NEW Smart Parts Midlevel Low Price Marker

[CrimsonGhost]

Hmm...Looks interesting...and at that price ...why not pick 1 or 2 up and see what they are like?
I think I just found what I can trade a few of the extra markers I have laying around for.

[tyrion2323]

What's going to stop someone from simply removing the polymer cover, buffing the aluminum body and then anodizing it? Even if you have to get eye covers, it will end up looking pretty darn close to a shocker.

I might consider buying one, as they are dirt cheap, but I'll want to see/hear some reviews of them as well as see about what's UNDER the polymer.

Also, the polymer grip frame and ASA doesn't suit me, but those can be replaced, presumably.

[Athius]

Looks cool and the idea of just changing the shell body or exoskeleton is a cool idea no more re-annoin. And finally SP is using break beam eyes.


Hmm when my brother sees this i think he'll buy one lol



Everyone: say good bye to the impulse.

[BigEvil]

to the bitter disdain of most.....

smart parts will make mad $$$

Smart Parts obviously has a marketing dept. Eventhough I am less than impressed with this abomination of a paintball gun, I think that it will fly off of the shelves. A wanna-be shocker for $300.

All of the noobs with Tippys and Spyders will be able to convince mommy and daddy to spend $300 a lot faster than $1000.

[AzrealDarkmoonZ]

Grip frame looks like a polymer. I wonder if the body is extruded or diecast similiar to Tippmans. Looks to be powdercoated, assuming it can perform, I predict huge sales for SP, and to be honest if it is all it says it is for 300 then...well I might even buy one.

Az

[tyrion2323]

Smart Parts obviously has a marketing dept. Eventhough I am less than impressed with this abomination of a paintball gun, I think that it will fly off of the shelves. A wanna-be shocker for $300.

All of the noobs with Tippys and Spyders will be able to convince mommy and daddy to spend $300 a lot faster than $1000.

What makes it an abomination? Have you shot one?

Didn't think so.

[Lohman446]

Just off the phone with SP

It is a spool valve, though different than the Shocker

The Shocker will not be switching to break beam eyes - though these work "pretty good" you judge that one.

I'm impressed... I should have asked about adjustable trigger but did not...

[andreb]

wow... even thouh I don't agree with their legal tactics I have to say that this really has the potential to allow players that were not "tournament equiped" to enter the torney scene.

Of course we all have to wait to see how it shoots and more importantly if it will be a rugged marker (I might be wrong but there are simply way too many Shockers going down all around me)

Anyway, I'm anxiuos to see the effect this will have on the industry and I hope soemone buys one quickly so I can shoot it.

[Jack & Coke]

I was lucky to be one of the privileged few to know in advance about the ION. In fact, I was one of the very few who got to see this new marker, let alone shoot it, before it was made public. All I can can say is "wow." This marker is going to change paintball as we know it.

Smart Parts has done something very new. They've introduced a marker that has modular capabilities and that can be accessorized like you would a cell phone. The ION is a metal marker encased in a customizable polymer exoskeleton. The first thought that came to my mind when I saw it was "this is like space marine armor for your marker." Very different, and very cool.

I have to stress this point - the ION is NOT a plastic marker! It is a rugged aluminum marker like the Shocker or Nerve, but with a tough polymer outer shell that will bring marker customization to a whole new level. Currently there are four colors being released - black, red, blue, and yellow.


You will be able to purchase the different shells and change the color of your marker on the fly. The switch is done easily with the removal of a couple of screws and takes less than five minutes to do.

Are you someone who tries to keep his marker in perfect condition? With the ION you no longer have to worry about it. Beat the crap out of your body and then buy a new shell. Who cares if it gets scratched? You can replace the shell so easily and they won't be expensive.

Now, what about performance? This is where the ION really shines - a magno-trigger that delivers 17 BPS with a break-beam anti-chop eye! Smart Parts introduces their first break-beam eye with this marker and get this - the eyes are housed on a board that slides into the body. Since the ION uses a break-beam eye, you no longer have to worry about the color paint you shoot! Switch modes from semi, rebound, to 3 shot burst and full auto (3 shot and full are capped at 10 BPS).


The ION uses a new solenoid designed by Smart Parts that allows increased air flow and it is extremely hard to clog with debris. I'm kicking myself for not taking pictures of the internals but the layout and design are really well engineered. The new solenoid works like a 3-way and when you look at it and the hosing that runs to it, you will see the similarity. The internals are simple and the marker has fewer orings than a Shocker. Like the Shocker, it comes with a hard-anodized aluminum bolt.


I shot four or five IONS all set up differently with different loaders. You can run the ION on CO2 as long as you have an anti-siphon. While it shot fine with CO2, it definitely shot better with compressed - which is to be expected.

Smart Parts has switched from anodization to powder coating for this marker. The stock barrel shoots well and looks tough. You'll know what I mean when you see it. The ION barrel takes Impulse threads.

The inline reg is completely new and is incredibly simple in its design, with only three or four internal parts. It also comes incased in a changeable rubber cover. The ION operates at a low 160-180 psi and is very efficient on air. You can expect 1000-1400 shots on a 68 4500. It runs on a 9v battery.

The removeable feed neck comes with an oring seal and uses the same threads as the Impulse.

The ION feels very much like a Shocker, only less sleek. It is still incredibly small and light, and it shot very accurately when I was shooting ropes of paint downrange.


What really sets this marker apart is the price. Get this - $380 CDN ($300 USD)! There is simply nothing in this class for this price. Expect to see a lot of these on the field this spring and summer ripping it up at 17 BPS. This kind of performance used to be limited to markers starting at about twice the price.

Badlands should have them in stock next week. Order one today because they are sure to go fast!

Thanks to Billy and Adam of Smart Parts for giving me a first look at this cool new marker. Thanks also to Daniel, the engineering genius behind the ION, for giving me a technical overview.

Trevor

[Lohman446]

Ordered one.. Ill tell you what its like next week

[trains are bad]

They should be selling the shocker for <500 IMO. Said so as soon as I saw them.

[SlartyBartFast]

The people complaining in this thread are proof positive that a HUGE proportion of paintball players are vain idiots waiting to part with their money for simple cosmetics.

This gun is metal internals with a composite shroud.

Reason it's cheap? Little to no machining.

THe reason there's always such fierce debate over which gun is best? All the twits who bought "high-end" expensive guns don't want to lose the self deception that 500$ of the price is for the milling and anno and doesn't affect performance one iota.

[GT]

That's better efficiency than any "Rogue mag" you may have in stock.... sit down.

WTF kind of mag have you been shooting? I can easly get 1200 out of a 68 on a mag. If you are going to bash the mags effiecency then lets be honest about everyone elses performance.

Neet gun,
I dont think the exoskeleton is going to revolutionize paintball. Dunno for 300 bones I think I would still go for the '05 bko, now comes with pds and msrp for 349.99

[Banshee23]

You know, this is retarded. No KID that can afford a 300 gun should have the ability to rail on it at...what? 25 bps? 30? This breaks the pattern of performance being "directly proportional" to price.

Oh well, it's retarded, and IMO, you are retarded if you have this in your gear bag.

It says that it's limited to 17bps. Anyway, after reading the press release I guess the outer plastic body isn't such a bad idea as long as it doesn't cost an arm & a leg for new bodies. Actually this doesn't seem like such a bad marker if it can deliver on most of what is said.

[Evil Bob]

Just showed the above Ion add to 6 high school teenagers age 15 to 17 (my son just got home with some of his buddies to play halo II on xbox), all of which have played PB a couple of times. The one thing that caught their eye and all remarked on was "17 bps", "full auto" and "$300". That's all their cared about. Whether you hate SP or not, these things are going to fly off of the shelf, especially once they get some better looking shells for them.

Most noteable comment....

"Dude, its fugly." "Who cares, it does full auto, and you can buy 4 for what you paid for for your DM5."

-Evil Bob