Indian Springs Paintball
Indian Springs Paintball, also known as Indian Springs Paintball Inc., was an American paintball equipment manufacturer based in Ohio. The company specialised in gravity-fed paintball loaders, including the Maxi Loader and Maxi Loader XL, and also supplied pod harnesses and accessories. Its products were used during the early development of competitive paintball in the 1990s.[1][2]
History
[edit]Indian Springs was active by 1991, when it advertised the introduction of the Maxi Loader XL in the December issue of Paintball Planet magazine.
According to the company's advertisement, the loader was introduced at the Line SI Masters tournament in Nashville on 23 October 1991. The 200-round loader featured a channel-feed system designed to reduce paintball jamming and bridging inside the hopper.[1]
The company continued supplying paintball loaders throughout the 1990s.
At the 1996 NPPL World Cup, WARPIG documented Indian Springs among the exhibiting manufacturers, including its translucent loader designs.[2]
In December 1997, Indian Springs exhibited its loaders at the Area 51 scenario game at Wayne's World in Ocala, Florida. WARPIG identified Jim and Pam, along with other family members, as representatives of the business. Indian Springs also contributed to the event's sportsmanship awards.[3]
The company was subsequently listed in WARPIG's paintball industry directory at 2964 Barber Road, Norton, Ohio.[4]
The precise founding and cessation dates of Indian Springs have not been established.
Products
[edit]Maxi Loader
[edit]The Maxi Loader was a gravity-fed paintball hopper designed to provide additional paintball capacity without requiring electronic components.
Historical examples with capacities of approximately 140 paintballs are documented in the Bacci Paintball equipment archive.[5]
Maxi Loader XL
[edit]The Maxi Loader XL was a 200-round gravity-fed hopper introduced in October 1991.
The product incorporated a channel-feed design intended to prevent paintballs from bridging over the feed opening, a problem associated with early gravity-fed loaders.[1]
Indian Springs marketed the loader specifically towards tournament players, offering an introductory satisfaction guarantee against feeding problems.[1]
Pod harnesses
[edit]Indian Springs also supplied paintball pod harnesses and carrying equipment. Surviving examples are documented in historical equipment collections, including the Bacci Paintball archive.[6]
Significance
[edit]Indian Springs was among the manufacturers developing larger-capacity gravity-fed paintball loaders before electronic loaders became widespread.
In an August 2000 technical review, WARPIG identified Indian Springs alongside ViewLoader and Allen Paintball Products as manufacturers involved in the development of modern paintball hopper designs.[7]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- Paintball Planet – December 1991 issue, Indian Springs Maxi Loader XL advertisement.
- WARPIG – 1996 NPPL World Cup, Vendors, October 1996.
- WARPIG – Area 51, by Bill Mills, December 1997.
- WARPIG – Paintball Industry Manufacturers Directory, Indian Springs listing.
- Bacci Paintball – Indian Springs Maxi Loaders, historical equipment archive.
- Bacci Paintball – Indian Springs Packs and Harnesses, historical equipment archive.
- WARPIG – Brass Eagle's eVLution Loader, by Bill Mills, August 2000.