5 mistakes everyone makes with water blasters

The start of summer is now mere days away and, with the heat really ramping up, it's now once more time to break out the best water blasters and get soaking your friends and family. It's a great way to stay cool and have tons of fun!

However, from summers past I've learned a few painful lessons when using water blasters, most of which have left me high and dry (should that be low and wet?) in the art of water-based combat.

As such, here are the 5 biggest water blaster mistakes that I've made myself or experienced others making regularly. Follow these tips and you'll avoid your friend looking over your drenched remains shaking their head while saying "water way to go".

1. Not carrying extra water capacity

If I were to recommend one thing above anything else when engaging in the noble art of water blaster combat then it is to always have a back-up water supply.

This is really important as you don't want your enemy to be able to cut you off from the only water supply, such as the outdoor tap, by camping out near it.

By carrying on your person a separate water bottle, which can be as small as a 330ml fizzy drink bottle, you'll ensure you can refill when caught in a pinch.

As the last thing you want to do is get caught water-less (defenceless!) and face the prospect of a mega drenching surrender.

2. Aiming too horizontal when pulling the trigger

Another classic mistake I see a lot in water gun fights is people aiming to horizontally. Remember, just like real ammo you'll see your projectile (in this case a stream of water) drop due to gravity, so if your target is anywhere but right up close then I suggest aiming artificially high each time. This will help correct the water stream's drop. When firing from distance I look to aim for a person's neck, as that way by the time the water gets to the target, it will have chance to hit the biggest surface area, which is their chest and stomach.

3. Not learning your water blaster's range

This mistake is kind-of tied to the last one. Not knowing your water blaster's range is a critical mistake as it will mean that you will waste water on shots that were never going to connect. It can also leave you exposed, as you can move to fire, miss due to lack of range, and then get hit yourself, with the enemy better understanding how far they can spew H2O. The flip side of this situation can also cause you problems, getting needlessly too close and exposed when you could of made your shot from safety.

4. Not firing in bursts

I know that the temptation with a water blaster is to reign watery doom on your foes with extreme prejudice, unloading tanks over the vanquished, but again I would advise caution. Firing in bursts not only preserves water, which as noted higher up is very important (especially in longer games), but also allows for more accurate shooting in my opinion. Indeed, some water blasters even have burst firing built in to their shooting mechanism. And, talking of which...

5. Forgetting battery powered guns exist

The most common water gun type on the market is pump action, and these weapons are cheap and effective to use. Others, like the SpyraTwo Water Blaster, though, are electric and use batteries to automate the firing mechanism. These water guns obviously tend to cost more than the pump variety but do have their own benefits, notably in terms of burst firing and reload speeds. The SpyraTwo, for example, has a tank capable of 22 water rounds, which are fired automatically without any pumping required. Electrically-powered water guns also tend to have a longer range, with the SpyraTwo capable of firing up to 50 feet (15 meters!).