A KILT-WEARING PAINTBALL PLAYER WITH A FEARLESS STYLE

Damn Near Kilt 'Em: Tell us who you are and what you do. 

KillerWhale: I go by the nickname KillerWhale, and I play paintball in a kilt. I'm part of Valken Corps Pacific Region and SAS Washington chapter. I play paintball across the country and hope to play at every big game there is!

V's Up, Targets Down, Whatever It Takes!

DNKE: A lot of people think paintball is for kids. Your thoughts? 

KW: That's how a lot of us first get involved, but for a lot of hardcore players, paintball becomes a lifestyle. I first played paintball for my 12th birthday party at PaintballToGo in the Midwest and ever since I have been addicted.

I have been actively playing paintball for the last 10 years, playing anywhere from Hobart, IN to Arlington, WA.

DNKE: Sound like you take paintball very seriously.  

KW: Definitely. The paintball scene is international. There are a ton of organized competitions and major tournaments with professional teams and players. We travel all over the world to play. 

KillerWhale and his crew

DNKE: Your nickname is KillerWhale - how did you earn that? 

KW:  I got my nickname for two reasons: my color scheme, and the fact that I'm a smaller guy with a super-aggressive style on the field.

My colors are all black-and-white, like a killer whale. I wear an all-white mask, and a DNKE tactical kilt with black-and-white digi-camo pattern. 

"I've had multiple teammates tell me that they don't recognize me with my pants on."

Also, my style of play is super aggressive. I run-and-gun at opponents. I rarely hide, I run straight at the enemy, and use intimidation and firepower to conquer them. 

It's funny, I recently moved to Washington state, where there are actual killer whales, so the nickname is especially fitting now.

Paintball player KillerWhale readies his troops for the charge

DNKE: Why did you decide to wear a kilt while playing paintball? 

KW: Kilts are perfect for paintball because of the ball room and the breeze when playing, especially during those epically hot days on the battlefield.

I later found out, after using mine for a while, that I get a lot of bounces off my kilt while playing. So that's an added bonus. 

DNKE: How do people react to seeing a kilt on the battlefield?

KW: People think I'm crazy for playing paintball in a kilt. But it has become part of my signature look. And when I'm not wearing my kilt, I've had multiple teammates tell me that they don't recognize me with my pants on.

DNKE: What kind of person is drawn to ditch the pants and wear a kilt? Why is the kilt community so tight knit?

KW: Kilts are for people who are tired of boundaries and standards, and who want to be comfortable. I think the community of kilt wearers is tight because we tend to have the same qualities and ambitions as one another.

KillerWhale: a menace to paintballers and salmon alike

DNKE: What's your kilt-of-choice these days? 

KW: I love the tactical kilt because it's super durable, and because mine has the black-and-white digital camo that matches my KillerWhale color scheme. DNKE's Tactical is a great kilt for playing paintball because it has MOLLE webbing for attaching extra magazines and accessories. 

DNKE: Where can people follow you online? 

KW: Check you my YouTube channel, KillerWhale Cove. You can also find me on FaceBook at @kwhalepb.

A quiet moment of reflection before taking the battlefield in his tactical kilt

DNKE: So when do we get to see you without the mask?

KW: Nice try.

 Tools of the Trade for kilt-wearing paintballer KillerWhale include a micro fiber cloth, a barrel swab, either a pod pack or extra magazines, KillerWhale mask,  gloves, and ray gun or mag-fed paintball guns. It all gets strapped on to a well-worn Tactical kilt from Damn Near Kilt 'Em.