Loot Crate October 2015 Review

Loot Crate: October 2015 Review, 'Time'

Link: www.lootcrate.com

After the amazing contents of last month's Loot Crate, I decided that I was going to give them another chance with October's box. 

The theme was time - presumably to celebrate the fact that 21st October 2015 was the date Marty McFly travelled to in Back to the Future 2.

For the second month in a row, I think they did a fantastic job:

Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure T-Shirt

I love this t-shirt! The faded blue is a really nice look and not a colour choice that I have seen in any other box. It's really nice quality and the design is fab - I'm really happy with this.

Dr Emmett Brown Funko Pop! Vinyl (Loot Crate Exclusive)

An exclusive Pop is always an exciting thing to find in a sub box and this one is bloody fantastic. I don't have a Doc Brown Pop so this is a great one for the collection. This is a great way to celebrate Back to the Future!

Back to the Future 2 Model Hover Board

Continuing the Back to the Future vibe was this amazing replica of the hover board that Marty McFly rides in the film.

This is a really cute display item for anyone who is a fan of the films and it's a great reference to an iconic scene.

Doctor Who Sonic Spork

How could a 'Time' box not feature The Doctor? I thought this was a really original and potentially useful item to include in homage to one of the greatest British television shows of all time. I absolutely love it and I love that it isn't just a display item!

Overall:

I think Loot Crate did a great job with this box! They have definitely upped their game over the past couple of months and I am suitably impressed. In fact, I'm so impressed that I'm going to order my 3rd box in a row! 

Look out for my review of November's box next month.

Remember to follow this blog if you want to see more posts like this. Comment below if you have any questions about Loot Crate or any of this month's items and let me know what you guys thought of October's box!

Click on the following links to see my past Loot Crate reviews:

Loot Crate May 2015 Review

Loot Crate September 2015 Review

Noob Cube October 2015 Review

Noob Cube: October 2015 Review, '7 Deadly Sins'

Link: www.noobcube.co.uk

The theme for October's Noob Cube was the '7 Deadly Sins', in which they promised to include one item for each of the aforementioned sins.

This was the box as I opened it:

The info cards Noob Cube provide are fun because they tell you about all of the nerdy happenings in the world for each month, but I think that they're making a mistake in not providing an information card for the actual items in the box. Sometimes it's nice to read a little more about what you've been sent.

Loki T-Shirt

This was the item that seemed to be representing Envy. I guess it worked as a concept, but I actually I'm not a big fan of the character and I really don't like the design of the t-shirt itself. So, this item was a bit of a fail for me - but I can see how it would appeal to other subscribers.

Hulk Pocket Pop! Keychain

I reckon that this item represented Wrath. As with all Funko products, this is adorable and I'm pretty happy with it. I think these keychains cost a ridiculous amount of money, so I'm always happy to receive one in a box like this because I don't get the spending guilt!

Skull Sugar Spoon

I'm guessing that this one is for Gluttony. I think this might actually be my favourite item in this box - I absolutely love the look of it and it's such a different item from the usual fare that gets thrown into a box like this.

James Bond Playing Cards

Using James Bond to represent Lust seemed a bit...I'm not sure what - I felt that he wasn't a character that really fit into a box like this at all though. I've never liked the James Bond films so these really aren't for me.

Sloth Patch

I liked that they used a 'Sloth' themed item to represent Sloth. In practical terms though, I am disappointed to see patches and things in these boxes because they just seem so useless. I literally never use stuff like this.

Breaking Bad Stickers

I love these! I also love the idea of using Breaking Bad to represent Greed - this worked really well for the box.

300 Travel Pass Holder

I haven't seen 300 so I'm not sure, but I'm assuming that this is representing Avarice since that's the only sin left. It seems like a decent enough travel pass, but I don't personally have a lot of use for it.

Overall:

To be honest, a lot of the stuff in this box felt like filler and it kinda felt like they were trying to force things into the theme rather than considering what kind of items their subscribers would actually like to receive. The theme had so much potential and I was really excited for this box, but I don't think they did as well as they could have done in bringing that to life.

Since they made such a big deal about the theme I also think that they needed to offer a little info on why they put each item in for each sin. They should have also have said which sin the item represented - it was difficult to figure out, although I was impressed with myself for remembering all 7!

I haven't found Noob Cube's recent boxes all that exciting and I'm in two minds as to whether or not I will be ordering November's 'Femme Fatale' box. I'm tempted to give them another chance, but I'm starting to think that their content might not be for me.

Popinabox October 2015 Review

Popinabox: October 2015 Review

Link: www.popinabox.co.uk


I only ordered 1 Pop from Popinabox this month, mainly because my collection is becoming slightly out of hand and also partly because of the disaster I had with them last month.

This month Popinabox gave everyone an increased chance of getting a large Pop (6") - I think there was a 1 in 4 chance or something similar? Anyway, it would probably have been a good month to do a large order, but I honestly don't have the room right now.

My Pop arrived in a regular sized box, so I immediately knew that I wasn't one of the lucky ones:

Even so, I was a lot more impressed this month than I was last month. My Pop was in perfect condition and it was a great one for my collection :)

Lord Voldemort Funko Pop! Vinyl

He who must not be named! I'm loving the Harry Potter Funkos; I already have Dumbledore, Hagrid and 3 Harrys (see here for the arrival of the 3rd Harry). Voldemort is a great addition to the team.

A closer look:

Overall:

I was so much happier with Popinabox this month. I will probably stick to getting the one Pop from this point onward, but that is because I am becoming seriously limited on space. The service was flawless this month though - I can't fault it.

Arcade Block September 2015 Review

Arcade Block: September 2015 Review

Link: www.nerdblock.com

I wasn't a fan of the theme for the September Nerd Block, so I decided to try my first ever Arcade Block. I am pretty into my gaming, but I'm also picky about what I play so I can't claim to know all that much - I was expecting there to be references in the box that I wouldn't get. I was pleasantly surprised though - I ended up liking almost everything!

Legend of Zelda, Wind Waker T-Shirt

I really like this t-shirt! It's a very bright blue, which I'm a bit apprehensive of wearing, but the design on it is beautiful and it fits great.

Legend of Zelda Canvas Print

I love this so much! I really liked getting a real piece of art to display and I love the print itself. I just need somewhere to hang it!

Legend of Zelda Chicken Springz

This item really made me smile, it's such a cute chicken and such a great Zelda reference - it brings back N64 memories! I'm not sure I'd put it on my dashboard, but I'm sure I'll find a good place to put it.

Legend of Zelda Shield Keyring

This is a really nice keyring and surprisingly good quality/weighty. This went straight on my house keys :) It's small and subtle, which can be a real advantage if you want to be discreet about your geekiness.

Galak-Z Vinyl Record

This was such a unique item to get in a box like this, I was suitably impressed with their originality! Unfortunately I don't own a record player and don't have too much interest in acquiring one, so this is probably going to have to remain a decorative piece for me.

Stuffed Boo Toy

I believe people got either a Boo or a Goomba in their box and I'm really glad I got a Boo! I really, really like this plush - he's absolutely adorable and is a perfect little representation of the Mario games. This might be my favourite item in the box, but it's hard to say because everything was so good!

Overall:

I was really impressed with my first Arcade Block and I loved the Zelda theme. I don't know if I just got really lucky with the month that I chose to switch, but I'm tempted to carry on this box alongside the classic!

Infinity Crate September 2015 Review

Infinity Crate: September 2015 Review, 'Fantasy'

Link: www.infinitycrates.co.uk

To be honest, I had high hopes for a box that was themed 'Fantasy' and I think the reality didn't quite meet up to my expectations. I was expecting lots of 'swords and dragons' type items, but I didn't feel that really come through in this box.

Straight Inta Mordor T-Shirt

This is actually quite a funny t-shirt, I'm just not sure how I feel about walking around as a 23 year old and wearing a meme. I love Tumblr and I love this meme, but it just seems a little OTT to wear it! Or maybe I'm just a bit old. I will probably wear it around the house, but I'd feel awkward wearing it out.

Harry Potter Funko Pop! Vinyl

Normally I would be very excited about this, but I already own this Pop in 2 variations! I guess I now have a complete collection, but I didn't really need all 3 varieties. That's the biggest downside to getting Pops in this kind of box - there's no way to tell them what you already have.

Star Wars Flask

To me, Star Wars is sci fi - not fantasy! I don't have much use for a flask as it is, but I really hate Star Wars so this is a total 'nope' item for me. 

Gengar Magnet

Love it, love everything about it.

Refreshers Sweets

I loved these so much that I actually went out and bought some more. Freakin delicious.

Superhero Badge

Thumbs up for badges.

Gamer Survival Guide Poster

I like this poster, it's really long and a bit nicer than some of the posters that Infinity Crates have included recently.

Overall:

I can't complain about anything in this box really (except for the Star Wars flask...), it just didn't excite me that much. That might be my fault though, since I did get very hyped for a good fantasy box. 

Loot Crate September 2015 Review

Loot Crate: September 2015 Review, 'Summon'

Link: www.lootcrate.com

I know I said that I wasn't going to get another Loot Crate any time soon - but September's box came with promises of CW's Supernatural, The Simpsons AND Pokemon, so I had to take a look for myself! 

I was really disappointed with the last Loot Crate that I got and I felt that it really didn't live up to the hype that surrounds it. However, this month was a real game changer for me.

Pikachu Hat (with Pokeball toggles)

This is now officially one of the best things I have ever owned. Words can't describe how much I love this hat! It's beyond adorable, feeds my pokemon obsession and it has those amazing pokeball toggles. I would love to wear this all the time, but unfortunately it makes me look about 12:

A bright yellow pokemon hat isn't necessarily the best way to say to the world, 'hey, I'm a responsible adult!'. It is freakin cute though.

Model '67 Chevy Impala

Everyone needs a model of Baby! This was perfect for me as Supernatural has been one of my favourite shows for a long time now. This was a really nice way to pay homage to the show, especially since the car is such a huge part of the whole aesthetic. It's certainly survived longer than most of the characters.

Hearthstone Stress Ball

I'll confess that I haven't played the game, so I don't know much about what this represents. It's really nice as a stress ball though and looks really cool and fantastical. 

Homer Simpson Buddha Figurine

Like an idiot, I forgot to take a picture of the actual figurine! It's a cool gold, rubbery figure though and pretty big. I really like the look of it - I'm a fan of The Simpsons but a lot of the related merchandise can look very tacky and mass produced, so it's nice to have something different that relates to the show.

This seems to be a gift card of some sort. It doesn't seem like the kind of thing I'll use, but it seems like a nice little extra that bumps up the value of the box.

The booklet they included had these mad cards in. I'm not too sure what they are yet as I haven't had much time to sit and investigate. It's nice that they seem to have included quite a few little extras this month that make the box more interesting.

The Loot Crate badge that they include every month.

I love that Loot Crate makes the insides of their boxes so different and creative every month - it adds a little something that other subscription box services don't really provide. I've seen people do some really amazing artsy things with these boxes on social media, so it's nice that the extra effort with the presentation is appreciated.

Overall:

I loved this box! It completely changed my opinion of Loot Crate if I'm being honest. I especially loved the hat, but everything else in there was also really interesting and useful - it was a complete turn around from the last box I had that I really didn't like.

As this month was such a success, I am also going to be doing a review of the October Loot Crate!

Popinabox September 2015 Review

Popinabox: September 2015 Review

Link: www.popinabox.co.uk


So, for September I ordered my largest Popinabox yet - 4 Pops - and received them in two batches. The first Pop I received was by itself in a small box:

This Pop was really well packaged and arrived in great condition. It also was a Pop that fitted very well with one I received the month before.

Dana Scully Funko Pop! Vinyl

This was a good choice for me - I love the X Files and I like that I now have a Scully and an Alien to show off. I'm not too bothered about collecting the Cigarette Smoking Man, but it would be nice to have a Mulder to go with these guys.

A closer look:

Unfortunately, the next 3 Pops that they sent me arrived in terrible condition. It wasn't even damage that happened in transit - the Pops had been forced into the box in such a way that the boxes simply caved under the pressure. Whoever packed the boxes clearly gave no thought to the physics of cramming delicate items into an obviously too small space.

I contacted Popinabox and it took them more than a week to get back to me (not a great effort in my opinion). They did offer to replace the Pops, but I was pretty fed up by that point (and I am exceptionally lazy) and I couldn't be arsed to deal with all the posting chaos that was involved.

Lafayette Reynolds Funko Pop! Vinyl

Lafayette took the worst of the damage unfortunately - his box has just disintegrated at this point. I am a True Blood fan though, so the Pop itself was a nice surprise. 

Bill Compton Funko Pop! Vinyl

Again, pleased with the Pop itself but a bit disappointed with the damage. Bill's box was the most intact though, so this one was salvageable. 

Alcide Herveaux Funko Pop! Vinyl

I think there might have been a bit of a theme to my box this month, what do you guys think? If it wasn't for the horrible packaging job, I would have been super happy with this haul.

Overall:

This is the first time that Popinabox has let me down and it made me a bit wary. I'm definitely bringing my subscription back down to a cheaper one, if not pausing it completely for a while. They just seem to have become a little more careless since they expanded to being an international service and I expected a bit better from them.