Toy Review: 1/6 Toy Soldier ACU Plate Carrier, DID XM8, DID M14

Here are my thoughts and impressions on Toy Soldier's ACU Plate Carrier, DID XM8, and DID M14!

On Tuesday 30th of January, a bunch of stuff I ordered from The Falcon's Hangar eight days ago has arrived.


Items bought:
1. Toy Soldier ACU Plate Carrier
2. DID XM8
3. DID M14 MOD 0 EBR

Total Spending (item + shipping + TT cost):
RM246.03 or USD70.31
 

I've been hearing a lot of anticipation among 1/6 forumers about DID releasing their first modern weapons series, considering that DID is much better known to release WWII era figures, and when one mentions about action figure companies releasing a line or series related to WWII, that would mean Germans. Lots and lots of Germans.

Anyway, with expectations running high, I was in for a bit of surprise upon making a closer examinations on the two DID 1/6 guns I ordered: Heckler & Koch XM8 assault rifle and M14 Mod 0 EBR sniper rifle. The following review will be done item by item.


DID XM8
As a part of the OICW Increment 1 program, the Heckler & Koch XM8 assault rifle was intended to replace the US Army's M16A2 and M4A1 Carbine series altogether. The XM8 is far lighter and supposedly more reliable than existing rifles in the US Army's armament. Its modular design allows interchangeability; different parts and accessories can be swapped quickly depending on the operational requirements. Should the XM8 be fielded, the US Army may field at least 900,000 units.

Source:
- http://world.guns.ru/assault/as61-e.htm
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XM8

Ah sweet. A 1/6 manufacturer releasing an XM8 for the first time, but is it worth your money? Just by looking at the rifle itself, you can tell that it was manufactured by poor standards with noticeable seamlines, rough edges (some are sharp enough to make your fingers bleed, like mine ;__;) and a very honest showcase of laziness in details and paintjob (the color of the rifle is the color of the molded plastic itself). It's almost like DID spent less than fifty cents to manufacture and market low-quality products that cared a lot more for the wide profit margin than customer satisfaction.

FIND MORE DID 1/6 ACTION FIGURES AND ACCESSORIES ON AMAZON

DID XM8 REVIEW SUMMARY
Good:
- Finally an XM8!
- Looks quite alright...

Bad:
- ...until you prick your fingers on the jagged edges on the rifle.
- The transparent magazine is empty.
- Haphazardly manufactured.

Overall:
2 out of 5.
The only reason to buy this is for the novelty factor of it being a H&K XM8. At least with some modelling skills, you can paint this thing and it's not goddamn overscaled like the really frickin' large...

DID M14 MOD 0 EBR
The M14 Mod 0 Enhanced Battle Rifle (EBR) is a modernized variant of the venerable Springfield Armory M14 rifle built for use with units of United States Naval Special Warfare Command, Marine Corps Special Operations Detachment 1, and Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance. The weapon was designed and created by Sage International, Ltd. in cooperation with Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division. The main objective of transforming the elderly rifle previously used in past conflicts of Korea and Vietnam into a 21st century enhanced tactical carbine is to meet the demanding requirements of the US Army Special Operations Command (SOCOM).

Source:
- http://www.janes.com/defence/land_forces/news/idr/idr060510_1_n.shtml

Let me kickstart this review by stating the obvious:

OH MY GOD! DID's M14 IS FRICKIN' HUGE!
Left to right: Type 90 MBT, Scope Dog, M14.
I don't know what DID employees been smoking to the point where they assume that the M14 Mod 0 is some sort of anti-universe blackhole cannon made for Landmate-sized robots and Orks. If you had purchased or owned 1/6 guns from 21st Century Toys and Hot Toys, chances are you'll say that some of their guns are slightly bigger compared to Dragon Models' standards, but in the case of DID's M14 Mod 0... let's not even go there. Again, the problems with jagged edges persists in this one just as the XM8. What is quality in your opinion DID?

One thing that I do praise about DID's M14 Mod 0 is the abundance of movable parts. The whole rifle itself can be opened and disassembled. This is the first 1/6 rifle I have where the round can be removed from the magazine.

DID M14 MOD 0 REVIEW SUMMARY
Good:
- It's huge!
- A number of movable parts.

Bad:
- It's huge! Seriously overscaled. Dammit it's big.
- Rough/jagged edges all around the rifle.
- Haphazardly manufactured (where's my Quality Control DID?).

Overall:
1 out of 5.
DID should seriously go back to making German soldiers if they can't manufacture modern-era products that doesn't suck real bad.

FIND MORE DID 1/6 ACTION FIGURES AND ACCESSORIES ON AMAZON

Just to add more insult and injury towards DID:

Very Hot MP5 being compared to both the XM8 and M14. You don't need to be a Nobel Prize winner to figure this one out: VH MP5 is the clear winner here. A real shame that a bootleg manufacturer still managed to put some fine details on the firing selector, that the firing selector also moves, the seamlines are less noticeable, comes with more accessories at a lesser price (check Ebay for loose VH MP5) and they actually care to give the scope some life by putting on reflective colors! Where's your pride now DID?

TS ACU PLATE CARRIER
The Plate Carrier was designed to meet the needs of operators who want a high mobility plate carrier with great load carrying capacity. The open side design gives the shooter better flexibility as it does not hinder shoulder movement. The padded cell foam found on the vest's torso area is to relieve load stress on the operator and thus giving him better comfort during prolonged missions in humid weather. Plate Carriers allow for quick adjustments and modifications as loads, clothing or positions from walking to sitting in a vehicle change.

Source:
- Compiled from various sources via a Google search on 'Plate Carrier'.

At last, something to compensate for all the disappointing stuff I got from this shipment. Being an established brand in manufacturing modern-era figures and accessories, Toy Soldier really doesn't let me down on this one. The whole set consist of 12 items: a Plate Carrier vest (with trauma plate inserted), a drop-leg platform while the other 10 are pouches of various purposes and functions ranging from magazine pouches to hydration system carrier. Upon touching the vest itself, it feels almost like the real thing albeit resized into 1/6. The vest is excellently made with minute details and the sewing job is done very neatly with almost no excess threads sticking out.

My only gripe here is that TS should've thrown in extra items relevant to the pouches. At a reasonable pricerange of just USD24.99, I don't really mind paying slightly more above that (USD34.99 maybe?) for bonuses thrown in along with the Plate Carrier. Even so, that doesn't deter me from giving the TS ACU Plate Carrier a greenlight as a recommended item for any modern-era enthusiast out there.

TS ACU PLATE CARRIER REVIEW SUMMARY
Good:
- Nice details.
- Lots of pouches.
- High standards in quality. The most important missing component in all the previously reviewed items.
- Reasonably priced.

Bad:
- Should've had extra items like handgun or other related accessories thrown in.

Overall:
5 out of 5.
Get one of these now before they ran out of stock!

FIND MORE 1/6 TOY SOLDIER ACTION FIGURES AND ACCESSORIES ON AMAZON