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True to form, it took a bit longer than expected to get here...and true to form, it was one of the most highly anticipated and talked-about markers of 2002...Tested by Justin Owen
I don't think I've ever done a top-end marker review that was as short as this one will be...I'm characteristically and chronically long-winded, but for this little piece I'm going to do my best to try to cut it down to the bare minimum. I'll start by answering the "big question" first, and from there I'll dive more into the mix. So, does the A.I. rock? In a word, YES.
I must admit, before Adrenalin switched to the Impulse I had never really had much experience with Smart Parts' wildly successful little marker, and I had never really big miscalculation on my part, as no sooner did I play with an Impulse for the first time that I realized this little beast has teeth. It took that first experience for me to really understand why Adrenalin would leave what had been an extremely successful endeavor with their custom Angels and start from scratch with a less expensive base-model marker. But what Adrenalin believed was that they could blow the lid off of Smart Parts' vision...that the Impulse possessed loads of untapped potential that could turn it into an undeniable and enviable top-end custom marker, with all the extra quirks and options that appeals to so many folks as well. So what Adrenalin set out to do was keep everything about the Impulse that worked...the Vision system, the magnetic trigger...and then improve everything that they felt could use a little improvement. The A.I. is the end result of their efforts, and from what I can tell Adrenalin accomplished what they set out to accomplish.
Skin flick
Let's start with the skin. Adrenalin's characteristic "twist/spiral" milling pattern, which became famous on their Angels, was modified and applied to the A.I. and these spiral grooves run the entire length of the top of the body. There's nothing else that comes close to this look...it's distinct, tasteful, and cool. The rest of the body and other accessories are also milled in unique ways, which I won't go into in detail here, but you can get a good idea just by checking out the pictures. The anodizing is something each individual will choose for him/herself, as there are so many different styles to choose from, or if you can come up with something custom on your own, I'm sure they can do it for you.
Next, let's talk about where the A.I. departs from the standard Impulse. For starters, nearly every part of the A.I. is custom-built by Adrenalin, rather than by Smart Parts. While this in itself isn't necessarily anything special, the reason behind it is...and that is that many parts of the Impulse were fully re-designed and modified specifically for the A.I., and aren't at all compatible with Smart Parts parts, and vice versa. For example, Adrenalin's grip frame is combined with the solenoid housing and is machined from a single piece of aluminum. When compared to the stock Impulse frame, it moves the grip forward (which unquestionably helps balance the marker) and also features a shuffling or compacting of internal components which reduces the height of the AI by a squeak under half an inch. That's a big plus for me, as the stock Impulse had always felt just a little bit tall for my tastes. Now, with this grip frame and combined with a low-rise (an option), it doesn't tower much more than anything else out there.
One of the interesting things that happened when the A.I.'s first debuted is that they were having a hard time tweaking them for maximum performance. When Adrenalin sat down with the Smart Parts folks and really got to looking at things, they realized that the A.I.'s were simply more efficient than the boards controlling them...in other words, the A.I. was more efficient than any previous Impulse. Now to be honest with you, there's no way I can explain why or how this happened (and I'm not sure they know either), but the end result is that Adrenalin needed to have their own unique boards manufactured for their Impulses, and Smart Parts set out to accommodate them with boards that had the ability to be substantially more tweaked and fine-tuned.
Spray time
Now a marker can look great and have all the buzz and hype in the world, but if it doesn't perform on the playing field, where it counts, then it's no better than a paperweight to the player that owns it. But as I've already told you, this gun definitely delivers what you'd expect from a product aimed squarely at the top-end tourney scene. In short, the end result of Adrenalin's endeavor here is a low-pressure marker that's unbelievably smooth with an insane rate of fire, relatively quiet noise signature, and the superb consistency and accuracy that the Smart Parts faithful have come to expect. I had an absolute ball playing with this gun. The grip frame in and of itself improves the balance considerably over that of its standard predecessor. The magnetic trigger is wicked in its own right. In my opinion, there is simply nothing about the A.I. that is a step backwards. The whole gun is a major improvement and with only a couple of exceptions, just about everything I don't particularly care for about the Impulse is corrected on the A.I. Those couple of exceptions are things that are intrinsic to the Impulse itself (for example, I don't like having to turn the Vision off if I've got two-tone paint...and I don't like how easy it is to accidentally turn the Vision off during play)...I hope these things are corrected in the future, but they're not big enough deals for me to fault the guns that much. The A.I. just feels exponentially better than a standard Impulse, and it delivers this in a package that, even in custom packages, is cheaper than many other markers by themselves.
Nice package
OK so let's talk options. As I've mentioned, Adrenalin is quick to boast that if you want custom, they'll do it for you. So if you're so inclined to test that theory, then feel free and go right ahead. As for the notable standard features and regular options you can get with this gun, they include: Matching Freak barrel front and back (my own personal favorite barrel comes standard! I love it!) plus choice of one insert; Choice of GP Slide check or Low Pressure Regulator (please note: Adrenalin calls the GP Slide Check an "extremely fancy tapeworm," but I have not played with one of these so I cannot comment on it directly); Chrome on/off button; Choice of vertical or 15-degree front reg/foregrip adapter; Choice of single or double-trigger frame; Choice of high or low rise; etc., etc., etc. As for other options, Adrenalin offers several package deals which include full Freak sets, Max Flo tanks and regulators in various configurations or tank sizes, anodizing options, etc., etc., etc. Listing everything for you here would be wildly inefficient...I'd recommend checking out their website for full details.
The buck stops here
Finally, let's talk value. Adrenalin Impulses, by themselves, start at right around $950, placing them squarely in the middle of the range for the top-end tourney guns overall, but making them one of the least expensive custom guns available. Their top-of-the-line Premiere Package, however, includes a complete matching Freak set, a matching 4500 psi 68 cu. in. Max-Flo air system, and the gun for $1450...which in my book is a fantastic deal for such a complete set-up, especially considering that the total Freak retails for $200 separately, and the Max-Flo system for $450. There are a plethora of conceivable custom extras for those folks who feel the need to be unique, and I won't go into those here...again, talk to them.
Overall, the A.I. is very impressive, and I think it will surprise many people out there, as it did me. I like the marker for what it is, which is a rockin' sockin' top-end tourney machine...and I respect it for the improvements they made over the standard Impulse. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if some of these very things eventually creep their way into the standard Impulse, but time will tell. In the meantime, this gun gets an enthusiastic thumbs up from me!