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The Planet Eclipse Etha 2 and Gtek 170R are 2 of the more affordable electric paintball guns offered from Planet Eclipse.  Today, we compare the two and which paintball gun wins for the price! Purchase the Etha 2! Purchase the Gtek 170R! Price:  The Planet Eclipse Etha 2 wins the battle of these 2 with a price point of $469.95. This is almost half the price of the Gtek 170R which retails for $859.95.   Packaging: The boxing and cases for the Gtek 170R and the Planet Eclipse Etha 2 are slightly different.  The case for the Gtek 170R has an aluminum outside with the foam inside.  This is the traditional case that comes with most Eclipse markers.  The Etha 2 is different in that it it does not have an aluminum case.  Instead, the case for the Etha 2 has a tough fabric on the outside with the traditional Planet Eclipse foam on the inside.  Inside both cases are a tool tube (with all the Allen keys needed to work on the marker), Planet Eclipse lube, a fully detailed manual for all elements of each marker, parts kit including many of the o-rings found in the markers, and a barrel cover.  With all things considered between the 2 cases, the Gtek 170R case is arguably better because it is aluminum but the Etha 2 case protects the marker just as well and you cannot dent the Etha 2 case like you can with the Gtek 170R.  Colors: The Etha 2 is offered in 4 different colors from Planet Eclipse including Black, Black/Earth, HDE Earth (Camo), and HDE Urban (white digi Camo).  These earth colors are offered on the plastic composite body of the Etha 2 and there are no bright colors offered for the Etha 2 at the time. On the other hand, the aluminum Gtek 170R is offered in different more appealing colors like Black, Grey/Teal, Silver, Navy/Grey, and more.  We here at Punisher's Paintball also part swap the Gtek 170R's which allows for you to pick many different color options well past what is offered with the Etha 2.  Feedneck: The feed necks of these 2 markers are significantly different.  First, the composition of the 2 is different.  The Etha 2 Feedneck is plastic as compared to the aluminum construction of the Gtek 170R Feedneck.  The height of the Gtek 170R Feedneck is also a low-rise feedneck which is a nice feature for those players that want a low profile to their paintball gun.  The Etha 2 has a feedneck that stands up higher making the distance between your paintball loader and body of the gun larger.  However, a cool feature of the Etha 2 is that it is PALS compatible.  The PALS loader is feature in the Etha 2 and Emek 100.  This loader does not require batteries and is agitated by a small pneumatic piston located on the feedneck of the marker.  This allows paintballs to not get stuck in the paintball loader increasing the rate of fire of the Etha 2 and Emek without having to use an electric loader.  Both of these feednecks are great for different reasons.  For functionality purposes, the Etha 2 probably takes the ticket due to the PALS compatibility but the low-rise Feedneck of the Gtek 170R is a great feature that was not even offered in other high end markers of Planet Eclipse from the past.  Body: The overall ergonomics and body composition of the Gtek 170R and Etha 2 are different.  The Gtek 170R is mainly an aluminum body which makes it lighter and less bulky.  The milling of the 170R is nice and the overall ergonomics of the Gtek 170R are nice.  The foregrip of both the Etha 2 and 170R are where the batteries are housed for both markers.  The Etha 2 foregrip seems to be a little longer which is nice for those paintball players with larger hands whereas the 170R foregrip is shorter.   Most parts of the Etha 2 body is also plastic composite as compared to the aluminum Gtek 170R.  The body of the Etha 2 is plastic composite but there are some parts of the marker that are aluminum such as the Shaft barrel and the POPS ASA.  The Etha 2 body is much thicker than the Gtek 170R creating a bigger and bulkier feel while snap shooting.  Another thing to mention between the two markers is that the grips for the 170R are rubber and can be changed out (including different colors such as white, blue, red, FDE) whereas the foregrip of the Etha 2 is integrated into the marker and so it feels like plastic when holding the paintball gun.   Overall, it would be hard to argue that the Gtek 170R ergonomics are better.  The marker is smaller, lighter, and aluminum construction leaving it less prone to cracking.  Bolt System and POPS ASA: Both the Gtek 170R and the Etha 2 feature the gamma core drivetrain.  The shot quality on both of these markers is going to be the same.  The only difference between the bolt systems on these guns is going to be how to access the drivetrain.  With the Gtek 170R, the gamma core bolt can be accessed for maintenance by simply lifting up the bolt cap and pulling the gamma core out.  However, the Etha 2 has a plastic know at the end of the bolt that has to be twisted.  Sometimes, this knob can be overtightened and make it difficult to turn out.   The POPS ASA for both of these guns are very similar with a slight difference.  The Etha 2 asa is slightly larger and has a plastic portion whereas the Gtek 170R asa is all aluminum and is slightly smaller making it lighter.   Electronics:  The Gtek 170R without a doubt wins the electronics war between the two markers.  The OLED board of the 170R makes it much easier to change fire rates, fire modes, and settings such as dwell, etc.  The OLED display will also give the player data about the gun including a shot counter, game time, and more!  The Etha 2 LED board only gives the player data based upon different colors and the amount of flashes displayed.  For this reason, changing the settings of the Etha 2 can be much more difficult than the Gtek 170R.  The Etha 2 board is nice, however, in that it features the fire modes needed to play tournaments using the NXL or millenium ramp setting. Summary: Overall, the Etha 2 is an amazing entry level electric speedball gun.  We highly suggest it to players who are just starting to play in tournament paintball.  Not only does it have some great features, but the Planet Eclipse Etha 2 will perform at the highest level without hiccups.  The quality that has come to be expected out of Planet Eclipse does not dissipate with this marker. If you are just a recreational paintball player who goes out occassionally, than the Etha 2 may be the better and less expensive option.  With that said, we at Punisher's suggest that the Gtek 170R is worth the extra money if you can afford it.  The extra features of the Gtek 170R make it much more appealing.  The slimmer profile, aluminum construction, toolless eye cover removal, OLED board, and easy-to-remove gamma core bolt system make it worth it to players who are going to be playing in a lot of tournaments.  It truly offers high level performance out of a mid-level electric paintball gun.  
Purchase the Shocker Amp @ Punisher's PB:  https://punisherspb.com/collections/shocker-amp-paintball-gun Purchase the Planet Eclipse Gtek 170R @ Punisher's PB:  https://punisherspb.com/collections/planet-eclipse-gtek-170r-paintball-marker   Shocker Amp Paintball Gun: The Shocker Amp was released to the paintball world around NXL World Cup 2020.  With this release, there was a lot of hype regarding what would be different.  The Shocker Amp is now into circulation and has not disappointed it's fan base.  The Amp core of this marker is arguably one of the best shooting platforms of any gun regardless of price point.  Coupled with the amazing shot quality comes the quick ability for mechanical conversion of the CC (classic conversion) frame of the Amp.  Other features coupled with the mechanical capability and shot quality make this marker a top contender. Planet Eclipse Gtek 170R:  The Gtek 170R has been in circulation for a longer time than the Shocker Amp.  It was originally released at Paintball Extravaganza in 2019.  Since then, the 170R has set the bar high with it's toolless battery exchange, toolless eye covers, and gamma core bolt system.  The gamma core drivetrain was initially released in the original Gtek and was so proven for reliability, efficiency, shot quality, and paint handling that it eventually has worked it's way into the high-end marker from Planet Eclipse, the CS2 Pro.  For all of these reasons, the Gtek 170R is definitely stiff competition for ANY marker in the $800-900 price range.    Packaging:  The Planet Eclipse 170R has an aluminum case that does a great job in protecting the marker. The aluminum case has a metal zipper which does not seem to ever want to break.  Inside the case, Planet Eclipse includes a full set of extra parts including o-rings to rebuild the entire gun, detents, popular screws like grip screws, breech sensor cover latch, and more.  Extras also include a Planet Eclipse barrel sock, Allen keys (tool tube), and Planet Eclipse lube.  A 47 page color manual does an excellent job of explaining everything about the marker including parts diagrams, troubleshooting diagnoses, and other settings.   The Shocker Amp gun case also features a nice metal zipper.  Inside, there is a smaller parts kit (not as inclusive as the Gtek 170R), Shocker Grease (lube), and a nice Allen key set.   Overall, the Gtek 170R packaging is nicer than the Shocker Amp due to the extra things that are included like the color manual and parts kit.   Barrel:  The Shocker Amp comes standard with the Freak XL barrel system with a 0.687 insert.  The Freak XL barrel is a very popular barrel system as you can easily exchange aluminum or stainless steel inserts.  The 14 inch tip features spiral porting which gives the barrel a great sound signature.  The Gtek 170R comes standard with a 2 piece Shaft 5 barrel that is 14.5 inches in length.  The aluminum barrel is a little thicker than the Freak XL. This is a great barrel as well but is not as versatile as the Freak XL due to the XL inserts which quickly allows users to bore match their paintballs.  Overall, we feel that the Shocker Amp wins when it comes to stock barrel system. The Freak XL is a common upgrade barrel that comes standard with the Amp due to the famous insert system.  This barrel is featured on other popular markers like the DLX Luxe X and Luxe TM40 for a reason. Feedneck: Both the Shocker Amp and Gtek 170R feature a lever lock Feedneck.  The Gtek 170R's Feedneck has a slightly larger thumbwheel to make it easy adjusting the tightness on your loader.  The 170R lever is also slightly longer and for this reason the 170R has the better Feedneck.  Bolt System: The gamma core engine of the 170R is an extremely popular bolt system for good reason. The gamma core is very reliable, efficient, smooth, and easy on paint.  The 170R's solenoid is placed in the rear of the trigger frame where the spool moves back to release air into the bolt system.  The gamma core shines in it's efficiency due to the rebound of the spool assembly to close the first spool trapping some of the air in the main chamber.  The 170R gamma core is accessed by the quick-release bonnet on the back of the marker body by lifting up and pulling out.  The Shocker Amp's Amp core is very efficient as well and is very smooth shooting.  There were some initial issues with the travel speed of the forward stroke of the bolt causing paint handling issues.  Since the first batch of guns has been released, this has been resolved and the Shocker Amp is now extremely reliable and can handle brittle paintballs very well.  The bolt system on the Amp is accessed by turning the protruding bolt cap 1/4 counterclockwise turn and pulling the bolt system out.  The integrated QEV (quick exhaust valve) of the Amp core allows for extremely efficient and quick shooting of the mechanical version of the marker.   Both of these bolt systems are extremely reliable which is the arguing point of the gamma core, which came first and some argue the Amp core is replicated off of.  The Amp core's integrated Qev valve is definitely a nice feature including the 1 screw of the trigger frame to switch out between mechanical and electronic operation.  For this reason, the Amp core wins it in our eyes.  The Amp shoots slightly better for our personal taste as well and is mechanically optimized.   Trigger Frame & Ergonomics: The Gtek 170R and Shocker Amp both have wonderful ergonomics in different ways.  The Gtek 170R has a slightly larger fore grip and trigger frame which makes it more ideal for players with larger hands.  The Shocker Amp is much thinner in the hands both for the fore grip and the trigger frame.   An important thing to mention between the trigger frames of these guns is that the 9V battery and HPR is located in different areas.  With the Gtek 170R, the battery is house in the fore grip and with simply pulling down the grip, you can have access to changing your battery.  You can also remove the breech sensor cover by simply pulling a latch into the unlock position.  This makes cleaning the 170R eyes as well as changing the Planet Eclipse detents extremely easy on the Gtek.  The Shocker Amp 9V battery cannot be exchanged without the use of an Allen key to remove 3 screws on the left side of the grips.  The battery directly connects to the Amp circuit board with metal battery connections that are attached to the board.  Previous models of the Shocker including the Shocker RSX and Shocker XLS used a wire battery harness which made it difficult to get the wires inside the frame. Lastly, the Amp eye covers are also not toolless and require 1 Allen screw to remove them which give access to the eyes and detents for maintenance.  Mechanical frames: The Planet Eclipse 170R and Shocker Amp both offer a mechanical frame.  The CC (classic conversion frame) of the Shocker Amp can be removed with the removal of one Allen screw.  The tool free solenoid valve removal is accomplished by simply pulling up on a latch once the trigger frame has been removed from the body of the gun.  The mechanical valve can then be quickly installed with the latch lever system once the solenoid valve has been removed.  There are no cords left between the body of the Amp and the trigger frame.  The 2-piece board designs uses wireless contact pads for the lower circuit board to talk to the upper board.   With the Gtek 170R, the mechanical frame uses 2 Allen screws to exchange between mechanical and electronic.  The Gtek 170R mechanical frame includes the 3-way valve inside the frame so no swapping of the mechanical valve and electronic solenoid is needed.   The grips, regulator piston, solenoid gasket, regulator spring and POPS ASA does need to also be swapped with the 170R whereas the CC frame includes grips and ASA so there are no need to swap these with the Amp.  Both mechanical frames are extremely smooth with the 3 way adjustable pivot trigger of the 170R and the  CC frame adjustable aluminum trigger.   Summary: Overall, both markers offer GREAT features in one way or another.  Both guns offer a mechanical frame, both guns have color grip kits, both guns are lightweight, and both guns offer a programmable OLED main board.  The Gtek 170R is easier to maintain due to its toolless access of the battery and eye covers.  The Shocker Amp is not toolless but does offer easier mechanical conversion as well as a thinner feel in the hands which is attractive to some players.  The Shocker Amp does also weigh less at 1 pound 12 ounces which is 2 ounces lighter than the 170R at 1 pound 14 ounces.    Electronics: Both of these markers offer an OLED display board with many different features in which you can change.  To get into programming mode with either marker, simply turn the marker on while depressing the trigger.  The Shocker Amp circuit board offers 14 different settings while the Gtek 170R board only offers 9.  Common settings between the 2 include preset firing modes, mechanical debounce, game timer, and rate of fire cap (with eyes on and off).  The Gtek 170R board sets itself apart by allowing the user to change display amongst total shot count, timer, and rate of fire.  The Shocker Amp board does not have a shot counter which is definitely something that some users will consider a negative.  The Shocker Amp board also has some more technical settings such as FSDO (first shot drop off) timer and adjustment, mechanical AND trigger debounce, and eye mode.  Both boards turn on the same way and offer an LED light at the top by the power button to make it easier to see functionality of the marker when in bright sun.  The power button of the Shocker Amp is plastic and a little easier to depress than the Gtek power button, but the Amp power button has also been noted to sometimes fall off.  Overall, both boards are extremely similar and easily as tunable.  However, we feel that the Shocker board is slightly better due to it's greater tunability and power button.  The downside to the Shocker Amp's board is that there is no in depth manual, as with the Gtek 170R, to explain all the settings.  Overall Impressions / Summary: The Shocker Amp and Gtek 170R both offer high end performance at a fraction of the price as new.  Mechanically, the Shocker Amp definitely stands out with it's awesome shot and quick mechanical frame conversion.  However, the Gtek 170R offers a greater functionality with the Planet Eclipse in depth manual, toolless eye covers, toolless battery exchange, and very reliable Planet Eclipse gamma core drivetrain.  Both markers also has some great upgrades available such as upgraded bolts (PE ST3 soft tip bolt, Adrenaline Shocker Amp F16 bolt), color grip kits, and mechanical frames.  For us, it comes down to preference on which we would want to use.  We prefer the shot quality and the ergonomics of the Shocker Amp.  However, the features of the Gtek 170R make it very hard to argue that it is not the winner.  So, the Planet Eclipse Gtek 170R takes the dub on this competition purely for it's ease of use.  If you have read our comparison this far, thank you so much for hearing us out.  With that, we would love to hear YOUR opinion!  Please drop a comment below and sound off on our social media pages!!
Free Shipping Terms- Free shipping on orders over 99$ to lower 48 states only with these exclusions; - Heavy goods items - Paintballs - Paintball Gear bags   Return Policy All returns are subject to approval by a store manager. You may return most merchandise within 15 days of original invoice date. Certain products may not be returned for any reason, including paintballs, custom jerseys, any type of clothing apparel, and custom gun/gear upgrades. All returned merchandise must be unopened and unused. A product will be considered used if an attempt was made to fire, install, wear, or wash. Merchandise must be returned complete with all the original manufacturers packaging, manual(s), blank warranty cards, miscellaneous parts and accessories. Incomplete returns will be subject to additional charges at our discretion. Returns are also subject to a 15-80% restocking fee dependant upon condition of the product.  If you received FREE shipping and you return your order you will have to be charged for the cost of the shipping charges we were charged by the shipping carrier. Prior to shipping any returns to PunishersPB.com you must call to receive a Return Authorization Number. Any package shipped to us that we have not given a Return Authorization Number to will be refused and returned to sender at the sender's expense. Also please make sure this Return Authorization Number is written clearly on two different sides of the package being returned. Any products returned to PunishersPB.com that do not meet our return requirements will be returned to sender at the sender's expense. Paintballs and Clothing: There are no returns/exchanges on paintballs and clothing. All paintball and clothing sales are FINAL! All paintball cases are inspected before they are shipped for damage/ball breakage. PunishersPB.com is not responsible for any damages that may have occurred during shipping. We package all of our paintballs so they are well padded for shipping. Inspect your packages upon arrival and make note with the carrier if any of the packages look damaged before you sign for them. Product Warranty: All products are sent out in brand new condition from the manufacturer. All companies we deal with are very reputable and stand behind their products 100%. If for any reason there is a problem out of the box, or over time with a product, you will have to refer to the manufacturer's warranty. You can contact us to find out how contact the manufacturer of your product if you are unsure or having trouble doing so. Most products come with warranty cards that must be filled out by the consumer. Manufacturer contact numbers are usually listed in the products manual or on the packaging it comes in. Guns: Any aftermarket modifications to your gun may void your manufacturer warranty. Note that wear and tear from normal use of a gun is common and might result in needing to replace common o-rings and seals. Read all instructions that accompanies your paintball gun and especially take note of recommended Maintenance from the manufacturer. This will help you to have your equipment as reliable and functional as possible.  Neither PunishersPB.com nor the manufacturers of the product are liable for any shipping charges on a defective/broken product.  All warranties are provided by and serviced by the manufacturer of the corresponding product. PunishersPB.com does not provide any warranty service.
To purchase these paintball loaders, please click on the links below: Dye LTR Paintball LoaderVirtue Spire IR Paintball Loader The technology in the paintball industry has increased a tremendous amount in the last decade. One of the products that paintball players see this great advance in technology is in paintball loaders. Imagine its your your first time playing the game of paintball. You are at your local paintball field and are in the middle of your first paintball match. You’re advancing up a side after just shooting two of your friends that have come with you on your birthday party. You see your best friend and pull up your Tippmann 98 rental paintball gun to shoot him. POP! POP! POP!  You shoot your paintball gun but no paintballs come out!  Your confused look on the paintball referee shows that you don’t know what is happening. The paintball referee tells you nicely to shake your paintball marker. You shake the paintballs in your gravity fed paintball loader and retry your luck. Boom!  You smile as you smoke your best friend right in his paintball mask!  Then you ask the referee what is wrong with your marker and they explain to you that there’s nothing wrong with the Tippmann 98. It is simply that the paintballs got stuck in your cheap paintball rental. For this reason amongst others, electronic paintball loaders give a great advantage on the paintball field compared to the rental setups with gravity fed paintball hoppers.    This is a completely separate discussion however of whether it is worth spending the money for an electronic paintball hopper with your purchase of your first paintball marker setup. We are here to discuss what is the BEST mid-level electronic paintball loader. There are many paintball loaders out on the market, but there are two that stand out for their ability to feed paintballs quickly, gently, and reliably.   Virtue first became a competitor in the market when they released the Virtue Spire 200 and 260 editions quite a few years ago. It was a major improvement from some of the other electronic loaders of the day including the Empire Reloader B and Halo B hoppers. The original Dye Rotor had a very strong advantage before the Virtue Spire due to its robust contruction and basically indestructible shell. It also featured very easy disassembly and a feeding system that was instigated by tension instead of an eye system or sound. The Virtue Spire also has many similar features of the Dye Rotor but questionably did them better. Since the release of these two loaders which were evolutionary for the development of the paintball loader, both Dye Paintball and Virtue Paintball have re-released their latest versions of their high end paintball hoppers. Virtue released the Spire 3 and Dye now has the Dye R2 paintball loader. Both of these paintball loaders are undeniably great improvements from the original versions but have maintained a very high retail price of roughly $180-200. When these improved loaders were introduced to the paintball industry, it left a gap in the paintball market that many paintball players fall in.  Where is the more affordable paintball loader for the intermediate paintball player?  The Virtue Spire IR and Dye LTR were the response to these players who desired a reliable and convenient hopper that did not break the bank.  We are here to look at which paintball loader gets the ticket as the winner of the best mid-level paintball hopper. Virtue Spire IR Paintball Hopper: The Virtue Spire IR paintball loader is a great option at $100 retail price that comes from Virtue Paintball, one of the leading companies in making paintball hoppers.  Starting at half the price of the Virtue Spire 3 or Dye R2, it gives a viable option to shooting paintballs consistently and quickly at a high rate of fire.  Dye LTR Paintball Loader Dye Paintball was the first company to release a paintball loader that had many features that were superior to older loaders such as the Halo B Loader, Empire B hopper, or Vlocity.  The Dye Rotor was a trendsetter for paintball loaders.  The Dye LTR paintball loader is basically the same hopper as the original Dye Rotor but allows the intermediate paintball player the option to still compete with a high rate of fire in the woods or in speedball.   So, which is the better loader? Price: Both of these hoppers have a retail price at $99.95 which gives them an equal playing field on price.  Dye Paintball and Virtue Paintball have been in the paintball industry for a very long period of time and offer great quality with the sub $100 price point.   Feeding System:Virtue decided to deviate from their G-force system that was introduced originally with the Virtue Spire 200/260.  This system is still the feeding system of choice with the Spire 3.  The Virtue Spire IR features infrared eye system that feeds paintballs dependent upon presence/motion of paintballs within the feed stack of the paintball loader.  The Dye LTR Loader is dependent upon tension to determine when the paintball hopper stops feeding paintballs.  It has been noted that the LTR loader seems to not be as gentle with feeding brittle paintballs as the Virtue Spire IR.  This may be partially attributed to the sensing technique but also the presence of flexible rubber fingers in the Virtue Spire IR that feed paintballs into the paintball gun.  The Dye LTR does not have flexible rubber fingers but instead has 2 counter-rotating plastic rings that is not as gentle on paintballs.   Another key thing to note between the two loader's feeding systems is that the Dye LT-R has an anti-jam finger that can be pulled to reverse the plastic rings to unjam paintballs that may be caught in the feeding tray.  The Virtue Spire IR has this feature by using a button that does essentially the same thing.  However, the Virtue Spire IR does not seem to be as successful in unjamming paintballs as the Dye LT-R hopper.  Weight:  The weight of the Dye LTR is 1 pound 3 ounces while the Spire Ir weights in 3 ounces less at 15.8 ounces.  The paintball loaders were weighed without batteries since they both utilize 3 AA batteries.   Speedfeed:The Dye LTR and Spire Ir both feature the availability to add a speedfeed to the loader as an aftermarket part.  The Virtue Spire IR speedfeed is easily installed and uninstalled by simply pressing a latch on the lid itself which allows you to quickly change the speedfeed at the paintball field.  However, the speedfeeds for the Virtue Spire IR are more expensive at $44.95.  The Dye LTR speed feeds are cheaper but are not nearly as easy to install.  It requires to disassemble the Dye LTR into its two pieces of the shell and then use a screwdriver to remove three screws which holds the top plate onto the top of the loader.  The Dye LTR speed feeds are also made out of rubber instead of the plastic fingers of the Virtue Spire Crown 2 speedfeed.   The rubber of the Dye LTR speed feeds has been shown to wear over time which then allows paintballs to escape out of the paintball hopper.  The plastic fingers with the Crown 2 speedfeed do not wear over time but can break off if shot directly. The nice part about the plastic fingers is that they can be replaced individually instead of having to replace the entire rubber ring as with the Dye LTR. Outer shell and disassembly: Another difference of these two paintball hoppers is the outer shell and how the loaders are disassembled.  The Spire IR features a speedfeed that comes off that breaks the paintball shell into 2 pieces.  The Dye LTR is similar in how it comes apart but the shell splits in half. The Dye LTR then has a plastic tray that comes out easily to access the mechanical parts of the drivetrain.  This usually separates the paintballs from the parts.  The Spire IR paintball loader is similar in the way that it is comprised but is slightly more simplistic in disassembly.  Once the speedfeed has been removed, a tray which holds the motor, board, and eyes are all located.  The plastic shell is all that remains once the tray has been removed.  This makes the Spire IR much easier to clean as the shell can easily be dropped into warm soap water to make the loader look new!   Summary:Overall, Dye and Virtue have done a great job filling a gap inside the paintball industry with the mid-level paintball loader.  These paintball loaders are a great price for the level of performance and reliability that they feature.  Although they are both a great choice depending upon what you are searching for, the Virtue Spire IR wins the Punisher's PB choice.  It is lighter, has better features, and is just as reliable as the Dye LTR.  If you are interested in getting into a paintball hopper that has top level performance, we suggest that you heavily consider these two options!
  I'll start by saying FS Hero tanks are roughly 3 oz heavier than their Ninja SL equivalent. The weight difference is so insignificant, you really need to look elsewhere for the big differences, so lets do that. FS shows a hint of genius simply by the size profile of their tanks and their capacity. Anyone that uses a Ninja or comparable tank, can move up 1 size if they switch to FS. For example, the FS Hero 77/4500 tank has about the same profile and feel as a Ninja SL 68/4500. I think that is just brilliant. This is achieved by a much shorter regulator combined with a slightly wider bottle. Below is a comparison of the size difference I am talking about.    FS 68/45, Ninja 68/45, FS 77/45, Ninja SL 77/45, FS 88/45 If you buy a Hero tank, it may be the last tank you ever buy. This is thanks to the UNISO certification, which is the highest certified tank in paintball. Unlike every other tank that expires 15 years after the born date, the Hero tanks are good for life! Of course they will still need to be re-hydro'd every 5 years, like everything else.  I've heard so many times that FS carried over the same exact Myth regulator Guerrilla used in the past. This is not the case. The most obvious give away is the tool-less adjustable collar. This is the coolest feature I've ever seen on a regulator. To change the position of your fill nipple and psi gauge, you simply lift the magnetic collar and spin. Thats it. The internals have also been completely reworked, proving a much more consistent and reliable regulator. The Hero reg is extremely versatile and can be adjusted from low to high pressure. Now a few words from one of the many amazing people behind the company, Mark Ayers: "We work hard to provide all First Strike product with excellent service after the sale to the buying public and partnered paintball fields and stores. Doing that is very easy with our HPA Air systems. We stand behind our manufacturer warranty and will replace or send requested parts if needed to the player, paintball store or field in the event of an issue related to the made components. Clearly this service standard applies to the original retail purchaser. The P3 G3 and Hero now all use the same updated internals which is why we have 1 oring kit, 1 parts kit, and several pressure drop in kits that are compatible with all 3 regs (3k 4.5k and Hero reg) The gas distribution body and piston are different than the first gen myth reg from 8 or so years ago. In fact no reg maker has the same reg from 8 years ago. We have had old reputations haunting our updated product and that is purely an incorrect perspective and not reflected in the field. Case in point is Team Dynasty has been using our Hero systems for the last year and a half. We all know that Dynasty just won the first NXL event this year and the Hero Systems looked to work just fine. We have tons of confidence in our air systems to the point we don't need a tech in the pits for Dynasty. Now also with Infamous and, shortly, another high profile pro NXL team more examples of the performance will be referenced. I say all that to note the clear performance of the regulator and its ability to supply air to many different high end markers to put to rest baseless claims that our regulator can't recharge or keep up with the demand of NXL team guns. The Hero Air system that NXL pro teams use is the same model and internals available to the general buying public, so anyone can acquire the exact same performance Team Dynasty has used to help them win.First Strike Hero air system is the only air system with a 38 year hydro life bottle and tool-less indexing of the Gauge and Fill nipple, while maintaining the shortest reg in the industry. All other regs require tools for their similar feature. First Strike regulators use a very user friendly main spring instead of potentially complex beveled shim stacks. Additionally the ISO cert is good all over the planet unlike only DOT certified tanks and the like. The First Strike Hero system is a buy it and forget it product that will provide decades of reliable performance."  

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