Little bow peep
Think about it – its always the cool kids that use bows. Obviously there was Robin Hood (who used his archery set to encourage a fairer method of medieval wealth distribution), but there was also Rambo. Rambo was so badass, that in a situation when his enemies were using machine guns, he was totally confident of entering the fray armed only with the humble bow. That is because bows are awesome, and what is even more awesome is that now we have a bow that won't kill anyone. Phew.
Think about it – its always the cool kids that use bows. Obviously there was Robin Hood (who used his archery set to encourage a fairer method of medieval wealth distribution), but there was also Rambo. Rambo was so badass, that in a situation when his enemies were using machine guns, he was totally confident of entering the fray armed only with the humble bow. That is because bows are awesome, and what is even more awesome is that now we have a bow that won't kill anyone. Phew.
The Z-Curve Bow is a part of the Air Storm series of toys which, like the very well-known Nerf brand, are weapons that shoot foam darts and balls. Unlike Nerf, which seems to be all about air-compression these days, Air Storm toys use good old fashioned muscle power to launch their projectiles, with a view to getting children off the couch (and their smartphones!), spark the imagination, and promote physical coordination and play. But once our lazy backsides were off said sofa, what did we make of it?
One thing that must be made clear is
that the Z-Curve Bow is not actually a bow. WHAT? BUT YOU SAID...?
We know, we know, but although it looks like a bow and is called a
bow, if you gave it to Robin Hood himself he'd just give you a funny
look. Then mug you for your lunch money. The Z-Curve Bow is actually
a kind of sling-shot, as are the other weapons in the Air Storm
range. Instead of a bowstring and a flexible curve, you get a very
thick and sturdy pair of rubber bands that are fastened to the tips
of the “bow”. The darts are hooked to the ends of the bands and
pulled back to shoot. Its basically a vertical sling-shot, but still
one we enjoyed playing with very much.
The box boasts an effective range of up
to 125 feet, which at first we scoffed at. “Scoff, scoff,” said
we on first inspecting the weapon. “It'll never make it that far.”
We were wrong. Although no true and accurate measuring device was
deployed to record the results, we were certain that at least the
boastful range had been achieved when we had to ask the neighbours
for our dart back. Pretty impressive.
Of course we're big chaps with arms of
solid oaken muscle (ahem) so we were able to pull the sling-shot back
to its absolute maximum capacity. Younger kids might have difficulty
doing so, as the rubber bands are quite tough. However, that surely
is a good point – had they been too loose we would have expected an
early grave for the bow, as surely they would have snapped.
The Zonic darts are pretty good (but to
be honest we got a little annoyed of the wailing scream they make
when fired) and the suction cup dart is excellent, perfectly sticking
itself onto the neighbours greenhouse. Another trip next door
followed. Should your ammo go similarly AWOL, extra darts are
available.
We had a lot of fun with the Air Storm
Z-Curve Bow. We liked the sling-shot design, enabling even the
youngest of hoodlums to have a go, but we do have some concerns over
the longevity of the toy. To be fair we gave the thing quite a going
over, but at the end of a fun-packed day, during which the neighbours
swore at us several times, we discovered that the rubber band seemed
slightly longer. Maybe it was just our manly enthusiasm that
stretched it slightly, but still it is a concern indeed. Having said
that, if your tempestuous tyke is looking for a new way to do battle
with friends, and wants something that no other kid on the street
might yet have, we recommend the Z-Curve Bow.
Just warn your neighbours first.
£19.99
Check out other cool things from re:creation at www.recreationltd.co.uk