"The latest incarnation of the most popular tournament marker in the world" - Planet Eclipse
It's hard to believe that Planet Eclipse already released their 5th generation paintball gun, the Ego 9. In 2004, the first Eclipse Ego debuted and captured the attention of most professional players and high-end gun users. Planet Eclipse built a gun around weight, air efficiency, size, ergonomics, and accuracy. Over the last 4 years, Planet Eclipse has been making some very aggressive moves in the high-end paintball gun market. The Ego came in and swept away "old technology" in paintball.
Right now the leading manufacturers in the high-end gun market are Dye/Proto (DM9/PM8), Smart Parts (Shocker), and Planet Eclipse (Ego). Say goodbye to WDP (Angels) and WGP (Autocockers), they will soon become antiques. The Eclipse Ego can be partially blamed for this but good riddance. Planet Eclipse has been building their guns around the same solid foundations of reliability, performance, light-weight'ness and simplicity. You can expect the same features, and more, with the new Ego 9.
MSRP: $1499.99 ($1,250.00)
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I have yet to see why manufacturers sign 'Signature Series' deals with the "big shot" paintballers.
I'm talking guns like:
Redz Ego
'Jeff Orr' Autocockers
NXT Shockers
You hear names in the industry, but do you want to pay extra to have their name autographed on your gun? I suppose I can see why some people like to diversify from the crowd by have something different, but to me it's just not worth the money. There are rarely any significant changes to the gun's performances, so I'd rather shop for cheap paintball guns that perform just as well.
Posted in Guns | 3 Comments »Because Autocockers are dead. Why else would they be selling at 75% their MSRP?
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I had the awesome privilege of interviewing one of the very first female paintballers, Bea Youngs. One of the most successful and worldwide known female paintballer, Bea is known as paintball's best ambassador. Bea started training on an all-girl tournament paintball team (Femmes Fatale) in August 2000. She's even featured in the highly acclaimed game, Greg Hastings Tournament Paintball.
I asked Bea a few general and a few specific questions...
Kyle: How did you get introduced to the sport of paintball?
I was asked by Tami Adamson to play tournament paintball with her and form an all-female team, Femmes Fatale. We became the first all-female team to play on airball concept fields since the Iron Maidens in the woods.
Kyle: What was your first paintball gun?
A borrowed autococker and then my first gun that I owned was a Smart Parts Impulse.
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Kyle: In your paintball career, what was your most memorable moment? This doesn't have to be a game necessarily, it could include any jobs you've done or event you've attended.
Memorable? Winning the San Diego Super 7 Championship last year (2006) and making history as the first co-ed team full of mostly females to win a championship title and to finish the season in 2nd place out of the 102 teams in Division 2 throughout the 06 season.
Kyle: Bea, as a professional woman paintballer, how would you define a "successful paintballer"?
True spirit and perseverance. Your heart has to be in the right place and you have to give back to the entity that is giving to you. In this case, the things I do in the sport like writing, commentating, hosting tv shows for the sport, working for my sponsors at major trade show events, helping other kids get started in the tournament scene through my team, Destiny, and being a voice at major events like the PSP on the microphone all contributes to paintball. If you live by the Golden Rule (Do Unto Others as you would have them Do Unto You), in the end, you will get what you deserve based on the works you do. Showing appreciation and being willing to share your knowledge and love of the sport to others, or just passing it forward, goes a long way and makes for a successful player. Teaching what you know makes you a better player. Practicing and studying the sport also helps tremendously.
Kyle: As one of the most influential female paintballers, what do you see for the future regarding woman in the sport of paintball? To the best of your knowledge, are there any plans in the future for an All-Girls division or do you believe it will be mostly male oriented?
The future of women in the sport is bright as long as females try to work as hard, and sometimes even harder, than the average male. This sport is male-dominated and will be for a long time, and we have to prove to our male counterparts that we can compete. To compete, we have to practice and be able to take constructive criticism. To get support, we can't expect that by just putting on a happy face, it will get us what we need to play. Sponsors are starting to only support those teams that are serious and have a winning record, or a good reputation, for that matter. I'm not saying it's not a good thing to be "good-looking" and get that sponsorship, but I'm saying even if you are a "hottie", back it up with some skills and be respectful of those males that may have a chip on their shoulder.
Kyle: What is the best paintball marker you've ever owned?
Oh wow... that's a tough one. I would have to say it's between Planet Eclipse's 06 Ego and the new Bob Long Guns. This season, we're shooting the new Bob Long guns (Marq 6, Marq 7, Rapper), though, and so far, it's been one of the best and fastest shooting markers on the market. So, it's a toss up between the Egos and the BL's.
Kyle: What is the WORST paintball marker you've ever owned (be honest)?
Worst? Oh wow. Honestly, I had some issues with my Smart Parts Impulse back in the day, but when I got it upgraded to the Impulse Vision, it shot much better.
Kyle: What was your family's first reaction when you told them you were going to be in a video game?
My brother got his camera out and started taking pictures of the tv screen! My parents still to this day have no idea what I'm doing in the sport. They have yet to go to a paintball event to see me play. They think I'm crazy and I'm wasting my time in the sport and wasting two degrees I earned from Florida State and the University of Florida by working in the industry. One of these days, they'll get it.
Kyle: Paintball in the Olympics, do you think it will happen?!
Sure, why not. If they can have curling in the sport, they can have paintball. As long as enough countries in the world adopt paintball as a legit sport and then maybe a change for the better in the format to make it more understandable (as if curling is understandable), then the likelihood of it being in the Olympics could happen. Anything's possible.
Kyle: Thank you again, Bea, for taking some time to answer these questions that I, and I'm sure others, would like to ask you.
You can read more about Bea Youngs at her website, BeaYoungs.com
Yes, I am going to have to admit I was skeptical at first when I saw the pictures, specs, and lack of features that its big brother, the 06 ego, had. After using this marker, I soon realized never to judge a book by its cover. Here's the story.
Alright, I got the gun and some paint, fill up the air and hit the chrono. First off, I heard people crying about œmassive kick. Nothing a little dwell and LPR adjustments can't fix. Shot it over the chrono without adjusting anything but the HPR, 291-286-280-289-284-290. Now that's right out of the box folks, stock regulator, stock everything. Coming out of the box and shooting that consistent is good for any gun right out of the box. No breaks, no chops, decently fast with no trigger adjustments, very efficient. Shot a hopper (Halo B) with around 400lbs of air. Not that good? Considering a halo holds roughly 150 and there are 4500lbs in a full fill. 4500/650 = 6.92 (roughly 7) hoppers at 150. 150 x7= 1050. A little over half a case is good for out of the box. With it's Autococker threads, being the most popular in the world, over half of the guns on the market use them with exceptions of shockers/angels/impulse just about everything else accepts Autococker threading thus making it very possible to use any kit ever made out there! Tune to get better efficiency and reduced kick.
PROS
Cost, at $750.00 this is a deal. The Etek Ego has very nice milling, a moderately accurate barrel for being stock, programming parameter sticker inside grip frame, and VERY easy maintenance. A few drops of oil on the rear O-Ring on the rammer, and on the top of the rammer and very little on the bolt and that's it. Greasing the pistons in the HPR/LPR is a snap as well. Easy, not time consuming. A wide variety of upgrades are already out like the CCU kits, Ti Rammers, Aftermarket Boards, Triggers, Feednecks, Grips, etc.... etc..... Probably the best thing about the Etek Ego is its creators. Planet Eclipse!
CONS
No QEV's. It doesn't accept star frame. Not compatible with all other ego parts (Neither are the 06/05's though). Stock board is capped at 15 BPS (Not much of a need to go passed that anyway). Nothing significant.
MYTHS
No QEV's? 15 BPS cap on stock board?!?!
Yes, that is true, however it is not necessary. 15 BPS is the legal cap at all national events. NPPL in true semi, this gun can keep up with you for sure. QEV's serve to increase flow rates thus giving increase rate of fires. Once again, this will only slow you down about 5 BPS from traditional 05/06 egos. This is not necessary considering the previous stated 15 BPS cap at the PSP events. If you are a tournament player looking for a high-end marker and want to save some cash, this is the marker for you. Aftermarket boards are available for the desired need to pelt the tree in the backyard 20 times a second.
-Written by Luke Calmes
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