After playing for 16 years then finally quitting last summer I believe a know a thing or two about the sport. Spyder's are good entry level markers but you are absolutely limited to any future upgrades possible. If you decide to play a tourney or two, which most of us eventually do, then you will find that a spyder is lacking a great deal what the tourney level markers have. While knowing that everyone is probably not willing to blow $10,000 on paintball, about what I blew in 2001 on paintball, you might want to consider buying a better marker that will survive as your interest in the sport changes and does not depriciate in value as a spyder surely does.
I have shot just about every marker produced for the sport and given the choice owned a few dozen over the years. Out of all the markers I have owned the Autococker is by far my absolute favorite. The cockers of old were exceptionally non user friendly but over the years WGP has improved the marker to make them extremely user friendly. Their cost ranges from about $400 to the price of the last cocker I bought $1400. This did not include an air system, loader, regulator or barrel, just the base marker however it was one to the finest markers I have ever owned or used. While most of the better than average cockers run between $500 and $800 they are well worth the price.
Another marker that I liked due to the simplicity was an Impulse. While the cost of entry is higher than a spyder you are getting a user freindly tourney level marker for about $500. I have said time and time again that had I owned an Impulse before I had bought an Angel I probably would not have bought an Angel. While this is probably not really true but I will say that if I had owned and Angel after I had owned an Impulse I would have expected more from the $1000 marker than I received. The Impulse comes with a decent stock barrel and one of the best regulators, IMHO THE Best, on the market.
The price of entry on either the Cocker or the Impulse is higher than a Spyder the markers can be upgraded almost without a limit and you are getting a marker that'll be able to hold it's own at almost any tourney including World Cup in Orlando every October.
I have been toying with the idea of getting back into the sport again after a year hiatus and if I do decide to return I will either start with an Impulse or Free Flow Race Cocker (like I had for the low low price of $1400). Remember one thing about markers, the less you pay the less you get. While some people can actually hold their own with their Walmart special they are few and far between. Happy hunting.
