In our range tests we fired each water gun several times at various angles to find the maximum range we were able to reach. Across the board we found that aiming your gun slightly higher helped the water fire further. By way of context, your average water pistol can shoot a distance of 5 to 40 feet. The vast majority tend to fall around the mid-30s, and the bare minimum range we'd recommend is 10 feet unless you're opting for power (as is the case with the Super Soaker Soakzooka) or sheer soaking capability. How much does the most powerful water gun cost? Size: As previously mentioned, modern water guns come in a huge variety of shapes and sizes, with the larger options on the market almost always boasting more power and range — albeit at the cost of portability and child-friendliness. We'd certainly recommend this water gun for the littlest ones in the water fight, but older children would probably prefer it as a side-arm. We're looking especially to see if manufacturer claims prove accurate in the real world, so if a product is advertised on its ability to fire water jets far, but in reality they go just a few meters, we'll tell you.

But this water gun did come up the shortest in our range tests and it can't be relied on to get your opponents especially wet. Ammo” Capacity: Though it limits portability, the volume or reservoir of a water gun will directly determine how much “ammo” it can store — a metric that will directly determine how long of a firefight one can enjoy before having to refill their weapon.There's no fiddly trigger to pull as the Microburst 2 fires as you pump it, and 20 shots is plenty for a water gun with such a low overall tank capacity. T3 tests water guns by buying them from retailers, filling them with water, and then shooting our friends and family with jets of H2O. Once filled, you'll also need to remember to keep the water gun upright, as we found it leaks when pointing downwards. Size of the water soaker – You can find water soakers as small as a palm-sized little pistol, or as big as a full-on bazooka blaster. Large feature-filled soakers may look like the most fun, but if they’re too big for your child to handle they might feel frustrated and upset that they can’t control it. At an impressive range of 9 metres, you'll also be likely to hit your opponents before they can get close enough to return fire.

If you've got a water gun with a good range, this tactic will help you maximise your advantage. 3) Keep moving You might be tempted to don your army fatigues, but you'll be at a major disadvantage. Light clothes that won't absorb too much water are best for keeping you agile and speedy in the heat of water-based battle. 5) Get to coverWater capacity – Soakers are made to hold different capacities of water and small water tanks will need to be constantly refilled. If you’re just looking for a simple, fun game to play around a paddling pool, then a smaller water capacity could suffice, but for epic water fights choose one with a larger tank. Blast Distance – Whether it’s a gentle blast or a full-on soaking, you can find water guns with various blast distances. We've listed the blast distances for each soaker, but remember these are the maximum possible distances, not all kids will be able to reach those max lengths, especially if strong pumping is required first. Power: Typically measured in distance or PSI, a water gun’s power will play an enormous role in its overall performance and user experience. Not only is this area responsible for how far a water gun can shoot, but it will also play a massive role in determining a given model’s accuracy — especially from a distance.

Speed and agility are important in water fights, so you'll want to avoid being weighed down by heavy, absorbent clothing.If you're looking for the best water gun that balances price with power, the Super Soaker Hydra is a front-runner with few rivals. Thanks to a handle pump that unleashes a deluge of water, it'll completely drench opponents in no time at all. Although it'll get through its 65 fl oz (1.9L) tank faster than you'd expect, there aren't many alternatives within the same price range that can challenge it. We then took photos of how drenched they were and judged how much soaking power one shot from each water gun has.