New (2014) Nerf Soakers

[darthmeow]

First off, credit to Buffdaddy nerf and Torukmakto4 for finding these.

Target has listings for new nerf soakers. The interesting thing is that the have abandoned the clip system, added decent sized reservoirs, and seem to be designed much like decent soakers not nerf blasters.

First off, the barrage : http://www.target.com/p/nerf-super-soak ... per+soaker

84 ounce capacity, pump action, 3 nozzle settings.


Next, the tri strike crossbow: http://www.target.com/p/nerf-super-soak ... per+soaker

Also triggerless, with crossbow arms that can fire extra streams, 40 ounce capacity.


double drench blaster: http://www.target.com/p/nerf-super-soak ... per+soaker

dual 3-stream nozzles, also triggerless, 27 ounce capacity


Freezefire: http://www.target.com/p/nerf-super-soak ... per+soaker

23 ounce triggerless, can add ice cubes like almost any other soaker

And last but probably least: http://www.target.com/p/nerf-super-soak ... per+soaker

hydrostorm, another motorized soaker. It takes 6 batteries instead of 4, so it might be slightly more powerful than the other nerf motorized soakers.

I am fairly sure this is the full 2014 lineup.

[the oncoming storm]

This is early... But it seems products are slowly improving for NSS now we just need to see what the WW lineup will be (I'm still hoping for a Gorgon 2).
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Darthmeow you beat me to it this time, last year I found the 2013 product line

[isoaker]

Wow! Early! Thanks for sharing.

However, with respect to the oncoming storm's comment, not sure if any of these are an improvement. Most, except for the HydroStorm, appear to be pump-action (no triggers and the reservoir cap is also a tell-tale sign). None appear to be pressurized.

None make use of their clip system, either, so I guess that's being phased out.

[SEAL]

Ooooh! More Vaporizer variants!

All I can say is, those things look dollar store-cheap and probably perform like they came from a dollar store. I'm not surprised that they ditched the "clips" (they're magazines, dammit!), since Hasbro always seems to ditch their old gimmicks for something new each year.

Oh by the way, who is "Torukmakto4"? I didn't think we had anybody with that username.

[isoaker]

Dollar-store-cheap looking, but far from dollar store pricing.

As for "Torukmakto4", we may not have a member with that username, but I think darthmeow was referring to a user at one of the Nerf forums. Just don't know which...

As for "clips", well, they "clipped" into the blaster... err...

[HBWW]

Heh, they even ditched pretty much all the old extra's. As mentioned, the new stuff has a very cheap look to it too, a perfect match for their performance.

If any of them feature the pressure chamber used in the Shot/Quick Blast, they might be useful for turning into Nerf blasters, but it doesn't look like any of them have that. At least before, you were buying the NSS styling, but now that part is gone too.

And then people will buy plenty anyways because only the name brand matters to them. BBT will continue and release an assortment of small air pressure blasters. Near 2015, we find out about Hasbro's next haul of junk like we do year after year. Like the seasons change, and the sun rises and sets, so each year comes the exact same old stuff in a new look, or with a new gimmick added on.

Congratulations, community. Each and every single one of you are more innovative and creative than the entire Nerf SS team combined has been in the past 3 years, and the NSS team is getting paid to do what they do.

[DX]

The color choices remind me of Windows 8 and iOS 7, aka stab me in the eyes and put me out of my misery. Why does everything new have to be so goddamn UGLY. They also look incredibly cheap, like the engineers sat down and said, how can we make the absolute cheapest product possible that still somewhat functions? Reminds me of the WW Avenger, a couple of super basic parts encased in thin plastic. Build quality and aesthetics were the only things NSS still had going for it. They may have sucked, but at least they looked very cool and were rock solid. Now, they just suck. I don't know what's worse, thinking someone will actually pay $20 for these things or watching it actually happen.

I've never had a more burning desire to manufacture my own water guns, not the PVC homemades we make today, but real water guns with model-specific valves and plastic casing. A 3D printer and CNC mill could probably churn out something far better than the 2014 NSS models.

Meanwhile, the CPS patent inches closer to expiration, hopefully BBT will take advantage of that.

[HBWW]

The real reason we're in deadlock is because we don't have much way to drive things forward. The CPS's are working for us, and we're taking community wars to new areas (as far as event organization goes), but there's no aggressive push for innovations in the homemades end. I don't fear it too much though: when the time comes and we're pushed to homemades, I think it'll happen.

Still safe to carry on in the assumption that Hasbro will definitely not make a push to quality/usable products for the long term. BBT is more unpredictable: I'm pretty certain the 2014 line will carry on as usual with decent, but not CPS-competitive blasters. However, they may surprise us with that Gorgon 2.

As far as enthusiast water blasting tech goes, I think we would want to avoid having shells that split in half like in manufacturered blasters. The grips, as well as other parts, should be separate, removable components. What we really need are casings that can integrate with these parts. Every casing component, as well as internal component, needs to be serviceable. I do like how current blasters stick things together with O-rings, but adding a twist-lock may be better for us. This is all in terms of building quality, high performance/reliability, and maintainable blasters, without considering cost.

I think the CPS patent is still on track for 2017 or so. At this rate, I've long given up on seeing CPS put to any use in anything outside of CPH's.

[DX]

This is why I'm not willing to give up on BBT just yet - right when you think they've gone down the drain, they surprise you. First it was the Orca and Tiger Shark, then the Gorgon and Colossus. Unfortunately, it's not likely that they will make a light primary that dethrones the XP 150 as they'd need to use larger pump diameters. Also, whether the Gorgon 2 comes to be is a complete tossup at this point. They are sitting right at the edge of having a top level primary that competes with large CPS, the potential is there, but the company seems so risk adverse (yet, they made the Ultimate line). There's quality control and build quality questions as well, which is why we need more good WW models each year. The newer the year, the less durable they appear to be.

Given all the mixed signals in the past, we might as well flip a coin on the 2014 WW line.

[darthmeow]

Torukmakto4 is a nerfer on the Humans vs Zombies forums, and also has a blog where he posted the information on the freezefire.

I hope the 2014 WW line shows some improvements in performance. I actually found a serious problem with my colossus in that the trigger will not always work at full pressure. The C2 has a better trigger design that can tap shoot faster and is more reliable.

[isoaker]

the company (BBT) seems so risk adverse (yet, they made the Ultimate line).

IMO, the Ultimate line got a bad rap because the larger blasters weren't able to be what they were supposed to be. The Ultimate Vanquisher and Explorer were supposed to use rubber bladders - the last minute switch over to an internal air pressure chamber allowed the blaster to be sold, but obviously performance dropped significantly.

There's quality control and build quality questions as well, which is why we need more good WW models each year. The newer the year, the less durable they appear to be.

Agreed regarding some quality control issues, but that's in part from how BBT operates, relying on various independent factories to do their manufacturing. BBT does not own any factory, itself, and has less control over how factories build things while trying to minimize their own costs. There's been a definite drop in build feel, but that is also due to the significant jump in parts and labor costs over the past few years. Hopefully things will stabilize for the near future at least.

[marauder]

This is all about maximizing profit. Piston pumper blasters are the cheapest to produce, but since it has super soaker and has multiple nozzle options they can easily sell for $20. Why off brands don't add more than just a tiny little stream nozzle is beyond me.

Anyway, I find it very interesting that the Ultimate Vanquisher and Explorer were originally supposed to be HP. The Ultimate Explorer still had pretty good range. I was just not that thrilled with the tiny pressure chamber that it had. I could hit 39 ft on the largest nozzle but only had about 1 second of shot time. I'm not crazy about shot time, but 1 second is just too little. I purchased an Ultimate Vanquisher online since it was advertised as "Pressurized Vanquisher" and had the older picture up. Once I received it in the mail I sent it back.

Count me as one who is still optimistic. I've said this so many times before, but old CPS, XP, and even classic Super Soakers are lasting us 20 years these days and onward these days. That's pretty amazing and not to even mention many of the Water Warriors we still have. My Blazer is from 2005 and is in top condition. Yes, Water Warriors has seen some quality control issues, especially with the Colossus I think, but overall I wouldn't say it's not terrible, I would just say they have average durability. We have a few years til the CPS patent expires. I would be very surprised if BBT doesn't capitalize on that, or even if Super Soaker doesn't change course yet again and release some CPS soakers. Yes, I know that sounds crazy, but one thing is always for sure and that's nothing stays the same, and with that in mind I think probability wise things have to get better.

[HBWW]

I actually don't find the quality control issues to be that bad most of the time. A lot of such problems can be alleviated with better design, and by not designing parts that break easily (such as the long but weak Tiger Shark's ball vale control arm). I think BBT may have improved quite a bit in this area over the years: The design ideas behind the Vindicator (which also has the problem of trigger control mechanisms breaking easily: I slowed things down by manually reinforcing the parts) and previous blasters seems to be gone though.

I just picked up a second Python 2 from Goodwill today. Still love the grip design of this thing, although I do like the Colossus 2's better. I really hope BBT continues their kickass ergonomics developed for the past summer's product line into 2014's new blasters. Gorgon 2, Python 3, Colossus 3, etc. could come out very nicely. My thoughts:

Gorgon 2: Ditch the old ergonomics, reduce dead space in shell, add larger nozzles and a large quad setting (those quads are kickass: great range/lamination AND decent spread with higher than usual output).
Python 3: Maintain P2's excellent grips. Reduce reservoir size and general form factor closer to sidearm class/size. Make pump much longer, but ideally still partially tracked.
Colossus 3: Two pressure chambers may help, although having the PC's drain directly to the firing valve instead of using an intake tube would help too. Hopefully it's more powerful than the first Colossus.

Of course, they may get creative with the names and change things up. Doesn't matter, as long as they kick ass. (Although I like being able to use abbreviations like "P2" or "C2".)

Honestly, I don't care for this topic getting derailed to WW's 2014 line. There's as much to talk about NSS's as there is about dollar stores' new squirt gun product lines. Speaking of which, I got three PowerShots at Target clearance for $0.44 each. Clearance is just as good as thrifting IMO. These are quality squirt guns, and you never know when you may want to have extremely low performance or constricted output. (i.e. For pranks.) The PowerShots are excellent alternatives to the motosquirters from Hasbro.

[DX]

I actually found a serious problem with my colossus in that the trigger will not always work at full pressure.

You should probably reinforce the trigger lever plate. That's how my other Colossus broke, the trigger pull wasn't reliably working and I ignored it for months, so it finally snapped. If you examine that part, (and I will have full pics of weak pieces of various models for some future articles ranting on build quality), you will facepalm. What were they thinking when they designed that lever plate? The piece that extends out and takes most of the rotational pull force is totally not thick or wide enough to handle such repeated stress. I would imagine that this has been corrected in the 2013 line.

[HBWW]

If you examine that part, (and I will have full pics of weak pieces of various models for some future articles ranting on build quality), you will facepalm. What were they thinking when they designed that lever plate?

Probably about the extra money that comes in when the blaster breaks a year or two later, and you throw it out and buy a new one. (Well, that's what you're "supposed" to do anyways.)

[isoaker]

Given the prices listed:
- Nerf Super Soaker Barrage ($19.99 USD)
- Nerf Super Soaker Tri Strike Crossbow ($24.99 USD)
- Nerf Super Soaker Double Drench ($14.99 USD)
- Nerf Super Soaker Freezefire ($9.99 USD)
- Nerf Super Soaker Hydrostorm ($19.99 USD)

...anyone feel like spending close to $90 USD on 4 pump action and 1 motorized water blasters?

[the oncoming storm]

never know when you may want to have extremely low performance or constricted output.

Sounds like CA99 is working on the NSS 2014 commercial but something tells me that even kids wouldn't be impressed with that motto, next.

[marauder]

I wouldn't doubt that they end up rereleasing some smaller blasters. That's a lot of guns in the mid price level. But to answer your question, I have zero interest in spending on these.

[darthmeow]

I actually found a serious problem with my colossus in that the trigger will not always work at full pressure.

You should probably reinforce the trigger lever plate. That's how my other Colossus broke, the trigger pull wasn't reliably working and I ignored it for months, so it finally snapped. If you examine that part, (and I will have full pics of weak pieces of various models for some future articles ranting on build quality), you will facepalm. What were they thinking when they designed that lever plate? The piece that extends out and takes most of the rotational pull force is totally not thick or wide enough to handle such repeated stress. I would imagine that this has been corrected in the 2013 line.

I already checked it and facepalmed- it looks like it is designed to fail. I also opened the colossus 2 and it is a much better design that should not break.

[HBWW]

Hey, the Power Shots were $0.44 each and they're great for pranks when you don't want to absolutely pissed someone off.

@iSoaker: It's funny because you can get 5 water bottles and a pencil for much less than $90.

I played paintball today and if someone sold a marker that shot 2/5 the range of everything else, and had to be reloaded by ram rod, it wouldn't sell for junk. Yet Hasbro easily pulls off the equivalent. (Low range, low RoF/output.)