NERF N-FORCE Thunder Fury and Shadow Fury
Oct 1, 2010 14:28:24 GMT
Post by LiamBoyle on Oct 1, 2010 14:28:24 GMT
Introduction:
As many of you know, I'm the father of a fairly young child, and my son - like his dad - loves swords. He will go on and on about swords, constantly asking me "What sword is that?" showing me the toy swords that go with his pirate and knight action figures, or pointing to the weapon of my character in whatever video game I happen to be playing. My wife goes to far as to say my son is "obsessive / compulsive" about swords and bladed objects. I have no idea where he gets such behavior
Anyway, I have gone through dozens of the the dollar store foam rubber rapiers, cutlasses, and daggers only to have them destroyed in a single sword fight with my son. I made a lucky find about a year ago when I spotted a completely flexible foam rubber cutlass at Target for $6, and that one has lasted quite some time, although it is finally getting worn out. I have been debating making something for the little one out of dowel or PVC and pipe insulation, but he's still a bit too wild and hyper for anything that rigid. About a year ago NERF came out with their N-Force series: medieval weapons with today's modern NERF warrior in mind. After much debate, and work on correcting some behavior issues my son had, and finally going against my wife's wishes (I'll be sleeping on the couch for a while for this one) I purchased two of the NERF N-Force swords yesterday.
The N-Force swords originally retailed for about $14.99 each and there was a two pack available for $27.99. The local Target had them in stock for $10.09 each so both swords ran me just over $20. These two are the Thunder Fury (Yellow Handle) and Shadow Fury (Blue Handle). The N-Force series also Includes the Marauder Longsword and Warlock Battle Axe. (My son wants the axe next) Both of those run around the $20-$25 mark: $19.99 each at the local Target.
Historical Overview
Looking at the NERF swords, these are not meant to represent any specific type of sword, but rather are complete fantasy pieces. The "Chisel" tip on the Thunder Fury is not represented in any type of sword I am familiar with, but might be influenced by the Japanese Katana and Tantos. The handles are actually slightly reminiscent of light sabers more than real sword components. However, since these are toys for children trying to hold them to any degree of historical accuracy is well, pointless. The idea here is fun fantasy.
Initial Impressions
The selection at the local Target was not the greatest. The N-Force swords had been on sale for $9 about two weeks previous (unfortunately I was not able to purchase them at that time) and the store was still pretty well wiped out. There was one Shadow Fury left on the shelf and it had a minor scrape on the flat of the blade. The were a few Thunder Fury swords to sort through and it took a bit of looking to find a good one.
The swords do not come boxed but rather in the cardboard fold ups shown in the above pictures. I will give Hasbro credit for using minimum packaging (cardboard, some wire ties, and three plastic sleeves that were placed under the wire) to eliminate any needless waste. However, this minimum packaging does allow the blades to get scuffed up a bit during shipping so I recommend going to a local retailer to see what you are getting to those interested in picking these up.
The recommended age for these toys is 6 and up. Mind you my son is a bit younger than that, but it was explained to him that these are to be only used with adult supervision. There is a warning directly on the blades of the swords that reads: "Do not poke of jab at people on animals. Use away from breakable objects." So apparently a Zornhau or Oberhau at the cats is fine, but a "Ci" thrust when sparring with daddy in a no-no. My personal recommendation - do not let the kiddos use unsupervised unless you want every breakable in the house broken, but on the whole these things look pretty safe for kids of all ages.
Statistics
Stats on both swords are the same:
Overall Length: 32" (81.28cm)
Blade Length: 24" (60.96cm)
Handle Length: 8" (20.32cm) this is the total for hilt, handle, and pommel
Grip length: 6" (15cm)
Weight: my best guess is a couple of ounces, maybe half a pound at most.
In the pics I am also showing my 35.5" practice jian as a comparison. The NERF swords both have 1.25" blade widths with no profile taper. The edges of both NERF swords are .5" wide with no distal taper. This actually makes sense from a safety perspective as nice wide edges make for well padded hits. The edges at the points of the swords are just as wide so thrusts can be delivered just as safely as cuts. There is plenty of room on the grip for an 30-something adult to put his hand on, and the NERF swords function like a short Jian or rapier. The blades have hard rubber cores, which makes them stiff with a moderate amount of flex.
Now, balance - I'll let the following pics speak for themselves:
The balance point on these is a good 6.5" out from the hilts. These things feel very blade heavy in the hand despite being so light weight. This does make the swords feel just a bit awkward if you are trying to actual sword techniques. Point control also suffers a bit with the forward balance point. I can land a fairly accurate thrust with these but it takes some concentration and practice.
Components
The NERF N-Force fury swords are basically the single piece type construction that is expected. There is a seam visible along the edges where the two halves were joined at the factory, but the blades, hilts, and pommels are all part of the same molding. This is also a point of complaint, the hilt on the Thunder Fury (yellow handle) is a bit overly mushy and can't block an incoming blade very well. The hilt on the Shadow Fury is a bit more substantial, though.
Handling Characteristics
As I mentioned in the statistics section, these have a very forward balance point which does adversely affect the handling. The NERF Fury swords don't track very well in the thrusts, and tend to over swing making recovery a bit more difficult. The light weight also means these things handle more like my walking cane than an actual sword. These will however make a nice "whoosh" or "whirrrr" when swung so you can actually begin to learn to judge edge alignment with them by listening to the sound.
Now, the fun part - you FEEL IT when you get tagged with the NERF swords. Nothing that would leave a bruise, mind you but you can feel the impact when you get hit with these. Glancing hits, full hits - you can tell the difference with these. My son definitely let my legs and hand a bit on the sore side when daddy wasn't fast enough with the parry. The semi-stiff core means these swords actually bind and wind like a sword is supposed to. If two people are using the NERF Fury swords there is no powering through the opponents guard. Thrusts tell you your short comings in defense. Two light but firm thrusts to the chest had my son debating the wisdom of sword fighting with daddy. Daddy is not going to mention where he got tagged, but I definitely felt it - oh, did I feel it.
After a good hour of sword fighting with the little one going all out the NERF Fury swords showed no wear and tear at all. The dollar store counterparts would have been well and truly broken at this point. Further durability reports will be forthcoming in the future.
Test Cutting
Does Not Apply to the NERF N-Force products. If you cut anything more substantial than warm butter (not recommended, to hard to clean) with these, there is a problem.
Conclusion
Pros:
- more sword like than many other toy swords
- durable, they passed the four year old test - I can only hope the cats forgive me for getting them for my son.
- safe for sparring with little to no protective gear
Cons:
- more expensive than the dollar store variety
- hilt on Thunder Fury could have been more substantial
- balance could have been improved
I bought these just to play with my son, and they serve admirably for that purpose. The durability is the main issues here and the NERF N-Force Fury swords have it in good measure. For fun free play these are great. There's really not much more I can say here. My son loves them, and daddy can't help having a smile on his face when the two of us a squaring off against each other. These are simply fun toys. These are not meant to be serious training tools and while a limited amount of sword training can be accomplished with them that really isn't the point.
In short, I would strongly recommend these to another parent whose child had an interest in swords. They are really fun, and physical injury does not have to be a major worry. I make no claims about the continued safety of any inanimate breakables, however. If you don't mind spending time playing with your kids, these are great. I would not let children use them unsupervised for the safety of the a fore mentioned breakables though.
Liam B
As many of you know, I'm the father of a fairly young child, and my son - like his dad - loves swords. He will go on and on about swords, constantly asking me "What sword is that?" showing me the toy swords that go with his pirate and knight action figures, or pointing to the weapon of my character in whatever video game I happen to be playing. My wife goes to far as to say my son is "obsessive / compulsive" about swords and bladed objects. I have no idea where he gets such behavior
Anyway, I have gone through dozens of the the dollar store foam rubber rapiers, cutlasses, and daggers only to have them destroyed in a single sword fight with my son. I made a lucky find about a year ago when I spotted a completely flexible foam rubber cutlass at Target for $6, and that one has lasted quite some time, although it is finally getting worn out. I have been debating making something for the little one out of dowel or PVC and pipe insulation, but he's still a bit too wild and hyper for anything that rigid. About a year ago NERF came out with their N-Force series: medieval weapons with today's modern NERF warrior in mind. After much debate, and work on correcting some behavior issues my son had, and finally going against my wife's wishes (I'll be sleeping on the couch for a while for this one) I purchased two of the NERF N-Force swords yesterday.
The N-Force swords originally retailed for about $14.99 each and there was a two pack available for $27.99. The local Target had them in stock for $10.09 each so both swords ran me just over $20. These two are the Thunder Fury (Yellow Handle) and Shadow Fury (Blue Handle). The N-Force series also Includes the Marauder Longsword and Warlock Battle Axe. (My son wants the axe next) Both of those run around the $20-$25 mark: $19.99 each at the local Target.
Historical Overview
Looking at the NERF swords, these are not meant to represent any specific type of sword, but rather are complete fantasy pieces. The "Chisel" tip on the Thunder Fury is not represented in any type of sword I am familiar with, but might be influenced by the Japanese Katana and Tantos. The handles are actually slightly reminiscent of light sabers more than real sword components. However, since these are toys for children trying to hold them to any degree of historical accuracy is well, pointless. The idea here is fun fantasy.
Initial Impressions
The selection at the local Target was not the greatest. The N-Force swords had been on sale for $9 about two weeks previous (unfortunately I was not able to purchase them at that time) and the store was still pretty well wiped out. There was one Shadow Fury left on the shelf and it had a minor scrape on the flat of the blade. The were a few Thunder Fury swords to sort through and it took a bit of looking to find a good one.
The swords do not come boxed but rather in the cardboard fold ups shown in the above pictures. I will give Hasbro credit for using minimum packaging (cardboard, some wire ties, and three plastic sleeves that were placed under the wire) to eliminate any needless waste. However, this minimum packaging does allow the blades to get scuffed up a bit during shipping so I recommend going to a local retailer to see what you are getting to those interested in picking these up.
The recommended age for these toys is 6 and up. Mind you my son is a bit younger than that, but it was explained to him that these are to be only used with adult supervision. There is a warning directly on the blades of the swords that reads: "Do not poke of jab at people on animals. Use away from breakable objects." So apparently a Zornhau or Oberhau at the cats is fine, but a "Ci" thrust when sparring with daddy in a no-no. My personal recommendation - do not let the kiddos use unsupervised unless you want every breakable in the house broken, but on the whole these things look pretty safe for kids of all ages.
Statistics
Stats on both swords are the same:
Overall Length: 32" (81.28cm)
Blade Length: 24" (60.96cm)
Handle Length: 8" (20.32cm) this is the total for hilt, handle, and pommel
Grip length: 6" (15cm)
Weight: my best guess is a couple of ounces, maybe half a pound at most.
In the pics I am also showing my 35.5" practice jian as a comparison. The NERF swords both have 1.25" blade widths with no profile taper. The edges of both NERF swords are .5" wide with no distal taper. This actually makes sense from a safety perspective as nice wide edges make for well padded hits. The edges at the points of the swords are just as wide so thrusts can be delivered just as safely as cuts. There is plenty of room on the grip for an 30-something adult to put his hand on, and the NERF swords function like a short Jian or rapier. The blades have hard rubber cores, which makes them stiff with a moderate amount of flex.
Now, balance - I'll let the following pics speak for themselves:
The balance point on these is a good 6.5" out from the hilts. These things feel very blade heavy in the hand despite being so light weight. This does make the swords feel just a bit awkward if you are trying to actual sword techniques. Point control also suffers a bit with the forward balance point. I can land a fairly accurate thrust with these but it takes some concentration and practice.
Components
The NERF N-Force fury swords are basically the single piece type construction that is expected. There is a seam visible along the edges where the two halves were joined at the factory, but the blades, hilts, and pommels are all part of the same molding. This is also a point of complaint, the hilt on the Thunder Fury (yellow handle) is a bit overly mushy and can't block an incoming blade very well. The hilt on the Shadow Fury is a bit more substantial, though.
Handling Characteristics
As I mentioned in the statistics section, these have a very forward balance point which does adversely affect the handling. The NERF Fury swords don't track very well in the thrusts, and tend to over swing making recovery a bit more difficult. The light weight also means these things handle more like my walking cane than an actual sword. These will however make a nice "whoosh" or "whirrrr" when swung so you can actually begin to learn to judge edge alignment with them by listening to the sound.
Now, the fun part - you FEEL IT when you get tagged with the NERF swords. Nothing that would leave a bruise, mind you but you can feel the impact when you get hit with these. Glancing hits, full hits - you can tell the difference with these. My son definitely let my legs and hand a bit on the sore side when daddy wasn't fast enough with the parry. The semi-stiff core means these swords actually bind and wind like a sword is supposed to. If two people are using the NERF Fury swords there is no powering through the opponents guard. Thrusts tell you your short comings in defense. Two light but firm thrusts to the chest had my son debating the wisdom of sword fighting with daddy. Daddy is not going to mention where he got tagged, but I definitely felt it - oh, did I feel it.
After a good hour of sword fighting with the little one going all out the NERF Fury swords showed no wear and tear at all. The dollar store counterparts would have been well and truly broken at this point. Further durability reports will be forthcoming in the future.
Test Cutting
Does Not Apply to the NERF N-Force products. If you cut anything more substantial than warm butter (not recommended, to hard to clean) with these, there is a problem.
Conclusion
Pros:
- more sword like than many other toy swords
- durable, they passed the four year old test - I can only hope the cats forgive me for getting them for my son.
- safe for sparring with little to no protective gear
Cons:
- more expensive than the dollar store variety
- hilt on Thunder Fury could have been more substantial
- balance could have been improved
I bought these just to play with my son, and they serve admirably for that purpose. The durability is the main issues here and the NERF N-Force Fury swords have it in good measure. For fun free play these are great. There's really not much more I can say here. My son loves them, and daddy can't help having a smile on his face when the two of us a squaring off against each other. These are simply fun toys. These are not meant to be serious training tools and while a limited amount of sword training can be accomplished with them that really isn't the point.
In short, I would strongly recommend these to another parent whose child had an interest in swords. They are really fun, and physical injury does not have to be a major worry. I make no claims about the continued safety of any inanimate breakables, however. If you don't mind spending time playing with your kids, these are great. I would not let children use them unsupervised for the safety of the a fore mentioned breakables though.
Liam B