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 Tippmann does it again, creates an military looking marker for its scenario game players. Tippmann has made many stride forward from the 98 and the 98 Custom. The new stock Cyclone Feed System is the most noticeable, but Tippmann has hidden helped (some helpful more than others) upgrades everywhere.
Cyclone Feed System
Yes the hopper comes installed! Keep this fact in mind when looking into purchasing this marker compared with an electric Spyder, which will need a electric hopper to maximize its bps and minimize ball breaks. The feeding system connects the feeder sprocket to the air system, using extra CO2 pressure to rotate the feeding wheel. The faster you shoot the faster it feeds. No batteries here, which is a plus allowing you to save money and play in rainy conditions without worry. With the stock, non-response trigger, I was unable to out shoot the feeding system. No testing was done with the response trigger or the electric trigger.
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Field Stripping
Tippmann has been criticized for making the design of their markers not easily field strippable. Tippmann tried their darndist to make the A-5 simpler with the push button system. There are two holding the end cap or stock on, a couple holding the trigger frame connected, and another holding the C02 in valve. Out of the box they are not easy push button, but they should be called 'leave indentions in my finger' buttons. They are very hard to remove with your fingers (you can use a back of a screw driver or a CO2 bottle to hammer them out) but as you work with them they do improve ... slightly. If it takes a screw driver to hammer and pry them out why not just make them screws? While the A-5 push button stripping system is a improvement over the Tippmann Pro/Carbine and the Tippmann 98, Tippmann has a long way to catch up to the Kingman's Sypder design which you can strip in a matter of seconds.
When removing the internals from the back of the marker, the main valve has to be removed. While this is not a big problem, in the Pro/Carbine and Spyders all other internals can be removed with the main valve still attached.
Flatline Barrel
The Flatline Barrel System is the first barrel to put back spin on paintballs, and is being pushed in the Tippmann community with the A-5. It not only increases distance, but it also has a flat trajectory. As the balls shot from the A-5 flies farther that any other balls projected from any other marker, where other markers ball's begin to fall, balls shot from the A-5 begin to rise, and keep flying; allowing you to keep fire on your enemies while they can't hope to reach you. While as the balls shot from the A-5 does travel farther, accuracy can decrease as it flies while it is exposed to more wind. The barrel system locks tightly and can be removed with an allen wrench. Some claim that it would be hard to clean out if a ball broke in the marker, but this claim can be argue back with two points. One the barrel is not that hard to remove, practice one time and you can get it done fast, but clearly the normal 'screw on' barrels can be cleaned faster. And two, the balls will almost never break. The feed system forces the ball in the firing chamber, and doesn't require gravity in the same way that all normal gravity feeders. The A-5 is louder than any other barrel I has used. It no porting you get a 'BANG BANG', compared to a 'flink flink'.
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Price- Worth the extra money?
Tippmanns, made in the USA, are more expensive than comparable markers made overseas. I believe the Spyders can keep up with the the A-5 nicely. How does one compare a Spyder versus a Tippmann? Even I am not sure. With the Flatline Barrel the A-5 can shoot farther than a Spyder but you get more noise and lose some accuracy. Both are very upgradeable with relatively high bps, good enough for a rec ball player. Without electrics both will fire as fast as you can pull the trigger, with the A-5 having lower ball break per number of ball shot ratio. The field stripping goes to the Spyder, but it is generally assumed with the people I have talked to, that you will have to clean a Spyder more often than a Tippmann, but when a Tippmann stops shooting it is probably harder to fix. I believe it comes down to your preference and your game. If you are low on cash and/or play speed ball the Spyder is the way to go, but if you play in woods ball and scenario games the Tippmann A-5 is the marker to get. Scenario and woods ball players are use to shelling out the extra cash for the camo and extra gear. Pick your game and then pick your marker.
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