So, you’re wondering what’s better, laser tag with vest or without? Well, you might have to try out the two options to know what works for you. A vest can give you voice prompts and extra lives while a gun only might be cheaper and have fewer areas to malfunction.
But there’s a lot more to it, as explained in this article.
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Benefits of Laser Tag with Vests
To get first-hand opinion on whether laser tag with vest is truly beneficial, we had to ask someone who has used both types (with and without vests).
Check out our conversation concerning the issue with Patrick who runs a laser tag business:
Okay, I wanted to ask… does it [your laser tag] require someone to have some special clothing or something like that?
No, you just go as you are.
Oh, because that one doesn’t require a vest?
Yes, although the one we are currently using they come with a vest that you wear on top of your normal clothes.
The Phoenix?
No, this is Armogear. Armogear is the one that has a vest. Even Laser X has a vest. Phoenix is the one which doesn’t have.
Okay, then let’s go to the Armogear. Since it has a vest you can’t play without the vest?
You can. It has modes: you can add the vest or you can do gun only.
Oh, and does it have like different games with the vest or without the vest?
Not really, the vest gives you extra lives and it also does the voice prompting. So, if you’re doing it with only the gun you don’t get voice prompts and you have fewer lives… you have only three lives. Therefore, with sudden death for professionals, you put for them that one. Three shots and you’re out.
Those aren’t the only advantages.
There’s a lot more you can gain from laser tag with vests, for instance, appliedinnotech.com states that:
“…sets with vests are far more realistic than sets that use the gun as a target. This is because it’s much easier to create a target within a vest than within the gun itself. With the different aiming points on a vest, this makes it much more fun than just aiming at your opponent’s gun.”
That’s not all.
Some extra advantages include:
- Easier targets – Laser tag requires aim and precision; therefore, it’s harder to target just the gun. A vest is easier to hit while moving due to its larger size.
- Vest speakers – The speakers let you know if you’ve been shot, you shot another player, gained points, when the match starts and ends or other useful alerts.
- Haptic vibrators – These are activated when another player tags you which helps you know what direction the player got you from.
- Vest sensors – These are either four or five sensors covering your front, back, and shoulders.
- More responsive – Vests have more aiming points then guns.
Disadvantages of Laser Tag with Vest
Despite the numerous advantages, vests also come with several disadvantages.
Playgroundbaron.com states that:
“With all its cords and attachments, in addition to the vests itself, having a laser tag set with the vest on is deemed more complicated for many, as everything needs to be in place in order to play correctly.”
Apart from dealing with the extra components, a few other disadvantages apply:
- Heavy equipment – vests can be clunky and a bit heavy
- More expensive – they tend to be more expensive since you buy more equipment
- Sizing issues – Some vests may not fit plus-sized or smaller players
- More things can malfunction – there are more components which could go wrong
- Not good for very young kids -little kids may not understand how the extra components work
Check Out This Blaster We Reviewed Recently.
Laser X - 88016 ORIGINAL Reviewed | ||
  | Pros: - Still good as new after 5+ years of heavy commercial use Cons: - no screws to open it up | |
To read the full Laser X Review, click here.
Playing Laser Tag with Vest Outdoors
One place that laser tag with vest works pretty well is outdoor games.
Just imagine trying to aim at a tiny gun across an expansive field.
This video shows just how enjoyable it is to play with vests outdoors:
How Does a Laser Tag Vest Work?
Understanding how the vest works can help you figure out what advantage it offers compared to a gun-only product.
Lasermaxx.com provides a valuable explanation, stating that the vest is a lightweight component that has electronic sensors to detect when you get hit by an opponent’s laser tag gun.
It also has a microprocessor to perform calculations in real-time during games, that produce scores which show individual players winning points by hitting opponents and losing points by being hit. This gives an overall score for team games.
Moreover, teams are recognized by matching colors of lights on the vest and gun.
This certainly makes game play so much easier, since you have two separate components to identify your teammates. In case you’re facing away from your teammates, making it hard for them to see your blaster, you can easily be identified by the vest.
Moreover, you will certainly have the extra capability to hit an opponent who is facing away from you, meaning that his/ her body is shielding the blaster. Having a vest means that you can instead hit the vest and pick up points… something that you wouldn’t do with gun-only games.
You Need High Quality Blasters to Enjoy the Benefits
If you’ve tried out phasers with vests and found them unsatisfactory compared to gun-only products, don’t dismiss them quickly without checking the quality of the products you used.
You can only enjoy the benefits of having vests if you get good quality products.
Cheapo products will break down easily and maybe even cause more problems than gun-only products.
Here is a list of some laser tag guns with vests that have good reviews on Amazon (we have indicated the exact product labels so that you can easily search for them on the site):
- “kidpal Infrared Laser Tag, Upgraded Blasters Gun Toys with Vest Infrared Battle Mega Pack Set of 4 Indoor and Outdoor, Group Activity Fun for Kids Age 6 7 8 9 10 11 12+ Boys Girls”
- “Laser Tag Sets, Kidpal Laser Tag Guns Set of 4 with Vest for Boys & Girls Age 8 9 10 11 12, Lazer/Laser Tag Game for Family, Infrared Laser for Multi Player Teenager Kids and Adult Backyard & Outdoor”
- “Laser X Micro Blasters 4Pack (Laser Gaming)”
- “ArmoGear Laser Tag “ Laser Tag Guns with Vests Set of 4“ Multi Player Lazer Tag Set for Kids Toy for Teen Boys & Girls “Outdoor Game for Kids, Adults and Family“ Ages 8+”
- “Kidoer Laser Tag Kids Toys, Laser Guns Set Outdoor Games Gift Toy for Boys and Girls Age 8+ | 4 Guns & 4 Vests with Fog Effect”
- “Kidzlane Laser tag Set “Lazer Tag Set of 4 with Vest and Laser Tag Spider Target“ Laser Tag Game for Kids Boys Age 8+ – Indoor or Outdoor Fun Toy for Kids, Teens Boys and Girls”
- “ArmoGear Laser Tag “Laser Tag Guns with Vests Set of 4“ Multi Player Lazer Tag Set for Kids Toy for Teen Boys & Girls “Outdoor Game for Kids, Adults and Family“ Ages 8+”
- “Soyee Laser Tag Set – Pack of 4 Infrared Blasters & Vests with Innovative Fog Effect – Outdoor Games Activities for Teenagers Age 8+ and Adults – Thrilling Kids Toy Gifts for Birthday Holiday”
- “Kidzlane Laser tag Set “Lazer Tag Set of 4 with Vest and Laser Tag Spider Target“ Laser Tag Game for Kids Boys Age 8+ – Indoor or Outdoor Fun Toy for Kids, Teens Boys and Girls”
- “HISTOYE Large Laser Tag Sets with Gun and Vest Laser Tag Guns Toys for Kids Adults Indoor Outdoor Lazer Tag Best Gift for 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12+ Year Old Boys Girls (4 Packs)”
So, What’s Better, Laser Tag With Vest or Without?
Based on the stated options, laser tag with vest stands out as a great option.
After all, if you have a product like Armogear, you can easily switch from vest-and-gun to gun-only, incase you’ve not made up your mind on what option suits you.
Additional Resources That can Help You
You may also be interested in the following useful resources.
Laser Tag Upgrade: Turn a Phoenix into an iCombat
Dynasty Laser Tag Gun Not Working: How to Fix It
What is Laser Tag? Everything You Need to Know
If you’re new to laser tag, here’s an introduction video to it and you can also check out our ultimate guide on our homepage.
