Wanted: Super Soaker CPSs

[Goldfish4209]

EDIT: changing the topic...

Now the problem isn't how to get, it's which to get.

I'm looking for a blaster that is:
1. Affordable--I've read Drenchenator's post and I know I won't get away with a rip-off price, but I know not all CPS are super-expensive. In other words, something that's around or below $30/40. (i'm quite sure there are several, i've seen a few)
2. more powerful than the CPS1000--I'm not looking for a Monster or anything, but something like a 1500.
3. The water gun is medium-size like a 1500 or 3000/3200 (the gun not the backpack). I don't want something huge like a CPS 2000 or a Monster XL, and these are more expensive anyway.

any recommendations or comments would be appreciated. thanks in advance

[Drenchenator]

I'm sorry, but I'm just going to have to quote an older topic I made about "Cheap" CPS Soakers. It still holds true.

It seems that recently many members are asking for "cheap" CPS soakers. But the fact of the matter is that CPS soakers are getting rarer and rarer now, and the prices (especially on eBay) are not low.

If you really want to buy some cheap CPS soakers, check around your neighborhood. Yards sales are great ways to get soakers, and some stores may even carry them (in fact, about a year ago Sports Authority was selling CPS 2100s for about 10 dollars, I bought one happily). If we knew where they were selling older water guns, you would know.

In the end, if you want CPS guns badly, you're going to need to pay up. I don't intent to be blunt or offensive, but I don't believe anyone on this forum is just going to sell a CPS gun for really cheap because when they know how much they could make otherwise.

[Ben]

Sadly there's nothing out there that meets what you're looking for. A homemade water gun made in sufficient numbers as to get some bulk discounts would work, but it's not pre-built. The Orca and Tiger Shark from Water Warriors are close to the power of a CPS 1000 and have some features that put them above the CPS 1000 like a nozzle selector and pressure gauge. The HydroBlitz from Super Soaker is large and somewhat powerful, but not very good overall.

This article explains what's available and basically duplicates what I said above: http://www.sscentral.org/faq/2008-water-guns.html

[Goldfish4209]

Originally Posted by Ben

Sadly there's nothing out there that meets what you're looking for.

do you mean in stores or on ebay? I don't think 1500s or 2100s are that expensive, are they?

[Silence]

The problem is they're not actually being produced anymore. And since modern water guns just can't compete, demand is rising as the supply is falling. So it's either cheap, weak soakers from the store or expensive, old Super Soakers from eBay.

[Ben]

Yes, I mean in stores. Nothing like those water guns are being sold in stores.

Some water guns are more expensive than others on eBay. I did a little study last year to figure out prices in summer and winter: http://www.sscentral.org/market/ebay.html

It's not complete but it's better than nothing. I also expect prices this year to be more than prices last year due to increasing rarity of these water guns. Water guns like the CPS 1000, CPS 1200, and CPS 2100 should go for $40 to $50 on average. While it's not extremely expensive, it's at least twice as much as those water guns cost in stores when they were being sold.

I don't think eBay is a good place to buy water guns because of the cost and increasing rarity of the water guns. While there might be 10+ bidders on a water gun, only one bidder gets the water gun, and those bidders are increasingly becoming collectors. I consider that counterproductive to promoting water guns but there's nothing you can do about it.

If you want older water guns I would suggest checking Freecycle, thrift stores, yard sales, flea markets, and other second hand markets. Alternatively, look for water guns during winter. They come up and are on average cost about half as much as they do in the summer. There will be less water guns sold during that period but there is so much less demand. Sniping auctions works best.

You should also look for broken water guns on eBay because most problems are easily repaired and the water gun will be a much better deal. Be sure to contact the seller to describe the problem so you know it can be repaired. Some problems are very hard or impossible to repair of course.

[Goldfish4209]

OK thanks for the advice.

I think, if Super Soaker wanted to target the younger audience because those guns sold better, they could have still kept a line of more powerful blasters for the older audience...Or even just 1 or 2 a year.

[Drenchenator]

1500s or 2100s aren't too expensive when compared to CPS 2000. When they were in stores, the prices were still a bit different, so nothing like 100 USD different. As Ben said, if you want cheap ones, wait around and attack when the time's right, winter that is.

[DX]

You can still find CPS 1200s and 1000s on Ebay sub-$35. For some reason, I have seen a lot staying low. It won't last, but that's your best bet for a "cheap" CPS. 2100's, even in the same mid-size group, are too hot to touch at the moment.

I recommend winter purchasing - this season has been terrible in terms of soaker inflation. Several guns broke $100 for the first time ever!