On the spritz
A dank and rainy weekend didn't, um, dampen the spirits of our youthful aquakids, who tested the newest drippers and drenchers for pool and backyard pleasure.
SOAKER
A.R.M. 4000 XL
(aka Aquatic Revenge Machine) Ohio Art, $30, ages 8 and up
WATER WORKS
A big gun straps to one arm; a backpack holds 2 liters of H2O for dousing pals on the run.
ALL WET?
A tiny tester couldn't work the gun, but kids with bigger biceps played five hours straight.
SOAKER
Storm 2100
Jakks Pacific, $20, ages 8 and up
WATER WORKS
Shoots two streams of water from separate canisters.
ALL WET?
A sticky pump but great results: "It shot far and powerful, and I loved the spray."
SOAKER
Battle Boogie
Wham-O, $17, ages 5 and up
WATER WORKS
Don't just float in the water; spray it on others with this boogie board's blaster.
ALL WET?
The sturdy toy made a splash with testers. But you get a stream, not a spurt, of water.
SOAKER
Waterball SL 175
Wild Planet Toys, $15, ages 6 and up
WATER WORKS
Instead of a steady stream, this oddly shaped toy shoots perfect spheres of water.
ALL WET?
Noisy and leaky but lots of fun. (And parents won't mind grape-size waterballs.)
This story appears in the June 9, 2003 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.