The Waterball SL175 is
the smaller of two Water Ball launchers released in 2003 by Wild Planet Toys.
The shape of the blaster seems rather odd, but what is even more unique about
this blaster is how it shoots. Unlike other modern water blasters, the Waterball SL175
does not fire a pulse or stream of water. Instead, it fires a single sphere
of water. It is definitely something unique to see a ball of water travelling
in an arc through the air, making a pleasant splatting sound upon impact on
a flat surface. To shoot the Waterball SL175, the top-mounted sled-trigger mechanism
must first be pushed all the way forward, then pulled back. Upon further testing,
the best water balls were produced when the blaster was arced upwards at least
30 degrees from horizontal and the trigger-sled was pushed and pulled smoothly.
The size of the water ball
produced is small, roughly 4mL volume. As well, the range of the water ball
is not very far by Super Soaker standards (estimated 20 foot range as is advertised).
Because of the lower range and output, one will not get one's targets significantly
wet. This gives the Waterball SL175 the advantage of having over 100 shots for one full
tank. The reservoir is transparent and has lines roughly indicating when you
still have 150, 100, or 50 shots left. The noise produced from the blaster when
it fires is rather loud and startling the first time hearing it. Perhaps they
could have put some padding or cushion on the inside of the blaster to dampen
the noise produced.
Since not much water is
released, this makes this blaster particularly good for small indoor battles
where one does not wish to soak the upholstry. As well, it is a perfect blaster
for training with as well as relatively safe to let even smaller children use
without fear that they might shoot their eyes out. The ball of water expelled
does not even travel very quickly. Instead, it takes a nice gentle arc through
the air as it flies towards its final destination. One peculiarity is that a
lot of water does tend to dribble from two release holes at the bottom of the
blaster. According to the box, this is normal, though there is no explanation
why this occurs in the first place.
Overall, the technology
present here makes the Waterball SL175 a unique and amusing water blaster. Not
recommended during any large confrontations, the Waterball SL175 is a good training blaster
as well as something one can use to just go out and put a bunch of watermarks
around the neighborhood.
Pros
Nice size, light, easy to carry. Launches a multitude of water balls on a single
fill. Firing is simple. Seeing a ball of water hold together while travelling
through the air is a sight to behold.
Cons
This is a rather small weapon with very limited output. The range is also very
limited. Firing this blaster produces a loud noise due to the firing mechanism.
A decent amount of water tends to dribble out from two holes at the base of
the blaster after a few shots.
Related Content .:
Product Listing Page
Additional Resources
Water Blaster: Basics | Care, Cleaning, and Storage | Soaker Use: Basics|Repair Articles
:: Water Ball SL175
