Foam From Above: Nerf N-Strike Rayven CS-18!

Not particularly timely, but as some readers know Nerf sent me a Rayven CS-18 to have a look at. It comes with 18 Firefly tech streamlines, Firefly tech magazine, and the blaster, all for $29.99 at most stores.

First, it comes in a pretty sweet bright green paintjob. I haven't checked it under a black light yet, but I imagine it would come out very well. Besides that, the magwell is situated behind the trigger in the "bullpup" configuration. As a former Counterstrike addict, the first pic is the first thing I wanted to do when I got it. Steyr-Aug :)

Which brings me to my next point, the blaster is super comfy to hold! Even one-handed, the "stock" rests well against my shoulder, and the triggers are easy to reach. Clearly, whether you want to use this as a rifle or a pistol, you're in good condition either way. The magazine release is that little orange button right by the magwell, unlike previous N-strike blasters that had the mag release by the trigger or somewhere similar.

Range-wise, you're still look anywhere between 20'-30', depending on the quality of your darts loaded. I did notice that using orange streamlines tended to fire shorter than the Firefly tech white darts. The blaster wins hands-down though on comfort to hold, and ease to carry. If you find the 18 round straight magazine a little too clumsy for you, I suggest using the 18 round drum. If you insist on using the 35 drum, I wouldn't suggest combining it with this blaster. Sure the amount of shots is great, but it really counteracts what I think is the main utility of the Rayven, which is portability. Better to save the big drums for the bigger blasters. I don't even like using a 35 round drum on the Alpha Trooper.

Is it worth the price? I think it's worth adding to any arsenal. It's another flywheel blaster, but the Barricade proved that the concept works how Nerf does it, and even moreso that you have a faster reload with a magazine system. On top of that, the glow darts and Firefly tech are pretty gimmicky, but in a good way. I like to think of tracer rounds or laser bolts firing when I've tested the Firefly mag, and the darts are surprisingly brighter than I originally thought they would be for the blaster. Definitely worth a look, but just make sure on the quality of the ammo, as that especially counts for the Nerf N-Strike Rayven CS-18!