Range Testing the 2013 Nerf Super Soakers and Water Warriors

[isoaker]

For those interested, I've pushed up the results of range testing on all the new 2013 water blasters I have access to. In general, the pump-action Nerf Super Soakers got decent ranges since they are pump-action and, though they don't push out huge amounts of water, their streams held together enough to reach 30'-35'. The Water Warriors Python 2 and Colossus 2 performed as expected given their measured outputs, though the Colossus 2 was still able to push a stream basically to the 40' mark.

Interestingly, the properly pressurized Water Warriors Drench 'n Blast got the best, more consistent ranges of the bunch with its larger "Heavy Drench" nozzle that still behaves very stream-like. Easily making it 40', the Drench 'n Blast could shoot consistently at that range, but I really lost track of how many times I needed to pump it up. I started with a 3/4-filled reservoir, pumped at least 100-120 times, then after each shot, pumped at least 10-20 times before shooting again. The reservoir was notably wider than it is when not pressurized, but the body of the blaster appears built to withstand the expansion of the plastic.

The worst range seen was for the Super Soaker Flash Blast. I need to add in more details to each review, but while the range reported is between 20' to 25', it seems like 50% or more of the shot drops off below the maximum range. I also found that even when mostly filled, I could not always properly load the firing chamber of the Flash Blast, resulting in mist-shots (which, frankly, is incredible/unbelievable that a 6mL/0.2oz. firing chamber could end up misting).

Enjoy these additional stats. I'll be working on adjusting some of these reviews now that I've completed range testing for the next little while.

Links to all the new 2013 water blasters can be found here.

Sidenote: I did not do range testing on the Water Warriors Outlaw or Renegade (2013) since these are just re-releases of the older Water Warriors Equalizer and Water Warriors Renegade and are expected to behave the same way.

[marauder]

Those are very interesting findings. It is incredible that the Drench N Blast got that range but also required 100-120 pumps. Yet, that is probably not even the weirdest gun out there. Consider the Flash Blast. What strange times we live in!

As a side note, I wonder if some of the problems you experienced will steer people away from buying Super Soakers in the future. Problems being mist shots in the Flash Blast, and reduced power + stream lag in the piston guns. I think it's something the average user would have a problem with. I will be watching the online reviews for these guns to see, and I encourage everyone else to do the same.

[DX]

So basically, the Drench 'N Blast is dangerous for one shot, and then you're kinda effed. It looks like a good candidate for a separate PC mod though...pump replacement would be necessary as well.

[isoaker]

The WW Drench 'n Blast really should've had a separate pressure chamber. Waaaaaay too much pumping to get the performance one expects from a decent water blaster. On the bright side, it can perform well, but as some may fear, most probably won't fill and pressurize this model properly and end up with rather poorly performing streams.

As for the entire set of new models for the 2013 Nerf Super Soaker line, they all have solid styling, but each has some serious issues to their performance in general. All their pump-action blasters suffer from significant pump lag and the smallest one even has problems filling its tiny PC if not done properly (and it's not immediately obvious that one's failed to prime the Flast Blast, either, until you've attempted a shot). For the online community, unless you're really into the styling or want a shell for experimenting with, all the new blasters in the 2013 Nerf Super Soaker are probably a write-off.

[SEAL]

I actually saw a Flash Blast today. I think it would have been useful if it were a little more powerful. Unfortunately it's probably better as a Nerf gun, haha.

Interesting that the Drench 'n' Blast got the best range though. Unfortuately, it's still a PR gun; I'm really wondering why BBT didn't add a seperate PC.

[isoaker]

For those curious on what range testing is like, see below:

Range testing 2013

rangeTest_201302.jpg (323.23 KiB) Viewed 6247 times

The plastic bin has all the water blasters I planned on testing, filled but not pressurized. Each blaster is pressurized just before testing for maximum performance. Of course, there's been a touch of snow around here recently which hadn't all disappeared by the time I opted to do testing. The air temp, though, was well above 0C. If you look along the sidewalk, you'll notice some plastic cups. Those are positioned at 10' intervals (measured with a long measuring tape) to make it easier to determine where the stream ended. That way I only need to measure from the nearest cup and add or subtract the appropriate value. Green cups are used for the 40' and 50' mark. the start (0') is noted by the first sidewalk line that can be seen beside the reservoir for the Nerf Super Soaker Arctic Shock. I use that line to line-up the nozzles of each blaster (not where my feet are, but where the blaster's nozzle is). This eliminates variation due to differences in some water blaster lengths.

[SEAL]

That's pretty cool. I've always wanted to make a sort of designated range testing erm, range, with permanent markings of some kind. Right now I just shoot a burst of shots onto the road, then count the number of footsteps (I have size 12 shoes, so it's easy) to the last "puddle". If I'm not as lazy I might drag out a tape measure, but since range can vary so much depending on certain conditions, an ultra-precise measurement is kind of unnecessary.

By the way, I didn't realize that the Drench 'n' Blast was so wide.

[Fishfan]

You guys might be jealous of me having no snow, but I am jealous in a way of you guys. I can't go skiing, snowboarding, snowballfighting or just playing in the snow. I'm just sitting around wishing there was at least just 1 inch of snowfall so I can scoop up some snow and throw it at my brother .

[isoaker]

@Fishfan: if I could, I'd happily truck down a bunch of snow to you! you could go for the next closest thing - take some ice cues, get an ice shaver, shave a bunch, form into a ball, and throw! *heh*

@SEAL: Yeah, the Drench 'n Blast has girth! To think that the reservoir actually can expand in a noticeable way as well when fully pressurized. Looking at the internal pics marauder posted, if the body were kept the same, the only way to give it a separate PC would be to have an internal one like what the Water Warriors Ultimate Explorer did. Doesn't hurt suggesting the idea to them, of course. The lack of a separate PC is probably half-design-related and half-cost-related.

[HBWW]

*bump

Do you plan on writing a(n iSoaker) review for the Water Warriors Cricket? It's a pretty relevant blaster this year and has been on shelves everywhere I could see. A review of one would certainly have at least as much value as a review of Nerf's latest SS products.

Of course, I'd do it myself, but I measure stats differently (don't even have good equipment for getting reservoir volumes) and don't have a similar white tarp for pictures.

[isoaker]

Do you plan on writing a(n iSoaker) review for the Water Warriors Cricket? It's a pretty relevant blaster this year and has been on shelves everywhere I could see. A review of one would certainly have at least as much value as a review of Nerf's latest SS products.

Of course, I'd do it myself, but I measure stats differently (don't even have good equipment for getting reservoir volumes) and don't have a similar white tarp for pictures.

Hmm.. funny that that one is missing. Then again, a Cricket is pretty much a tweaked Water Warriors Hornet and I don't expect any real differences. Then again, until tested, one can never say for sure. I'll see about adding in a Cricket review this summer. Thanks for the reminder!

[HBWW]

I'm going to pick up a 2 pack myself sometime to compare with the Hornet, but the main reason I asked is because the Cricket, not the Hornet, are the ones available on store shelves this year and I've been trying to refer some friends to it. (Yesterday, I convinced a friend playing assassins to get his whole team to return the Nerf SS's they bought and to pick up some Crickets.) As far as differences go, I think they have a much better grip than the Hornet. However, I haven't seen the internals of either in person (and only saw a small photo online of Cricket internals) so I was unaware that they're nearly the same.

As the go-to place for comprehensive blaster listings and reviews, you have my thanks for continued maintenance of the iSoaker listings/database. It's so easy to direct friends unfamiliar with the hobby to iSoaker.com and have one place where they can find reviews/info/photos on stock blasters, and the same really cannot be said at all for other wargames hobbies.

On a side note, I mentioned getting Oozinator internals photos in our email exchange, but that will take some time because I've had a lot of trouble getting the blaster open. (There is a metal rod that seems to be stuck in the bio-ooze pump handle and I can't get it out yet.) I will get back to you once I get that sorted out and can get the photos taken. It will probably take another few hours of sitting in my basement swearing randomly, but I'll get to it eventually. (Unless, of course, someone else knows how to do it, but I'm getting off-topic. PM me I guess?)

[DX]

I can do a Hornet vs Cricket comparison if you'd like, save your money.