Hess Truck 2013
Having a 4-year-old son, toy trucks are a huge part of our lives. Cars, trucks, planes and transportation vehicles dominate our toy collection, by far. Having been focused on new items within the toy industry now for almost 5 years, it’s easy to get won over by all of the new items I see yearly at Toy Fair, which are debuted by toy companies of all size in New York City. However, not all companies present at Toy Fair and every now and then there’s a toy that comes completely unannounced on my radar, because they aren’t traditionally available in big box toy stores where we might peruse the aisles. My mother bought Gavin his first Hess Toy Truck last year for Christmas. Both she and my father said on Christmas day that when they received it they took it out of the packaging to play with it before re-wrapping it for Gavin!
Hess Toy Trucks are collectible toys that debut right before the holiday season and are only available for short period of time until supplies last. Since 1964 people have been collecting and playing with these amazing toys. They can only be purchased online or at Hess gas stations, which primarily line only the East Coast of the United States. Hess Trucks are actually 2 toys in one package. This years model retails for $27.99 plus shipping and tax,making the total purchase price just under $40, and still honestly a bargain given it’s realistic working features, amazing durability, it arrives with Energizer batteries installed, and that there are 2 vehicles for the price of one.
When I received the information about the 2013 Hess Toy Truck and Tractor release, I was so excited. Best part was that when I received the free product in the mail for review, the information was under embargo, so I had no idea which type of vehicle it was or what it looked like. When it arrived, my husband and I secretly unwrapped it together when Gavin was asleep so we could see the design and we were both giddy in excitement. As parents we have this innate sense that you can’t help but get excited when you see something you know is going to make your children happy.
As pictured above, this year’s model is a tractor trailer truck that has 45 lights and 4 sounds that operate with the touch of one of 3 small buttons on the top of the cab. A rear loading ramp can be pulled from the back of the tractor trailer truck. The smaller tractor stores right on the back of the tractor trailer truck. It has rubber tires, working lights and a slide button on the side that allows it to move either forward or backward. The tractor also has front and rear buckets with articulating arms that allow them to scoop.
Gavin is as enamored with this truck as he is with last year’s model. He drives it across the floor, and incorporates play with all of his other trucks and planes. His favorite thing to do now is take the small tractor, place it inside a cardboard box and we let him scoop, dump and move shredded paper before we throw it away. It did take Gavin asking for help a few times to understand how to get the tractor to move forward and backward, but it’s a simple slide button, it’s just a little hard to locate the first time you look for it. There is no doubt in my mind that this truck will continue to bring our entire family enjoyment for another year.
Here’s the commercial so you can see the Hess Truck in action, ordering and purchasing information is below the video.
You can purchase the Hess Toy Truck on their website, or at Hess gas stations. As stated above, I received a free sample to facilitate this review, any additional opinions are my own.
Related articles:
Review of Hess Toy Truck 2012 by Keri Wilmot on About.com Toys
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