Beginners’ Water Blaster Buying Guide of 2013

Let’s get back to the basics: Blasters. Most of the information/recommendations from last year still applies, but many blasters mentioned are even more rare than before, and we always have new/fresh Water Warriors blasters coming out.

Nothing has really changed since 2012, so if you need 50% of everything you should know about buying blasters in a nutshell, it can be summed up in one statement:

Don’t buy Nerf Super Soaker products!*

*The HydroCannon is the only exception that might be worth buying if you even find one, and if it fits your needs.

The current crop of Nerf Super Soaker products feature fancy colors, looks, and ergonomics, but don’t let that fool you. Their new backpacks hold as much water as a Water Warriors Gorgon, and every single Nerf magazine-fed water blaster is underwhelmingly weak by several orders of magnitude compared to better blasters available. A Nerf Super Soaker Thunderstorm takes about 4 to 5 seconds to shoot as much water as can be achieved in a single pump of larger blasters. A CPS 1500’s pressure chamber (how much water it can shoot at one time with the pull of the trigger) holds as much water as an entire drum magazine that Nerf SS provides. Look at the numbers and performance, not at the fancy gimmicks.

Now, I will split up this guide into two sections: Stock/Store and Alternative Sources.

Stock/Store: Blasters you can find on shelves.
Water Warriors:

• WW Gorgon: Rare and difficult to find in stores now (at least where I am), the Gorgon is the most powerful blaster currently available on the market. Features high range, but output is below that of CPS’s. However, some warriors have reported that it’s effective against even a CPS 4100, and it can easily dominate virtually any XP class blaster, including the XP 150. Definitely worth picking up if you get the chance. Air chambers separated from reservoir.
• WW Colossus 2: Slightly less powerful than 2012’s WW Colossus, but is more ergonomic and well balanced. Has separate air chamber for pressurization.
• WW Python 2: More powerful than 2012’s Python, and is considerably more ergonomic and well balanced. Pressurized reservoir, no separate air chamber.
• WW Drench ‘n Blast: Features dual nozzles and triggers. Pressurized reservoir, no separate air chamber.
• WW Cricket: Older blaster still released/available in 2013, this is a fairly well-regarded “pistol”-class blaster perfect as a small sidearm. Pressurized reservoir, no separate air chamber. Typically sold in 2-packs, and are easy to dual wield.
• WW Outlaw: Re-release of older blaster, fairly basic large-capacity pressurized reservoir. Other blasters, such as the WW Python 2, may be recommendable over this one for this size range of blaster.

You may find other Water Warriors blasters not listed here. However, the only pressurized WW’s you’ll find in stores are going to be air pressure.

Most new Water Warriors blasters of 2013 feature what appears to be a pressure gauge, but is actually an angle meter. Useful for long distance shots and for measuring ranges, but doesn’t seem to be an essential feature.

The Water Warriors line has remained where it has been in the past few years for the most part. The exception is that ergonomics have significantly improved in many new blasters. The Colossus 2 and Python 2 handle very comfortable and are well balanced. Older, less ergonomic blasters are still available such as the Outlaw.

Alternative Sources: Blasters that have to be obtained from friends, garage sales, eBay, Craigslist, thrift stores, etc.

This has not changed much. To sum it up, look for any CPS line blaster, or Monster. Some XP’s are also excellent as well as Super Chargers. Here are some favorites from the past that are still used in water wars today:

– CPS 1000*, 1200*, 1500/1700`, 2000^, 2100*, 2500^, 2700`, 3000, 3200, 4100
* Great for power mods! (Specifically the k-mod.)
^ Very powerful as stock, no power-mods needed.
` K-mods possible but typically not recommended.

– CPS 1-3-5: Gimmicky blaster, but very effective after some easy mods. (Plug all nozzles except main nozzle, drill main nozzle, K-mod.)

These classics have not changed, and are still the best of the best. Keep them working and they will be effective on the field.

– Monster, Monster X, Monster XL: Larger, higher capacity, a bit less powerful than the best CPS’s (2000, 2500) but still very heavy-hitting and effective. Monster is almost the same as CPS 4100.

– CPS Splashzooka, SC Power Pak, SC Big Trouble: Great fun to use for more casual water wars and are still considerably more powerful than most water blasters available today. Requires hose to use; you may also build a manual pump for these but that’s a hassle that I haven’t found to be worth it.

– SC 300: Most powerful air pressure blaster ever made, can take on most CPS’s. Not as powerful as the CPS 2000 but has much, much higher capacity and shot time. Large pump results in high pump volume. A bit fragile, use with care.

– XP’s: XP 150, 310, and XXP 275 are some notable blasters from these series.

So there you have it. Have fun shopping. Be sure to ask any questions you may have in the comments or on WaterWar.net.