Paintball enthusiasts are quite well aware of the significance of choosing the best paintball hoppers for them. These are used to load the paintballs into the paintball gun.
These hoppers or loaders allow you to detain the paintballs for several rounds of shooting. You simply cannot shoot without one of these.
Different types of hoppers are created to fit in other guns. The purpose of all of them is to prevent and load the paintballs before you start shooting. Hoppers for paintball guns may vary in prices and sizes.
This is by far the essential paintball equipment undoubtedly after, of course, the paintball specific gun. Some paintball guns include a hopper in the kit too, but if you wish to buy it separately, you need to know about the variants of hoppers in the market.
Many intermediate players like to upgrade their equipment to enjoy a level up. They love to modify the gun and search for the most suitable hopper for their paintball gun. This article will include all the pros and cons of some best hoppers out there.
This guide will help you shop for the best paintball hoppers 2022.
Best Paintball hoppers & Loaders 2022
| Hoppers | Preview | Best For | Rating | Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Empire Halo too – Editors Choice |  | Beginners To Pro | 9.9 | Freeway Anti-Jam For Continuous Feeding |
| DYE LT-R Electronic Paintball Hopper – Most Reliable |  | Beginners To Pro | 9.8 | Patented Rotor Force Fed Technology |
| Virtue spire IR electronic paintball hopper – Best Mobility |  | Beginners To Pro | 9.8 | Better Battery Life |
| Proto primo – Best Affordable Paintball Hopper |  | Beginners To Pro | 9.7 | Positive Shelf Designed |
| Dye Precision Rotor R2 – Durable |  | Beginners To Pro | 9.6 | Force Fed Technology |
| Virtue Spire 3 electronic – High Performing Hopper |  | Beginners To Pro | 9.5 | Hinged Shell Technology |
| G.I.Sports LVL level Paintball Hopper – Easy Maintainance |  | Beginners To Pro | 9.4 | Features a jam-proof drive system |
| Tippmann SSL-200 – Best Beginner paintball Hopper |  | Beginners To Pro | 9.3 | Bend Sensor Technology |
| Empire Paintball Prophecy Z2 – Best Budget |  | Intermediate To Pro | 9.2 | Ultra-Lightweight Design |
| Tippmann Cyclone Feeder System – Fast one |  | Beginners To Intermediate | 9.1 | Tippmann Cyclone Feed System |
1- Empire Halo too - Best Paintball Hopper (Editors Choice)
Empire Halo, is retailed at a very reasonable price. It is effortless to use because of which many beginners prefer this hopper and it can be your pick if you want something good at an affordable rate.
Empire Halo can feed 20 paintballs in one second, and the performance is excellent and relatively simple. It is highly advisable for anyone new to paintballing, this will make his experience worth remembering.
- Effortless usage
- Force-feeding mechanism
- Accurate shots
- Extremely quiet belt
- No risk of jamming
- Perfect and simple reloading mechanism
- Can be difficult to disassemble at times.
2- DYE LT-R Electronic Paintball Hopper - Most Reliable
DYE LT-R electronic paintball hopper has an outstanding stable performance. This hopper can be relied on when playing in fields. If you prefer an electronic hopper, then this will work best for you.
If you want excellent feed rates and top-notch functionality both in one, then you should buy this hopper. This electronic paintball hopper has built-in DYE loader technology.
The battery life of this loader is perfect. With only 3 AA size batteries, it can fire up to 80,000 paintballs, which is impressive. As this is an electronic hopper, it allows the player to shoot a minimum of 30 paintballs per second.
It has a strong lock tab that keeps it intact and in place. Despite this strong lock, it is effortless to disassemble and reassemble this hopper. There is no complex maintenance process. You can clean and maintain it easily by yourself.
The best feature of DYE LT-R is its torque feature, which is entirely adjustable. This hopper is water-resistant, which makes it secure.
- Amazing feed rates
- High reliability
- Longer battery life
- Easy maintenance
- Board is water-resistant
- Adjustable torque feature
- Not capable of preventing paintballs from getting jammed.
3- Virtue spire IR electronic paintball hopper - Best Mobility
Virtue Spire is the most popular electronic paintball loader of this era. It is the first choice of hundreds of paintball players. What makes it a favorite of many is its high reliability.
It is elegantly designed and comes in a variety of eye-catching colors. This fits perfectly on paintball guns and makes them look perfect. Not only beginners but many professionals like to attach this hopper with their gun.
In addition to its great looks, it can hold up to 200 paintballs for you. It can be disassembled within minutes with the slide lock. A spring anti-jam drive is attached to it, which prevents the jamming of paintballs inside the loader.
check out our comparison of Co2 Paintball Tanks vs. Compressed Air.
Virtue spire is very lightweight, making it easier for the player to carry it to the battlefield. This is very reliable, and it has a strong flex cycle paddle, which prevents its breakdown.
- Amazing design
- Can hold up to 200 paintballs
- Disassembling is very easy
- Anti-jam drive
- Very compact
- Price is comparatively high
4- Proto primo - Best Affordable Paintball Hopper
If your prime motive while selecting a good paintball hopper is to stay within a budget, Proto primo paintball hopper is highly recommended. This is one of the most economical hoppers in town.
It has an astonishing performance. It automatically filters and sorts the paintballs before shooting them. This hopper gives impressive performance if you compare it with the price.
Proto primo paintball hopper has a feature that allows you to play without the battery. This feature adds to the convenience of the player. He will no longer think about the life of the shower and can play fearlessly.
It can hold around 200 paintballs at a time. Unlike some paintball loaders, this is not electrical; instead, it is a gravity-fed hopper. Moreover, it prevents the paintballs from jamming up and results in a smooth shooting.
- Very reasonable price
- Offers a consistent vertical feed
- It is capable of performing well even without the battery
- Prevents unnecessary jams of paintballs
- High feed rate
- It is heavy
5- Dye Precision Rotor R2 - Durable
Dye precision Rotor is highly efficient and unbelievably lightweight. The rotor can load two hundred rounds of paintballs at once. Many professional paintball enthusiasts prefer this one over the other hoppers readily available in the market.
The design of this hopper is exceptionally compact. It is capable of shooting even from a short distance. It mainly has a low profile design. This is highly reliable, and one can carry it quickly to the field.
The most striking fact about it is that it has tuff molding. This makes it the most robust hopper in current markets. The board is also coated well and made water-resistant, which adds to its reliability.
It can shoot around 50 paintballs in one second. It is quite evident that the feed is high-speed. Furthermore, it is very easy to reload paintballs in this hopper. It also includes a locking lid, which is transparent. This lid helps to make it more secure. This is why it is one of the top hoppers.
- Extremely lightweight
- High storage capacity
- Water resistant
- Very smooth performance
- Easy reloading process
- Retailed at a high price
6- Virtue Spire 3 electronic - High Performing Hopper
Virtue spire three is uniquely designed, and many paintball players wish to use it. It has managed to secure a visible position among the best electronic paintball hoppers. The performance is mind-blowing, and the design is remarkable.
The easy disassembling makes the maintenance process less problematic, and the whole maintenance procedure can be completed within minutes. This hinge-mounted unit is very durable.
Virtue spire is compact and sleek. The feeding speed is excellent, and the lid can be replaced.
- Effective design
- Disassembling is easy
- Very durable
- Brilliant feeding speed
- Difficult to install the color kit
7- G.I.Sports LVL level Paintball Hopper - Easy Maintainance
GI Sports LVL hopper has many impressive features. Firstly it is exceptionally lightweight. It has a low profile design, which makes it highly effective. This hopper is manageable and easy to carry around.
It is suitable for fragile paintballs and has a rubber feeding system, which is specially designed for delicate paintballs. Moreover, this Hopper has a capacity of around 200 rounds and is jam-proof, which prevents the paintballs from jamming.
Easy assembling and disassembling make it easy to maintain and clean.
- Lightweight
- Easy to maintain
- Jam proof system
- capacity of 200 rounds
- Highly durable and robust outer body
- Low feeding efficiency
8- Tippmann SSL-200 - Best Beginner paintball Hopper
Tippmann undoubtedly provides the best paintball equipment. Tippmann SSL-200 is an excellent loader and choice of many. This is very lightweight and easy to use. It is perfect if you want to prevent paintballs from chopping off.
Its efficiency is remarkable, and it has a unique feature of the bend sensor. This allows you to effectively activate the loader when you are about to make a move. It also has outstanding anti-jam technology.
It perfectly fits almost every paintball gun with the help of its o-ring neck. This is a great advantage, and it gives a smooth shooting experience and is relatively quiet.
- Lightweight
- Manageable
- Economical
- Fits almost every paintball gun
- Quiet operations
- LED battery indicator
- Not very compact
9- Empire Paintball Prophecy Z2 - Best Budget
This hopper is highly durable and also very affordable. Despite the fact, it is cheap, but the quality is not compromised at all. It is made up of strong material.
Empire paintball prophecy Z2 gun hopper comes in various attractive colors. The paintball holding capacity is huge in this loader. It can have a maximum of 200 paintballs.
One can have a fast and smooth shooting experience with this hopper. It is lightweight, which gives a great experience in the field.
- Various colors are available
- High durability
- Great holding capacity
- Best for long shots
- Frequent reloading is not required
- Poor construction of battery housing
10- Tippmann Cyclone Feeder System - Fast one
Tippmann Cyclone feeder system eliminates the usage of batteries. This makes it convenient and hassle-free. This hopper works best with paintball guns like Project Salvo and Alpha Black Elite.
The construction of this hopper’s air system is remarkable. Sprocket is also attached to its air system, and the paintball feed is appropriately organized. It has a capacity of around 200 paintballs.
This loader eliminates the jamming up of paintballs and prevents them from breakage. It is easy to install and use and is compatible with the high paced shooting. Cyclone feeder system gives a great experience on paintball battlefield.
Many paintball players love the fact that it works efficiently, even in the rain too.
- Easy to use
- Minimizes risk of breakage
- Anti-jam technology
- Easy installation
- Capacity of holding 200 paintballs
- Needs a lot of air to operate efficiently
Buyers Guide
What to look for when buying a paintball hopper?
The process of selecting the best paintball hopper is very crucial. You can make a checklist of what you might look for when buying a paintball hopper to facilitate this.
Different loaders have different performance based on their unique specs. The following are some important things you should consider before purchasing any hopper.
Size and weight
The size and weight of the hopper play a significant role in paintballing. Before buying any loader, you should look for its capacity. You might want to know that how many paintballs it can carry at a time.
Furthermore, the hopper should be lightweight. Bulky and huge hoppers can cause great difficulty on the battlefield. However, a lightweight loader works perfectly.
The preferable size depends upon the level of your game. If you are a beginner, any hopper with a capacity of around 50 paintballs will be suitable. Similarly, if you are a professional, you should consider a hopper that has a total of at least 100 paintballs.
The level of competition you are a part of
This is another essential factor you should consider before the purchase of a hopper. It is not wise to spend on expensive equipment if you are a beginner or a frequent player.
If you decide to buy a professional loader and you are a newbie, you might face difficulty operating it. You should consider buying reliable and easy to use hoppers for beginners.
On the other hand, if you are a frequent player, you might want to invest in high-end equipment. This will enhance your performance and efficiency on the battlefield.
You can also choose from hoppers for intermediate players if you want to upgrade your equipment. This will allow you a level up giving you a tremendous on-field experience.
Compatibility with your paintball gun
It is highly advisable first to check whether the preferred loader is compatible with your gun or not. It is unreasonable to buy something that won’t even function properly with your equipment.
Different hoppers are designed specifically for other paintball guns. You should select the one that fits perfectly with your gun. You can choose multiple hoppers that are compatible with your gun and then select the best one.
Style
Paintball specific hoppers are available in a wide range of variety. These are retailed in various styles and attractive colors, and you can choose a hopper of your favorite color.
You can make your gun look stunning by attaching a hopper that matches it perfectly. All these stylish loaders are readily available in the market, and it is very easy to find your personal favorite.
The rate of Fire
You should look for the Rate of Fire. If the hopper has a slow rate of fire and is a professional player, it might distort your performance. In this case, you should buy a loader with a high rate of Fire and great speed.
In contrast if you are a beginner and choose a hopper with a high firing rate or fastest paintball hopper, you might face difficulty on the battlefield. You should instead go for something mainly designed for beginners.
Durability
Everyone should check for the durability of equipment before investing a good amount of money. You might face losses if the product you choose is not durable and is prone to breakage.
Some hoppers are made up of clear plastic, which is not as strong as solid plastic made hoppers. It would be best if you always chose loaders with a stronger outer body. This makes them durable and can last for a more extended period.
Some loaders are shock absorbent and gravity reliant. These hoppers should be everyone’s priority since they are comparatively more durable and reliable.
FAQs
Ans) The primary purpose of both a gravity-fed hopper and an electronic hopper is more or less the same. They are responsible for holding paintballs and loading them before one can shoot them.
A gravity-fed paintball hopper makes use of gravity to push the paintballs. This helps the player to fire accurate shots. On the other hand, electronic hopper uses batteries instead. Without electronic batteries, it won’t be able to function correctly.
Gravity-fed paintball hopper is capable of firing around 10-12 paintballs. An electronic paintball hopper can help fire up to 20 paintballs each second.
Ans) The virtue spire is incredibly lightweight and very easy to use. It is very compact and is capable of holding many paintballs at a time.
DYE Rotor is the first preference of many paintball players because it is highly efficient. This hopper is made up of high-quality material, which makes it durable. It is heavier than the Virtue spire, but it is undoubtedly reliable.
Ans) Electronic paintball hoppers are operated with batteries, and yes, they always come with batteries. Some leaders in the market are offered without batteries too, but mostly it is included.
Ans) It depends upon the battery life of specific models of paintball hoppers. Some do exhaust the battery quickly, while the others have a perfect battery life. Some hoppers are capable of firing shots for several months without having to worry about the battery.