Paintball Buyer’s Blog

Okay, I am officially impressed with the Smart Parts SP-1. This thing is fun to shoot and is gentle on paint, plus basic maintanence is quick and simple. I picked up the Stock Plate Adapter (which lets you mount most models of Tippmann 98 stocks) and the Double Trigger Kit. Though I really liked the look and more realistic milsim feel of a single trigger, I wanted to try it out with the factory aftermarket trigger kit. Definitely glad I did! On the stock trigger the activation point… where the microswitch ‘clicks’… is pretty early so the rest of the triggerpull (known as overtravel) is wasted motion. Lots of overtravel also puts unnecessary wear on the microswitch. The Double Trigger Kit angles the trigger back and includes a triggerstop screw so you can adjust how far the trigger travels. Less wasted motion = faster rate of fire and longer microswitch life!

The owners manual for the SP-1 only shows maintanence as far as removing and greasing the bolt… these markers were designed for first-time paintball marker owners as well as seasoned players and thus the manual was designed to show you the basics without confusing the less mechanically inclined. Anything beyond basic upkeep should be handled by a well-trained and knowledgable technician at your local paintball pro shop. I had fun tearing it apart to install the upgrades… 20 years of paintball dissection makes it a breeze… but I realized that others might not have such an easy time with it, or maybe they live far away from a pro shop. Well, I took out my camera, tore my SP-1 back apart, and snapped a few pics to help those install these popular upgrades and understand their SP-1 and Smart Parts Vibe (they are similar) a little more.

DISCLAIMER! I’m not responsible for any damage or mistakes you might make to your paintball marker. Please use all the proper tools and lubricant when performing anything to your marker. Please remove and COMPLETELY degas your marker (remove tank and dryfire till no longer cycling) prior to any maintanence. If you’re not sure of any of the following, contact Smart Parts Tech Support, they have friendly and knowledgeable people over there in Pennsylvania!

Degassed completely? Good, first thing first is to remove the grip screws and the battery. Don’t yank out the battery by the wires! Notice how the battery lays in the grip? Use a little thought when placing and removing the 9 volt and you won’t have any broken or crimped wires. Remove the screws holding the ASA to the gripframe.

Next remove the bolt. This is actually the bulk of the maintanence your SP-1 or Vibe will ever need. Using a 1/8″ Allen wrench, remove the two screws and the back plate. With a 5/16″ Allen you now unscrew and pull out the rear plug. Using a squeegee or similar object, gently push the bolt back from the breech end out the back.

Look how much grease was on there from the factory. Thats how much you want to use. In the future, you’ll be wiping down the bolt and inner chamber, regreasing with Smart Parts Sleek Lube or Hater Sauce and sliding the whole assembly back into the marker. Never use any oil for you SP-1, Vibe or other Smart Parts spool valve guns!

Now remove the three screws holding the gripframe to the body… one behind the grip, one in front of the trigger and above the regulator, accessed through the whole on top of the body.

Now the gripframe can be gently pulled away. Just make sure to guide the battery connector with care through the frame so you don’t break the battery wires.

With a suitable tool… I used a small Allen wrench… push the crosspin forms the axle that the trigger pivots on out from the right side of the frame (with the frame pointing away from you) and remove the trigger. Remove the screw above the forward end of the triggerguard and the brass nut that that also houses the trigger pretravel screw in there. You may need to back out the pretravel screw a bit to fit the wrench in the nut. Remove the single triggerguard, insert the double and put the screws back in place. Slide the new trigger in place and insert the framepin from left to right.

Now, everything goes back together in reverse order. Note in the pic below how the regulator and frames nest into each other.

If you’re adding a stock with the Stock Adapter Plate, slide the piece that the stock fits through on first. Then, piece the two sections of the plate that go against the body onto the end of the stock. See how all the tongue and groove sections fit together? Clamp those down over the end of the stock, then slide the first piece down the shaft, lining up the metal guide pins into the holes. One thing to be aware of is that these parts are plastic and thus not always perfect dimensions the fit was designed to be very tight. Better this than a loose and wobbly stock! I found that a simple bench vise or large pair of padded vise grips made clamping the adapter together much easier… unless you plan on changing stocks all the time you will only need to do it once anyways.

Thats it… there’s not much to it. Just go slow, take your time and don’t force anything. Don’t do it anymore than you have to as well. One thing I’ve learned about paintball markers is that the less you take it apart, the better. Now I’m not saying to never clean your marker, what I’m saying is that if your marker isn’t full of mud and got shot up to the point that paint has seeped in everywhere you should just clean the breech and wipe it down. When you do need to tear your SP-1 or Vibe down further, such as a deep clean or to change the ball detents, remove the screw and block by the reg on the underside of the body and then slide the internal chamber and firing can out of the body. That stuff on the internal chamber is the same grease you use on the bolt to make installation easier.

Here’s how my personal SP-1 currently runs. In addition to the Stock Adapter Plate and Double Trigger Kit, I added a CORE Collapsible M4 Stock, LAPCO Bigshot 14″ Barrel and a new Single Point Tactical Sling that we have for a smokin’ price at the moment. There is one idea I have for this marker thats going to involve some cutting of this, hacking that and causing a total void of warranty in general… but its going to be sooooooo cool!

Elbow pads rank right next to knee pads as mandatory equipment in my book. Your arms take a lot of impact throughout a day of play, from using those elbows while crawling to landing on your forearms when diving headfirst. They are also one of the places you tend to be shot the most, especially on the bony bits. A good elbow pad needs enough padding to protect your skeletal structure and muscles without hindering movement and need to hold in place. Older elbow pad designs tended to slip up or down at the most inopportune times, but this year almost every manufacturer’s elbow pads have the new thumbhole design that keeps them from sliding up the arm when sliding, and a strap around the bicep to keep them from sliding down.

Dye’s the elbow pad most people know about due to their massive advertising campaigns and like most things Dye they are usually the most expensive…. for a reason. Their new Dye 08 Elbow Pads incorporate a lot of the classic Dye elbow pad perks with some new features to put them in contention for the best out there. They feature the thumbhole design common to the new generation of pads but also throw in some compression-formed padding on the back of the hand for those paintball players who prefer to go gloveless. They are molded to fit the arm and feature the classic Dye rubber bumps to grip and hold your jersey in place so you’re not swimming in your jersey. One thing to keep in mind if buying the Dye 08 Elbow Pads… they are running a little smaller than usual so I’d suggest buying up one size larger than you are used to.

Empire introduced their Ground Pounder line a few years ago and quickly became one of the best-selling line of pads, period. This years Empire 08 Ground Pounder Elbow Pads SE continue the tradition of being possibly the most cushioned pad out there. Really, banging your elbows in these feels like smacking a bed matress. They have the must-have thumbhole and bicep strap, plus a cutout section in the elbow pit to give you some ventilation. These are available is a wide range of sizes including Youth.

NXe introduced their Techna Flex Elbow Pads last year and they have been a solid favorite with a lot of players. These feature the thumbhole desig, bicep strap and very firm padding. They don’t get the bounce of some other pads but do an amazing job saving you from injury, which is more important in my book!

Next up is Smart Parts Exoskin Elbow Pads. I think they are the most comfortable of the lot, with lots of flex and soft padding for good bounce as well. They don’t have the thumbhole design but that can be a good thing… these are a lot more comfortable to wear with gloves! I have used these pads several times and I can honestly say they styed put and didn’t slide around. These also fit into anybody’s budget!

The last item of protective gear I’m going to talk about is a chest protector. Wearing a chest protector carries a stigma with some players, akin to training wheels on a bicycle. Well, if thats what the ‘hardcore’ think, let them. Paintball is all about having a good time and some people (actually the majority of players worldwide) would rather experience a little less sting when hit. When you are less afraid of being hit you play more confidently. Chest protector are popular with all ages but I think they should be standard equipment for kids in addition to full head mask systems.

The most common type of chest armor is what I often call a ‘body shield’. Basically, its a sandwich of padding that wraps to the body. Worn inside or outside clothing, this armor provides the best protection in terms of impact protection  (you barely feel anything!) and coverage for front, back and sides. The only real downside is a little extra bulk but the peace of mind is well worth it. Probably the best in this class is the CORE Reversible Chest and Back Protector. They flex with the body, are lightweight and reverses from black to woodland camo.

A new trend this year is the ’shirt’ style protector. The consist of a snug but stretchy sleeveless or short sleeve shirt with integrated padding sewn in. These tend to cover a little less than the ‘body shields’ but are very comfortable and in some cases hardly noticeable under your playing clothes.

Leading the pack this year is the Empire Ground Pounder Chest Vest. These are selling like crazy and really hard to keep in stock. They are a shortsleeve shirt with padding sewn in the chest, back, sleeves, shoulders and stomach. I bought one of these for my wife and she swears by it. Combined with a full head mask, neck pad and elbow pads she is not afraid to get aggressive at big games when there is a lot of paint in the air. These are available in sizes from Youth Small to XXXL Adult.

The other hot seller in this style is the Proto Chest Protector. This is a sleeveless design with thinner padding, fitting more snug but with more stretch and mesh venting to keep you cool. They don’t offer as much coverage but are by far the most comfortable body protection, period. Worn under a shirt or jersey they are hardly noticeable.

Last item here is another one from Empire, the Empire Ground Pounder  SE Pro Shirt. Its a stylish lycra shirt with thin padding all along the arms and other parts of the body. Its helps protect the body from falls and takes a bit of the sting out of a paintball hit as well. Great overall protection!

That wraps up my general overview on a lot of paintball protective gear. Its one category of products I like to talk about for good reason… it helps keep people from getting hurt. Paintball is a great pasttime and sport and the more padding you wear, the longer your body can continue playing!