[SkyEye]

I've been out of the paintball scene since 2005. What happened to all the companies? I read somewhere that the Smart Parts Ion was priced so cheap it put most of the entry-mid level companies out of business. Even Smart Parts is out of business (purchased by GOG?).

Is the sport less popular now than it was or did Smart Parts somehow price themselves out of the market? Back in 2004-2005 there were so many companies and so many markers to choose from, most of them mediocre spyder/piranha clones.

[Hel_Bound]

Smart Parts went under due to some poor management and internal struggle. They revived as 'GOG' Most companies didn't actually 'go under' but rather were bought out. Over the years KEE Action Sports has been on an acquisition binge and have bought up a number of companies and organizations in paintball. Some they just absorbed into the 'KEE' brand and others they kept strong. Such as Extreme Rage/PMI, the products and IP belong to KEE and are marketed under a different KEE brand such as the ER 20/20 is now an invert product. This goes on and on. When KEE bought PMI it took a number of brands with it such as EVIL. Truth be told KEE now owns a huge market share in paintball, most of what people buy, feeds the KEE war machine.

However some companies did fold, WDP Angel Sports just closed their doors recently while WGP was sold to K2 which completely mismanaged the brand which killed Worr Games Products and long with it the legend which brought us the auto cocker. We have gained some companies to off set the difference such as Valken, Ninja PB etc. There are a number of gun manufactures up and coming, some throw backs to older companies such as FEP (makers of the Quest).

I've been playing for about 9 years now and the face of paintball has changed a lot. A few years ago I returned from a 1.5yr break and had trouble accepting all the brands I knew and love were gone, only to be replaced by all Empire all the time...not that Empire gear isn't top notch, it was just nice to have variety.

[SkyEye]

Thanks for the info, it was a good read. I mainly came back to this forum to get rid of my old dragun T1 kit but it doesn't seem to be worth anything at all any more as no one seems to be using spyder clones. Then I noticed that pretty much all the old brands are no more.

[nerdcore]

Yep, no point selling the Dragun T1 now. Or try craigslist, someone might cough up more cash for it.

[SkyEye]

Its a sweet gun but it looks totally outclassed by the ion and everything else out there since 2005 maybe I'll hang onto it for plinking beer cans if i am ever not in an apartment.

[IrishNinja6]

Originally Posted by SkyEye

Its a sweet gun but it looks totally outclassed by the ion and everything else out there since 2005 maybe I'll hang onto it for plinking beer cans if i am ever not in an apartment.

protip: anything outclassed by an ion is, in fact, not a sweet gun....

[SkyEye]

its a sweet gun for its time period, it was a poor mans intimidator for less than $200 they only needed a new hpr and lpr regulator, qev, and electric switch to make it competitive.

[IrishNinja6]

problem is, an intimidator is essentially a rich mans spyder, in its time..regardless, if you love your gun, more power

[Team Misfit]

Spyder is dead or starting to die off .. reasons there guns are TRASH

[maniacmatt73]

I was sad to see angel go under

[JohnSherman]

Originally Posted by Team Misfit

Spyder is dead or starting to die off .. reasons there guns are TRASH

Spyder is doing just fine, and their guns are great for entry-level players. I still roll with a Pilot as my back up.

[IrockanEGO]

Originally Posted by SkyEye

I've been out of the paintball scene since 2005. What happened to all the companies? I read somewhere that the Smart Parts Ion was priced so cheap it put most of the entry-mid level companies out of business. Even Smart Parts is out of business (purchased by GOG?).

Is the sport less popular now than it was or did Smart Parts somehow price themselves out of the market? Back in 2004-2005 there were so many companies and so many markers to choose from, most of them mediocre spyder/piranha clones.

Smart parts went under and came back as GOG. GoG is basically the same people making the same guns except the guns are made right like they shouldve from the beginning. They are coming with a good feedneck, board, trigger, asa, etc. The sport is way smaller than it was in 05. Most of the companies making cheap clones have gone under.

[Shemp 5]

anybody hear anything about DP? not saying they died off or were absorbed, but i honestly havnt heard anything from them in a LONG time....

[paintballcrazy94]

Originally Posted by Shemp 5

anybody hear anything about DP? not saying they died off or were absorbed, but i honestly havnt heard anything from them in a LONG time....

that is true its been a while.. in october youll find out more, im sure they are still kicking around, E1 was released like.. a year or a bit ago wasnt it?

[Shemp 5]

Honestly I'm not sure. I'm not too concerned personally since I have never owned anything DP and don't plan on it. I just realized it's been a long time since I've heard the name. I remember the big hype of the g3/4/ spec-r. That died off pretty quickly tho.

[Team_ILLNatured]

them G4's are pretty stellar little guns. kinda like the Kalishnikov too...i drowned it in the mud, played in the sand, rain, snow, etc, jammed 4in of mud up the barrel, and just generally abused it. i mean, for like $300 used, they ain't bad if you go hulk on your gun every now and then. and if you're playin 12.5bps, it will supply dirtnaps all day long. pretty efficient... 1,000 to a 45/45

[XILED]

empire absorbed jt and wgp ,seen the event flex or new sniper,lol

[blueshifty]

Originally Posted by IrishNinja6

problem is, an intimidator is essentially a rich mans spyder, in its time..regardless, if you love your gun, more power

Yes, and your ego is a rip-off (albeit inferior) of the intimidator; the timmy is the father of stacked-tube electros as we know them.

I took a brief break from the sport as well and was surprised to see SP gone, angel dead, and the KEE empire (pun intended?). I think that the overall climate of the sport is very similar so I still feel at home. Spool valves have also become somewhat of a fad seeing as how just about everyone offers one now.

[2nwyka]

Originally Posted by blueshifty

Yes, and your ego is a rip-off (albeit inferior) of the intimidator; the timmy is the father of stacked-tube electros as we know them.

I laughed so hard in agreement at this. I've been trying to tell people this for years and years and years! The Ego is essentially a Timmy in a different body and a few minor changes to the poppet system. By your definition, Irish Ninja, your Ego is a rich-man's Spyder.
Noah

[Shemp 5]

Originally Posted by blueshifty

Yes, and your ego is a rip-off (albeit inferior) of the intimidator; the timmy is the father of stacked-tube electros as we know them.

I took a brief break from the sport as well and was surprised to see SP gone, angel dead, and the KEE empire (pun intended?). I think that the overall climate of the sport is very similar so I still feel at home. Spool valves have also become somewhat of a fad seeing as how just about everyone offers one now.

in bold... is absolutaly correct. know history before you speak. it helps. good job shifty for knowing your **** i thank and applaud you

[Team_ILLNatured]

Originally Posted by blueshifty

Yes, and your ego is a rip-off (albeit inferior) of the intimidator; the timmy is the father of stacked-tube electros as we know them.

I took a brief break from the sport as well and was surprised to see SP gone, angel dead, and the KEE empire (pun intended?). I think that the overall climate of the sport is very similar so I still feel at home. Spool valves have also become somewhat of a fad seeing as how just about everyone offers one now.

I wouldn't say Spoolies were so much a fad, but more along the lines of far superior to Poppets.

I have an Ego6. and I hate it.