Board Thread:General Nerf discussion/@comment-33831799-20180122141241/@comment-27306930-20180123035329

I'm not really sure Nerf, Airsoft, and real-steel firearms are in direct competition with each other any more so than bicycles, dirt bikes, and Harleys. They each fulfill a niche and have a distinct set of customers.

Because I live in a densly suburban area, discharging real-steel firearms is prohibited. So that's not a viable option for me. I do own several real guns, but I have to travel dozens of miles to find a place to shoot.

But because I live in a cold weather climate, Airsoft isn't very popular either. The season is so short, and the cost is so much higher, most folks just aren't interested. I rarely see Airsoft in stores around these parts anymore.

Nerf on the other hand, can be played indoors or out year-round, is economical, and involves very little clean-up. Maybe that explains why the Nerf isle at my local ToysRUs is 45 feet long and 12 feel high, while the gun isle at the Walmart is 4 feet long and shares shelf space with the fishing gear. Not sure, for sure.