Nothing can beat the excitement of an intense paintball battleground. And, when you have a perfect gun that suits your skill, then it must be a paradise on earth. You know, your paint gun is nothing without a high-performing hopper. In fact, without a good one, your gun will act like a dumb machine.
So, it’s high time to get the best paintball hopper and win some breathtaking matches.
Hoppers, also known as “loaders,” are essential in every paintball match, and you shouldn’t go for a cheap one. As the worst-case scenario, you could be eliminated from the game for this penny-pinching habit.
Do you want that? I don’t think so!
So, let’s start the journey to find the best loader and win the next match!
Name and Features |
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Editor's Rating |
Price |
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Virtue Spire III Electronic | ![]() |
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Empire Paintball Loader | ![]() |
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Virtue Spire | ![]() |
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Dye LT-R Electronic | ![]() |
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Proto Primo | ![]() |
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Dye R2 Electronic | ![]() |
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Dye Precision | ![]() |
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HK Army TFX | ![]() |
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Virtue Spire IR Electronic | ![]() |
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Empire Paintball Prophecy | ![]() |
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Things to Consider before Buying a Paintball Hopper
If you are researching for days and still can’t find the clear cut winner, considering the following buying guide will lead you to the winner. Take a look!
Capacity
Loader capacity is one of the very first facts that you need to consider. Capacity refers to the maximum number of paintballs a hopper can hold in it. The quality paintball hopper can hold about 200 balls. However, there are plenty of other products which can hold even more than 200.
Feed Rate
If you play professionally, you must need a super-fast hopper with a reasonable feed rate. The professionals recommend using the loaders with at least 50 balls per second speed.
Weight and Size
While considering the capacity and feed rate, you should take a look at the weight too. You know the larger paintball hopper weighs more than the smaller hoppers. Massive guns will affect your comfort, precision, and overall performance in the field.
Durability
Paintballing is an intense game with hard hits, drops, and fall-overs. That’s why durability should be a significant concern. However, the strength mostly depends on the construction material of the product. Let’s take a look at the materials.
- Aluminum: Aluminum hoppers are lightweight, durable, and easy to use.
- Polycarbonate: Polycarbonate-made products are less durable than aluminum. But it is still a good choice in terms of customization.
- Plastic: Plastic is less fragile, transparent, and highly customizable.
- Ceramic: Ceramic-made loaders are the least durable among all of these, but it is also expensive.
Water Resistance
Rainwater and wet fields are the main reason to select a water-resistant hopper. It ensures the freedom of playing in any situation. Let’s move on to the next section.
Top 10 Best Paintball Hopper Reviews
Paintball already became a billion-dollar industry in the previous year. So, you can easily imagine how many companies are competing in the market. Do you think all of these products are up to the mark?
Nah!
That’s why our researchers spend days to find out the best products exclusively for you. Let’s explore!
01. Virtue Spire III Electronic Paintball Loaders/Hoppers
Virtue is the one who never rests its laurels. With the meticulous design and latest technology, Spire III becomes one of the top class loaders in the paintball industry.
■ Dual LED Reload Indicator with Alarm
■ Easier Toolless Disassembly
■ 230 Round Capacity
■ Apple/Android Programmable Apps
Virtue Spire III Features
The Spire III built with hinged shell technology. It makes the product easier to assemble and disassemble. Furthermore, the cleaning, battery changing, speed-feed modifying can be done in a matter of seconds. The internal height of this tool is quite smaller than the other similar products.
But Virtue applied some geometry in the bottom and increased the capacity up to 230 rounds. Thus the size increased without changing the height. Even you don’t need to check the current paintball situation all the time. Virtue added a speaker alarm to notify you whenever your hopper is running low on paintball.
Another most compelling feature is its smartphone connectivity. You can operate this tool by using Virtue’s iOS or Android app.
Along with the features, this loader is highly energy efficient too. It comes with a powerful battery. Additionally, it’ll consume 50% less power when the gun isn’t active.
Moreover, the magnetically attached spare drive, tool-less disassembling feature, and the responsive G-force sensor made this tool almost unbeatable within this budget range. This sensor increased the functionality by reducing unwanted spinning.
What we Like-
✔ Sturdy hinge shell
✔ Magnetically-attached spare drive
✔ G-Force sensor
✔ Reload indicator
✔ Smartphone connectivity
✔ Decent battery life
What we don’t like-
✘ Color kit installation is kinda clumsy
✘ Gets jammed after using for a long time
Verdict
If you need an overall decent hopper with extreme efficiency, this Virtue Spire III should be on your choice list.
02. Empire Paintball Halo Too Loader
The paintball legend Billy Ceranski declared this product as “best loader for the money”. Let’s do some math and find out the admissibility of his statement.
Empire Paintball Halo Too Loader Features
Finding your position will turn into a daydream if you use this Empire Halo. This tool is the quietest among all of the tools I’ve tested to find out the best hoppers.
Even with such a lower sound, this tool can shoot more than 20 balls per second. And it can hold about 180 balls into its shell. This is pretty good if you compare this with other products with other similar loaders.
Additionally, you can shoot continuously with this too. To be honest, you can shoot the whole box without any jamming issue, thanks to its highly effective anti-jam technology!
It ensures that the tool will never break any paint inside the gun or get jammed. Even though it gets jammed, use the anti-jam trigger, and you’re good to go within a moment.
Another trump-card is its matte black polycarbonate shell. This shell is very sturdy and can withstand any hits from your opponents.
What we Like-
✔ 180 balls capacity
✔ Quiet
✔ Longer battery life
✔ 20 bps feed rate
✔ Durable
What we don’t like-
✘ Not possible to dismantle in the field
✘ Quite difficult to program
Verdict
With all of these features within a limited budget, this is the best tool for the beginners. Especially if you play speedball a lot, you shouldn’t think twice before purchasing this one.
03. Virtue Spire Electronic Paintball Loaders
The Spire electric hopper is made for novice users. With a single on/off button, this is the easiest hopper that you can use in the paintball field.
■ 200 Round Capacity
■ Intelligent Proactive Feeding.
■ Durable Nylon Back Shell
Virtue Spire Electronic Paintball Loaders Features
This Virtue Spire is made to enjoy the intense moment of a paintball match without thinking about the loader. It comes with a strong nylon back shell that can withstand your opponents’ shot with ease.
It is small yet powerful. This device can store about 200 to 260 balls. Storing such a massive amount of balls in this 1.2 lbs tool is really commendable. Furthermore, this smaller size, along with the Optimal Crown SF technology, makes the movement as smooth as butter.
Virtue Spare paintball loader comes with a spring-loaded anti-jam mechanism. This ingenious mechanism slides the unusable paints underneath your gun and pushes the jam away even before it happens. Even though it gets jammed unintentionally, there is a slide-to-lock mechanism to make the disassembling process easier.
Besides the jam-proof design, a loader must have the efficiency of removing the lid and speed feeding. Fortunately, there is a small tab attached to this device. A simple press of your thumb can remove the entire lid within a twinkling of your eye.
What we Like-
✔ Jam-proof technology
✔ Easy lid switching
✔ Brighter LED
✔ Long-lasting battery
✔ Improved sensors
What we don’t like-
✘ Software isn’t up to the mark
✘ Additional tool required for disassembling
Verdict
The Virtue Spire Electric Hopper is a fantastic choice for the players who love to play fast. If you’re one of those, order this tool today.
04. Dye LT-R Electronic Paintball Loader
DYE LT-R is a comparatively newer edition in the DYE’s arsenal. It’s an extremely versatile product and can serve optimally for both beginner and pro-level players.
■ 200 Round Capacity
■ Bright LED Indicator
■ 30+ Balls Per Second.
■ Sharkfin Jam Release Trigger.
DYE LT-R Electronic Paintball Loader Features
Unlike its predecessor, the Rotor R2, this LT-R comes with innovation without swelling the price. Its body is made of high-quality plastic, which is highly durable as well as able to withstand speedy shots.
The power button is located on the lower rear portion that is easy to spot. This is an excellent feature for professional loaders. In case your paint gun gets jammed, you can shut it down to prevent any further damage.
Maintaining this LT-R is exceptionally convenient and useful too. There’s a push-button located near the rear side. Just push that button, and you’re set.
Pushing that button will lift off the top. Inside that, you’ll get the central electronic system of this tool. This unit holds the rotor system, the gear, and three AAA batteries. These batteries can feed more than 80k paintballs.
To enjoy paintball in every weather condition, DYE made this unit water-resistant. You can play in the rainy season without worrying about the internal components.
Like every professional hopper, this Dye LT-R also comes with an anti-jam Sharkfin release trigger. You can use this trigger for fast feeding without any jamming issue. Furthermore, the Rotor Force Fed Technology allows shooting 30 bps.
What we Like-
✔ Rotor Force Fed technology
✔ Built-in anti-jam release
✔ High-quality loader
✔ Decent battery life
✔ 200-ball capacity
What we don’t like-
✘ Not compatible with some speed feeds
✘ Comparatively lower feed rates
Verdict
With the latest innovations like Rotor technology, this DYE LT-R is an excellent deal for every paintball player.
05. Proto Primo Paintball Hopper
Though this is a budget-friendly product, still it can provide far more services than the basics. This smaller hopper comes with a few pretty good tools, which makes it a high-end product within the low-end budget.
■ 200 Round Capacity
■ Gravity Fed
■ Average Feed Rate 8 BPS
■ Easy Reloading
Proto Primo Paintball Hopper Features
We’re talking about a standard gravity-fed hopper here. So, don’t expect any alarms or whistles! Without that, this tool is a pretty good deal for beginners.
The simplistic design with high-end engineering is the main attraction of this tool. If you split the device, you’ll notice a small-bar into the box. It keeps the upper and lower balls aside and ensures a continuous flow of the shots. This feature solves the jamming and ball-breaking issues.
By the blessing of this unique engineering idea, you can load 200 balls within this smaller box. It can last you for a casual match without reloading again. If you want to play a longer game, just carry some extra ammo in your backpack and you’re good to go.
This Dye Proto Primo has a reasonable feed rate with an average speed of 8 bps. As it doesn’t have any motor inside, it works by relieving the pressure on the match. Thus you can play without facing any jamming trouble.
Another significant feature is the spring-loaded lid. It makes the reloading feature even more efficient than you can imagine. Furthermore, the toughened plastic made body can tolerate any severe abuse from the user.
What we Like-
✔ 200 balls capacity
✔ Eight bps feed rate
✔ Highly affordable
✔ Easy to reload
✔ Positive shelf design
What we don’t like-
✘ Not lightweight
✘ Requires shaking while running low on paintballs
Verdict
If you want a budget-friendly solution and don’t like to deal with the batteries, this Proto Primo might be the right solution for you.
06. Dye R2 Electronic Paintball Loader
The DYE R2 is a pioneer in the loader industry with the most advanced technology. This is the world’s first adjustable capacity loader.
■ Multi-capacity shell that allows you to choose between 200 or 260 round.
■ Most Intuitive Quick Change Lid System
■ New Reload Alert System and low battery indicator
Dye R2 Features
Dye R2 is a combination of simplicity, reliability, flexibility, and mind-blowing feed rates. The Dye R2 electric paintball hopper includes a groundbreaking patent for the multi-capacity shell.
This uniquely designed shell allows the user to use almost 200 to 260 rounds of paintball on the fly. You can fill in such a massive amount of paint without using any additional tools or shells. Pretty amazing, huh?
With the most advanced Rotor Force Fed Technology, this tool can feed more than 30 balls per second. This R2 can shoot more than 100,000 with the help of 3 AA batteries. Thus this tool will never fail you for any technical difficulties.
Furthermore, it has a 20% larger mouth than its predecessor Dye R1. And the low battery indicator and reload alert system helps to determine your battery life before starting the game. When your battery needs to recharge, the R2 circuit board will blink red.
The new Shark-Fin jam releasing technology runs this device more effortlessly than the similar hoppers.
With all of these features, Dye doesn’t compromise the outer shell quality. The shell is too durable to run, jump, or even throwing towards your teammate won’t damage the quality of this tool. And it is easy to clean and requires very little maintenance.
What we Like-
✔ World’s first adjustable capacity
✔ Shark-Fin jam releasing technology
✔ Advanced Rotor Force Fed technology
✔ 30+ bps feed rate
✔ Effective alarm system
What we don’t like-
✘ Not easy to field strip
✘ Changing the batteries requires some expertise
Verdict
With the combination of professionalism and technology, this tool is perfect for every technology enthusiast.
07. Dye Precision Rotor Loader
If you are a serious paintball player who loves to spend your time in the field for a longer time, then this tool is made for you.
■ 200 Ball Capacity
■ Patented Rotor Force Fed Technology.
■ 30+ balls per second
■ Tool Less Disassembly
■ Water resistant coated board
■ Adjustable torque feature
Dye Precision Rotor Loader Features
The unique designed Dye Precision Rotor hopper is an excellent tool for die-hard paintball players. If you are one of those, you must go for this lightweight yet beautifully designed loader.
Dye Precision Rotor comes with almost similar capacity like the previous L2 motor. It can hold approximately 200 balls at ease. There’s a small slider on the backside of this tool. This slider lets you adjust the capacity if needed.
Also, this sliding feature helps both beginner and advanced level players to use this tool more efficiently. If you are a pro player and require more capacity, simply slide the backport, and you’re done. Pushing the back-shell will automatically increase the capacity without purchasing a new one.
Moreover, the feed rate of this device is 50 balls per second. This feed rate with Dye’s traditional spring-loaded feature makes this tool unbeatable among the competitors. Also, the extremely lightweight feature allows the user to play for a longer time without facing any weight-related difficulties.
To avoid the jamming issues, there’s an anti-jam rubber hand installed in the box. It ensures that you can play flawlessly in the field. Even though it gets jammed, you can use the built-in shark fin trigger. This trigger will empty the magazine and avoid any unwanted situations.
What we Like-
✔ Lightweight
✔ Shark Fin trigger
✔ 50 bps feed rate
✔ Expandable capacity
✔ Simple reloading process
What we don’t like-
✘ Plastic-made body
✘ Hard to disassemble
Verdict
Though it has some drawbacks, overall, this is a good choice with this budget range. The advanced shark fin technology and higher capacity make it an excellent choice among the players.
08. HK Army TFX Paintball Loader
HK Army TFX is a high-end electric paintball hopper with some pretty advanced engineering in it. This device has some cool features implemented in it.
■ 216 Round Capacity
■ Electronics are protected with a water resistant coating
to keep you active in snow, rain or shine
■ Zero Gravity Lift Tray
■ High Grade Impact Resistant Composition
■ Force Feed Button
HK Army Paintball Hopper Features
The outer shell of this hopper is made of Combat Contour. It can withstand any rough use in the field. To ensure continuous performance, this device comes with a patented drive system.
HK TFX has a load rate of 22 bps. This is a perfect speed for the professional players. Not many loaders can handle such a higher bps rate within this budget. This unit uses rechargeable batteries as the power source. These batteries can last about 30,000 shots within a single charge.
This product can hold about 216 balls at a time. So, you can play medium to moderate matches without any reload. Furthermore, you’ll get reactive eye mechanisms to activate the swoop stack facility.
Additionally, the availability of a swoop stack can feed the paintballs to the market automatically. It reduces the possibility of getting jammed. Even if it gets jammed, there’s a 3-slip feature to remove that.
What we Like-
✔ Lightweight
✔ Effective reactive eye sensor
✔ Decent battery life
✔ Battery life indicator
✔ Continuous feeding facility
✔ Easy to disassemble
What we don’t like-
✘ The LED is too bright
✘ The body gets scratched easily
Verdict
HK Army is a decent electric paintball hopper that can load balls very quickly. With these high-quality features, you can win several matches without facing any difficulties.
09. Virtue Spire IR Electronic Paintball Loader
Virtue Spire IR is a killer (!) loader in the paintball industry. Ease of customizing with powerful sensors helps the users to get perfect firing experience.
■ Strong nylon back shell designed to endure intense wear and tear
■ Intelligent Proactive Feeding
■ Never Pulses Never Jams
■ Quick Change Lid & Speedfeed
■ Better Battery Life
Virtue Spire IR Features
The Virtue Spire is a smaller and reliable unit for die-hard paintball fans. It weighs only 1.2 lbs, which makes it highly maneuverable. Virtue used durable Nylon shell to make this unit sustainable enough to undergo every hit in the battlefield. It is designed specially to enjoy the optimal performance in every shot.
There is a spring-loaded unit to feed the paint. In case you are curious about the capacity, it can feed 200/260 balls at a time. The Virtue CrownSF II feature makes the feeding more efficient than other traditional hoppers.
Cleaning this loader is a piece of cake. Even the tool-less disassembling feature makes this product efficient to use.
What we Like-
✔ Virtue CrownSF II Speed Feed
✔ Strong nylon back shell
✔ Quiet
✔ Improved sensors
✔ Easy to maintain
What we don’t like-
✘ Isn’t as versatile as expected
✘ Doesn’t work well with all guns
Verdict
With the pro features and easy maintenance feature, this is a good hopper for the beginners. Just keep an eye on the lid when things get hectic.
10. Empire Paintball Prophecy Z2 Gun Loader
Empire Prophecy Z2 is the successor of the previous Empire Prophecy. You can rely on this Empire Z2 to ensure victory in every match.
■ Sound Activated force feeding
■ Redesigned drive carrier for consistent and faster feeding
■ Integrated One-Piece Feed Neck For Durability
■ Simple ON/OFF toggle switch
■ Includes built-in Rip Drive System
Empire Paintball Prophecy Z2 Gun Loader Features
Prophecy Z2 comes with a toughened metal body to take any blows from the opponents. Not only the outer shell, but this loader is also specially designed to protect the internal tools from any damage. Thus Empire ensures the ultimate durability of their device.
The combat-ready Empire Prophecy Z2 comes with a fantastic loader with force-feeding technology. It can load 200 balls at a time. So, it’s an ideal tool to win an intense paintball match without carrying any extra weight. Another major upgrade of this tool is it can handle both regular balls and ReBalls.
Feeding the balls isn’t burdensome for this Z2 hopper. With the blessings of the “Sound Activated Force Feeding” mechanism, even the novice users can load this hopper with ease.
While talking about force-feeding, jamming comes forward as the real villain. But, Prophecy Z2 has successfully defeated that by its infrared sensor. This sensor can clear the paintball jams automatically.
What we Like-
✔ Lightweight
✔ 200 balls capacity
✔ Easy assembly and disassembly
✔ Infrared sensors of jam cleaning
✔ Faster feeding
What we don’t like-
✘ Battery housing is constructed poorly
✘ Controlling isn’t up to the mark
Verdict
Empire Prophecy Z2 has everything that you may ask from a loader. Overall it’s a good hopper that can serve you for days, months, and even years.
How We Wrote This Review
The market is full of thousands of paintball hoppers to choose from. So, selecting the best paintball loader wasn’t an overnight process.
Our professional researchers thoroughly checked numerous popular products around the market. After using each of those for several days, we’ve selected the final products.
Then the final products undergo few additional tests to get a crystal clear notion about the fitness of these top 10 products. The researchers left no room for any skepticism or doubt before you opt for our recommended product.
This review has its own stance with the latest information from authentic sources and also real-life experience. Hence, we can ensure that you’ll find your desired product from our top 10 best paintball loader list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here we have some of the most commonly asked queries regarding the best paintball hoppers:
How does a paintball hopper work?
The paintball hoppers look like a simple box. There’s a hole in both the upper and lower sides. The top side hole is used to reload the loader, and the lower hole is used to connect the loader with the gun.
Nowadays, most of the loaders come with several electric components such as batteries, circuits, sensors, etc. These sensors control the feeding speed as well as solve the jamming problems.
How much does a paintball hopper hold?
The moderate to higher quality hoppers can hold about 200 to 260 balls. However, few premium quality hoppers can hold even far more than this. Remember, the higher amount of balls also increases the overall weight of your gun. That’s why think appropriately before heading for a product with higher capacity.
How long will 100 paintballs last?
It depends on the player. If you’re a beginner or moderate level player, then you can easily last for a few hours with 100 paintballs. I’ve seen a few players who go through 100 balls in less than 20 minutes.
How many paintballs should I buy for a day?
There’s no way to determine how many paintballs you may need for a day. It depends on how trigger-happy you are! An average player uses 400-500 balls per day. If you are a pro player, you must need more than that.
Is there a weight limit for paintballing?
No. There’s no weight limit for paintballing. You can add as much weight as you are comfortable with.
What should I wear to paintball?
Your clothing plays a crucial role in determining your success. So, you should maintain a lightweight yet protective dress-code in order to win a competitive match. To stay on the safe side, make sure you’ve worn at least the following tools:
- Full head protection goggles
- Waist-mounted battle pack
- A camouflage combat suit
- Paintball hopper
- Protective body armor
Final Verdict
Paintballing is fun. But you need a fantastic hopper to enjoy it properly. It doesn’t matter what your price range or skill level is; there is a paintball hopper for everyone.
As you’ve completed reading our best paintball hopper reviews, I hope that you’ve already found yours. Don’t forget to inform us about which one you’ve selected as the best paintball loader for your next match. Good luck!
Your search for the best paintball hopper will also most likely introduce you to the Virtue Spire. It is mainly because the Virtue Spire is one of the most reliable hoppers in the market, which continues to earn positive reviews and feedback from the majority of its users.