How Super Soakers Have Evolved Since the 1990s
Water gun manufacturers have innovated the form in multiple ways.
My interest in water guns peaked in 1996. I was 10, and the most powerful and desired of the toy genre was the Super Soaker CPS 2000. This thing was heavy: It held more than 3 liters of water, and its stream was so powerful, consumers were actually advised against headshots. It was the first of then-manufacturer Larami’s CPS (or Constant Pressure System) line, and it was mighty enough to create a recoil effect. Its iconic strap recalled Jesse Ventura's "Old Painless" minigun from Predator.
My deep yearning for the latest and greatest of Super Soakers waned over time, but they did keep getting bigger. Take the CPS 3000, released a year later—a monstrosity with a 2-gallon backpack:
At some point, though, you can’t just keep getting larger if you want kids to still be able to handle these things. And with the recent return of warm weather, I was inspired to investigate how water gun manufacturers innovated beyond size since I was an avid consumer. Previously to this research, I was only aware that the Super Soaker isn’t the only major power in the game now. There are also big names like Zuru’s X-Shot series and the sleek Spyra lines. Also, Super Soakers are currently made by Nerf, which is now owned by Hasbro. But I knew there had to be a whole world out there to explore. That hunch was correct.
In surveying some of our favorite current water guns on the market, you can see how the industry has evolved. But as a general note, I want to reiterate these this is not a comprehensive survey of what’s out there. I simply think big, colorful water guns are neat, and I wanted to see what’s readily available. I’m also not a scientist looking for the highest PSI, and I certainly was never one of those playground sociopaths that loved toys that claimed to be the most “realistic” or “tactical,” like the below gem of the 1980s:
So let’s look at three water guns that I enjoy and feel represent the major shifts over the past decades, and how each innovates what came before it:
Distance:
Now, there are single-shot water guns, like the Stream Machine TL-750, that boast in insane distance of 70 feet. But that’s impractical for an active water gun battle. Our favorite of the high-range multi-shooters is the SpyraThree ($169), which has a PowerShot mode that can take your blasts up to 50 feet. That mode does take up more water than a normal shot, but you can monitor your tank with an electronic meter at the top of the water gun. Incredible stuff. The thing charges via USB, and to refill, you simple stick it in a water source and push the trigger forward. The Super Soaker CPS 2000 had a similar distance, but not one you could replenish so quickly and easily. The consistency of the SpyraThree’s distance is partly what makes it special. Plus, it looks like something out of The Fifth Element:
Refill Time:
Speaking of refilling: Let’s look more closely at this underrated attribute of water guns. During a battle, you might not be able to get to a water source so quickly. And while the SpyraThree is mighty and has a sizable capacity, it takes up to 10 seconds to refill. That’s a lot of time to get soaked. The very affordable X-Shot Fast-Fill Hydro Cannon ($19.99) from ZURU innovates the intake time with a more analog approach. Feats of careful engineering, all of the “Fast-Fill” X-Shots give you the ability to open and shut tanks quickly, as compared to the old-school cap uncorking or screwing off a tank. And all of them cost just a second to get back into action.
Technology:
I remember seeing an ad for Xiaomi's Pulse blaster ($249, unless you get it somewhere like AliExpress for half-off) on AliExpress and thinking, This is what I thought water guns would be like in the future. Like the SpyraThree, these are electric wonders, but they take that description a step further. I has 10W USB-C charging. It has the coolest meter of all that shows your current shooting mode (whether that's single shot, charged shooting, or continuous shooting). And best of all, it has a light display that syncs with the rhythm of your shots, no matter the mode.
See it in action below:
You’ll notice that none of the above are actual Super Soakers. So which one of those is currently our favorite on the market? There are some high-capacity, big-blasting options out there, but I think one overlooked innovation is how they’ve upped the game on rideable options. Yes, rideable:
The Nerf Super Soaker Stormforce Ride-On Racer ($20) is a good way to gain the high ground in the pool while getting water fed directly from the pool, meaning you’ll immediately have the biggest tank on the block. It’s not the first of its kind, but it’s the one the 10-year-old in me most desires to ride.
Am I missing a biggie in the water gun game? Let me know in the comments.
