Some of us Nerf fans love our blasters to be smaller, more compact, more discreet. For a long time, the smallest blasters available were mostly pistol blasters like the Nitefinder, the Reflex/Eliminator, the Secret Strike, and the Scout.
Hasbro has outdone themselves again with their latest blaster, the Jolt EX-1. With a body profile even slimmer than the Secret Strike, and a body shell more compact than even the Reflex, the Jolt's tiny barrel and "spurred" grip evokes images of the infamous Noisy Cricket Gun from the Men In Black movie. The only flaw of the grip design is that the knuckleduster-like notches make it uncomfortable for less-slim fingers to hold comfortably. The sample blaster(s) I bought have all been slightly "modified" with a simple wrapping of duct tape around the grip to make them more comfy to hold, and it works wonders. Simple notched 'iron' sights atop the barrel help you take aim better.
The priming lever is right at the base of the handle, with the Direct Plunger built inside the grip. This economy of design is what makes the Jolt's petite frame possible, and the efficient and powerful plunger/spring system gives it the power to drive darts with great barrel velocity. it is also far quieter than the hollow frame of the Reflex, which clicks and clacks loudly as the springs and the hollow reverse plunger are fairly noisy and amplified by the blaster's hollow frame.
As other reviewers can attest, this little Noisy Cricket can propel darts with very nearly the same power as a Nitefinder, and in some cases even outranged stock Nitefinders due to their excellent breech seal that allows proper pressure buildup to drive the darts far. As a matter of fact, some samples prove to have a seal strong enough to suck in a partially-inserted dart when you prime it due to vacuum action!
Verdict: Excellent. While the grip is a little nitpick, it is still an excellent blaster and makes a great sidearm or concealed "weapon".
Nerf Jolt EX-1: Not-so Noisy Cricket Blaster
Some of us Nerf fans love our blasters to be smaller, more compact, more discreet. For a long time, the smallest blasters available were mostly pistol blasters like the Nitefinder, the Reflex/Eliminator, the Secret Strike, and the Scout.
Hasbro has outdone themselves again with their latest blaster, the Jolt EX-1. With a body profile even slimmer than the Secret Strike, and a body shell more compact than even the Reflex, the Jolt's tiny barrel and "spurred" grip evokes images of the infamous Noisy Cricket Gun from the Men In Black movie. The only flaw of the grip design is that the knuckleduster-like notches make it uncomfortable for less-slim fingers to hold comfortably. The sample blaster(s) I bought have all been slightly "modified" with a simple wrapping of duct tape around the grip to make them more comfy to hold, and it works wonders. Simple notched 'iron' sights atop the barrel help you take aim better.
The priming lever is right at the base of the handle, with the Direct Plunger built inside the grip. This economy of design is what makes the Jolt's petite frame possible, and the efficient and powerful plunger/spring system gives it the power to drive darts with great barrel velocity. it is also far quieter than the hollow frame of the Reflex, which clicks and clacks loudly as the springs and the hollow reverse plunger are fairly noisy and amplified by the blaster's hollow frame.
As other reviewers can attest, this little Noisy Cricket can propel darts with very nearly the same power as a Nitefinder, and in some cases even outranged stock Nitefinders due to their excellent breech seal that allows proper pressure buildup to drive the darts far. As a matter of fact, some samples prove to have a seal strong enough to suck in a partially-inserted dart when you prime it due to vacuum action!
Verdict: Excellent. While the grip is a little nitpick, it is still an excellent blaster and makes a great sidearm or concealed "weapon".