Weight and material of CollectA models

Hello dear collectors,

I have been stalking these forums for a few years ( ) without hardly making a topic
Now I have a question though, to all the CollectA fans and enthusiasts out there. You see, I am mainly a collector of Schleich, and have been in the past quite brand-loyal (if only for the fact that it is the most easily acquirable brand in The Netherlands, and by far the cheapest one). However, the decrease in quality of both sculpts (especially in horses, those impossible bone structures hurt my passion for biology), and paint job (the thing that Schleich used to have going for them the most), make me look for other brands. Papo was a logical choice, and I am proud to add some of their amazing big cat models to my collection. Now that I learned that there is a Dutch webshop that sells CollectA, as well as a German one that offers many models for a decent price, I am tentatively considering getting some CollectA, too.
The main issue for me is that I am a big fan of heavy, sturdy models. Not only the realism, but also the 'hand-feel' are important for me, as you get what I mean. Animal figurines are my most frequent fiddle-gadget, so they need to be able to be put to work in that field
In other words, can I rely on CollectA models to have some weight and sturdiness? And is there a lot of variation on this matter in the different production years?
Thanks a ton for taking the time to read and hopefully answer this

Hello, Rosalba ! Great that you come forward and say hello

It is hard to compare the material of the brands, as CollectA's models are so much, much more realistic, i.e. thinner legs, antlers etc, and not such huge heads.

A couple of years ago there was a problem with legs bending, but I have not seen it sinde. I think they corrected it almost immediately.

I suggest that you get a couple of the models you like, and then you can judge if you like them

Or maybe somebody else can tell you more ? I have always been happy with the CollectA models I have.

SUSANNE wrote:

Hello, Rosalba ! Great that you come forward and say hello  

It is hard to compare the material of the brands, as CollectA's models are so much, much more realistic, i.e. thinner legs, antlers etc, and not such huge heads.

A couple of years ago there was a problem with legs bending, but I have not seen it sinde. I think they corrected it almost immediately.

I suggest that you get a couple of the models you like, and then you can judge if you like them

Or maybe somebody else can tell you more ? I have always been happy with the CollectA models I have.

Thanks for your reply :) Maybe I should introduce myself more properly on the appropriate forum too
I see that with their realistic way of creating models, ColllectA asks different things of their molds than Schleich. CollectA is, I presume, less designed to be a toy for very tactile toddlers (like me ), and therefore has more thin and narrow parts. Schleich reminds me a bit of those wooden toys you give to very young kids; they are sturdy and they tickle your imagination. But it seems that for realism, I have to go to other places now :)
I agree with you, I should 'try' a few models, although the shipping costs are too high to buy just 2 or 3 (it would be a waste then), so I'll go get a bunch of the ungulates at once when the time is right. I am a big antelope enthusiast, have been since I was 10, so when I learned about the beautiful CollectA antelope range, and all the rare species captured... well, needless to say my heart skipped a beat

When it comes to weight and sturdiness, Schleich, Papo and CollectA are very compatible IMO.
They have the same feel, weight and they look good together scale wise.
They all have their own niche.

In my opinion Schleich is going more for the dramatic, girly look when it comes to horses/animals these days.
CollectA tries to make horses/animals as realistic as they can. Which sometimes results into some thin, delicate parts, which can be softer than Schleich's.
And Papo is Papo. They always go for a naturalistic look.
And you either love'm or hate'm, or in between.
But their figures will be rock hard as Schleich.

It is important that usually silent members like you start posting. It contributes to the interest of the forum and also to keep our community active. So, I am glad you decided to participate.
CollectA figures are made with a pvc of a similar density to Schleich. Though, it is important to notice that CollectA horses experimented several solutions during these years.
From 2006 to 2010, early horses, they were quite heavy as old Schleich horses. Strangely, this material despite heavy, was more breakable than the Schleich counterparts. Since Deborah started sculpting for CollectA, horses started to be more realistic, with longer and slender legs what is a problem when you use a hard pvc. To prevent these from breaking without compromising the realism of the figure, CollectA started to use a noticiably lighter material and less breakable. Though, some problems resulted from the use of that material, legs started bending easily, sometimes just over the weight of the body of the figure. To the touch, the lighter material, transmited also a feelling of lower quality, an effect similar to what we feel when we have the first experience with Bullyland figures. During further years, CollectA tried better formulas to have sturdy figures but wanting to keep the good shape and delicate built. I think CollectA is performing very well these days and a good example are their antelopes, magnificent delicate and realistic figures and you have a feeling of quality when you have it in your hands. The traditional robuste built of Schleich figures, together with static poses, correctly balanced, contributed to a positive sensation of quality when we manage a Schleich figure. Though, even Schleich changed it somewhat during last years, the famous Shire stallion is made of a light material and the big size of it and heavy built do not change that impression. You have also some other figures made of the same material like most of sea life figures or the stork, for instance.
If you are into dinosaurs too, the softer material of CollectA is sometimes also used in spiky parts of the figure allowing some very sharp and detailed rows of spikes in some prehistoric figures that give a very realistic look to it and is at the same time safe for children. I love CollectA figures regardless the kind of material used.

Thank you both for your great and detailed replies, Bloodrayne and Roger!
It is amazing this community can rely on individuals such as you who are both very knowledgeable about the world of collectible animal figurines, and also do not shy away from giving critiques and speculations :)
Your affirmative answers about the quality and sturdiness of CollectA definitely helped convince me. I just had my last day a work, they 'had to let me go' because my contract expired and at 20 you are already too expensive to sit at the till in NL. -sigh- Anyway, I want to do something really nice with my last paycheck (as I normally don't spend much and save almost all my money), so I decided to shell out about 100 euros to spend on goodies from MPV . My little room better prepare for a load of CollectA friends to come and stay over indefinitely

Good for you!
MPV is my favourite web shop.
Enjoy unpacking that box!