Tom Toy Truck
Review by Mr. Stinkhead

We received this beautiful, hand crafted wooden truck from MadCatToys.com, the only online U.S. retailer of Tom Toy wooden vehicles. Overall, I'm completely impressed with the look and feel, and superior craftsmanship.

First off, I have to admit, that I'm a sucker for German toys, see our obsessive coverage of all things playmobil. There is a superior design mentality applied, and no corners are cut. The simple design lends itself to a very aesthetically pleasing look. It's also perfect for kid sized hands, and able to be appreciated by grown-up collectors.

This isn't your standard wooden toy truck. The driver and passenger doors are held closed with a sturdy magnet. You'll also notice that the scale is perfectly suited for playmobil sized people. The back doors have a simple latch, and open up to a space large enough to stow away a good amount of gear. The ladder fits snugly on top, yet can be easily removed and reattached.

I also like the fact that the steering wheel moves the front tires together, and the back axle is on a "wishbone" style suspension, it works like a see-saw. Speaking of the wheels, they're this great soft rubber. They're easily squeezable, but also sturdy.

The rub is that this particular truck is $150. It's a beautifully crafted toy, but I wouldn't let the under 5 set be rough with it. It's sturdy, and won't fall apart under normal play, but I would not have some ankle-biter loading it up with rocks and tossing it into the sandbox.

One of the great tools on MadCatToys.com is their scale viewer. A great Flash application where you can select a toy from their list and then several simple objects (such as a soda can or golf ball) to see how the toys actually size up. It's very clean, and easy to get the hang of. This truck is 8X9X13"!

If you're a collector of the upscale finer things, and one of your current gripes of American toys is shoddy craftsmanship, then I definitely recommend this, or any of the Tom Toy vehicles. I was surprised by the amount of features, and really taken in with the overall design and functionality. That and it fits perfectly with my playmobil collection. Definitely swing by and check out all the other Tom Toy trucks available. MadCatToys also has a variety of other hand made toys and collectibles.

All images and article © 2004 MillionairePlayboy.com.