This could be news to some of you but Nerf also designs and manufactures crossbow blasters to diversify your nerf arsenal. Crossbows have been crucial historically in winning many epic battles, but after the advent of modern weaponry, they seemed to have lost their relevance. But thanks to Daryl Dixon of The Walking Dead series, these Nerf Crossbows have become extremely popular among Nerfers nowadays. Daryl exemplified how a silent but deadly dart from a crossbow could be a lethal blow to the undead, and he made it look so cool. Now thanks to Nerf crossbows you too can slay your opponents in style.
Notably, Nerf designed crossbow blasters in many different series ranging from the Elite to the Zombie series. Also, these blasters and Nerf crossbows have become really popular among girls, all thanks to Katniss Everdeen. Rightly the Nerf Rebelle series has seen the introduction of multiple archery based blasters for girls, with attractive chick decals. Here we have listed our top favorite Nerf crossbows in these three series for you to select your pick.
Nerf Zombie Strike Wrathbolt (2018)
Nerf released the Wrathbolt in 2018 as a follow-up and a sibling for the Zombie Strike Dreadbolt. The Wrathbolt is a smaller and simplified version of the Dreadbolt.
Looks and Features: Let’s start with the similarities. Like the Dreadbolt, the Nerf Zombie Strike Wrathbolt also is a string powered crossbow without any other spring mechanisms. It fires the same Nerf Whistling arrows. And the design elements and color scheme perfectly align with the Zombie Strike theme. The Wrathbolt also looks like a post-apocalyptic survivor whipped up in a garage. There is even a mini plastic saw that seems to hold the handle and body together.
As much as it is inspired by the Dreadbolt, the Nerf Zombie Strike Wrathbolt is its own little blaster. It's quite small and is easier to fire it with one hand. The package comes with only two arrows, and there are no slots to store the arrow on the body of the blaster. There are no tactical rails anywhere, so modifications and attachments are not possible.
Performance, Pros, and Cons: Surprisingly the Wrathbolt performs quite better than other crossbows that are sling-powered. It shoots the arrow quite faster and further than the Dreadbolt. So performance is silent and smooth as you would expect from a crossbow. The Wrathbolt would make a great secondary weapon for support in your nerf wars but its pricing also speaks for it. As for cons, there is nothing much to pinpoint as this Nerf Crossbow is small, simple, and effective.
Nerf Zombie Strike Dreadbolt (2017)
The Nerf Dreadbolt from the Nerf Zombie Strike series looks quite intimidating in terms of its size. Most other Nerf Crossbow fire the regular Nerf darts, but the Dreadbolt is different. It fires the Nerf Whistling Arrow. It is a much larger projectile than the Nerf dart, as can be seen from the blaster image. Still, the Dreadbolt carries some resemblance to another Nerf crossbow in the Zombie Strike series. The Outbreaker bow. Not only is the color theme exactly similar, but this blaster also projects something of a makeshift design. It appears to be created in a shed with random tools like pipes, bolts, and even a wrench. And interestingly the wrench is the priming handle for this blaster!
Features: The Nerf Dreadbolt crossbow employs an actual crossbow string to fire the Nerf bolts/arrows instead of a spring-action. The wrench handle has to be pulled down and backward to prime the blaster. Then an arrow can be pushed into the muzzle. Once the arrow is properly locked, there is an indicator that tells you when you’re ready to fire the arrow.
There is a tactical rail at the top where you can attach any N-strike attachments. One green scope is provided along with the blaster, but it is a rather simple one with neither magnification nor a red dot. The stock at the rear end is good and sturdy and allows you to hold, aim, and fire the blaster accurately. There are also five slots on top of the muzzle where you can store additional arrows so that you can quickly reload the crossbow.
Performance, Pros, and Cons: Pros of this blaster include its size, and add-ons like the scope, storage slots, and the overall look and feel of the blaster. But the performance is the con for the Deadbolt. It isn’t on par with other Zombie Strike blasters and the arrow speeds are less than 60 feet per second.
The Nerf Dreadbolt will be a good option for any Nerfer who is into repainting blasters or using them for cosplays. But simply for the purpose of real Nerf battles, this crossbow won’t cut it.
Nerf Rebelle AccuStrike ComBow (2017)
The AccuStrike Combow is a unique double treat. It is a Rebelle themed Crossbow that combines two blasters in a single package both firing Accustrike darts. The box comes with one primary blaster, a detachable crossbow blaster, and eight purple Accustrike darts. Both blasters are manual and spring powered and the bow-string in itself doesn’t add to the firing mechanism.
Looks and features: The blaster is Rebelle themed with familiar colors and decals. A wide gamut of colors ranging from blue, purple, yellow, black, and orange have been used in the paint job. The core blaster has a stock, a trigger, a priming handle, and a regular tactical rail onto which the bow blaster is to be attached. The bow blaster has its own priming handle which is fastened to the bow-string.
Once the bow blaster is attached, both the blasters can be primed at a time and fired together or individually using the two-stage trigger. Half pull fires the upper blaster while a complete pull fires both.
Performance: Each of the two blasters can load up to four darts in the front but fire one by one. Combow can also fire elite darts. Being a dual crossbow setup, the performance is slightly below par with muzzle velocities around 60 feet per second for both blasters.
Pros and Cons: High value for money as we get two nerf crossbows for the cost of one. There are absolutely no jams as the darts are fired through a smart air restrictor and there are no magazines. We couldn’t think of any cons except for a slight drop in power.
Nerf Zombie Strike Outbreaker Bow (2017)
Say hello to the newest addition to the family of Nerf Crossbows. The Nerf Zombie Strike Outbreaker Bow. It is made to look like something that you cooked up in your garage while zombies banged on your door. The package comes with a blaster, an attachable bow, and five Zombie themed darts. This is the second crossbow to be released in the Zombie Series, which tries to bring in a truly apocalyptic design to the blaster.
Looks: We can appreciate the effort from Nerf to actually manufacture a blaster that looks close to a makeshift crossbow you devised during an emergency. But whether it looks cool or not is totally up to your perception. The blaster grip is a plastic replica of pliers, while the primer looks like the handles of a pair of scissors. The entire blaster looks to be made of nuts and bolts standing out, but it’s all in green and plastic. The colors are true to the Zombie Strike series, though.
Performance: Performance is slightly below par with muzzle velocities reaching up to 65 fps. But the operation of the blaster, priming, and shooting is very smooth. Also, this gun being cylinder fed will never jam.
Pros and Cons: The pros come in the form of ease of use and the detailed design. Also since the Nerf Outbreaker Bow is cylinder fed, it’s fast and easy to reload and get back at your enemies. The Nerf Outbreaker Bow is also the cheapest Nerf crossbow at the time of writing this article.
Cons maybe the small reduction in the speed of darts and range. And the design and ergonomics may not appeal to some. Other than this, the Nerf Outbreaker Bow is a solid competitor and a high value for money Nerf Crossbow.
Star Wars Nerf Episode VII Chewbacca Bowcaster(2016)
Jump into an epic adventure with the Chewbacca Bowcaster Nerf blaster, released in 2015 to celebrate Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens!
The Bowcaster is a great choice for anyone who wants a realistic crossbow experience in a foam dart blaster. Its single-fire action adds to the overall feel of using a crossbow, while the 5-dart clip and 65-foot range ensure that you'll be able to hit your targets from a distance. Reloading is easy; simply pull back the string and load your darts. The tactical rail and strap points provide additional customization options, while the dart holder accessory ensures that you'll always have extra ammo at your fingertips. Whether you're a fan of foam dart battles or just looking for a fun and unique way to target practice, the Bowcaster is sure to impress.
Nerf Rebelle Charmed Fair Fortune Crossbow( 2015)
The Fair Fortune Crossbow is a one-of-a-kind Nerf blaster that stands out among others. Released in 2015 as part of the Charmed sub-series, it resembles a crossbow and is powered by a string. The blaster features a six-dart cylinder that is partly encased by its shell, giving it an original look. The package includes six Charmed Darts, a charm bracelet, two charms, and instructions for easy use. Moreover, it boasts a firing range of up to seventy-five feet, making it ideal for outdoor activities. This impressive range is achieved by its precise design and efficient use of power, providing reliable and accurate shots. The blaster's unique design makes it a favorite among collectors, and the included charm bracelet and charms add to its value as a collector's item.
Nerf N-Strike Elite CrossBolt Blaster (2015)
A list of top Nerf crossbows would be empty without this entry. The Nerf Elite Crossbolt was released in 2015 with quite some hype under the N-Strike Elite belt. It is the first and the only crossbow in the Elite series at present. The Crossbolt is unique as it is the only crossbow of the entire Nerf collection that is string-powered. It does not make use of any plunger system and the darts are launched directly by the tension generated by the bow-string. So in a sense, this blaster is as close as it comes to a real crossbow for kids.
Aesthetically speaking, this blaster is themed similar to other Elite blasters with bright blue and orange colors and some cool shades of gray. The bow is well integrated within the blaster’s body but really stands out prominently as well. The name ‘Crossbolt’ is tagged right on the side of the muzzle. The priming handle is pale gray and integrated on top of the blaster for easy priming and firing.
The Crossbolt is the only crossbow that is clip-fed unlike the previous two models reviewed above. With the package comes a 12-round magazine but it can be upgraded to an 18-round mag. Both suction and standard elite darts can be used with this blaster. The blaster itself is based on a bull-pup design as the magazine is hooked behind the trigger. Also, there are two jam access doors that allow you to clear off jams whether they happen on top of the feeding system, or near the firing band. Also present is a tactical rail below the front muzzle for any N-Strike tactical attachments.
Considering the performance, the Crossbolt is on par with any Elite blaster. The darts reach muzzle speeds of up to 72 feet per second and the range is up to 90 feet if the shots are angled. Though this model loses the plunger system, it works just as well with the crossbow band that is installed.
There are a few cons in this blaster as well. One would be the noise. This being a crossbow imitator should be silent and enable you to sneak up on your enemies in a nerf battle. But the priming handle is quite noisy and creates a jostling sound when you load the dart onto the crossbow. And the second gripe would be that the magazine release button is right behind the stock. This may cause you to accidentally press the release when shouldering the blaster and the mag would fall out. Also, you would expect a crossbow design to have an easier loading mechanism. But this being a clip-fed blaster, you would have to unhook the magazine, reload and fire again. Also, clip-fed systems can jam at times which can be irritating. But jams occur rarely though in this model.
But in spite of the few cons, this blaster was very well received by Nerfers and gained immense popularity because of its cool looks and performance. In Amazon, there has been a drop in the price recently. Check the latest price and customer reviews below.
Nerf Zombie Strike Crossfire Bow (2014)
In our opinion, the Crossfire Bow is the coolest looking of all Nerf crossbows released so far. It is Zombie Strike themed with bright green and orange shades with the traditional brown handle. It was released in 2014 and became one of the best-selling Nerf crossbows ever.
The Crossfire alone has the type of priming handle similar to a real crossbow. The little orange handle at the rear is directly attached to the bow chord and can be pulled back with two fingers just like you would with an actual crossbow. This is pretty neat. The bow is attached to the very front of the muzzle giving it a very attractive and authentic feel.
Features and performance
The Crossfire is very functional as well. The priming mechanism in this crossbow is the least noisy and the smoothest among all crossbow models. There is a stock attachment slot at the rear end which enables you to attach a decent N-Strike Stock. A single tactical rail is present at the top allowing you to add a scope or any other attachment as required. The Crossfire comes with four Zombie Strike green darts as that’s the actual number you can load at a time. Meaning the ammo capacity is pretty low when compared to Elite Crossbolt. But reloading is quick and easy as you simply need to shove darts into the slots present at the front end of the blaster. Only one dart can be shot at a time, and it doesn’t matter which slot the dart is loaded in. An intelligent air restrictor system takes care of this.
This blaster utilizes a direct plunger system and so the performance is as good as any Zombie strike blaster. The darts can reach initial velocities of 70 feet per second with ranges up to 75 feet using angled shots. Stealth Nerfers love this crossbow as you can easily surprise your enemies out from your cover.
There are absolutely no issues of jamming in this crossbow and overall really fun to use. But gripes do come in the form of rate of fire and ammo capacity. Since there is no slam-fire option, it would take a second or two for you to shoot the follow-up darts. The Zombie Strike Crossfire is truly a high value-for-money nerf crossbow, that you can purchase right away from Amazon below.
Nerf Rebelle Star Shot Targeting Set(2014)
The Star Shot Set is a unique and collectible Nerf blaster set that was first introduced in 2014 under the Rebelle series. It includes a single Star Shot blaster, which is currently only available through this set, making it a highly sought-after item among Nerf collectors.
What sets the Star Shot apart from other Nerf blasters is its use of collectible suction darts, which add an extra level of excitement and fun to Nerf battles. The set includes six of these specialized darts, each with a unique design that makes them stand out from other Nerf darts.In addition to the Star Shot blaster and the collectible darts, the set also includes a pair of Vision Gear goggles and a slightly altered target. The alternate variation of the set features a purple and blue Star Shot blaster, adding even more variety to this already unique set.
Nerf Rebelle Guardian Crossbow Blaster (2013)
Nerf Rebelle series was introduced in 2013 with bright pink themed blasters primarily focused on young female Nerfers. The series has now gained a lot of traction and currently is some of the most purchased toys by girls. It is refreshing to see girls who were stereotypically associated with Barbies go in for blasters and Nerf crossbows, and get some active playtime.
This pink nerf crossbow is the Nerf Rebelle Guardian Crossbow Blaster. This was one of the first products to be offered under the Rebelle line. To begin with the exterior, this is a true chick crossbow. It’s light so it can be easily carried around by kids just 8 years old. It is a white and pink theme, with some bright pink and violet decals that really stand out from the usual blasters that Nerf releases. The bow is set on the top of the muzzle with the string attached to a knob right above the trigger. The priming handle is present beneath the barrel out in front. With each prime, the string is brought back and released by pressing the trigger.
The darts that come with this crossbow are also Rebelle themed, with bright pink and violet colors. The darts can be loaded into the revolver barrel that’s present right in the front. The darts can be loaded easily as the barrel slots are open-ended, but the darts fit well and don’t simply fall out. The handle and trigger are comfortable for both small kids and teens alike. Also present is a tactical rail to which you could add a scope attachment or other add-ons if required. The stock is integrated and not replaceable, but is sturdy and improves the accuracy of your shots considerably.
For some technicals, the internals of this crossbow is as powerful as any Elite nerf blaster. The Crossbow that’s integrated on top, is more of a prop. The string tension does not actually power the dart, but a plunger system does. Much similar to the Elite Strongarm. So this means, even though this product is targeted at girls, there has been no compensation in power. The darts can easily shoot up to 75 feet with angled shots, with muzzle speeds reaching more than 70 feet per second. Standard suction and elite darts can also be used with this crossbow.
Another key factor making this crossbow attractive to buyers is that it has slam fire, where you could simply hold down the trigger and keep priming the blaster in order to shoot it. This allows you to discharge the six rounds in a matter of few seconds giving you an added advantage in a nerf war. Even though six rounds sound small, reloading is a breeze as you can simply shove new darts into the barrel slots. Unlike a clip-fed blaster that required unhooking and reloading to shoot the blaster again. Also with a revolving barrel fed system, there is no chance of a jam happening. You could fire as fast as possible, and this crossbow will still function smoothly as new.
This nifty and comfortable crossbow, with great handling and very smooth performance, is a steal at its price point. If you’re looking for a pink nerf crossbow to gift your daughter this is the one and only.
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