The Nerf Stampede - You Gotta Have It

Just one look at Nerf's new gun, the Nerf Stampede will tell you that you gotta get it.  Even if you have to mow 4 lawns, it is well worth it.  Here is a rundown on what you can expect with their latest foam assault weapon.

While Nerf has been focusing pretty hard on the guns for quite a while now, the Nerf Assault is a first for them.  This one is a real working semi-automatic Nerf gun.  The have a whole bunch of other that shoot one or two darts at a time, but if you really want to play at the top of your game, you need the Stampede.  How else are you going shoot 18 darts out in seconds?

Here is what you get with the Nerf N-Strike Stampede:

The best part about this Nerf gun is that it will shoot both single and multiple darts.  Why settle for a gun that can only do one thing when you can have one that can do both?  To fire single darts out, just press the trigger quickly and release.  To unleash a barrage of darts all at once, hold the trigger in as long as you want – simple as that. 

One thing that annoys anybody who plays with Nerf guns is that they have to stop the action and collect all the darts when they run out.  The more darts you have, the less often you have to pick them up.  The Nerf N-Strike Stampede ECS comes with 60 darts, which is enough to keep you going for quite a while.  The darts load into cartriges.  The set comes with 3 18-dart cartriges and 1 6-dart cartrige.  All you need to do is stuff them in your vest or pockets, and quickly reload.  If you want to buy extra darts, you can get a pack of 36 of them for around $8.  You can also sometimes find a set that has the Nerf Stamped with extra darts all in one package.  Sometimes it costs more, sometimes it the same price.  It is best to take a look around and do the math.

The gun also comes with a shield that gets mounted right on top of the barrell. This is great to use when you have bullets flying at you from all directions and you need to aim carefully. Look through the little window in the shield and your eyes will be protected.

If you want to go into sniper mode, the gun also comes with a pull out stand that is always ready to go. Set it up on a rock or other hiding place, take careful aim, and ambush your opponent.

Since this gun is able to shoot so many darts, you need to be able to hold all of them. Nerf sells their own vest with pockets designed to fit all of the clips and extra darts. If you really want to play hard, you will need to get some sort of vest with pockets. Whether you get the Nerf one or a fishing vest, it will come in pretty handy.

All in all, the Nerf Stampede is one of the best guns ever made. It is battery powered, which means there is a slight delay from when you pull the trigger to when the darts shoot out, but that is made up for by the fact that you don't need to pump air into the gun like some other models. It takes 6 "D" batteries, which adds a bit of weight - somewhere around 5 pounds. This is good though, since it only makes you stronger! One thing to keep in mind is that replacing 6 "D" batteries will eventually cost you more than the gun itself, so it is smart to get a battery charger and some rechargeable batteries so that you will never find yourself with a gun with dead batteries.

In the heat of a Nerf battle, whoever has the most darts has a big advantage, since you can easily shoot opponents when they stop to retrieve darts and reload. The Nerf Stamped ECS will put you at the top of the game.