Action Man is an iconic figure of childhood and the very first hero we knew for many of us. I never had one (I wanted stationery and a typewriter rather than dolls) but my husband recalls asking for an Action Man for Christmas when he was a little boy. He was devastated when he got a rival branded doll instead and it’s one of those stories that he brings up every now and again. He wanted an Action Man and never got one. Well, now is the perfect time for him to finally get what he wanted because Father’s Day is coming up! It’s the 16th June this year, to be exact. I’ve been gifted two classic Action Man dolls to enable me to write this post, which my son, Luke has now gifted to his Dad. I haven’t received any monetary compensation and all opinions are my own.
Action Man makes a great gift for Dads as well as for the kids and since receiving the Action Pilot and the Action Sailor, both my son and my husband have kept themselves busy playing with them. It’s actually really cute how the two of them are interacting by playing with them! What’s great about these toys is that they encourage kids to get imaginative in a way that tablets and video games don’t. I love using technology to help my son play and as a parent I have no problem with it, but when Luke plays with a doll like this, there’s a whole new side to his personality that comes out.
The Action Man Timeless Classic range is packaged just like the original range, so it’s authentic and will really bring back memories for the Dads. There’s a Sailor, a Soldier and a Pilot available in single figure packs. They’re priced at £14.99 which I thought was quite reasonable. They’re 30cm tall and come dressed in their uniforms with the signature Action Man dog tags and authentic buzz cuts.
I received the Sailor Action Man and the Pilot Action, but there’s also a soldier available who comes in desert camoflage, sand boots and a beret. Sailor is dressed in a blue sailor suit and the Pilot has a vibrant orange flight suit, helmet and goggles. If you want to pay an extra tenner, you can get the Action Man Deluxe Classic Sets (priced at £24.99). These deluxe sets have extra accessories. Action Man Deluxe Soldier has forest green camo, Bergan and a machine rifle. Deluxe Pilot is dressed in blue rather than the orange flight suit and has a black flight helmet, sunglasses and a back pack. My favourite, the Deluxe Sailor has a classic sailor suit, a white hat, walkie talkie, binoculars and a duffle bag.
I asked my husband Alex what he thought of the Action Man dolls we received and he said, “They remind me of my childhood, when I really wanted an Action Man but never got one. So, I was delighted to get one at last! The Pilot is my favourite.”
I then asked my eight year old son, Luke, for feedback. He gave me a thumbs up and said, “They’re good.” When asked which was his favourite between the Pilot and Sailor we received, he said, “Both.” What can I say? He’s a man of few words!
If you’re into nostalgic toys and want to treat your Dad or father figure to an Action Man this Father’s Day, (or even just buy one for yourself!) I would recommend buying one of these dolls. Seeing the way that Alex and Luke played together with them was magic. Even my own Dad‘s eyes lit up when he saw them sitting in my living room. They were definitely a hit.
Action Man is timeless! I was a bit too old for them when they first appeared but I can remember they were huge in the 60s and 70s.