When it comes to the joys of childhood, epic playtime battles have always been a favourite with kids – and if we are truly honest with ourselves, they can be just as much fun for adults. When I was growing up we used lots of water blasters, but they can be messy (although extremely nice on a hot day, especially when running around), but now a more popular choice is foam ball blasters. Foam blasters fire soft foam balls, leave no mess and are perfectly safe for indoor and outdoor use. Whether you’re engaging in a fast‑paced showdown in the living room, using the furniture for cover, or taking the action outdoors into the garden, a foam ball blaster can turn an ordinary afternoon into a full‑on energetic adventure. The AirShot Pop Blast air‑powered blaster from Wicked Uncle is designed exactly for that kind of laughter‑filled play. It’s simple, safe, brilliantly chaotic, requires no batteries and doesn’t have any screens, giving kids and grown‑ups a chance to dive into competitive fun.
The AirShot Pop Blast is a light-weight (265g), brightly coloured yellow pump-action blaster that fires 12 small foam balls (supplied) from its internal chamber using nothing but air pressure. It measures approximately 14” (35.5cm), extending to 19” (48cm) when in full pump-action mode. And it makes a satisfying pop when each ball is fired. Once a ball is released it can fire a foam ball up to a distance of a whopping 30 feet (just over 9 metres). It’s suitable for children aged 8+ (and adults of any age!).
This blaster is very easy to operate – just load the foam balls into the barrel by pushing them in one at time (it holds 12), pull back the forward part of the barrel and POP! a bright neon yellow foam ball shoots out with a satisfying burst towards it target up to 30 feet away. The faster you pump, the quicker the foam balls fly.
Overall, Wicked Uncle’s AirShot Pop Blast is a fun air-powered pump-action blaster that is perfect for indoor and outdoor play. It is lightweight and easy to use, is supplied with 12 foam balls that store neatly in the chamber of the blaster and the balls are bright yellow so are easy to spot once they have been fired (unless they find their way under the fridge as I found and then had to go on the hunt).
The blaster is light-weight plastic and seemingly durable, it has been dropped a few times and still good, although I would try not to drop too much on hard floors or concrete. The foam balls are small and light, soft-ish (not so soft that they are unless but not so hard that they hurt when they hit you) and they are furniture-friendly.
With no batteries for recharging, it is purely powered by the wonderfully magic of air-pressure, it is an excellent pick-up and play anytime toy, great to see in a world dominated with electronics.
As for the play value, well it gets kids up and moving, running about, honing their hand-eye co-ordination skills and a great toy to encourage physical activity and social interaction. It can be used in groups with other blasters, creating a fun team challenge, or used by yourself aiming at targets to practice your skills.
It’s a fantastic choice for families who love energetic, competitive and safe play. It’s simple to use, just as good for indoor or outdoor battles, packed with enough power to keep kids excited and sniping from distance, and the satisfying pop when a ball flies out of the chamber enhances the fun element.
Get the kids outdoors this summer for some thrilling skirmishes sprawling battles in a safe and non-messy way.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £16.99
For more information or to buy visit www.wickeduncle.co.uk.
DISCLOSURE: I received this item for free for the purposes of writing an honest and impartial review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
