2017 Water Warriors

[TheSoaker]

I've got some very interesting names of some of the blasters that are supposedly coming out:

[jSpazz]

Um, these should probably be moved to a "2017 Water Warriors Blasters" thread.

I've got some very interesting names of some of the blasters that are supposedly coming out:

[DX]

Thread Split.

[marauder]

I imagine the Drench Force will be the biggest. Looking forward to seeing what they have.

[scottthewaterwarrior]

I'd be tempted to buy the Aqua Volver just to replace the 'er' with an 'o' and add a picture of my car, lol!

[Nemesis]

fold 'n blast.....
Drench 'n Blast?

[SEAL]

Any news on the 2017 lineup yet? It's already February. In the past BBT always had big releases on odd-numbered years, but I don't think they do it that way anymore.

[SEAL]

Finally got some info on the 2017 models. Apparently the Drench Force is advertised at 50 feet! Unfortunately it seems to be some strange air pressure/syringe gun hybrid, kinda like the Nerf Flash Flood that came out a few years ago, but not as stupid. There's also yet another continuation of the Steady Stream line.

No news yet on any other models like the Aquavolver or whatever.

[jSpazz]

Well, at least we got something interesting. Anyone got any ideas how the Drench Force is supposed to work?

[jja]

Maybe a big piston pumper - but with a valve that actuates during or at the end of the stroke so pressure can be built before release. I'm thinking functionality like a shot-blast - but with a way bigger pump 160ml rather than 25 (stats from isoaker)

[marauder]

Drench Force review is up - http://www.isoaker.com/Armoury/Analysis ... _force.php

I have not seen any of these in stores yet. Usually we see them around here. To be fair, I haven't seen any super soakers yet either. Only generic brands - although there is that 1 brand that people have been checking out. I'm too lazy to look it up. They seem kinda decent.

[jSpazz]

So its not a firing valve. It just stays closed to keep the pump airtight while it fills from the reservoir, and then opens for firing.

That kind of sucks, but this thing still looks like a pool-time fun blaster.

[jja]

so its a repeat loading stream machine - could have some good utility.

[marauder]

so its a repeat loading stream machine - could have some good utility.

This is what I thought when I read the review. I'm annoyed by the fake trigger, but that can be taken off. Stream machines have been pretty effective in the past, but they are only good for one shot. If this is a repeat shot stream machine, count me in. May have to order one.

[SSCBen]

The Drench Force valve is similar to something I designed a year ago. You run into this problem with all syringe guns that have a reservoir. When you pull the pump back to fill, if you only have a syringe, this will just pull air. You need to close the nozzle flow path so you can pull water. Putting a check valve in the nozzle harms jet coherence, so instead they have a valve that opens or closes based on the position of the pump. My idea was a little simpler (and I won't reveal it for the moment). I am very interested in buying a Drench Force now to modify it to test some parts of my larger related idea. This would make prototyping much easier.

If anyone finds one of these in a store, let me know. I'd like to buy a few. iSoaker says the gun is only available from Shopko at the moment, and I've never seen that store before.

[marauder]

I have not seen ANY of these blasters in stores in NC or SC. Has anyone elsewhere seen these? I have seen most of the new Super Soakers, and yesterday I saw an updated version of what looks to be a Helix but with better colors?? Most stores don't even seem to have many Super Soakers. There is that off brand CPS that I saw. I may have to get one.

Man, what is going on?

It looks like BBT lost serious retail space over the off season.

Also, looks like watergun availability is down in general. Any ideas? Perhaps it's that kids are just not wanting to get as dirty/wet as before? I mean, little kids, 6 and under, I believe always will. But once you hit 7 or 8 and start becoming more conscious of peers, technology, etc. perhaps these kids are not wanting to get as wet/dirty as before and so sales have slumped. Could be completely wrong.

Someone reach out to isoaker on this and see if he has any ideas.

[SEAL]

I was just in Walmart today but I forgot to look. There don't seem to be many new WW blasters at all this year. Just the Drench Force and the Steady Stream X (and some Kwik Grip squirt pistols). I wonder what became of those other names like Aquavolver and stuff.

I feel like water guns haven't been that popular for a while. They were more of a thing in the '90s and early 2000s, but after that I think it kinda died off. Water guns are all marketed towards young kids these days. Not sure of the exact reason, although electronics might have a lot to do with it. I know for a fact that less and less kids are playing baseball as well. When I started playing, my league had three teams down from like five, and when I aged out they had exactly one team and had to play exclusively against other leagues. Lots of kids spend all day in front of some kind of screen.

But fads come and go, so perhaps water guns will make a comeback one of these years.

[marauder]

I know for a fact that less and less kids are playing baseball as well. When I started playing, my league had three teams down from like five, and when I aged out they had exactly one team and had to play exclusively against other leagues. Lots of kids spend all day in front of some kind of screen.

That's certainly interesting. Sports are very big around here, but I have no clue what % of kids are actually playing. It could just be that the area is growing so much and towns keep building fields and facilities. Our church was giving out free minor league baseball tickets this past Sunday. I thought about getting them and taking Tony and Danny, but driving from work to pick them up and then back to the stadium would be difficult on a work night. When you move to Charlotte you should check out the local minor league team the Charlotte Knights. They are usually pretty good. There are also usually some good college matches that they host, like Charlotte vs North Carolina state recently.

I thought that parents were "helicopter parents" these days. Where kids get shopped around to every little hobby and aren't really doing things on their own. That might not be true anymore, or maybe it just doesn't apply to sports, or baseball specifically anymore. I'm getting older and getting into the parent age, and it's interesting talking to people a little bit older than me. There seems to be an age group where the kids get shopped around to everything. Tiffany had a coworker who resigned her job because she wouldn't let her 12 year old take the bus, but had to pick her up and take her everywhere. BTW, this is in Clayton, where nothing dangerous ever happens and school buses are super safe. These people also are the same ones that have to go home on their lunch break and make sure their dogs are ok. It might be a (younger) Gen X/ (older millennial) thing. People my age, and especially a little bit younger, seem to be more minimalist in everything; but only time will tell if that's really who they are, or if it's just due to colossal student debt and unreasonable expectations.

But fads come and go, so perhaps water guns will make a comeback one of these years.

Yeah, I totally agree.

[SSCBen]

I just sent Alex Brands a message about where to buy the Drench Force. Shopko doesn't seem to sell the blaster online and I don't know of any other place to get it. I'll post back here when I get a response.

[SSCBen]

The Drench Force is available only at Shopko or Super Valu. Neither of these stores are accessible to me. If anyone here can buy a Drench Force and would be willing to sell a couple to me, let me know.