Nerf once again gives us a fun, quality toy at an affordable price.
While searching the aisles of the Target toy section for suitable gifts for my six year old son, my husband and I happened across the Nerf Action Blasters Big Bad Bow.
Of course, being the Mom that I am I automatically think, “Do I really want to have to dodge all the flying missiles while I am going about my daily chores?” What is going to get broken and who is going to get their eye shot out with it?
My husband being the more practical one, was like cool a bow that shoots really big arrows.
The Big Bad Bow comes with six foam arrows that are simply huge. This is a plus with Nerf arrows, the smaller ones become almost impossible to find once the kids shoot them off. The BIg BAd Bow arrows are red and black and are about six or seven inches long. They are sturdy, they aren’t getting bent and broke easily and they are highly visible. They have blunt ends and no harm has come to anyone of the family who has been “shot” with them.
The box states only available at Target, but I have found places online to order them. Target, Amazon and eBay all had them listed for sale. The Toys R Us Canada site lists them as an exclusive there so maybe they have their own version of packaging and stuff that is just for them in their country.
The gun works on a pull launch. No pumping up, just pull back to cock and shoot. The trigger is set up so you can shoot with one hand and hold the handle with the other. Very stable and makes for good aiming. My son is only six, so he uses his feet to pull the bow back. It is not actually that hard to draw back for older children or adults.
Recommended age is 8 to 10 years old. My six year old loves it and it is completely appropriate for him. I don’t consider ten to be the top age though. My fourteen year old likes it just as much as his younger brother, but I think my husband loves it more than all of them!
The product does require minimal assembly. It wasn’t extremely difficult to put together, but no instructions were included, so we were left to figure out where to lace the strings through.
The product photo on the box shows the bow. It looks cool and you are thinking it works on the same principles that a cross bow or a bow does. Pull back, there is tension and the projectile is shot off from the string letting go. You may be slightly disappointed to find out that the actual bow design and the string and pulleys are just for looks. The gun locks back into place and the string is not key in launching the arrows.
This is actually pretty practical though. The bows we have bought the kids previously that used the string to launch were difficult for them to use because the string would invariably slip, sending projectiles off at all kinds of crazy angles or not working at all.
Range of the Big Bad Bow is 40 feet. The arrows will fall just like regular bows with gravity so you have to adjust and aim a bit higher than what you are shooting at if you are at a longer distance.
Looking at the product overall, pricing, safety, fun factor; I would have to recommend the product wholeheartedly. Neither purchaser or receiver will be disappointed with this toy.
