A colossal name, but an average water blaster.
The Colossus 2, a Water Warriors original and sequel to its first-generation ‘Colossus,’ is colossal in stature, but our experts found little to “write home about” with its overall functionality, sustainability and features. The Colossus 2, engineered by the Buzz Bee line of water soakers, a parent to the Water Warriors series, has a good upside but too many questions left our team unsure of its performance down the road.
The Colossus 2 is definitely an imposing blaster, as it exceeds 25” in length and can hold 74 Oz. of water – picture a 2 Liter bottle of soda and you’ve visualized the volume of the Colossus 2’s water reservoir, plus some! The Colossus 2 is powered by air pressure generated by its pump, so its power is directly related to pump frequency (the higher the number of pumps, the better the shot velocity, accuracy, range, etc.). Compared to some of Super Soaker’s battery-powered designs, the Colossus 2’s manual pumping can seem cumbersome but then again you don’t have to fuss with electronic compartments or replacing batteries, a trade-off of sorts in the arena of water blasters.
The Colossus 2’s aesthetic design is a bit lacking, as a large and imposing gun should look just that way – large and imposing! Water Warriors got the large part down, but our consensus is that this gun can go a long way in looking the part
If you’ve followed water blaster history for the past few decades (we’re definitely guilty of this) you may know of the longstanding animosity between Hasbro and Buzz Bee, in fact, a recent patent case against Buzz Bee toys was decided in favor of Hasbro. So how did the feud start? When Super Soaker (then owned by Larami) was acquired by Hasbro in 2002, several of Larami’s engineers were terminated, many of which combined their talents at the time to form their very own line of blasters called Buzz Bee Toys, and subsequently the Water Warriors line of water guns. Water Warriors has stayed true to its course of pressurized water weaponry and thus has avoided the battery-powered route, in effect reinforcing the divide between Super Soaker and Water Warriors, what was, and what now is as a result of the split.
First Impressions of The Collossus 2:
Plainly put, the Colossus 2 can store a whole lot of water, 74 Oz. to be exact. This bodes well for the water battles that occur away from an easily accessible refilling post, and will almost always spell a clear advantage over the next guy or gal. Its three firing nozzles, which are similar in transition to the different streams of a shower head, can be adjusted easily at any time at the blaster’s tip. The three streams, labeled N1, N5 and N9 supposedly have different output levels as more water is manufactured on setting N9 as compared to N1, with N5 as the intermediate stream. The difference is visible but the perceived effect and distinction between streams had our experts asking the question of whether or not the feature is truly worth having.
The Colossus 2 does, in fact, have excellent range and accuracy. In our lab tests, save moments when the wind picked up, we were able to drill targets very accurately from nearly 40 ft. away! The sole caveat to this is that one must make sure that the device has been pumped adequately to power 40 ft. shots. If this is accounted for, its user will enjoy perhaps the best quality of the Colossus 2, and one that’s due our applause. And, hitting a target from 40 ft. away is really cool!
The Colossus 1 vs. the Colossus 2… upgrade?
Colossus
Range: 40 ft
Water Capacity: 84. Oz.
Weight: 7.7 lbs when full
Other Features: 3 Nozzles, pump handle
Colossus
Range: 40 ft
Water Capacity: 74. Oz.
Weight: 6.5 lbs when full
Other Features: 3 Nozzles, pump handle and angle meter
Although it’s more of a speculative claim rather than our usual cold hard facts and stats, our team was concerned about the gun’s durability, especially with its pump and surrounding hardware. Repeated pumping was accompanied by loud “shrieking” sounds when we did our testing, sounds that were both annoying in the moment and a cause for concern for the stamina of the mechanism in the long run. On top of this nuisance, we noticed that the actual pump handle was flimsy, especially against the wear of repeated and forceful pumping. Our speculation is that with so many pumps (in the ballpark of 40-80 per tank) the pump itself could fall victim to wear, tear and degradation. So for the sake of durability, we’re not convinced that this feature has what it takes to stand the test of time. Besides, without a means to reload your water blaster, you’re doomed to get drenched!
From its excellent range to its questionable durability and nominal features, the Colossus 2 proved to be a mediocre blaster. Its style and craftsmanship lacked yet when it came to the type of performance that arguably matters the most (hitting a target) it excelled. With the Colossus 2, you’ll get a solid water gun if all you’re looking for is basic, functional requirements, but if you’re looking for complete package, you’ll need to reconsider.