WDP Angel A1 Fly - Will It Take Off?
Believe it or not, WDP is slowly declining in popularity in the paintball world. Dye and Smart Parts are starting to dominate the paintball gun market with their very affordable and very reliable high and low end paintball markers. The battle between these major gun manufacturers revolves around bringing the end consumer (you and me) what we want. Right now Dye, Smart Parts, WDP, Planet Eclipse, and all other major manufacturers are struggling to bring the end consumer the fastest, most reliable, most affordable, and most efficient paintball marker in the world. The 2008 Angel A1 is WDP's stab at it. So far the gun is getting great reviews. But is it any match for the Dye's DM8 or the new PE Ego's?
WDP announced their new 2008 gun line at Huntington Beach in late March. Retailing at around $1,300, the Angel A1 caught the eye of many tournament ballers at the event for a few reasons. Of course just like every other WDP gun, the Angel A1 has one of the sickest designs on the market today. Also, WDP really stresses on its ergonomics (the applied science of equipment design intended to maximize productivity by reducing operator fatigue, safety and discomfort). So for example, ergonomics would involve designing a paintball gun's grip frame to fit the human hand as comfortably as possible. This is key for tourny ballers because weight distribution and comfort for the player can really obstruct the team's performance.
The A1 Fly has been getting mad reviews. WDP is expected to keep up with all the other major gun brands out there - the only real way to find out which one is right for you is to shoot them all! Personally, I have always enjoyed the "feeling" of WDP's gun line. Their guns operate at such low pressure (about 55 psi) you can barely feel any kick.
WDP also put out special Miami Rage and Joy Division Angel A1's since they sponsor them. Designer guns like these will cost you another $100 or $200 - and all you really get is different anodizing that the team agreed upon.
New features for the Angel A1 Fly:
- New Mini-reg with what appears to come with standard regulator threads; therefore, after-market regs such as AKA or CP can be put on without the purchase of an additional adapter.
- New Valve/Valve Stem/Ram dubbed the Magno Valve System
- New Milling which has reduced the weight of the already light-weight A1 (the most noticeable amount has been removed from the solenoid cover)
- 3 piece Eye Covers (these did not previously come stock with A1s)
- New Board Graphics, not necessarily a new board
- New Trigger
- New Milled/Slimmed down ASA
- New Grips with: "Fly Paper"
- New "Fly Paper" grip on the grip frame, grip, and regulator.
- New Milled/Slimmed down feedneck
- New Carbon Fiber Barrel Tip
- 6 Piece Barrel Kit is speculated to also come with the A1 Fly.
Tags: 2008, 2008 angel, angel, angel a1, dm8, dye, ego, hand, huntington beach, ion, mod, paintball, paintball gun, planet eclipse, smart parts, tournament, wdp angel
Posted on Sunday, April 20th, 2008 at 2:17 pm under Guns, NPPL, Reviews. An RSS 2.0 feed is available. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.
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Personally, other than ergonomics what makes WDP markers worth $1300? There is only so much you can do to a marker to increase its value, but to make it worth $1300? You can get a marker with almost the same features for a fraction of the cost.
I know there is some speculation that paintball manufacturers are suffering due to the state of the economy, which I’m entirely sure is true, but if it is It’ll be interesting to see how they do in the next year or two.
whoops, forgot a “not.” I meant to say, “..which I’m not entirely sure is true…”
Very good insight pain4glory.
The WDP brand is slipping for sure, especially in the United States. $1,300 is an appropriate price for the gun in my opinion, it’s just that people can’t see the logic behind it when they can buy a Proto SLG or Smart Parts Ion that will deliver the same performance to them for $250.
I believe the state of the industry is suffering at the moment, but I can’t see it getting much worse from here. I’m also very curious to see how it all plays out.
1300 dollars is way too high in my opinion and I agree with the earlier commenter that the economic conditions we are facing today will push people towards lesser expensive alternatives.
But there is a differnce other than ergonomics, which does make a difference. But we are not comparing SP’s ion to sp8 which are same gun differnt body(ergonomics), we are comparing one of the best paintball guns you can purchace and your comparing it to and ion? which I believe the ionXE is about 4ish and improvents could be made, hell people have spend 1,000 dollars to make their spyders compete with the kind of quality any high end marker would be.
Hi all, I’m of the opinion that Wdp has picked up where they left off with the A1……taking something that was class leading and bettering it.
Sure 1300 is allot of Money in anyone’s eyes but you have to remember that you get what you pay for……
With my being a Angel nutter I always keep my opinion to myself at the field and simply tell the gyus to shoot my gun and then tell me what they think………..so far +/- 40 guys have been converted to A1 addicts
I guess it comes back to two factors….
1) What do you reuqire from the gun……
2) What is your budget
Point two is where Angel is unfortunatly being disqualified by most kean Paintballers as their markers are simply not a product for the masses.
Keep it up wdp
Jokerman
the reason wdp is having sales go down is because they have 795 dollar guns msrp angelsports.com and actionvillage.com has them for 750. i think no one wants to spend that much on a paintball gun or i also think not a lot of people have a that much to spend on paintball. if wdp made a 200-300 dollar gun i would buy it personally
I really like WDP guns. I had a g7 and then got a g7 fly, the internals are so different. G7 fly took a leap from the original g7.
I might expect a1 to a1 fly might take a leap. I think one of the reason A1 was hurt, it is because of their first production has many bugs… it destroyed a little of WDP’s reputation.
Plus the markers right now, took a big lump, High end becoming cheaper everywhere.
I wish the price is not 1300, it is a price of a motorcycle. Well I guess it is about the same price as the EGO and DM8
I have tested many guns from kingmans to Wdp which varies in price, style, and output. You can compare the cheaper guns such as the Ions to a Honda Civic, and WDP Angel A1 to a Lexus. Why pay more for a car that drives the same as a cheap car? Why the same as a paintball marker? But its simple.
If it costs more, it MUST be better right? Its the market that WDP is trying to in. You pay more for a gun thats better. I wouldnt drive a cheap car or shoot a cheap gun because thats my market. Obviously looks will improve from cheaper models and shooting will be smoother and a better outcome of productivity. They are playing the Lexus role in paintball compared to the GM models that are out. Difference is, they are a better gun…
LOL you comparing a plastic ion to an aluminum angel
you guys should get out and paintball more ther is HUGEEE diffrence between an ion and an a1 fly
yo may not like it but thats the truth
ya crash adam is right it is a better gun especilly when comapred to an ion all smart parts has done is copied guns from other companys and modified the looks or teh way it operates to be abel to slam a SP logo opn to it for all you newbs there was a HUGE lawsuit between dye and SP casue SP was making guns that looked and almsot operated identical to the dm4-5’s and then SP sued angel over a bunch of crap and angel one due to a lot fo things but the main thing being angel showing proof of patantes and other variuos things while SP sat in their chair jsut saying no its ours
You can buy this gun on Ebay for $20.00 on sale. check it out.