Review: Horse Toob

Today we're looking at yet another item picked up during a recent stop at Michaels.  This is a "Horse Toob".  Yes, a tube of horses.

Why would I want such a thing?  For use in gaming, of course!  As anyone who's stopped by my blog must know, I'm known to toss dice from time to time.  Not gambling, of course: I'd never be able to afford that and still buy toys.  D&D is my game of choice, and these days that requires miniature figurines.  Rather than drop hundreds on "official" versions, I try to pick up things like these.  They're not always as nice, but they don't break the bank.

Like the Scorpion and Tarantula I recently reviewed, these are produced by Safari Ltd and are available at Michaels.  Similar products can be found at most toy stores, as well.

Appearance: 6/10

There are twelve horses per tube, and the appearance varies greatly from one figure to the next, but overall I'd say the herd is worth a six.  Some of these guys have really cool, really dynamic poses... unfortunately those are the ones who have trouble standing upright (more on that below).

I could go on for a while, talking about the variations in paint and sculpt... but we'd be here all day.  Just look at the pictures.

Packaging and Extras: +1

You don't get any extras with these, so that means the impossible has occurred: I'm awarding a bonus point... for packaging.  The reason is simple: the package IS an extra.  It's a case you can use to store your horses when you're not flinging them at people.


The tube isn't all that attractive (and... who thought the spelling "Toob" was cute?) but it does the trick.  It's pretty solid, too, so it should hold up.

It's clear plastic, so you can stand in the store comparing the quality of the figures before deciding which you want to pick up (I did).

The top contains a small, spinning globe that's kind of cool.  I guess.  I don't really understand the point of this, but it doesn't hurt.

Play and Display: -1

This was a no-brainer.  Toys, particularly ones without articulation, should always be able to stand up.  I was disheartened when I opened my tube and found that some of the horses teetered and toppled over.

Now, given time and patience, you can get all of them to stand, at least for a short time.  But I expect more.

Price Tag and Final Analysis: 6 out of 10

The tube makes up for the fact that not all the horses are balanced as well as they should be.  The score of six is representative of the appearance, which (as I said from the start) is really an average: there are some great horses and some not-so-great horses.

I paid full price, about six bucks, for this collection of twelve plastic horses.  I'd say that's a fair deal, but not an exceptional one.  At fifty cents a piece, these are about what they should be.  I'm using the "vending machine" metric here: if I saw toys of this quality in a vending machine for fifty cents each, I wouldn't be surprised.

At least with the Horse Toob you get a carrying case, as well.


Got a minute?  Stop by The Middle Room, my blog for geeks, and have a look around.