Why Do Paintballs Break in the Bag? Factory Defect, Heat Damage or Freight Damage?
A diagnostic guide for paintballs found broken in the bag before use, covering three root causes with identification signs: Cause 1 (factory defects — clean break lines along seams with consistent pattern across multiple cases from the same batch, thin spots or weak seams visible on intact balls, manufacturer responsibility with batch number claims), Cause 2 (heat damage — irregular jagged break edges, soft dimpled tacky shells, entire case affected evenly regardless of position, carrier or buyer responsibility depending on where in supply chain, confirmed with temperature data loggers), Cause 3 (freight damage — impact-concentrated breakage on bottom cases from stacking pressure, one side from forklift hits, or near doors from unloading, carrier responsibility with 5-7 day claim window, prevention through pallet inspection before delivery receipt). Includes a quick comparison table across five indicators, a five-step diagnostic flowchart, and acceptable breakage thresholds (under 1% normal, 1-3% worth monitoring, above 3% requires investigation).