The idea of frozen paintballs has been around for years. Many players have heard the myth that freezing paintballs will make them harder, hit harder, or give them some kind of advantage during a game.
To settle the debate, we decided to test the theory ourselves and see what actually happens when paintballs are frozen.
For this test, we used two bags from the same case of Dynasty Team Paintballs. One bag was stored normally while the other bag was placed in a freezer for approximately 24 hours.
After freezing the paint, we performed a drop test and then shot both sets of paintballs through a Planet Eclipse GEO R5 paintball gun to compare the results.
Do Frozen Paintballs Hurt More?
The short answer is no. Frozen paintballs do not hit harder. In fact, freezing paintballs actually makes them worse.
When paintballs get cold, the shell becomes much more brittle. Instead of becoming harder or stronger, the paintballs become fragile and break much more easily.
The fill inside the paintball also becomes thicker and more viscous when it is cold. This reduces the paint’s ability to spread and mark properly when it hits a target.
Cold temperatures can also cause paintballs to become slightly misshapen as the shell contracts and develops small dimples. These imperfections reduce accuracy and consistency when the paintballs are fired.
Drop Test Results
To test durability, we dropped paintballs from waist height onto a hard surface.
The normally stored paintballs performed as expected. Out of five paintballs, one broke while the other four bounced.
The frozen paintballs behaved very differently. All five frozen paintballs broke immediately upon hitting the ground.
This clearly showed that freezing paintballs makes them far more fragile.
Shooting Test Results
Next, we tested both types of paint using a Planet Eclipse GEO R5, a tournament level paintball gun designed to shoot very brittle paint.
The standard paint shot flawlessly. The shots were consistent, accuracy was solid, and the paint broke cleanly on impact.
Once we loaded the frozen paintballs, the results changed quickly. Accuracy dropped significantly and the paint did not break as cleanly. Within the first ten shots we also experienced a barrel break.
Even with a high end marker designed to handle fragile paint, the frozen paintballs created problems.
Final Thoughts
While it is technically possible to freeze paintballs, doing so will make your paint perform worse, not better.
Frozen paintballs become brittle, inaccurate, and far more likely to break in your barrel. The thickened fill also reduces the paint’s ability to mark properly when it hits a target.
If you want the best performance from your paintballs, the best approach is simple. Store them in a cool, dry place and avoid extreme temperatures.
Like content such as this? Follow BFPGear for more paintball tips and myth busting videos.
Instagram: @bfpgear
Facebook: BFPGear.com
YouTube: @BFPGear