Vac Man is back!

When Stretch Armstrong was relaunched, I was transported back to my childhood and excited to share some toy nostalgia with my children. Now, Character Options has brought back the super villain Vac Man to add even more old school fun to playtime. He joins Stretch Armstrong, Fetch Armstrong and Octopus for some super stretchy entertainment that the grown-ups will love as much as the kids!

Vac Man is a 14" fully stretchable and poseable vac powered action figure that can be stretched to four times his original size. He can have the air pumped out of him using the special syringe that fits into the side of his head and can then be stretched and posed and have his limbs cracked. By pressing the release valve button on the side of his head he can be returned to his normal state.

The Vac Man action figure is filled with non-toxic bead shaped filler. When in his original state he feels quite soft and squishy, but after the air has been sucked out, he turns hard and lumpy. Freddy calls him Warty Man because of the texture of his skin!!

Vac Man looks pretty impressive and vibrant with his red coloured body, sinister grimace and silver head gear. The syringe fits and locks into the socket on his head and can be pumped up to ten times. It gets quite tough to pull back the syringe, but the more you pump out his air, the better you can play with him, stretch him and crack him.

He is a very tactile, textural toy that Freddy enjoyed playing with. It can be manipulated into different positions and makes a satisfying, crunchy sound. It is good for sensory play and has an educational aspect as children learn about the effect of pumping out the air. It's an all round great toy that really sparked Freddy's imagination.

The valve to release his vacuum is easy to operate and he very quickly returns to his original soft form. Vac Man is sturdy and has a new stronger formula to his predecessor, however he has some care instructions that need to be adhered to, to avoid damage. You must avoid extreme temperatures, not pull his head, keep him away from water and avoid sharp objects. He must always be put away in his soft, non-stretched state to keep him in tip top condition.

Vac Man is suitable for children aged 5 and over. He retails for £29.99 and can be found on www.character-online.com. Great fun for kids and a nostalgic gift for the young at heart!

The Original Stretch Armstrong is back!

Back in the 70's, Stretch Armstrong was all the rage - he was the iconic muscle man toy with ultimate flexibility that everyone wanted. Something about his super stretchy limbs and his ability to return to his original shape, even after being tied in knots, made him a real must have. Now, some forty years on, Stretch Armstrong is back, appealing to a whole new generation of girls and boys who will love stretching him and getting to grips with another great classic toy from yesteryear.

The design is true to his original 70's form, standing 30cm tall with his square jaw, blond hair and little, blue trunks. The unique play value of The Original Stretch Armstrong lies in his stretchy body, which can be pulled to four times its original size. You can also tie him in knots and squish him and squash him, safe in the knowledge that he will go back to his original shape after you've finished playing. It is an experimental and entertaining toy for hands-on play.

Freddy received one to try out and I'm not sure who was more excited, him or his daddy! Ian admitted that he had wanted a Stretch Armstrong as a boy in the 70's but his parents had never bought him one. So he was pretty keen to play with Freddy and experience the fun of stretching Stretch Armstrong at long last.

Stretch Armstrong's body is rubbery and can stretch longways and widthways. You can wrap his feet around his neck, twist his body and tie his arms around his torso. Yet he always retracts back to his original shape. There is something quite satisfying about playing with Stretch Armstrong. It harks back to a time when toys were so much simpler.

Freddy pretended Stretch was a wrestling superhero and had him doing various fighting moves with other toys. He really enjoyed being able to stretch him, twist him and squash him into different shapes and positions. It is an action figure with a difference and is a very strong and robust toy that can withstand tough play. (Just keep it away from sharp objects.)

The Original Stretch Armstrong can be purchased from www.character-online.co.uk for £19.99.