Elite Paintball Guns

So for those of you who think shorts and paintball pants on top of them are not enough for the protection they want the Empire came up with the Empire 08 Ground Pounder Pro Slider Pants. Those are again designed to be worn underneath paintball pants only they cover bigger area of your body. Beside the hip, thighs, butt and groin area protection now you also get knee and hip bones protection. I won’t go through the flaws again since they’re pretty much the same ones you have in the Slide Shorts. As to the advantages I already pointed them out – the extended protection area…the other are again just the same. So here’s the given description for those pants:
“We know how brutal sliding into the corner or snake can be game after game. We have designed this second skin to be worn under your player pants. Built on a moisture wicking football length stretch base, we have mounted EVA molded foam pads over your thighs, knees and hip bones. The built in knee pads are thin enough to put you current pads over and hold them into place or thick enough to wear stand alone on those soft fluffy green surfaces. We have also covered the crotch area with a removable foam pad to save the most valuable family jewels.”
The pants cost $55 and as you can see they come even cheaper than the Dye Slider shorts. Anyway I stick to the Dye recommendation. They’re simply better. Still, if you really think you need all that protection go for the Empire Slider Pants. Get also some additional knee pads and you’ll be pretty much bullet proof.

There’s no place for comparison between those and the JT pair reviewed, but when it comes to real comparison I definitely put Dye and Proto before the Empire (when talking about shorts of course). Yet again those are cheaper so that pretty much levels the scoring. I have to admit that for the price you’re paying for them – which is around $35 – you’re getting some decent quality. The Shorts are nicely padded – still people are complaining about the groin area padding and think it’s pretty thin to provide the desired protection…it’s also removable which makes it kinda uncomfortable, but the other padding is really nice one. The shorts are not heavy and are made of material that does keep you cool and feels comfortable. If you manage to get the right size the shorts will fit very nice and you won’t have to worry about movement and discomfort. Here are the features:
•    Redesigned for 2008!
•    Removable Man Pad for those of you who dare to live on the edge
•    Contoured Air mesh hip panels to keep the raspberries in the produce department and not on your hips
•    Em-Flow mesh construction to keep the weight and heat out
•    Powerful performance moisture wicking material allows moisture movement for a natural and refreshing feeling
•    Available in sizes Small - X-Large
So besides the groin area padding being kinda thin another thing some players complain about is that the stitching on the padding falls apart easily, but if you follow the washing instructions I think that’s not gonna be problem. So that’s about it. as I said for the money you pay for them those pants are pretty good, but if you want the ultimate protection I suggest you go for the Dye or Proto ones.

It’s only normal after the chest/back protectors we move to the lower body part protective gear. So we’re gonna talk about padded shorts and we’re gonna start with the ultimate ones out there – Dye Slider Shorts. Just like the chest protectors shorts are made to be worn underneath some kind of paintball pants and they alone won’t be enough to keep you as safe as you want them to (not to mention that if you decide to wear those with nothing over them you’ll most certainly be dealing with huge humiliation). Anyway, safety first, right – that’s why you want to get those exact shorts. Their protection level is above every other shorts protection level out there. The sides are awesomely padded and combined with the padding on the pants those slides doesn’t seem that scary anymore. Of course you’re still gonna feel the ground/the shot/the bunker, but it won’t be nearly as bad. They’re also perfectly vented and you don’t have to worry about the hot summer days. Check out the features:
•    Thick elastic waistband and stretchable lycra to keep them in position throughout the day
•    The soft, adjustable front pad will help keep the most important of areas protected
•    Comfortable athletic cut will allow you to quickly forget you are wearing them
•    Thick side padding helps defend against bunker rash and bruises when making that grandiose slide into your sweet spot
•    Anti-bacterial vented crotch area will help keep you cool and clean
The only complains about those are that feel a little tight. But I think that’s a matter of getting the right size for you. You have all the sizes available, you just have to assess the right one. And besides if they’re not tight they’ll be moving too much and get uncomfortable, right? As to the price – those don’t come cheap. You can get them for $59.95, but the price is totally worth the protection you’re getting. If you want the best you have to be willing to pay the price for it. And since guys are not the only ones that need protection Dye Slider Women’s Shorts are also available. They’re just as good as the men’s version and cost $50.00. It’s up to you, though, but my opinion is that those are definitely worthy.

That’s the first out of three Maddog Designz chest protectors I’m about to show you. This one is the oldest version of them all, but it’s also the cheapest so I thought it’s worth showing it to you since not everybody can afford the expensive Proto or Empire. So this is one vest like chest protector made of mostly foam which makes it kinda bulky and not that comfortable. It does protect you pretty well though, so you can count on it for that. It’s “one size fits all” type and there are some elastic straps on the shoulders and the sides so you can adjust it to your body. Here are the specifications as given:
•    Molded foam vest
•    Padding on front and back for ultimate protection
•    Elastic straps at shoulders and sides to fit most sizes
•    Reversible. Wanna go black, then go black. Wanna go stealth in the woods, then go camo!
As I said it’s not the most comfortable chest protector out there. It tends to move a lot when you move especially if you don’t tighten it well. It’s also not that well vented…if we can talk about venting at all. Since you are protected only in the chest area and on the back the unprotected sides are the ones playing the venting role. Of course if you get hit there it is gonna hurt, but you can’t have it all after all. What you get as a bonus is that the thing is reversible. You get one side in black and one in camo so it’s up to you which one you wanna wear. It costs only $17.99 which compared to the other protectors out there feels like a present. That’s really the reason I’m reviewing it. If you can’t afford those pricier ones this one is gonna do the job…you just have to put up with the downsides.

The Empire 08 Ground Pounder SE Pro Shirt is not exactly a chest protector. It has some padding on, but it’s designed to be worn extremely underneath a jersey. If you wear it underneath a sweater or something it’s not guaranteed that it’s gonna keep you safe from those nasty upper body hits. It’s made to complete the jersey and basically that’s all it does. The Shirt is long sleeved and made of stretchy, very breathable material designed to keep you cool and prevent sweating during play. Also the center of the back is made out of vented mesh material so your body can breathe easily and stay cool even with the jersey on. The two sides of the back has some padding on, but it’s very thin one and don’t count on it too much. The sleeves have a big silicone logo over some silicone checkered are and are designed to keep your arm pads on place (if you wear any) and won’t let them slide up or down your arm. On the back of the sleeve there is also a thin layer of padding that’s gonna soften the crawling or diving. The thing is really comfortable and light weighted. It’s available in adult Small through XX-Large size so you have your choice there. If you don’t like the heavy chest protectors, but still think the jersey’s not enough this is something you may wanna try out. Since it’s a brand new product the price is a little high - $49.95, but I’m pretty sure it’s gonna drop soon. If you can wait - do it. If you can afford it just like that – get it.

So this is the second Maddog Designz chest protector and as you can see it’s the newest in their family. It’s definitely much better looking than the older one I showed you in the previous review. It’s also much more upgraded than it. This one is lighter and certainly more comfortable. Again it’s “one size fits most”, but the change in shape makes it more body friendly. The straps are bigger now and you can secure the protector more tightly which reduces moving and makes it more comfortable. The side protection is increased and is just as good as the back and chest one. There are no weak spots in this protector and I think you’ll like it very much. Here are the features:
•    Lightweight body armor provides front and back protection
•    Elastic shoulder straps and adjustable side strap to fit all sizes
•    Flexible Armor for easy maneuvering
•    One Size Fits Most
Unfortunately the venting problem stays – the protector is made of solid pieces of padding and now with the side areas extended venting is even worse. Of course that boost up the protection level, but the choice is all yours. With the 2008 protector you also loose the reverse bonus the older one had. This one you can get only in black. It’s better though. As to the price – you can get it for $29.95 which is not at all bad. If you can’t afford to pay $20 more for a better Proto or Empire this should do the job.

The last of the three Maddog Designz chest protectors I promised you is again a newcomer. The 2008 Pro Padded Chest Protector is something very different from all the other Maddog Chest protectors. They’ve decided to follow the big names in the paintball industry and turn the old looking “one size fits most” chest protectors to multi sized t-shirt like ones. This is totally understandable if we take under consideration the advantages of those new models over the old ones. A t-shirt like chest protector is much more comfortable than the adjustable vest like one. It fits great when you get the right size and stays in place no matter how much you move. With it you get not only chest and back protection, but also side and shoulder one. It’s also made of material that is much more breathable and keeps you cool if not through the entire game, at least through the most of it. Not to mention that the weight is been sensitively reduced and now it doesn’t feel like you’re wearing an armor. Maddog did a great job with the 2008 Pro chest protector and it posses all the qualities described above. With it they’re managing to keep up with the big names and deserve to be put in top with them. Unfortunately for some of you good quality means also higher price. The 2008 Pro Padded Chest Protector cost $39.95 which may be beyond the financial abilities of many of you, but if you can afford it you should definitely consider it. It is well worth its money and you won’t regret if you decide to buy it.

This is the first of two Empire Chest protectors I’ll be reviewing so you get to chose which one fits you best. I’m pretty sure I’ve already mentioned that the Empire chest protectors are basically the best ones on the market right now, so if that’s your pick you can be sure you’re making the right choice. The best thing in this protector is that it fits just like a t-shirt and doesn’t restrict your movement at all. Seriously…at moment you’ll probably forget you’re wearing it at all…it’s that comfortable. It’s also perfect when it comes to protection. You have extremely good padding on the back and notice extremely good padding on the chest also. If you’ve read other chest protectors reviews you probably noticed that they’re not that perfect when it comes to chest protection. I can easily call this the ultimate chest protector, but then I’m sure Empire will totally prove me wrong when they come up with their next protector, so I prefer to keep my mouth shut when it comes to such superlatives. I think it’s time for the features:
•    Outer Arm/Shoulder Protection
•    Non-Abrasive Collar
•    Sublimated Logo
•    Sewn-In Foam Padding
•    Lightweight Breathable Construction
•    Unrestricted Mobility
•    Non-Abrasive Collar
•    Sizing is similiar to a t-shirt size

Available in

•    Youth Small/Medium
•    Youth Large/X-large
•    Adult Small/Medium
•    Adult Large/X-large
•    Adult XXL/XXXL

So you probably notice already that it’s not just your back or chest that is protected. Empire went even further and equipped you with outer arm and shoulder protection, too. Nice thinking. So I commented the easy movement and the great protection with the Ground Pounder Chest Protector, but you should know that the thing is also very light and well vented so don’t worry about that too. As to the price I think it’s pretty fair considering the quality you’re getting. The thing costs $39.99 which is like 10 bucks cheaper than the Empire 07 protector. Take my word - the Empire Ground Pounder Chest Protector is better, so if you’re planning on getting a protector at all it should definitely be your pick. Just make sure you get the right size.

The next chest protector on the line is the Kingman Body Shield. This is one of the cheaper chest protectors costing around $25-$30 depending on the place you’re getting it. If you don’t have the money for Proto or Empire this is a pretty good substitute. It’s a t-shirt like protector and unfortunately unlike the Proto 07 where you got to choose a size with the Kingman Body Shield you have only one size available. I think that’s probably the biggest downside for this protector as obviously one size can’t really feel comfortable to everybody. Anyways if you’re a lucky one and the thing fits you well you should know that it’s gonna serve its purpose pretty good. It has great back and shoulders protection and you can be sure there won’t be any bruises at those areas. Before we continue here are the given features:
•    Makes you look and feel ripped!
•    Protects from the sting of paintball hits
•    Protection on the chest and back
•    22 Inches across chest
•    One size fits most
The thing is pretty light too, but it definitely feels strong and durable. It’s really well vented which is kinda important, as you know. Still, good venting usually means weak spots with less or no padding – yes, just like with most of the chest protectors out there this one is weak on the sides, too. Well, you can’t have both, so just deal with it and be careful when exposing those sides. Another thing on the downside is the chest protection – don’t get me wrong, it has the padding and it’s just as thick as it’s on the back and shoulders, but it’s a little bit loosen and placed far from each other giving a pretty good chance to be hit in between. Chances are 50/50 though and if you get hit in the padding you’ll be just fine. You’ll probably wear a jersey over it so that should also be taking a fair amount of the pain away, right? As I said this is a pretty good substitute for the pricier protectors out there and you’ll be better off having this than having nothing at all. Still, if you can spare some extra money and get a Proto or Empire don’t think twice.

Before starting the review I want to emphasize on the fact that this is a chest protector and it’s meant to be worn under something – jersey is preferable. It’s not a full body cover so complains like “it needs some arms padding” won’t even be considered.
When comparing the chest protectors on the market right now I can without any hesitation claim that the Proto 07 chest protector is one of the best. Not only when talking about protection, but also when it comes to comfort. It probably has the best comfort level of them all. Just bare in mind that the Protector is made for a very snug fit and you have to get the right size for you, or it won’t feel right. It’s always best if you can try the product before getting it (this applies exclusively for this protector), so I can’t recommend internet purchases unless you’ve tried it on before (like if a friend of yours has one, or you’ve tried it in a store and you just want to get it over internet). But it’s a product well recommended. It doesn’t restrict your movement at all and at times you won’t even feel it. As to the protection level – the chest and back are perfectly protected although the padding feels a little light. The protector is long enough so you don’t have to worry about it coming untucked or anything. Still be aware that there is very little padding on the sides: just a small patch on the lower rib. Since your jersey is vented on your sides also, this means that your sides will probably have no protection. This is great for keeping you cool though; the breezes just blow right through the sides of your jersey and this chest protector. Also, there is no padding in the lower abdomen. If you’re wearing a harness, you don’t need any there. But if you’re not you have to keep in mind those potential nasty shots. People think that the protector is a little pricy, but I think $49.95 is not that much. We’re talking about protection after all. If you decide to get yourself a chest protector this one is definitely worthy. It’s absolutely my personal number one.