There are few ways to better spend a hot summer afternoon than with a water gun fight, and the creators of one the most advanced water blaster ever developed — one that shoots liquid bullets — is back with an upgraded version that’s quieter, faster, more powerful, and is less likely to leave the shooter soaking wet.
If the last time you played with a water gun was when the Super Soaker reigned supreme, you’ll be surprised at how far they’ve advanced. The Spyra One, which was realised through a Kickstarter campaign back in 2018 and then shipped a year later, features a rechargeable battery, a built-in pump that automatically sucks water out of a pool or a bucket for effortless refills, a unique firing mechanism that launches individual droplets of water with a satisfying amount of force, and even an LCD display counting down how many shots you have left.
We had a chance to go hands-on last year and while the Spyra One was incredibly fun to play with (it even has a mode where you can power up a large blast of water that fires with a lot of kickback) it also suffered from unfortunate drips and leaks that meant that there was no way you were walking away from a battle without getting wet, even if your opponents never landed a single shot on you.
The Spyra One’s creators are promising the SpyraTwo is better in almost every way, with a range that goes about five feet further, faster refill times, and a battery life that promises twice as many shots before you need to plug the water gun in. (Yep, that’s one more device you’ll have to add to the nightly charging roster.) Most importantly, the SpyraTwo supposedly doesn’t drip anymore, which might be the biggest selling point.
The new design does come with some compromises. Inside is a smaller water reservoir which means that you can now only fire 20 shots between electric pump-assisted refills, whereas the Spyra One could muster 25. The SpyraTwo is also slightly more expensive. Through its original Kickstarter, the Spyra One could be pre-ordered for about $US140 ($180), but the SpyraTwo bumps that to $US159 ($204), although without any of the risk and potential delays crowdfunded products are notorious for. The first batch of SpyraTwos are unfortunately already sold out but are expected to ship next month, while a wider availability is expected starting in July.