Do Inflatables Make the Best Indoor Fields?

[SlartyBartFast]

I can see the interest in inflatable bunkers for portable fields. But are they really the best thing for indoor fields?

How durable are they?

How much maintenance do they require?

I've played very little indoors, and never on an indoor inflatable bunker field. But the fields I've visited always seemed under inflated.

Wouldn't some good solid bunkers be best? Something made of ABS/PVC/Nylon that would be easy to clean and be other wise maintenance free be best?

[Adamk58]

yeah i dont play inside much either, but i really dont like the inflatables. Id rather it be wood or somethin else solid. makin an indoor field out of wood would be easy as pie and it would require no maintenance at all. its also fun to hide behind stuff other than a big balloon

[Muzikman]

Inflatable bunkers are amazingly strong, they clean up well, easy to move, easy to store (when deflated) and they are easy to maintain. The only thing about them is that you do have to make sure they are filled each day. So I say yes, they are pretty good for indoor fields.

[BuyMyMag]

It's a pain to get all the paint off of them. I really like air ball fields, but i love the plain wood, pvc, barrels etc.

[Maggot6]

Every indoor feild I play at is sup air....I don't mind it, but then again I have played with nothing different....

[player4]

IMO inflated plastic bunkers with astroturf(SP) at an indoor field is one of the best ways to play paintball.

[tribalman]

to say they are annoying to clean is an understatement. even just squeeging the field off is a task. but when u have to really wipe them down it takes a while. now do that every day. one more reason i'm learing to apreciate pump.

[St Elmo's Fire]

Indoor bunkers have seemed to me to be very durable, in that they don't break, and the under-inflated isn't a terrible thing, aside from the fact that it doesn't look very pretty. I imagine they're also remarkeably storage efficient.

But, looking at it froma player's point of view, their not solid enough for me. I run into bunkers to stop a lot, or slide into them, or such things, and in more than one case I've knocked inflatables over, and in one case had it rolling free along the ground. That's without a doubt a problem, and not one I would have had with a sturdier bunker, as I'm not hitting them that hard.

My other issue, and this is a personal one, is that they are annoyingly poppy whenever a paintball hits a well-inflated one, to the point that you could deafen an opposing player by keeping the fire up on his bunker.

Other than that, they look a little too artificial to me, but that's entirely flavour.

By the way, this is my first post here under this name, and the first here in a long time. Good to see you all, but most of all those from Seattle. And of course the heroic Tom Kaye.

[68magOwner]

from a players standpoint, airball is best for anything, keeps your equipment cleaner than taking spray from hard fields, allows you to play the bunkers differntly my pushing/man handling them around, is just better.

[vonort]

All the indoor I've played has been abondoned warehouses and the like. Baisc close quarters combat, and building clearings. Dont really think that air bunkers would be the best thing in them. ;)

[St Elmo's Fire]

from a players standpoint, airball is best for anything, keeps your equipment cleaner than taking spray from hard fields, allows you to play the bunkers differntly my pushing/man handling them around, is just better.

Because different is obviously better.

[the_lane]

yea they really are great for indoor fields

they are verry durable specally tha sup airball ones

they dont require much matinence just the occasianal airing up and tying down so they dont moove

cleanings a really easy just squeege them down and pressure wash them or hose em down

-lane the flying skwril
:shooting: :dance:

[yakitori]

IMO inflated plastic bunkers with astroturf(SP) at an indoor field is one of the best ways to play paintball.

agreed. Thats what I do. www.thepaintballfactory.com

Great place, great field. They have powerwashers, and these metal pits that they scrape the bunkers w/ during the day. It collects the paint. They shovel all the paint on the ground around the bunkers to the corner and scoop it up later. They also have a leaf blower to help w/ cleanup.

Air ball and super soft turf is the way to go w/ indoor.

[Rather]

agreed. Thats what I do. www.thepaintballfactory.com

Great place, great field. They have powerwashers, and these metal pits that they scrape the bunkers w/ during the day. It collects the paint. They shovel all the paint on the ground around the bunkers to the corner and scoop it up later. They also have a leaf blower to help w/ cleanup.

Air ball and super soft turf is the way to go w/ indoor.

HAHA funny you should mention that, i just got done working today..... :D

[SlartyBartFast]

Well, pros and cons are being noted. I'm thinking that a system using standardised building components could make for an interesting mix between speedball with small regular bunkers and "urban" fields with easily configurable buildings.

Another question would be flooring. Sand and gravel suck IMO. Concrete is downright dangerous, as is ANY non-porous surface. Artificial turf is neat and the company FieldTurf really caught my eye. Skorpion paintball in Laval (near Montreal) uses turf on large square tiles.

But how easy is it to maintain turf? How well does it clean? How long is it likely to last saturated with paint or remaining damp if drainage isn't adequate?

How about this for flooring:
http://www.plastipro.com/eperfor.html

Good drainage, great traction.
Easy setup and removal.
Multiple colours make it possible to mark field boundaries, start boxes, "yard" lines, etc.
The posibility of running cable underneath also has some interesting possibilities.

Downsides?

I guess those that like sliding probably won't be happy.

Anything else?

[Jeffy-CanCon]

I've played a number of different indoor fields over the years, and I will confirm that inflatable bunkers are the best option. Compared to solid bunkers, they are relatively easy to clean, partly because so many balls bounce off of them. Durability varies, in my experience. Some seem to stay inflated forever, taking a lot of punishment, while other rapidly deteriorate to the point of needing to be re-inflated several times per day. Simple shapes like tombstones, popcans and doritos seem to be a little tougher than rockets or "X"s. Inflatables do need to be secured somehow, either by fastening them directly to the floor, or to something heavy like sandbags.

The best surface I've played on so far is carpet, though I think field turf would be best of all. Drainage is a concern with carpet, and it really needs to be replaced every year. That plastipro stuff would solve your drainage problem, but I don't think it would have very good traction. Paint-slime is mineral oil, and it takes some pressure to wash it away. I expect your floor would always be either slimy or wet. Plastipro tiles underneath carpet might be a good idea, for drainage & traction.

[peewee]

I like it all :headbang: . But I really love hard bunkers & interesting room designs. Mazes with strob lights etc are great . I am looking at the new bunkers that have the tube frames , they look like you could do alot indoors with those.

[SlartyBartFast]

I am looking at the new bunkers that have the tube frames , they look like you could do alot indoors with those.

Which? Who sells them?

So much for my idea being original. :cry:

[lew]

Downsides?

I guess those that like sliding probably won't be happy.

Anything else?

I would definately not be happy playing on that surface. I love to slide a lot; whether it's sliding in to a bunker fresh off the break or scooting around behind the bunker. I've been quite happy with Astro Turf.

As to the original question, I believe inflatables are the ideal indoor, maybe even outdoor, bunker. I play tight to the bunker, so my barrel tips would probably have all the anodizing worn off if it weren't for a suface that has as much give as inflatables.

[Fallout-]

Wood, pipes, barrels any thing is better than sup air IMO.

[mag88888]

me and my friends need a portable field. while looking at sup'air stuff i thought about using those inflatable swimming tubes/rafts. we could fasten duck tape rings to the sides and then stick stakes through the rings and into the ground. im pretty sure they can hold up to paintballs being shot at them. if they can hold up then theyre a great thing to use since theyre so cheap and theyre portable. us kids can'y afford real sup'air. if we ever get this done, ill get some pics up. :D

[SlartyBartFast]

That plastipro stuff would solve your drainage problem, but I don't think it would have very good traction.

Yeah I wondered about the traction. But, I once worked as a short order cook and had some similar type tile at the grill and fryer.

By the end of a day they were coverd in grease and I never slipped.

Of course those were put through the dish washer to clean them.

Paint slime is a problem....

The FieldTurf does need to have drainage tile installed underneath if installed indoors.

[frop]

I find that traction goes down pretty quickly as the day wears on, as it gets soaked with paint. What I'd really like to see if something that wouldn't lose so much traction when saturated with paint.

[SlartyBartFast]

I find that traction goes down pretty quickly as the day wears on

On which type of surface?

[frop]

I believe its some sort of carpet. It's been a while since I've played, though.

[Potatoboy]

12K sq ft.

No columns or pillars.

Washed bunkers.

Dry turf (2 months of play and just as good as day one.)

No annoying rubber granules.

White net.

Tons of light.

http://www.potatoboy.net/images/PBX/[email protected]
P.S. Picture was taken before the bunkers were blown up for the day. Yes, it needs to be done EVERY day. (Boo hoo?)