Bias, Brands, and Designer Paintball Gear

[Bloencustoms]

Have the big manufacturers and the advertising agencies they use created an environment wherein unbiased evaluation of new products is impossible? It seems like every few months there is some new marker that is "the best". Are we being herded into purchasing expensive markers and upgrades because they are fashionable, with performance as an afterthought? Is it possible for people to hold a marker in high regard based entirely upon it's performance, or will brand loyalty and fashion dictate what players use on the field?

These questions all go through your head at one time or another. There is no denying that many of the high dollar markers do perform very well, but on those occasions when you see a more modestly priced marker deliver the same performance, what goes through your head?

Are we so worried that people will judge our worth by the price of our equipment? This kind of environment is great if you're trying to sell markers for $1500. But lets put things into perspective. The cost of developing, manufacturing, and producing these high end markers isn't much more than that of producing one of the less expensive ones. Just think what kind of awesome computer you could buy with $1500, and ask yourself why your marker doesn't have a picture phone with full color screen and text messaging built into it.

Don't get me wrong, I like the flashy expensive guns. I have owned an 02 Fly LCD (back in '02 when they were the ....nit). I currently own an ebladed 03 Black magic, and a completely custom built 02 virt feed. Still, I hope we're not missing the boat when it comes to great new products because we are more concerned about how other people will view them than the actual performance of the markers themselves.

Any thoughts?

[cocker kid 2k2]

I don't really agree with what your saying about companies focusing on looks over performance. The top end markers of today are far more functional then they are stylish, even though they do look hott.

Take an Alias for instance, cost 1300 dollars retail. Its a sick gun, lightest gun on the market, its insanely fast, very very little maintenence, and really reliable. That right there makes it worth the price tag to me. But to add on to it, its also one of the best looking markers i've ever seen. Just another thing that makes people want it.

What about the DM4, its a Matrix, has the awesome spool valve design, egi eyes, which are known to be some of the best in the world when it comes to paintball ACE systems. It costs 1350 new, but it also balances out great, comes with a clamp rise, ultralite, hyperII reg, a ton of great performance parts. Its without a doubt one of the top performing markers out there.

Making a marker that looks good but performs bad will probably unfortunatly sell better than a marker that performs great but doesn't look so hott.

Look back in 2002, Vikings and Excals existed, but who the hell had them? Practically nobody. Given they didn't have WAS boards and ACE's in them at that time, but they still shot the same. But then late 2k3 hits, and they come out with the immortal, and Highlander and 2k4 line of Vikings in general. Still the same great performing marker, but now a craze for them has started just because they look a lot better now than they ever did.

Nobody wants to pay a lot of money for something that isn't appealing to the eye. And I feel that all the top end markers out there of today that look great, also perform great.