palms for those that refuse to wear gloves. We have alos added micro fiber to backs of the cuffs to remove any unwanted splatter from your goggles!
• Reinforced warrior pad zones. The contact jersey covers paintball specific zones with a light layer of cushion when you are in the actual shooting/playing position. Your outer wrist and deltoid are most exposed in game situations so that’s what we’ve protected.
• Bottle Gripz tm Silicone Empire logos on the shoulders and arms. These help you keep your tank steady against your shoulder in today’s high action games
• Micro-ribbed cuffs to easily slip over your ventz elbow pads and gloves
• High output mesh venting on the chest and under arms. Being hot and uncomfortable is nobody’s idea of fun. We vent the hot zones for you, you just worry about winning
• 4-way stretch for a full range of motion
• Besides looking phenomenal, they make you play better, get good grades in school, shoot faster and get more chicks (eventually)
• Silicone Screened Empire Logo on the tail of the jersey to help grip your harness and keep it in place
• Available in sizes SM, M, LG, XL
Does that sound familiar to you? Cause to me it does…it’s like I’m reading the previous review. Not that it’s a bad thing…as I said the Contact 07 is a great jersey. But wait till you see the price – $64.95. so according to my accounts the thumb hole loops on the cuffs and the few extra colors they’ve added cost nearly 15 dollars if we take the more expensive black and digi camo versions of the Contact 07. Nice job. But yet again if they’ve tricked you to buy the Contact 08 SE pants why not get the jersey, too. Let me just tell you the colors selection – black, blue, desert camo and red. And if you’ve got the pants LTD edition they haven’t forgotten about you, too. Here we have the jersey complements to those pants in legion, fire and ice, again for a higher price - $69.95. That’s what you get (or should I say give) when you want the best.

Here’s the other member in the 07 Empire collection – the Contact 07. If you’ve read the pants reviews you’ll know that differences between the two of them are not that big. Here’s the same thing. The contact 07 is a maybe a little bit better than the React, but just a little bit. The Contact 07 is again a great jersey matching perfectly the other Contact 07 apparel. It is again very well padded on the elbows and shoulders that are most exposed during play. It’s vented pretty well and keeps you cool in the hot days. It’s also pretty durable, which you know is one of the most important things. It’s light and comfortable. Check its features:
• Reinforced warrior pad zones. The contact jersey covers paintball specific zones with a light layer of cushion when you are in the actual shooting/playing position. Your outer wrist and deltoid are most exposed in game situations so that’s what we’ve protected.
• Bottle Grips? Silicone Empire logos on the shoulders and arms.
• Micro-ribbed cuffs to easily slip over your ventz elbow pads and gloves
• 4-way stretch for a full range of motion
• High output mesh venting on the chest and under arms. Being hot and uncomfortable is nobodies’ idea of fun. We vent the hot zones for you, you just worry about winning
• Besides looking phenomenal, they make you play better, get good grades in school, shoot faster and get more chicks
• Silicone Screened Empire Logo on the tail of the jersey to help grip your harness and keep it in place
So as I said they don’t differ much from one another. Just some small features, the price and the colors. The features we already went through, the colors are: black, blue, red and digi camo, but the price kinda puzzles me as the blue and red one cost $39.00 and the black and digi camo $49.98. I have no idea why, but if you’re a blue or red lover don’t wait till you find out, it may be too late.

Every player knows how important the gear is for the paintball game. It’s important not only for safety reasons, but also for looks and boosting up your play. That’s why it is so important to have a good gear. Usually when you buy clothing you match the brands (on rare occasions when brands don’t make certain piece of clothing you want to get, you can mix them, but you get the ultimate look when complementing things using only one brand name). Now that we went through the most popular paintball pants, it’s time to move on to the jerseys, starting with the Empire React 07. The jersey is no worse than the pants of the same collection. It’s one of the best one the market, being all the things you expect from a good jersey – very light, greatly padded on the elbows and shoulder area and very breathable. See its features:
• Built in reinforced elbow pads. We know you play hard and we respect that.
• High output mesh venting on the chest and under arms. Being hot and uncomfortable is nobodies’ idea of fun. We vent the hot zones for you, you just worry about winning
• Reinforced padding around the high impact shoulder area
• 4-way stretch for a full range of motion
• Moisture wicking material sewn into the jersey under the arms and chest
• Silicone Screened Logo on the tail of the jersey to help grip your harness and keep it in place
• Micro-ribbed cuffs to easily slip over your ventz elbow pads and gloves
The jersey is the perfect match to the Empire React 07 pants. You just can’t have the one and not get the other. It comes in the exact same colors – red, grey and blue and you can have it for $39.98. It’s a great price for a great jersey.

Here’s the next generation of Proto pants – the Proto 08. I know it is gonna sound like something you’ve already heard but Proto 08 is absolute copy of Proto 07 except for the design. It’s not the first brand that’s doing it and it’s not gonna be the last by my personal opinion is that when companies are making a new product even if it’s just a sequel the product should differ from the previous one, be better than it. And I don’t call the change in the design a significant difference…even if that change is a good one. And it’s certainly not something that I’ll pay 30 more bucks for. Here are the features again:
• Adjustable waist with velcro closures makes a perfect fit every time.
• Inner leg venting keeps you cool under fire.
• Reinforced padded knee panels give protection against knee impacts.
• Vented cargo pockets allow you to carry what you need.
• Combination zipper and button crotch panel is padded and helps protect what’s important.
• Sublimated paneling on the sides keeps bright and clean after washing.
The Proto 08 cost exactly $89.95 and considering the previous review they’re simply not worth the money. Even the colors are the same…blue, red, black/grey and olive green. If you want the newest version that’s completely different story…just pay the extra 30 bucks, but if you don’t insist on having the latest you can just save those or buy some better pants for that same price.

Here are some pants that bring up quite contradictory opinions about them. Some players like them big time, some wish that they’ve never have bought them. Overall they all agree for one thing – the pants do look hot. They have awesome design and will certainly give you some extra style points. But other than that the opinions start to divert from one another. Like the durability for instance…half the players have never had any problems with the pants’ durability and say that they last a long time, the other half though claim that after just couple of months of intensive play the knees start so shred and eventually the entire knee area is falling apart. Maybe the reason is in the “intensive play” if you play once or twice a month and don’t slide that often the pants will last you for long time, but the opposite brings out that, in my opinion, major flaw. Major, because durability is one of the main things players are looking for when buying paintball clothing…I mean you don’t go and by a pair of pants that you know are not gonna last more than 2 months, right. So I guess that’s something Proto should work on for their next pants edition. Another thing they should probably work on is the knee padding. That’s the other point where opinions don’t match – for some, that have bought those as their first pair of pants, the knee padding is great, but more experienced players find it a little thin – this means that you should have separate knee pads which on the other hand will lead to raise in the price - high enough that you can just go and buy a pair of more expensive pants and save yourself the uncomfortable knee pads. And there’s more – some players criticize the sizes, and to be more precise the fact that there is a big difference between two consecutive sizes. But they all like the waist band that do its job extremely well so that’s one solution to the problem. Another difference between the opinions is the one about the pockets. Some find the pockets plenty and comfortable, others emphasize on the fact that the squeegee pocket is too shallow and not practical at all. After all that’s been said look ate the pants features yourself:
•  Adjustable waist with velcro closures makes a perfect fit every time.
• Inner leg venting keeps you cool under fire.
• Reinforced padded knee panels give protection against knee impacts.
• Vented cargo pockets allow you to carry what you need.
• Combination zipper and button crotch panel is padded and helps protect what’s important.
• Sublimated paneling on the sides keeps bright and clean after washing.
The pants keep a low price compared to other o7 brand edition and you can find them for $59.95. Colors are available – red, blue, olive green, and grey. After the review it’s only up to you and your judgment wheatear you’ll get those or not.    

Here’s a cheaper model of Planet Eclipse pants collection - the Eclipse ETek 07. Although they are not that great like the Planet Eclipse Distortion 07 pants they do deserve reviewing. And the “not that great” statement doesn’t mean I consider them some sort of bad pants…not at all, they too deserve to be put somewhere between the first ten great pants in the paintball world. Why? Well first of all they are a Planet Eclipse product and second of all they too posses everything you need from a good pair of pants. Everything that I pointed out in the Planet Eclipse Distortion 07 review works great for the Eclipse ETek 07 as well. It’s just that the Planet Eclipse Distortion 07 pants are a little bit better. But see the features, before I continue:
• Padded knee area
• X2 elasticated rear pod holders
• Adjustable waist
• Etek camo print
• Squeegee pockets
• Articulated rear section
• Padded lumbar zone
• Internal thigh protection
So the main differences here are the price, the just a little bit reduced quality and the design. But since we discussed the design so widely in the previous review there’s no way we let that difference slide without commenting it. So about the design…I thing it’s really nice…well, I’m not in love with it like I was with the Distortion 07, but it still is eye-catching, although I think they’ve done a much better work with the back side look than the front one. Anyways the pants look really nice and no white this time – they come in black/camo shade. As to the price it is $89.98 much more bearable than that on the Distortion 07. So again it’s up to you to decide, but I give those pants one absolutely positive grade.

Now those are some good looking pants. Not every company dares to use white in their models and if you ask me the black and white is probably the best looking combination. If it wasn’t for the staining issue I’m so calling the Planet Eclipse Distortion 07 pants the best looking pants on the market…better than Dye and Empire put together. But the staining problem is a fact and although it’s not such a big of a deal it’s there to point out and reduce some points of the perfect score. But before I say anything else about these pants, check out their features:
• Inner leg venting keeps you cool
• Super stretch zones on the legs and crotch make for the most comfortable pant ever
• Adjustable waist straps for perfect fit
• Articulated lumber straps
• Waist adjustment straps
• Easy access PVC pocket tabs
• Estar pvc badge details
• 2-way stretch articulation zones
• Section padded leg protection
• Adjustable/secure ankle closures
• Ribbed articulated lumber zone
• Rear leg vents
• Anti abrasion side impact zones
• Air cool mesh venting
The Planet Eclipse Distortion 07 pants are not just good looking they are also some nice, nice pants to have. They posses absolutely anything that a great pair of pants should have – great padding, comfort (all kind of comfort, from feeling good when worn to being great when bending or sliding, or crawling, or anything you have to do while playing), venting (it’s great in both cold and warm weather), durability - just anything you can think of you get from those pants…they are almost perfect. But perfection doesn’t come cheap. That’s exactly the case here – to get those you have to be willing to spend $149.98. Not a small amount, but totally worthy if you ask me. The thing is you don’t have a color option at all. You either get them in black and white or you don’t get them at all. But again the combination is extremely good looking and if it was me I jump on it right away.