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If your kid cousin or younger brother's friends are talking about having a water fight and trying to figure out what the best water blaster for their buck is, what would YOU do to help them make a good choice? How would you explain the advantages and disadvantages of the different water blaster technologies?

with this current era in water blaster history Air pressure is the only thing we have to explain worth buying. and as for what blaster I would go for a python 2 sized gun.

Well, I haven't updated the buying guide yet, but it all depends on how much depth of information they want. Technology and the market are two different topics to cover, and the market changes faster than the basic principles of how blasters operate.

You also don't want to overexplain. I'd simply go over what's practical to some degree, then direct them to the best sources for them (which are usually eBay, friends, Craigslist, thrift stores, and sometimes retail on clearance).

If you really don't have time though, there are two quick rules:
- Make sure it has a pump and trigger. (Syringes for pool/boating uses being the only exception.)
- Make sure it's not Nerf Super Soaker. (Except HydroCannon which no longer exists at reasonable prices anyway.)

Well there really isn't much to say other than avoid non-syringe piston guns and motorized guns. I would explain (as best as my poor explaining skills allow) that while pressurized blasters require pumping, once you have them pumped up you can just hit the trigger and send out more powerful streams of water than motorized blasters, and more continuous streams than piston guns. I would probably also show them my arsenal, and join in the battle if possible.

But how do you explain why a pump-action water blaster, that allows you to fire right away, is not as good as an air pressure water blaster that you are vulnerable for the time you need to take building up pressure?

I would basically just say to stay away from NSS and get WW. If they are interested in more information, I would recommend particular models.

I would give them a demonstration that you can use a typical air pressure blaster like a pump action too. Just pump it up before the fight, then hold the trigger down and keep pumping.

This works for most small-mid level air pressure guns. I'd also explain it as a submachine gun or laser rifle vs a pump action shotgun. With one you get a constant stream or beam of output, whereas with the other you get a much lesser rate of fire. You have to explain things in terms that kids will understand, like videogames^ That's how I got Sam to stop using piston pumpers

isoaker wrote:But how do you explain why a pump-action water blaster, that allows you to fire right away, is not as good as an air pressure water blaster that you are vulnerable for the time you need to take building up pressure?

Because you're supposed to have that pressure already built-up before going in play. A piston pumper requires leaving the pump extended and both hands in order to use at a moment's notice.

Of course, with any stubborn newer warriors, the easiest way to educate some of them is by experience.

Alas, based on what I can think of and what I'm seeing so far in this thread, apart from doing an actual demonstration, we really don't have a good, simple way to explaining the benefits of pressurized blasters over pump-action. We can easily talk about the limited of trigger-based blasters thanks to their significantly limited output and range, but it is somewhat harder to explain the benefit of a pressurized system.

Both will require two hands to pump. Output may be better for larger nozzles in the pressurized blasters, but the output from a decently-sized pump-action can be decent if one pumps quickly enough. Pump actions are also easier, more straight-forward to operate and don't have the problems with stuck trigger/nozzle valves.

While I know that pressurized blasters are better, it's tough to explain why.

My explanation:
- Little control over WHEN you can shoot a piston pumper.
- Less control over the aiming of a piston pumper.
- Tap shots require more effort.
- Can't push 5x-10x with any usable range.

When that explanation is not convincing enough, an air pressure cannon stream usually is.