How Can CO2 Be Used In Sports?

It is no surprise that CO2 cartridge applications have made it to the sports industry. There are a number of ways CO2 cartridges can be used in sports, beginning with:

• PFD - Personal Floatation Devices which auto-inflate
• Gas Propelled Paintball Markers
• Replica Air Guns of all types
• Tire Inflators for off road and cross county cycling

PFD - Personal Floatation Devices

Most Auto Inflatable Personal Flotation Device (PFD) will only automatically inflate when submerged in 4 or more inches of water and not prematurely due to rain, spray or humidity. Typically they also have a manual backup cord that when pulled releases the CO2 gas and the floatation device is deployed.

Paintball Markers

A paintball marker, also known as a paintball gun, is the main piece of equipment in the sport of paintball. Markers use an expanding gas, such as carbon dioxide (Co2) or compressed air, to propel paintballs through the barrel. Some paintball players refer to the piece of equipment as a "marker" rather than "gun". The term is derived from its original use as a means for forestry personnel and ranchers to mark trees and wandering cattle.

Replica Airsoft Guns

Airsoft guns are replica firearms that propel plastic pellets (also known as BBs) by way of compressed gas or a spring-driven piston. Depending on the mechanism driving the pellet, an airsoft gun can be operated manually or cycled by either compressed gas such as Green Gas (propane+silicone mix), or CO2, a spring, or an electric motor, but are ultimately fired from a piston compressing a pocket of air. All these products are designed to be non-lethal out-of-the-factory and to provide realistic replicas.

Tire Inflators

These pumps are often used by mountain bike or road bike racers who need to save weight, and time if they get a puncture during a race. They can be a one time use pump - or a re-usable pump with the purchase of another cartridge. Because they use CO2, some of the pumps may be expensive. Most use standard threaded 16g CO2 canisters, originally designed for soda water fountains. Because CO2 leaks out of a rubber inner tube more rapidly than air would (despite its larger size, the CO2 molecule is slightly soluble in rubber), the tire goes flat within a few days.