Controversial opinions on dinosaur toys

[Faelrin]

@Gwangi That is a really good point. They have their strengths in certain types of animals, and they really help fill those niches on the market for those things. I kind of hope CollectA does more prehistoric amphibians after the Koolasuchus like they did/do with their invertebrates.

[Jose S.M.]

I still feel Safari is the best when it comes to accuracy, quality (material wise) and affordability. Sure they don't have really detailed and perfectly applied paint jobs as other brands but they are fair priced. I feel some companies overcharge for fanciness. They are a toy company that doesn't let that define them, they don't just make a plain figure of popular taxa to sell, they care about most details, yes sometimes you can say the scales are to big or things like that but that's not terrible for a toy that's supposed to stimulate children's minds. And still is a tiny thing in a figure that cares a lot for details that are "not necessary" for toys to sell.

I think in short I'm saying Safari is highly regarded because they are a toy company that cares and puts effort in deliver the best products possible at a fair price, not just cash grabs.

[PrimevalRaptor]

Yeah absolutely agreed.
We have seen a lot of really high quality companies emerge (see PNSO/Haolongood) but Safari has always been doing great for me like. They're still toys in the end yes but even then they're leagues ahead of Schleich e.g (just look at the teeth)
Though the biggest boost is the price point imo, you get a lot of bang for your buck here. Like I do have the PNSO Lambeosaurus and it's one of my favorite models in my collection but I wouldn't have picked that up if not for a huge sale. Of course the quality is insanely good but I am happy enough with Safari models especially when I can get multiple of those for the price of one PNSO one.
I do think Safari ranks a bit over CollectA for me, but CollectA is incredible just for the sheer roster of species they're making. Really wish those two were more present in stores in Germany.

[SidB]

It would be a sad day and a great loss for us collectors if either of these two companies were to fail. Historically, their contribution to the hobby has been immense, and that seems indisputable, especially that of Safari. The good news is that there's no apparent indication that either company is in danger of failing, afaik. It's important to support them in these times of the ongoing PNSO/HLG wave. Since the bulk of my current purchases are from PNSO and HLG, I find myself periodically scouring those two classic companies, Safari and CollectA, to find figures in which I'm interested, and I come up with ones for different reasons. For instance, I recently acquired CollectA's Ingentia (uniqueness) and Safari's Megalosaurus (high quality), both real winners, IMO. Sometimes a partial or full repaint is necessary, as in an effort to keep costs down, paint apps are not always the absolute best, but that simply adds another positive dimension to the hobby by allowing me to be a participant in the sub-creative process.

[Shane]

I don't want to get too involved here because of obvious biases, and people are certainly entitled to their own preferences and opinions, but I'll just say that, as others have touched on, Safari figures are first and foremost for children. They have historically appealed to collectors as well, before such a thing as a fully adult collector's market existed, but the fact remains, they are for children, and always will be.

That means they will be for ages 3 and up. Haolonggood and PNSO are fully geared toward the adult collector, and this is reflected in their age grading - 14 years and up. They are literally not for children. Which is fine! But it puts the comparison between Safari and these companies in perspective.

Because Safari will always be for children, it means they not only will have to meet specific safety standards, but will also need to be kept at an affordable price point.

This is not a knock to other companies, but there is now a fully adult oriented collector market for people who want premium sculpting and paint, and that comes at a premium cost. Safari is not that, and is not going to be that. Those other companies exist for the collector who has more disposable income and is willing to put it into a more "premium" figure geared specifically to their collector tastes. You can pay $75 for a hyper detailed PNSO, or $150-$200 for a fully articulated Creative Beasts T. rex. Or you can pay $15-$25 for a Safari Ltd figure that still has realistic and accurate details, but maybe has fewer paint applications and less sharp edges.

That isn't to say Safari makes cheap trinkets for kids. Safari still strives for detail and accuracy, but it has to balance it with playability and affordability. Fully collector oriented companies do not have those limitations. But I think for most people, Safari provides a collector quality item for those who maybe don't wish to spend at the higher level. Think of it as Marvel Legends compared to Medicom or MAFEX or Hot Toys or Sideshow.

It's a different product that appeals to a different type of consumer. It doesn't mean Safari toys aren't "for" collectors, but the appeal is broader. So if it's not for you, it's not for you.

[suspsy]

Well said, S @Shane. Well said.

I can honestly say that I have never, ever found myself dissatisfied with a Safari product that I purchased. I am proud to display their prehistoric toys, as well as CollectA's, alongside the likes of PNSO and Haolonggood.

And please do pass on my suggestion of Denversaurus, won't you? It is, after all, the only remaining large Hell Creek resident with nary a toy to its name!

[Gwangi]

The irony of this forum being called the Dinosaur Toy Forum is that collectors are very obviously shifting away from toys. Of course, when this site was created the niche for adult-marketed dinosaur collectables didn't really exist, aside from kits and sculptures that costed a fortune. Safari and CollectA were the PNSO and HLG of their day, for a time, and it really wasn't that long ago.

A case could be made that PNSO, HLG, and Creative Beasts are still making toys, they're just toys for adults. But for me a lot of the appeal of collecting toys is lost with those models. Affordability, durability, often garish colors, a hand-sculpted and painted aesthetic, the nostalgia factor, etc. I enjoy collecting toys because they're toys! So, although I have plenty of PNSO and HLG figures that I love, it's actually stuff by Safari and Mattel that really gets me excited, because at my heart I'm a toy collector. I got into this hobby because I loved the dinosaur toys I had as a kid, and companies like Safari and Mattel are the ones keeping things close to the type of toy I have nostalgia for. It goes beyond dinosaurs too, I would prefer to have a ReAction figure to a hyper realistic and articulated one by NECA.   

[Faelrin]

@Gwangi You've pretty much summed up why the majority of my collection is Safari and Mattel JW figures.

[Saarlooswolfhound]

The irony of this forum being called the Dinosaur Toy Forum is that collectors are very obviously shifting away from toys. Of course, when this site was created the niche for adult-marketed dinosaur collectables didn't really exist, aside from kits and sculptures that costed a fortune. Safari and CollectA were the PNSO and HLG of their day, for a time, and it really wasn't that long ago.

A case could be made that PNSO, HLG, and Creative Beasts are still making toys, they're just toys for adults. But for me a lot of the appeal of collecting toys is lost with those models. Affordability, durability, often garish colors, a hand-sculpted and painted aesthetic, the nostalgia factor, etc. I enjoy collecting toys because they're toys! So, although I have plenty of PNSO and HLG figures that I love, it's actually stuff by Safari and Mattel that really gets me excited, because at my heart I'm a toy collector. I got into this hobby because I loved the dinosaur toys I had as a kid, and companies like Safari and Mattel are the ones keeping things close to the type of toy I have nostalgia for. It goes beyond dinosaurs too, I would prefer to have a ReAction figure to a hyper realistic and articulated one by NECA.   

The same for me and my collecting taste (I collect modern animals too) and I have found the same aesthetic present. Of course more modern and hyper realistic models are gorgeous, but they lack something that toy brands have (Safari, CollectA, Papo, etc.). So I'm just not as interested in those personally.

[Libraraptor]

After reading the last five posts, I ask myself which "type" of collector I really am. Or whether it even makes sense to me to draw a line between "toys" and "models". I randomly collect what I come across and what appeals to me, with my income as an important barrier. I would not avoid a PNSO figure, but I consider it luxury.
Back then, as @Gwangi has pointed out, there were simply no such brands adressing adults as the target market. There were model kits of course, but the niche of "toys for grown ups" had not developed yet. I started collecting because I wanted to complete my childhood Invicta collection and  began to marvel when I saw what else there was. We could consider ourselves lucky to even have seen a dinosaur made into a figure at all.
Today collectors are in a much more comfortable situation, which also has a little downside: The more charming days are gone.
Now to my controversial opinion (which this thread is about):

We are spoilt for choice, which (paradoxically?) tends to lead to more dissatisfaction.

[BlueKrono]

I'm with you there @Libraraptor. My collection spans from squishy dino stretch toys to bronze figurines like SRG and Lanier. Perhaps my wallet wouldn't be so sore if I wasn't so catholic (lower-case C) in my collection parameters.

[Torvosaurus]

My collection is lead and white metal (a lead-substitute for war gaming/roleplaying figures) toys for war games and roleplaying to Safari and Collecta toys to Eofauna and Haolonggood figures. They range from an approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) Honourable Lead Boiler Suit Protoceratops to the massive Haolonggood Argentinosaurus.

I don't need any of them for work or for daily living. I would be perfectly fine without any of them. I do use many of them in play. Even those I don't use in games I still enjoy looking at. In my mind, that division on whether its for enjoyment or for every-day needs is what makes it a "toy". My collection, and probably 99% of every one else here is completely recreational. Maybe hobbyist comes closer to what some folks consider themselves, but in the end they are still just toys, even if some of them are a little expensive.

Torvo

[DinoToyForum]

The irony of this forum being called the Dinosaur Toy Forum is that collectors are very obviously shifting away from toys.

This is relevant to the official top 10 polls, as mentioned in the tongue-in-cheek opening crawl of the most recent (stegosaurs) top 10 video.

[Pachyrhinosaurus]

We are spoilt for choice, which (paradoxically?) tends to lead to more dissatisfaction.

Agreed, even beyond this hobby. I know people who grew up content with having 5 TV channels and now insist they need more and more streaming services.


Speaking of resin kits, does anyone else feel that they haven't been as popular on the forum one the past few years as they've been?

[ceratopsian]

Agreed on more choice = more dissatisfaction.

Resin kits: I think it's more the result of turnover of members on the forum.  I don't think they were ever popular in general on the forum, but postsaurischian and RobinGoodfellow were both keen photographers and both bought resins.  Both aren't active contributors anymore.  So we have less exposure to resin-heavier collections. I personally buy fewer resins, partly because of running out of space for large kits, partly because I'm happier with the choice of PVC models to tempt me these days.

We are spoilt for choice, which (paradoxically?) tends to lead to more dissatisfaction.

Agreed, even beyond this hobby. I know people who grew up content with having 5 TV channels and now insist they need more and more streaming services.


Speaking of resin kits, does anyone else feel that they haven't been as popular on the forum one the past few years as they've been?

[crazy8wizard]

Speaking of resin kits, does anyone else feel that they haven't been as popular on the forum one the past few years as they've been?

I obviously can't speak for everyone but I can say for certain that they tend to be too expensive for my tastes. I love assembling and painting but the average cost of a resin kit feels too expensive these days for a figure that isn't even professionally painted or finished.

[ceratopsian]

Resin kits have shot up in price since I came into the hobby a few years ago.  Some are eye-watering now.

[Torvosaurus]

Resin kits have shot up in price since I came into the hobby a few years ago.  Some are eye-watering now.

You can get plastic kits or 3D models that are often as good as, sometimes better than, the resin kits for much cheaper, as well. It's amazing what a really good 3D printer can do. I've compared some 3D prints of dragons I've bought to some of my resin dragons. Painted up, you can't tell the difference.

Torvo

[SidB]

Resin kits have shot up in price since I came into the hobby a few years ago.  Some are eye-watering now.

You can get plastic kits or 3D models that are often as good as, sometimes better than, the resin kits for much cheaper, as well. It's amazing what a really good 3D printer can do. I've compared some 3D prints of dragons I've bought to some of my resin dragons. Painted up, you can't tell the difference.

Torvo

I find it encouraging that the increasing pace of technological development and breakthroughs have really really started to blur and even erase the old lines between what used to be considered statues and toys. So many more options, most reasonably affordable compared with the past.

[GojiraGuy1954]

The irony of this forum being called the Dinosaur Toy Forum is that collectors are very obviously shifting away from toys. Of course, when this site was created the niche for adult-marketed dinosaur collectables didn't really exist, aside from kits and sculptures that costed a fortune. Safari and CollectA were the PNSO and HLG of their day, for a time, and it really wasn't that long ago.

A case could be made that PNSO, HLG, and Creative Beasts are still making toys, they're just toys for adults. But for me a lot of the appeal of collecting toys is lost with those models. Affordability, durability, often garish colors, a hand-sculpted and painted aesthetic, the nostalgia factor, etc. I enjoy collecting toys because they're toys! So, although I have plenty of PNSO and HLG figures that I love, it's actually stuff by Safari and Mattel that really gets me excited, because at my heart I'm a toy collector. I got into this hobby because I loved the dinosaur toys I had as a kid, and companies like Safari and Mattel are the ones keeping things close to the type of toy I have nostalgia for. It goes beyond dinosaurs too, I would prefer to have a ReAction figure to a hyper realistic and articulated one by NECA.   

>But for me a lot of the appeal of collecting toys is lost with those models. Affordability, durability, often garish colors

BoTM? No garish colours?