StratoLauncher IV Water Rocket Launcher + StratoFins

This is a very nice, high-quality set. It's a bit pricey, so I held off purchasing this for quite some time, but with the recent hot weather, this is a great treat for playing at the park with my son. The video directions could use a slight correction since the release cable was a bit tricky to attach they way it was shown... it was much easier to attach the cable on the base end first and then to the hand caliper. Also, the release cable holder on the base was also pre-attached upside down, so that had to be reattached properly using a tiny hex wrench. Otherwise, a very nice high-quality water rocket launcher. Our maiden launch at 90 PSI took our 1-liter bottle to amazing heights... we almost lost our rocket since we weren't in a large enough space for recovery. Make sure you only use this in a very large, wide open space such as a large park or field. Fun to watch for kids 5 and up. This is a great toy and can be educational for older kids 12 and up if you discuss the principles of propulsion and use some simple tools to calculate the height at apogee. NASA has a nice little website where you can print-out materials to create tools to do just that. Due to the higher air pressures this kit can attain, it is best actually operated by older kids 13+ under adult supervision or by adults. Have fun!

This is a blast. Get a battery operated pump and have at it all day. Safe for kids and great fun for all.

Maybe it's not a kid's toy, but it sure was fun for all of us. I will say that taking the time to make a decent parachute or 2 will help preserve the fins. Or buy a parachute for a big estes model rocket. We made our own nose cones, out of poster board, in stead of another bottle. This made it fly straight and High. The poster board also allows the nose cone to easily separate, releasing the parachute. If you are able to find your way around a tool box, and basic home repairs, then this will be easy to put together. I didn't even read the instructions, and it worked perfectly.

This thing is a blast to launch. It goes so high you need to be careful with the winds at higher altitude because I’ve launched this straight up from the center of a soccer field and had it land in someone’s yard due to my wind velocity undercalculation. My only complaint is the fins break easily upon impact with the ground. I keep supergluing them back together which lasts a few launches and then the same spot breaks off again. Worth ordering an extra set of fins.

This is my second rocket launcher. The first one was excellent. Unfortunately, I moved classrooms several times over the past year and misplaced it. I purchased this new one for my SECME club. Assembly was a challenge because it didn't ever feel like the threading was quite right. The screw for the base cannot be tightened all the way, so it spins. Next, I had trouble getting the cable to attach. After watching their trouble shooting video, I realized they had mounted the screw on cable lock upside down, which was why the cable was short. Finally having that connected, I couldn't get the clamp on cable stop to stay in place. If I tightened it, the hose Q release wouldn't move. If I loosened it, it would just slip down. There was no "sweet spot". I am so disappointed because I know how great this launcher could be and my students would have loved it!

Works good until you run out of adaptors due to trees but thats no fault of the product.

We purchased this for a Cub Scout event and the boys loved the activity and the launcher worked well, especially when we figured out the water to psi ratio. For this, I highly recommend this product.The only negative is that one of our bottles flew off into the woods, and landed in a tree. We were unable to find the rocket in the woods, and when we came back online to purchase just the fins and the black adapter that fits on the bottom of the fins, and it appears that we cannot purchase the adapter. Meaning we need to search for a suitable substitute or potentially purchase an entire new launcher for an inexpensive piece of plastic, which is frustrating.

Toy is awesome. We use it for hours. Not the easiest to assemble and one part was upside down drom mfg requiring i think a T10 to remedy. Designed great. I have my 3 year old pull the trigger to blast the rockets to the sky.