{"id":32131,"date":"2025-07-03T01:18:57","date_gmt":"2025-07-02T22:18:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/toyguns.lv\/?p=32131"},"modified":"2025-08-04T19:02:46","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T16:02:46","slug":"32131-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/toyguns.lv\/en\/32131-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Hydrogel gun: what is it, how safe is it, and is it legal in Latvia and the EU?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-32137 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/toyguns.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/4fad4b7f-ed5c-4741-ae02-e5c1579cea71-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"Gel blaster\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/toyguns.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/4fad4b7f-ed5c-4741-ae02-e5c1579cea71-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/toyguns.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/4fad4b7f-ed5c-4741-ae02-e5c1579cea71-1200x800.avif 1200w, https:\/\/toyguns.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/4fad4b7f-ed5c-4741-ae02-e5c1579cea71-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/toyguns.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/4fad4b7f-ed5c-4741-ae02-e5c1579cea71-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/toyguns.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/4fad4b7f-ed5c-4741-ae02-e5c1579cea71-18x12.jpg 18w, https:\/\/toyguns.lv\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/4fad4b7f-ed5c-4741-ae02-e5c1579cea71.avif 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3 data-pm-slice=\"1 1 &#091;&#093;\">What is a hydrogel gun?<\/h3>\n<p>A hydrogel gun (gel blaster, water bead gun, hydrogel ball gun) is a toy that shoots soft hydrogel balls. Before use, these balls are soaked in water, they expand to 7\u20138 mm in diameter and become elastic but fragile. Upon impact, the balls break apart, without damaging the skin and leaving no waste.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<h3 data-pm-slice=\"1 3 &#091;&#093;\">Hydrogel gun safety<\/h3>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li><strong>Average mass of one ball:<\/strong> 0.2\u20130.25 g<\/li>\n<li><strong>Firing speed:<\/strong> for most models \u2014 50\u201360 m\/s; in rare, upgraded models with a reinforced spring \u2014 up to 80 m\/s.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Kinetic energy:<\/strong> 0.3\u20130.4 J<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For comparison:<\/p>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li><strong>Airsoft BBs (0.20 g, 120\u2013140 m\/s):<\/strong> ~1.5\u20132 J<\/li>\n<li><strong>Paintball balls (3 g, 90 m\/s):<\/strong> ~12\u201313 J<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This means that the energy of hydrogel balls is <strong>3\u20135 times lower<\/strong> than airsoft BBs and more than <strong>15 times lower<\/strong> than paintball balls.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Why hydrogel guns are considered safe:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li>The balls consist almost entirely of water<\/li>\n<li>Upon impact it breaks apart and does not pollute the environment.<\/li>\n<li>The energy is not sufficient to cause injuries, even when striking clothing or skin<\/li>\n<li>During play, however, it is recommended to use protective goggles.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<h3 data-pm-slice=\"1 3 &#091;&#093;\">Legal status<\/h3>\n<blockquote><p>\n\ud83d\udcda <em>References to regulatory documents:<\/em><\/p>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/?uri=CELEX%3A32009L0048\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Directive 2009\/48\/EC on the safety of toys (EUR-Lex)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.en-standard.eu\/bs-en-71-1-2014-safety-of-toys-mechanical-and-physical-properties\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">EN 71-1: Safety of toys \u2013 Part 1 (General mechanical and physical properties)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/likumi.lv\/ta\/id\/253615-ierocu-aprites-likums\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Latvijas Republikas Iero\u010du aprites likums (latviski)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h4>In the European Union<\/h4>\n<p>According to <strong>Directive 2009\/48\/EC<\/strong> on toy safety:<\/p>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li>A toy is a product intended for children under 14 years of age, including one that imitates weapons, provided it does not pose a significant risk<\/li>\n<li>According to the EN 71-1 standard, the maximum permissible energy:\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li><strong>0.08 J<\/strong> \u2014 if the impact is to the head or eyes<\/li>\n<li><strong>l\u012bdz 1 J<\/strong> \u2014 if the impact is elsewhere (for example, on the body)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Products with energy above <strong>0.5\u00a0J<\/strong> in some EU countries may be considered a pneumatic or sports weapon (for example, in Germany \u2013 from 0.5 J, in Lithuania \u2013 from 2.5 J)<\/li>\n<li>Toys with the marking <strong>\u201c8+\u201d<\/strong> or <strong>\u201c14+\u201d<\/strong> and CE certification are permitted for free trade within the EU territory<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4>In Latvia<\/h4>\n<p>According to Latvian <strong>Law on the Circulation of Weapons<\/strong>:<\/p>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li>A high-energy pneumatic weapon is a device with a barrel energy <strong>from 1.5 J (a permit is required)<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Devices with energy <strong>below 1.5 J<\/strong> are not considered weapons and are freely sold and used<\/li>\n<li>Hydrogel guns with an energy of 0.3\u20130.4 J <strong>do not fall under<\/strong> this definition<\/li>\n<li>If the product has CE certification and is classified as a toy, it is <strong>saleable without age restriction<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"vc_row wpb_row vc_row-fluid\"><div class=\"wpb_column vc_column_container vc_col-sm-12\"><div class=\"vc_column-inner\"><div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t<div class=\"wpb_text_column wpb_content_element\" >\n\t\t<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<h3 data-pm-slice=\"1 1 &#091;&#093;\">Conclusion<\/h3>\n<p>The hydrogel gun is a safe, modern alternative to classic toys for active outdoor games. It is environmentally friendly, requires no registration, and is legally available for sale in Latvia and throughout the European Union. The main thing is to choose models with appropriate certification and follow basic safety measures, such as using protective glasses.<\/p>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Kas ir hidrog\u0113la ierocis? Hidrog\u0113la ierocis (gel blaster, water bead gun, hidrog\u0113la lod\u012b\u0161u ierocis) ir rota\u013clieta, kas \u0161auj ar m\u012bkst\u0101m","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32131","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-zinasanu-baze"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/toyguns.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32131","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/toyguns.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/toyguns.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toyguns.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toyguns.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32131"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/toyguns.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32131\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/toyguns.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32131"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toyguns.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32131"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toyguns.lv\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32131"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}