Traveling with Scenario Gear From Anarcy's site. By Dale FordMar 27, 2007.

Scenario players are a different breed, combining the intensity of the most hardcore tournament players, but still able to kick back and enjoy themselves. Scenario players have their own gear, their own language, and their own difficulties in traveling with their gear.

Scenario players have all of the same problems that any other player would have with transporting their gear, but with added complications due to the realism of a lot of scenario gear. Walking around in public in a Ghillie suit is a good way to get unwanted attention, especially if you have a marker in your hands that looks like an AK-47, MP5, or M-16.

Clothes:
While tournament players are most often mistaken for motocross riders (JT started out making motocross apparel, after all...). For a Scenario player it's a touch more difficult, because you can appear to be anything from a Space Alien to a Soldier or even a medieval knight. While most players won't go out in public in full costume, there are some that will, and it can be problematic for those that go for the more military look, or a look that involves weapon of some sort.

Other looks can cause issues are more adult themed games, or horror themed games...my wife in particular can tell you about an incident at a convenience store at a game where she was playing a saucy role that involved her carrying fuzzy handcuffs and a cat o' nine tails. Early one morning we stopped in to get water, doughnuts, and smokes and my bride unwittingly walked into the store while carrying her 'toys'. Needless to say, the reaction was pretty amusing, especially when my wife realized why people were acting so...aroused around her.

More often than not it's difficult to get into real trouble in public with the clothes you're wearing (unless naughty bits are exposed) but it can make for uncomfortable moments.

Air Systems:
If you're driving to your destination, you don't face any real challenges with your air systems. It's when you're flying with your gear that complications can arise. The TSA specifically prohibits a fully assembled air system in either your carry-on or checked luggage. The reasoning for this is twofold: Safety and Security.

On the Safety side, if the regulator is completely removed from the bottle, then there's no possible way the bottle can hold air and thus possibly rupture, as the pressure outside the bottle becomes less than the pressure inside the sealed bottle. So long as the regulator is off the bottle, the opening where the regulator screws in is open and thus prevents any pressure build-up.

On the Security Side, having the regulator removed allows the TSA Inspectors to visually verify that there is nothing inside of the bottle that is either illegal or dangerous. A typical air system bottle could possibly provide a nice hiding spot for either explosives that would take an aircraft out of the air, and for those who like to chemically enhance their lives, an air system could possibly provide a nice safe spot for someone to hide their stash. Having the regulator off allows TSA officials to look inside and verify that nothing illegal is inside of the bottle.

In either event, a player should consult with a certified technician to take off and put on the regulator. Failing to do so can have some decidedly unpleasant consequences for the player, so leave it to the professionals.
For the least amount of hassle, your best bet is to ship your air system(s) to your destination. Most hotels can receive packages for you for either a nominal fee or for free. For the complete rules from the TSA regarding paintball cylinders, go to
http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/ ... d_gas.shtm

Markers:
As far as the TSA is concerned, markers are not firearms, and as such are not regulated in any way, shape, or form by them. However, because a lot of scenario-specific markers look like real firearms, expect some delays and having to explain to officials that the "AK-47" the inspector is holding is a harmless paintball marker, not a tool of global thermonuclear terrorism.
When driving to your destination, it's wise to keep your marker put up in a gear bag or otherwise out of site. Drivers passing you buy could glance over and see you or a passenger in your vehicle dinking around with your marker and make them think they're about to be the victim of road rage by a heavily armed assailant, which will bring about unwanted attention by local law enforcement, and all they'll know about the situation initially is that there's a vehicle in their jurisdiction that has several 'heavily armed' individuals in it.

In researching this article, I spoke with a retired police officer and a Border Patrol Agent. In both cases the officers were adamant that their priority is to go home at the end of their shift. As such, they tend to react very strongly to gun-like things lying on the seat of a car and the person sitting in that car. At a minimum, you'll be ordered to keep your hands where the officer can see them, and you'll face questioning as to what that is in your vehicle. Depending on how you react, the situation can possibly escalate to the officer drawing down on you with his firearm to using deadly force on you, which would ruin your trip completely and make an unsightly mess in your car.

If for some reason you do have your paintball marker in plain sight, and you're pulled over, make sure you have your hands on the steering wheel or on the dash of the vehicle and make no sudden movements whatsoever and comply completely with what the officer tells you to do.

While some in the law enforcement community are familiar with paintball technology (Tippmanns are widely used in the L.E. community for riot control), a great percentage are not, and incidents in the past involving paintball started out with the initial call going to the authorities as a group of people walking around with sub-machine guns. Even if your marker is a bright color, the initial reaction of a police officer is going to be one of great caution. One fine morning while I was on the way to my paintball shop, I was pulled over for speeding. On the passenger seat of my car was a bright blue Adrenalin LCD Angel.

Even though I had my hands on the steering wheel of my car and I was extremely compliant from start to finish, the officer never took his eyes off of my hands and had one of his hands on his firearm at all times. The initial tension passed when I explained that the object on my seat was a harmless paintball marker, but the officer was still alert the entire time. In the end, it's best when transporting your gear to keep it out of plain sight. With a few precautions and some thinking beforehand, it is possible to minimize the hazards and hassles of traveling to that big game with your gear.