F.A.Qs
What is Archery Tag?
Archery Tag is a bit of a cross between Paintball and Dodgeball - but you'll use bows and foam-tipped arrows instead of guns, pellets and balls, and you'll usually play on a smaller arena, about tennis court size. This exciting, action-packed game offers the ultimate family-friendly experience that is fun for everyone - and it's 100% safe.
Is it dangerous or painful?
Not really. Yes you will feel the hit from one of our special foam-tipped arrows and if you're really unlucky you might even get a slight bruise, but the pain is minimal and you certainly won't get welts and bruises like you can with Paintball. To be extra safe we provide all players with a full facemask to protect mouth, eyes and ears and we'll have a staff member overseeing the game to ensure all safety procedures are followed.
Probably the most painful aspect of Archery Tag is if you suffer from "String Slap" which is where the bowstring hits your forearm during shooting. It doesn't affect everyone but if you don't notice it happening you can get quite a sore and bruised arm. The good news is we provide arm guards for anyone who suffers from this - and some advice on how you can prevent it.
If you are concerned there are videos on YouTube showing the effect of hits from Archery Tag vs Paintball and a copy of our Hazard Management Plan is available on request.
How long is each session?
Our standard Archery Tag sessions are 60 -70 minutes, though we can do longer if you wish. Included in this is 10-15 minutes at the start for a group briefing, basic archery training and some practice time to get your eye in.
Each game is 8-10 minutes depending on the age and number of players, and depending on the length of your booking we can play through or take some breaks between games for players to grab refreshments or go to the toilet.
Where is it played?
We are a fully mobile service so can play just about anywhere (and we have played in some unusual spots!) We have a number of venues available in and around Rangiora including indoor sports courts, artificial turfs, parks and more, and have used several parks around Christchurch. We'll pick the best venue for your group based on where you are hailing from, group size, time of day, weather, venue availability and your particular group requirements (which could include drinks and food).
All we need is a suitable indoor or outdoor venue - which could be your back yard or a local park - about the size of a tennis or netball court (around 15m x 30m is ideal). Be aware if it is public space you may need to book it with the local council's parks and recreation department, though we've generally found if we don't bother other park users there are no issues with using public spaces.
There may be a small travel charge if we bring Archery Tag to your venue depending on how far away you are, but this might be largely offset by us not having to hire a venue ourselves so we'll discuss this with you personally.
What are the rules of Archery Tag?
Click here for details of the rules and game-play options for Archery Tag.
Is there an age restriction?
The recommended minimum age is 10 years old. This is simply because younger players may struggle to draw the bow effectively - even some 10 year olds will struggle so you should take this into consideration.
But don't let this trick you into thinking Archery Tag is a kid's game. It is ideal for all ages and we have had many adult groups through who have heaps more fun than the kids groups.
How many people do I need to play?
An effective minimum number for Archery Tag is 8 players - 4 per team. 10-12 players is better. As groups get larger we can look to increase the field size, run two games side by side, or split into three groups which rotate through so one has a break while the other two are playing.
At Archery Combat Sports we can accomodate a maximum of 24 participants playing at the same time, but don't let this put you off booking a larger group as we can find ways to ensure everyone has plenty of game time - though you may want to book a longer session.
If you have a larger group or event, please contact us and we will gladly work with you to provide a great event at a good price.
We might be able to accomodate groups of fewer than 8 players if we can combine with another small group, but we'd prefer not to do this as it can be problematic to manage more often than not.
Is it suitable for people with no archery experience?
Absolutely! We'll get everyone started with some basic training and time to practice shooting before games begin. Plus we'll have one of our team on-hand at all times to offer advice.
What should I wear?
Because of the range of venues we use it pays for all participants to wear (or at least bring with them) clean sports shoes. Your group could end up playing on a sports court, concrete floor, sand or rubber based artificial turf or grass, so we recommend you come prepared for anything.
For clothing, best suggestion is to wear something sporty such as t-shirt, shorts or track pants, etc. The arrows won't hurt you so there is no need to wear thick or heavy protective clothing.
We supply players with full face masks but do recommend removing all jewellery beforehand.
Can I use my own bow?
No. We supply all the equipment you need to play Archery Tag so that all participants are evenly matched. Stronger bows would put player safety at risk in a number of ways so are not usable.
Can we bring our own food/drink?
Yes, definitely feel free to bring your own food and drinks and we can provide a party area at our venue for you to set up a table with refreshments.
What is the cancellation policy?
If you have to cancel or are unable to make your booking, please contact us as soon as possible. We don't usually require payment at the time of booking but appreciate being informed of cancellations so we can open up the time slot to other players.
How can I pay?
Lots of ways - I accept Cash, EFTPOS and Credit Cards on arrival for your session or you might prefer to pay via internet banking prior to your event.
Any other questions? We'd be happy to hear from you.