I was a Nerf kid. Had a ton of them growing up. As an adult, the first thing that caught my eye were the Rival blasters, and I’ve got a couple of those. They’re a ton of fun. Somehow, years later, I came across gel blasters, and I was intrigued by the idea of Nerf teaming up with this new category. While I’ve looked at other gel blasters, the Novey Red Viper stood out due to its design and the lower FPS, which seemed more suitable for playing with people younger than myself.
Yes, the gel beads sting a little, and soft spots may leave a mark, but not for long, and the sting is gone within seconds. Eye protection is definitely a must, but overall, it’s great fun and gives you just the right amount of excitement. It’s as accurate as any Nerf blaster I’ve used, and it has enough range and precision to make it enjoyable. Maybe there are some other blasters out there that shoot faster, but this one hits the sweet spot for me.
I went with the Novey Red Viper because it’s a well-known brand I trust. It’s built really well, and the size is just right for me—I'm tall with long arms. I will say that the single fire is a little slow, but full auto is where this blaster shines, which is exactly what I was looking for. The battery feature is great too. If you haven’t checked that out, it’s worth looking into. The blaster also has a nice feature where the bolt stays closed to prevent multi-ball feeding, which works well.
I’ve heard of some feed issues with other gel blasters, but so far, I haven’t run into anything that would cause a problem while I’m running around. It works as expected. I’d love to see more models in the future, though. A fix to the hopper system could make things even better. There are other blasters with solid magazines that feed really well. Maybe a rifle with adjustable range and burst fire could be awesome. The glowing feature could be cool too—maybe use the rail in front of the hopper for an LED light to charge the hopper. Honestly, that rail feels like it could be more useful.
My only minor gripe is the “pro” label they’ve attached to this model. While it performs well, I feel like it could use a few more pro-level features for the price. Maybe that’s why it’s priced this way. Either way, I’m happy with my purchase, and I’m sure I’ll keep an eye out for the next model. If it’s around $50-$60, that’d be more ideal, but it’s still worth the price, and I don’t regret it.
In the end, the Red Viper is a lot of fun. If you enjoy Nerf and like how this blaster looks, it’s worth getting. It’ll definitely get you and your friends or family outdoors and having a great time.