Top Paintball Buys For Christmas 2008 – Hottest Paintball Guns and Upgrades From the ’08 Season

Do you have a paintball player on your list? Having trouble finding a gift that he or she will not only like but use throughout the year? The items below represent some of the ‘cream of the crop’ products of 2008. They are guaranteed to put a smile on the face of any paintball enthusiast.

US Army Alpha Black Tactical Paintball Gun – The Alpha black was introduced this year. The woodsball crowd accepted it with open arms. A clear replica of an M16 rifle, the Alpha Black has the reliability and consistency of the legendary Tippmann name. Built on the 98 platform, the Alpha shares much of its internal design with the Tippmann 98 Custom. This gun will be a huge hit in 2009. You will see a lot of upgrades and parts hit the market for it as well. It is a perfect gift for the military/paintball enthusiast looking to authenticate his game.

J&J Ceramic Barrels – Nothing new here. The J&J ceramic barrels have been out for years. What makes them a steadfast component in the paintball world? They are durable, accurate and priced right. At about $35, they can outperform barrels twice their cost. They are available in most threads in sizes ranging from 12-20 inches with a bore of about .688. A J&J Ceramic barrel is a great stocking stuffer for anyone looking to not only replace a stock barrel, buy increase accuracy. The stealthy outer coating will not reflect light making it a perfect addition to any woodsballer or scenario buff’s paintball arsenal.

Tiberius T8 Pistol – The T8 or Tac 8 was the first magazine fed paintball pistol. Although it has been around for years, it still reigns supreme among paintball players looking for a trusty sidearm. Over the years, more and more upgrades and add-ons have been released. This allowed the T8 to be even more versatile. Items such as the remote adapter the tool-less CO2 punch allowed the user different air options and ease of use. The Tiberius Arms paintball guns are so popular that they even have a following of their own. A new T8 is perfect for any player looking for a reliable pistol for scenario events or close quarter battle. Anyone that has researched paintball pistols is likely to have a T8 at the top of the list.

Tippmann Hall Effect Selector Switch A5 E-Grip – External firing mode selection has been out for a little while. It was first introduced to the woodsball world through the Tippmann X7 E-Grip. Now that same upgrade is available for Tippmann A5 owners. The new E-Grip utilizes the Hall Effect magnetic trigger assembly. This reduces the number of mechanical parts required to activate the sear for firing. There are five programmable firing modes available. The external switch allows the user to change between safety, semi-auto and a custom programming mode. This feature is crucial when the player enters a different environment or the strategy on the field changes requiring a different firing mode. This is a super hot gift for any existing Tippmann A5 owner. The new E-Grip is destined to be the number one A5 upgrade. This is a bold statement with the amount of A5 upgrades available today.

Draxxus Nitrogen Tanks – Upgrading to a compressed air system is the next logical step for any beginner using standard CO2. Compressed air is easier on a paintball gun. It allows for better accuracy, consistency and efficiency in just about any environment. The Draxxus tanks are special in that they are smaller in size than most others on the market yet carry the same shot capacity. Models are available in 45 and 68ci in the 4500 psi version. You can also choose between high and low output pressure. Another great feature on the Draxxus tank is the regulator. The regs are quality units that can not only be rebuilt but converted to either high or low pressure with an available kit from Draxxus. This keeps you from purchasing another tank just to accommodate a new gun running on a different pressure than your first marker. Most guns run on either CO2 or Compressed Air. A Draxxus tank is perfect for anyone looking to get rid of the CO2 hiccups that cause so many issues on the field.

SP1 Paintball Gun – No 2008 Christmas list would be complete without including a Smart Parts gun. The SP1 is in the spotlight this year. Ultra low pressure means less kick, better efficiency and accuracy. This is only a fraction of the features describing the SP1. Smart Parts learned with the Ion that taking tournament performance and giving it an entry level price is a winning combination. The SP1 is another gun to fall under Smarts Parts’ arsenal of winners. The outer shell is all scenario with rails available for additional accessories such as scopes, lasers and flashlights. The aftermarket world has taken notice. Expect more upgrade parts to hit the market for the SP1. Perfect gift for the first time player or seasoned veteran!

This just a short list of the some of the hottest paintball items this Christmas season. Purchasing a paintball gun for a new player is giving a gift that can be used for years to come. With paintball guns such as the US Army Alpha Tactical, Tiberius Arms T8 and Smarts Parts SP1 available, the ‘Red Ryder’ may be a thing of the distant past!