The irony in that is just how much care goes into the production , transportation , and storage of paint from the factory to the field in order to provide players with the highest possible product , particularly for major events and tournaments , only to have that product ruined by mishandling of the paint by players in the last 300 feet from the trailer to the start box .
It isn ’ t intentional , to be sure . So don ’ t think that I am victim shaming .
The reality is that most players are simply under-educated about how paint is made and the right way to handle it in any condition .
So to help you all out , we sat down with the legend himself David “ Opie ” Thomas of Kore Outdoor for some current industry insight , and the renowned Greg Muller for the folk wisdom derived from his four decades of experience as a player and an industry professional .
THIS IS WHAT WE LEARNED The Wisdom and the Science Behind the Ball
Greg Muller started playing ball in 1984 , back in the days of the Wild West when guys were shooting marbles filled with oil-based paint at each other while wearing only shop goggles and mouth guards for protection . They would have been better off with Storm Trooper helmets .
It wasn ’ t long before Muller was selling paintball and outdoor gear from his own store in Northern California to legendary players like Rich Telford and Dave Bains . By the late 1990s , he went to work in the industry full time with National Paintball Supply , and he would survive the transitions to PMI , Key , and G . I . He then moved on to Valken .
David “ Opie ” Thomas is currently with Kore Outdoor ( for those who are new here , that ’ s parent company that owns G . I ., JT , Tippmann , Empire , and VForce amongst other brands ). A literal legend of the paint production industry , it is said that no one in the world shoots as much paint as Opie does . Thomas has built a reputation as the best in the business at research , development , and distribution around the globe , and is highly regarded as the go-to authority on everything paint .
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