I've owned all freestyles from the early 04 to current Freestyle Pro.
I've owned, 4 Matrixes, 7 Angels, 2 Timmys and 4 Freestyles. I'm a certified tech in the first 3 markers...
Marker Setup:
v7 Freestyle, NOX Reloaded, Sidewinder HP and JDS LP regs, Stiffi 14" barrel, Nitroduck 45/45 adjustable tank, Empire B Reloader, Planet Eclipse on/off
Recommended Upgrades:
Sidewinder or CP inline HP reg and JDS front LPR. Everything else on the marker is great.
Strengths:
Accurate, Fast, Light weight, Small form factor, Very quiet and one powerful little marker!
Weaknesses:
Inefficient at this moment in time.
Review:
When people think of ICD, they immediately think of the Bushmaster and of cheap markers. Well in the past 18 months, ICD has come out with one killer marker after the other. The series of markers is called Freestyle, which might refer to how much of a free forum the marker is base after. You won't see another marker on the market which has a similar design. Greg and the other guys at ICD worked long and hard to create a very unique marker and they have done just that.
When you first pickup a freestyle, wether stock 04 or v7 you will notice something unique about them: quiet, accurate and VERY SMALL! Some players like big markers, but I can say this once you pick up a freestyle you won't put it down. Watching guys during practices who are sponsored by Bob Long or Smart parts, who shoot Freestyles as there personal markers makes me smile. It just goes to show that the ICD product is a unanimously recognized product that works.
Slowly ICD has been hitting the market with teams like the Naughty Dogs. Rocky has done a really good job at creating a new board for the Freestyle called the NOX. The Naughty Dog freestyle is the first of several to come 3rd party freestyles. Right now Adventure Beach (AB) has custom configurable markers for sale that blow the doors off any stock marker. ICD's continuous improvements with the Freestyle are slowly paying off. Slowly teams are starting to use the freestyle as there main marker and so far they have really been enjoying them.
18 months is a long time in paintball, but in the real world, its just a few minutes in time. ICD has had several minor releases since the first freestyle came out and now its time for a MAJOR release.
The Freestyle Pro seemed like an initial attempt at releasing a perfect freestyle, but the marker had some issues in the first run that was a setback for ICD. After a few minor modifications, the FSP was finally working and released. The v7 came along a few months after the FSP was released and boy what a release. Out of the blue, WOW here is a NEW freestyle! I don't know why ICD has issues with press releases, but man I'm in the industry and I had to visit pbn to find out anything about it!
The v7 seems like ICD's "FIXED" FSP. Its a TINY bit shorter, but its not about the size, its about fixing the issues ALL the other freestyles have. Most previous Freestyle owners complain about the non adjustable board, well that's been resolved. The v7 comes with a BRAND NEW ICD board with full adjustments for Dwell, tournament modes and several other standard adjustments. On top of that the v7 is a tad more efficient and lighter due to nocking some metal off in milling. It feels like my AB FSP, but the stock board shoots much faster. The stock trigger is fine and upgradable if need be. The stock regs are perfectly adequate and don't have any issues that I know of. Adjusting the marker is so easy, people who can't figure it out need to learn how to read first. ICD has made a CD PDF manual which you need a computer to read. I'd like a simple one sheet of how to adjust the regs and clean the bolt on one side and on the other adjustments for the board. Other then that, print out the manual from you PC. Its a turn on/fire marker, so there is no holding down buttons or waiting for something to boot, click the switch your firing. Turn the switch off and your not firing. Its so simple, its amazing nobody else has been able to figure it out besides WDP with the G7.
Shooting the v7 is like shooting a pump marker in terms of weight and size, but getting 20bps instead! Its light, small, accurate and most of all FAST! There is hardly any kick, much less then ANY pin valve marker could ever get. It does not chop, low bolt pressure and standard beam break eyes make sure of that. The blow forward design makes the bolt simple to lube and service if need be. Pull the pin out of the back and the entire bolt assembly slides out! Take that Smart parts! Getting across the field with the Freestyle and a 45/45 tank is so amazingly easy it almost makes you feel bad that the team your shooting against has DM5s which are SO much heavier and larger. Just remember, if you own a v7 you will be sought after by everybody on the field saying: "what is that?" Let them put there own paint in the hopper, because they will want to waste it all when they test it.
BUT there is negative press, which is not so good. People complain about them on PBnation or in person asking about reliability and such. All I say in return is, I shoot it; Naughty Dogs shoot them and neither I or Naughty dogs have 2 backups waiting to go like the All Americans with Shockers. I see the All Americans burn through 2 shockers EACH during PSP! You won't see Rocky put his marker down EVER! It just works! Make your own decision, but the Freestyle is a reliable marker.
So if the marker is not the problem, why does NOBODY ELSE know about it? Two other issues do exist and one of them is marketing. ICD obviously does not market the same as JT or Empire. They are a much smaller company and it could be a cost issue or could be a demand issue. Surly, whatever issues they have it will be remedied once people start buying them instead of complaining about something they don't know about. Another issue is stock marker efficiency. ICD and several other companies have in the works efficiency upgrade kits which will make the Freestyle markers over 25% more efficient then stock.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, why not get a Freestyle? They are cheap, fast, light, small and coming soon: efficient!!!
There is no reason not to get one!
So stop reading, go get one!
go
hurry up
come on! Leave
Thanks for reading
tye
Rating:
10 out of 10
Last edited on Wednesday, July 13th, 2005 at 1:29 pm PST
Excellent review!
I think the that icd worked really hard to make this. Honestly they dont need pictures of it in the magazine, they just need all there customers happy, and I think the v7 will dif. do it.
You really got me wanting to buy one now :D
Last edited on Sunday, July 17th, 2005 at 2:06 pm PST
quote:Originally posted by Monkey88 Excellent review!
I think the that icd worked really hard to make this. Honestly they dont need pictures of it in the magazine, they just need all there customers happy, and I think the v7 will dif. do it.
quote:Originally posted by Monkey88 Excellent review!
I think the that icd worked really hard to make this. Honestly they dont need pictures of it in the magazine, they just need all there customers happy, and I think the v7 will dif. do it.
Where did you buy yours from? On some websites they have different triggers on the v7's than on other sites, or this one. Sweet review though. And where did you hear pro team players use freestyles as personals?
awesome reviewman i really gotta give it to ya, but the best part is that every word you said on that review is true. My cousoin and I were playing with one the other day and i must say we could not let go of it. its kinda making me get rid of my nerve and get one.
I got to test fire one of these that showed up at the field the other day, ITS SO !@#$ light !!!! Its also lightning fast and is dead nuts accurate, with the ultralite it had on it, amazing gun and for the price it totally blew me out of the water, i almost considered selling my gun to get one but i still like my Nexus'd Karnivor slighlty more. VERY nice gun though and great review man, i learned more here than in many of the pbnation forums. Two thumbs up.
