How to Choose and Use Paintball Pod Packs
Paintball is one of the best outdoor activities for those looking to spend more time outside. And one of the reasons that paintball supports a healthy body and mind is that matches can last a long time, meaning more running, crouching, crawling, and climbing.
If you want to make it through the longest matches, you need to have the best pod pack paintball has to offer.
A good pod pack allows you to carry extra paintballs on you during the match, so you can reload. And a well-designed pod pack and pods will allow you to reload faster, so you can get back to shooting.
In order to make the most of these competitive advantages and lead your team to victory, you need a pod pack that works for your body. It needs to be sized right, a comfortable fit, and allow you easy access to your ammo.
So how do you choose the perfect pod pack? Keep reading to find out now.
Paintball Pod Packs: What to Know
If you're new to paintball, then you might not know why paintball pods are so important.
On the top of your paintball marker, you'll have a hopper attached. The hopper is filled with paintballs, which feed into the chamber of your paintball marker, so you can fire paintballs down the field.
Hoppers can only hold so many paintballs. If you run out, you can't leave the playing field to go reload your hopper. Instead, you use paintball pods.
Pods are small plastic tubes filled with paintballs. You just pop one open and dump it into your hopper to continue firing.
It helps to have at least a few pods loaded with paintballs. But you need a way to carry these on your person while you are playing a match. Enter the paintball pod harness.
Most of the time, a paintball harness straps around the waist, giving you easy access to your pods while playing. If you buy the right harness, it won't encumber your movement.
But what should you consider when choosing this essential piece of paintball equipment?
Fit
Fit is the most important factor when choosing a harness. You want the harness to fit comfortably, to allow you to move freely in any position, whether crouching, climbing, or running.
But you also want it to fit snug so that the pods don't swing around.
There are many harness options that offer customizable fits. That means a one-size-fits-all option. This is especially important for larger players.
Capacity
When looking at capacity, there are two categories to consider. First off, how many paintballs will fit into each pod.
The standard for most paintball pods is a capacity of 140 paintballs. This is a perfect size, as you can dump an entire pod into your hopper before you completely run out of paintballs.
You can also find pods a bit smaller that carry 100 paintballs, or even 50 paintballs for a slim profile.
Second, when choosing a harness, you'll need to decide how many pods you want to carry. Having six pods in your harness might sound nice until you try crawling around with six pods getting caught on brush and obstacles.
Most players feel that a six-pod pack is adequate for most matches.
But when choosing your harness capacity, you'll notice that some pod packs say "3+4" or "4+5."
The first number shows how many pod sleeves are available. If you see a plus symbol, this denotes the number of optional pods you can carry using elastic straps.
So a 3+4 pod pack will have three sleeves for standard carry, and the ability to carry an extra four pods using elastic straps for a total of seven.
Likewise, a 4+5 harness will have four pod sleeves but has the option of carrying nine pods total.
Durability
You shouldn't choose the cheapest pod pack on the market. Low-quality materials will wear out quickly.
You're going to wear your harness during every match, rain or sun. You'll be in the dirt, in the brush, and crawling over rocks and obstacles. Choose high-quality products that will stand the test of time.
But the right harness the first time and you won't ever need to buy another one.
Top Paintball Pod Packs
Ready to play paintball with all of the ammunition you could possibly need? Here are some of our favorite paintball pod packs
HK Army Zero-G Harness
The HK Army Zero-G Harness comes in two capacity configurations. The smaller harness is a 3+2 configuration. It features three padded pod sleeves. And it has an optional elastic strap on either side to carry two additional pods when needed.
The larger model is available in a 4+3 configuration, with found padded sleeves and extra straps for three more pods. Both are available for $89.95.
The strapless harness features a state-of-the-art belt system sized to fit most players. It sits comfortably on the waist with anti-slip, lumbar supporting back padding.
The holsters don't have straps, and instead, use a tension system to secure the pods in place. No bouncing pods and no shifting waist belt.
HSTL Base Harness
The HSTL 3+4 Base Harness has a simple waist belt that is comfortable and adjustable. It's lightweight, and the mesh back panel improves airflow. The pods are held in place using velcro straps, which help prevent movement.
You can also choose the larger 4+5 harness. Both run for $49.95, making this a great, mid-tier harness.
Empire Omega Harness
Looking for a budget-friendly paintball pod pack? The Empire Omega Harness is available in a simple, streamlined four-pod configuration.
The standard version comes in black with colored accents. Looking to spice things up? Check out the additional color variations, including samurai or skull patterns. These are available for $24.95 or $29.95, respectively.
The sleeves can carry 140 or 100 round paintball pods. The back mesh panel improves comfort and the elastic ejection feature helps you access your pods with ease.
Dye Assault Harness
Looking for a paintball pod pack for big guys? The adjustable belt system on the Dye Assault Harness is the perfect fit for larger players.
The harness uses high-powered velcro, memory elastic, and rubber traction to give this harness maximum stability while moving around. Neoprene sleeve ejector loops and a quick release handle make it super easy to access your pods and reload quickly.
You can get the standard size configuration of 3+4 for $74.95 or the larger version of 4+5 for $79.95.
Invest in the Best Pod Pack Paintball Harness
Paintball fields are opening all the time, opening the door for more and more people to try the sport. When you play paintball for the first time, you might not need to have a paintball harness. Just fill your hopper and go.
But for those who play often and want to improve their game, buying the best pod pack paintball harness is one of the first investments you should make. When you start using one, you'll wonder how you ever managed without one.
Want to see more of our pod harness options? Check out our full selection here.