Paintball is a sport enjoyed by people of all backgrounds and skill levels. While using a rental Tippmann 98C might suffice if you are only going to play paintball once or twice,
If the bug bites and you decide to invest more of your time and energy into the sport then it is important to carefully consider the equipment you buy.
By the time you start playing in speedball tournaments, you will probably be heavily invested in this extreme sport and have put in hours on the field training.
Naturally, you don’t want your performance to be hampered by poor or inappropriate equipment, which is why you must do your homework before you buy a paintball marker for speedball.
All the markers that I discuss in this article have been written about in detail by me previously. All in all, this article is the culmination in over 10 hours of dedicated research and comparison.
Top 3 Picks
- Empire Mini GS
- Lightweight
- Affordable
- Clamping Feed Neck
- Quiet
- Planet Eclipse CS2
- Ergonomic
- Pro-League Marker
- Reinforced Trigger Guard
- Does Not Break Paint
- Azodin Kaos 3
- Easy to Clean
- Affordable
- Low Maintenance
- Ergonomic Trigger
Empire Mini GS
The internet is packed with reviews about the Mini GS. Empire is a well-established brand in the industry and the Mini GS is an excellent marker.
While it is a bit tedious to clean out the eyes because you have to practically disassemble the whole marker, the Mini GS more than makes up for this pitfall by being extremely lightweight and quiet.
Azodin Kaos 3
Tippmann’s are, and always has been, the go-to brand for entry-level paintball players. However, you need only glance at Tippmann’s range to see that they are oriented more to woodsball players.
While there is nothing wrong with that, it does leave you searching for a viable alternative if you would rather dive into speedball. The Azodin Kaos 3 has your back here. It is an excellent entry-level alternative to Tippmann and more geared towards speedball players.
Planet Eclipse CS2
The Planet Eclipse CS2 is the second edition of Planet Eclipse’s spool valve hoseless paintball guns. It is essentially an upgraded and improved CS1, offering better accuracy, reliability and a much nicer shot.
While often compared to the G-Tek, because they have a similar core, the CS2 exceeds all expectations as a pro-league marker.
The rear grip is located closer to the bolt, which significantly reduces recoil and improves accuracy. On top of this, the grips are thick which provides more stability and control.
The CS2 also sees the addition of an adjustable rake trigger and ample space in the guard to walk it, but I prefer a scythe trigger. That comes down to personal preference, however.
Planet Eclipse Etha 2
The Planet Eclipse Etha 2 is, without a doubt, one of the best paintball markers under $1000 on the market.
While it may not have all the bells and whistles that more expensive pro-league markers offer, this marker still performs like a professional marker even though it is considerably cheaper.
The glass-reinforced nylon composite body means that this marker can take a serious beating and still fire like a beauty while the Gamma-core drive chain ensures that you can use this paintball marker without issue regardless of whether you are playing in sweltering heat or frigid cold. While a little louder than you might expect, the recoil on the Etha 2 is next to non-existent.
If you are an intermediate speedball player who is thinking about performing to gain sponsors but don’t want to drop over a grand on a pro-league marker then the Planet Eclipse Etha 2 is the paintball gun for you.
Empire Axe Pro
The Empire Axe Pro is the culmination of Empire’s entire Axe series. It is a beautiful piece of equipment that is designed to be rugged and perform well in all situations.
While a bit heavier than many of its competitors, the Axe Pro is quiet and has very little recoil. As such, it performs excellently as a sniper and in support roles.
That is not to say that you cannot play in a forward position with this marker, but with the additional weight, it is a good idea to spend a bit more time doing strength training if you are of a slighter build.
All in all, the Empire Axe Pro is a wonderful intermediate-level paintball gun that will last you years if you take proper care of it.
Empire SYX
The SYX was Empire’s way of breaking away from the Axe series to produce a paintball gun that is targeted at more advanced players.
Empire essentially took all the things that made the Axe Pro a great paintball gun and then made a few improvements. Some of these improvements were in the ergonomics, but most had to do with performance and ease of maintenance.
The SYX has very thin grips, even though the regulator is housed internally. This makes the marker feel more manageable and easy to track targets.
The improved bolt system has significantly improved the accuracy and reliability of this marker, allowing it to compete with much more expensive markers.
While taking the regulator apart is a bit of a hassle, it can be done, and you don’t need any specialist tools to service this marker. I like that about the SYX.
It feels like a paintball gun for players who are ready to take their game to the next level but don’t necessarily have the budget to purchase the pro-league markers.
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