So you have to leave the Slingfire in a “minus one” dart scenario in order to keep from leaving it primed.

This is kind of an odd design decision, since the instruction manual encourages the user not to leave the Slingfire primed when not in use, but in order to load the clip back into the blaster, the lever has to be moved such that the Slingfire is then primed. One other quick note–the clip remains locked and will not release unless the priming lever is fully forward and the clip release tab is depressed. This firing preparation requires the lever to be ratcheted forward of the trigger to a point just past perpendicular with the blaster body until a more distinct “click” is heard and a stronger resistance is felt. We also found that the handle grip falls right to hand, as one would expect from a Nerf product, and it’s easy to hold the blaster with either one hand or two. We expect all but very young children should be able to hold the Slingfire, though the lever-action priming will be tricky for smaller users. The trigger area is free from obstructions, the built-in iron sights are adequate, there’s a single tactical rail up-top, and strap mounting points are present (but limited to just two). This is really one of the better-looking, more interesting designs we’ve seen in a long time.Įrgonomically, the Zombie Strike Slingfire has a pleasingly lightweight feel, with an overall size that is neither too big, nor too small. Yes, there may have been some inspiration taken from the nearly decade-old Buzz Bee Rapid Fire Tek lever-action rifle, but the Slingfire looks much less like a toy than that model, and more like something hand-built for use as a movie prop. Although it may not be evident at first, it’s clear that the designers at Hasbro put some thought into this blaster’s aesthetic components, and it really helps bring the zombie blasting fantasy that much closer to reality.

These somewhat disparate elements are put together to a higher standard than we’ve seen from competing products–or even most of Nerf’s own products. In addition, there are numerous textures and molds that really help bring the “zombie wasteland” feel to life. We counted no less than 7 different shades of plastic and/or paint colors used to create the Slingfire’s unique look, and unlike many blasters (including some from Nerf), it actually looks good on both sides. While the Slingfire hits all the right notes with packaging design and branding, it’s leading a virtual chorus when it comes to the blaster’s industrial design. If the target market is teenage and young-adult males, Nerf hit this one right on the mark. The box graphics are a pleasing mix of Zombie horror-light combined with fun, anime-esque character design. And what they see is sure to please–the Slingfire looks like little else on the blaster market today, with a sawed-off, lever-action, post-apocalyptic vibe that fits right in with the current pop culture zombie craze. The Nerf Zombie Strike Slingfire comes in the now-familiar Zombie Strike packaging that exposes a large portion of the blaster for buyers to glimpse the actual product on the shelf.

Can a cool-looking blaster with a unique reloading action cut-it when it comes to anything beyond just looking good? Is the flashy Slingfire built to be something more than a stylish flash in the pan? But now that the Slingfire is out in the wild, the reality of its design hits home. Ever since we first laid eyes on the flipping, spinning lever-action reload, we just knew this one would be a crowd-pleaser. Along with the newly released Nerf Elite Demolisher 2-in-1, the Nerf Zombie Strike Slingfire is undoubtedly one of this year’s most highly sought-after new blasters from Hasbro.

Nerf zombie strike sledgefire blaster