The bumper: One of the most essential tools for training your up-and-coming bird dog. This simple retrieving device has been made using different shapes, sizes, and materials for years. However, Gunner, most known for their double-walled durable kennels, is changing the game with their innovative take on the traditional bumper.

Reinventing the Wheel

How can you improve a simple, rubber retrieving tool? “Hold my beer...” Gunner said.

Upon unboxing, I noticed immediately a difference from traditional bumpers—from top to bottom. The body design of the Gunner Bumper was unique, the weight was light, and the traditional rope throw handle had been replaced with a rubber design.

The Gunner Bumper is made of what they call Duratrieve—a propriety rubber compound that isn’t as heavy as traditional rubber bumpers. This rubber compound is made to be durable, lightweight, and extremely buoyant.

Holding the Bumper in my left hand, and a traditional bumper in my right, I was skeptical of the new lightweight design on the Gunner. How could this be tossed at long distances without a little bulk behind it? I was genuinely surprised when I was able to throw the Bumper 30 yards with little “oomph” behind my toss. The Thermoplastic “rope” has a unique hex-hold opening allowing you to throw the Bumper with either a finger loop or a full knob hold. The flexible rope is also adjustable, allowing you to shorten it—if need be—and is easily replaceable.

The shape of the Bumper was also unique, and for good reason. Like your homemade force-fetch tools that mimic a dumbbell to force your dog to hold from the center, Gunner added a tapered body design to their bumper to help promote a proper hold. Additionally, the Gunner Bumper features a vent in that center taper. Why? Your dog is exerting a lot of effort during retrieve reps and breathing heavily. The ventilation holes fall directly in line with a dog’s windpipe, ensuring maximum breathability.

Innovation They Can Smell

If you’re anything like me, your rubber bumpers are covered in upland bird wings, held in place with electrical tape. This works for scent training, but it isn’t a long-lasting solution. And let’s be honest...after multiple retrieves in your dog’s mouth, those wings can become a slobbery mess.

With simple ingenuity, Gunner had a solution for the wing and tape era. The interior cavity of their Bumper was left hollow, allowing you to fill the inside with feathers for scent training. A solid rubber end cap locks in the feathers and allows you to add weight to the Bumper, letting you launch it further.

The vented opening now serves two purposes: it allows scent to escape easily—a must for young dogs—in addition to allowing your dog to breath freely. This may seem like a simple, creative addition; however, it’s a very convenient element. For those who are in situations where wings aren’t easily available, your feathers will last a little longer locked inside of the Bumper.

The Price of Progress

After years of losing bumpers to the bottom of lakes due to cracked rubber letting water seep in, I can appreciate the ingenuity of the new Gunner Bumper. It is extremely buoyant, with that center ventilation hole helping to keep it afloat.

Overall, I was impressed with Gunner’s new design. Most of the complaints that I have heard from others are regarding the price tag. You can buy a traditional bumper for less than $10, or in packs of six for less than $50. A single Gunner Bumper will cost you $30, or if you buy more, you can save anywhere from $10 to $60.

But what’s the price of a solid product that will last you years to come, and save you money in the long run? No more tape, no more new wings, and no more sinking bumpers. In the end, the $30 price tag is worth the ingenuity in my book.