Disclaimer: We were sent these Tonka Metal Movers Mud Rescue vehicles to review free of charge, but words and pictures are mine. This post contains affiliate links, see more information here.
My son loves a good construction vehicle and Tonka are well known for their realistic, tough diecast scale vehicles, which they’ve been making since the 1940s.
We were sent a selection of the newest Tonka Metal Movers to review.
And, rather than leave you guessing – here is how we got on!
Tonka Metal Movers Combo pack
The Tonka Metal Movers Combo Packs each contain two vehicles and a packet of ‘Tonka Tough Mud’; a fake ‘dirt’ sand compound which sticks together. It feels a bit like a combination of sand and blu-tac and can be used to form shapes and tracks.
In our pack was a dumper truck and a bull dozer; there is a separate pack containing a different dumper truck and a front loader/digger.
The vehicles are about 9cm long and made from steel and hardwearing plastic. They’re sturdy, really tough little trucks which even young kids (aged three and up) will be able to play with without damaging them.
The little vehicles are complete with detailing and moving parts; wheels and dump bed, bull dozer blade etc.
The compound is supposed to be ‘no mess’ but my kids took this challenge on and won; my advice would be get a high-sided plastic container to keep everything inside.
The dirt compound can and will get caught in the wheels of the vehicles so I recommend rinsing them off before they go back in the toybox!
The RRP on the set of two 3inch vehicles plus compound is £10.99.
Tonka Micro Metals
In this pack are teeny tiny Tonka Metal Movers. Much like Micro Machines of the 80s, they are teeny miniature versions of the popular Metal Movers.
The Micro Metals come in a pack of four vehicles; a police cruiser, a fire engine and a green truck and a fourth mystery vehicle. This comes hidden in a Tonka box which can be then used to store any of the tiny vehicles.
Spoiler alert: It’s a mini dumper truck!
As tough as the bigger vehicles, these too should stand up to a bit of rough play! There is no Tonka Tough Mud compound contained in the Micro Movers pack which retails at £9.99.
These are fun little vehicles, but aside from being small and ‘cute’ had limited appeal for my son, compared to the larger vehicles.
Tonka Mud Rescue Metal Movers
Definitely our favourite of the products we were sent, the Tonka Mud Rescue Metal Movers combine the fun of blind bag surprises and collectibles with tough Tonka vehicles and Tough Mud dirt compound.
Inside each pack, which costs £7.99, you get one 7cm vehicle, some compound, and roadside accessories including tiny traffic cones to help create fun scenes.
To ubox the Mud Rescue vehicles, unwrap and open up the reusable plastic case. The top section is filled with the same dirt/sand compound – again it is sold as no mess but a container is a very good idea, although it can be kept inside the plastic container afterwards.
The die-cast vehicle needs to be rescued from inside the compound. When you buy it, it’s poking through so you know which one you are getting.
The vehicles are wrapped in plastic so that the compound will not have got into the wheels before use – although once again, they’ll definitely need rinsing off before going back into the toy box with Tough Mud buried in the wheels.
The accessories, which include sections of fence and tiny traffic cones, can be found in the bottom of the plastic container and used to make street scenes to enhance the play.
What did we think of Tonka Metal Movers, Mud Rescue and Micro Movers?
I’m not exaggerating when I say that my son spent hours happily playing with his Tonka Metal Movers and Micro Movers vehicles.
The compound, though it has the potential to be a little messy, was a huge hit and he spent a long time shaping and reshaping it.
The sand is now stored neatly back inside the containers for the next time he wants to play!
The vehicles themselves are sturdy and good quality, and should last a long time!
How much and where to buy
The RRPs on the products reviewed are £10.99 for the Tonka Metal Movers Combo pack, £9.99 for the Tonka Micro Metals and £7.99 for the Mud Rescue Metal Movers.
They can be purchased from toy shops or online via Amazon using the links below.
You can find out more information on the Tonka Metal Movers vehicles, and activities and chances to win Tonka Toys at the Tonka Tough event.