A first-time player often rents equipment for the first few outings, before deciding on his or her first marker. A good first marker is sturdy, must take a fair amount of abuse, and be easy to set up and maintain. Available upgrades should be a factor, as an upgradeable gun may grow with the player, and negate the need to purchase a high-end system. Common first marker purchases are the Tippmann 98 custom, BT 4 Custom, or Tippmann A-5, Smart Parts Ion, or Spyder (or Spyder clone) markers.

Many beginners and some professional players choose to use a pump-action marker rather than the popular semi/full auto models. Low-end models are cheap (a plus for the beginner), and also serve as a good training tool, since they require the player to re-aim with every shot.