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Planet Eclipse Ego8 - Paintball Marker Review


I, like many players, have been desperately searching for the "Holy Grail" of paintball markers. You know what I mean... That one elusive marker that you've dreamed about, the one that will finally let you live up to the star player status that you've been lusting after, removing any and all limitations on how good you can get. With your dream gun, your shots go where you aim them every time, it never chops, it's easy on air and easier on the eyes. In a word, it's perfect. After purchasing several markers in search of "The One", you've grown accustomed to disappointment. By now, you may have resigned yourself to being limited by your gear, firmly convinced that every marker is going to hold back your performance in some way.


The Search Is On For The Ultimate Tourney Marker...

I know this because I used to feel the same way. I'd like to say that I just changed my outlook on things, became more accepting, and decided that it wasn't always about being the best. I'd like to say that, but it would be a filthy lie. So what really solved my problem?

The Planet Eclipse Ego8.


Planet Eclipse Ego 8

I am an admitted gear junkie, and markers are my poison of choice. I've bought, borrowed, and traded for years. I've used and abused Tippmanns, Spyders, Smart Parts, Protos, Empires, and MacDevs. Dyes and Diablos, Octanes and Aliens, the list goes on. Every marker I've used has had high points and low points. The one common thread between all of them is the thought that runs through my head after using them for a few games:


"It's a great marker, but I wish they had spent a little bit more time improving *feature I don't like about the gun*..."


Literally every single marker has dredged that same thought from the corners of my brain after no more than three games. After the requisite three games with the Ego8, I walked off to the sidelines, took a swig of my water, and waited for the inevitable. Much to my surprise, it never came. The Planet Eclipse Ego8 has no fatal flaw whatsoever.


A Closer Look...


At 2 pounds fully set up, the Ego8 is just heavy enough to feel sturdy, while remaining light enough to stay comfortable after a full day of balling. The milling is beautiful, and the finish is smooth and flawless. The grips are tactile and fit my hands perfectly, and the dual-sensor trigger is amazing. The micro-switch setting actuates with a satisfying click, and opto-electronic mode is like walking on air. The trigger return is adjustable, a feature which most manufacturers would be wise to incorporate. Planet Eclipse has given the Ego8 a smaller profile than the Ego7, and the ergonomics seem to have been better thought out this time around.


How's She Shoot?


One of the things I find truly amazing about this marker is the complete lack of kick. I'm used to having to compensate for kick throwing the barrel upwards, but the Ego8's Zick zero kick system has completely eliminated the need for that. The Zick system also smooths out ball acceleration, which means less paintballs breaking in the barrel and less time spent cleaning your marker on the sidelines. Planet Eclipse has also reinvented the Bellville Spring Stack design, resulting in a higher rate of fire, easier maintenance, and less chance of failure.


The marker is, for all intents and purposes, perfectly accurate. If you're aiming at your target, you will hit it, every time. 'Nuff said on accuracy. Oh, and it's quiet too. Actually, it's probably the quietest marker I've shot. So for those of you interested in keeping score, let's do a quick game of pros and cons:


Pros:


Cons:


Features


Final Thoughts/Summary

Of course, there has to be a catch. OK, so what's the perfect marker going to cost you? Well, MSRP sits at $1250, but street prices are sitting at just under $1000 as of the date of this review. Is it worth it? That's up to you to decide. I can tell you this much; This is the only marker that I have used that I would rate a 10 out of 10. It is hands-down the best paintball gun I have ever touched, and I feel it is worth every penny I spent on it. At the end of the day, all I know is that with this gun, I'd much rather be looking down the barrel than into it.


About the author



Niko Brain is a freelance writer and offers sound advice on buying Paintball gear at online Paintball Stores. He runs his own personal paintball site and enjoys writing reviews on
Paintball Guns, Paintball Gear and Tippmann Paintball Paintball guns.  He's your "average Joe" paintball player and is an up and coming industry resource that loves to help newcomers to the sport.

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