Review: 60121 Volcano Exploration Truck
Posted by CapnRex101,
The Volcano Explorers subtheme dominates the City range this summer and follows the successful examples of the Deep Sea and Arctic sets by taking the action beyond the city limits and into the wilderness.
60121 Volcano Exploration Truck is perhaps the least unusual of the seven sets which have been revealed so far but I was drawn to it thanks to my love for vehicles of this size which are a mainstay of LEGO City. Furthermore, the set is priced at £14.99 or $24.99 so offers a relatively inexpensive taste of the entire Volcano Exploration range as well as a number of new pieces.
Minifigures
The two minifigures included are fairly generic but feature new printed designs on their torsos as well as new leg printing in the case of the female worker. I like the muted colours of their uniforms and each one is printed with a suitable level of detail on the front and back.
Their heads are fairly common but the white hard hat has only appeared a couple of times in recent years so it is pleasing to see it again in all of the Volcano Explorers sets. Unfortunately it does not integrate perfectly with the breathing apparatus as the latter element is designed to be used with firefighter helmets rather than construction headgear.
The explorers are equipped with a drill, a radio and an updated detector element which has only appeared in seven sets since it was introduced in 2009. It is similar to the earlier accessory but now lacks studs on the search head so it looks more realistic but its versatility has been reduced in accordance with the removal of some attachment points.
The Completed Model
I think the LEGO City design team has perfected the creation of trucks at this scale and few updates have been made to the structure of this model as a result. It makes use of SNOT techniques on the front and back of the model, as has consistently been the case since 7998 Heavy Hauler was released in 2007. However, this set does include some new pieces which are potentially useful for building other vehicles, a rectangular bullbar and a holder with a bar at the end which corresponds with this slightly older connector.
The front is predominantly covered by the new bullbar but the headlights hidden behind look great and I like the short bonnet which is decorated with the compass logo of the Volcano Explorers on a 2x2 curved slope. This is printed which is pleasing but the decorations on the front and sides of the cab are formed using stickers. The trans-light blue windscreen looks a little odd to me and I would prefer trans-black, although I like the pillars which protect the cab at the front and back.
The wheels are enormous in relation to the size of the truck chassis and it therefore has plenty of ground clearance for driving over rough terrain which is ideal for play. There is room for a minifigure to sit at the steering wheel inside and this is easily accessed by removing the roof while the tools can be stored on clips next to the cab.
A small drill arm is found at the rear of the truck and this has a great deal of articulation so can reach over the sides of the model as well as the back. The drill head can be rotated manually which is fine and maintains the realistic appearance of the model, although a geared system of some sort might have been even better for play. A hook attachment is also included to replace the drill when necessary and there is a spot to store the unused tool which is reasonably well hidden beneath the truck bed.
This hook can be used to lift the boulder onto the truck where there is room to store it, as shown above. The arm is only attached at the base using a single Technic pin so is easily removable when the rock is being transported but can also fold away quite neatly if the boulder is left behind.
A new boulder is included which consists of two identical pieces and contains a trans-blue crystal. There is a hole in the top allowing the drill to bore into the rock and crack it open. The function works quite well and is fully exploited in some of the other Volcano Explorers sets which include a jackhammer feature, activated using a rubber band. The drill in this set must be used manually but its tip is still sufficiently sharp to break the boulder in two.
Overall
The way in which LEGO City trucks are designed has taken another step forward with this set and I think it would make a good addition to a generic City scene. However, it is perhaps the least interesting vehicle in the Volcano Explorers subtheme as it is not too dissimilar to the numerous trucks which have been produced in previous years.
In the UK 60121 Volcano Exploration Truck offers excellent value for money, priced at a surprisingly low £14.99, but elsewhere in the world it seems rather expensive in relation to other products and for that reason I would be hesitant to recommend it unless you live in the UK or are desperate to get your hands on the new pieces included.
Which of this summer's sets are you most excited for? Let us know and we will aim to post reviews of those sets as soon as possible.
JANGBRiCKS' video review
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40 comments on this article
I think I'll just save my money for that fun at the park set
Is this the least expensive set to include the new "holder with a bar at the end?"
It's a nice stocky truck. The boulder splitting gimmick looks well designed.
This Volcano Explorers subtheme really isn't grabbing me as a whole. Maybe it's because I'm just not a City fan. Thanks for the review though! I'm looking forward to Fun in the Park. :-)
I'm liking the Volcano Explorers, this is pretty solid truck, but my budget is looking at 60122 Volcano Crawler, and the big Heavy-Lift Helicopter (60125) which I think looks much better than 60124 Exploration Base.
Both this and the crawler have similar play action with the pounding drill, but it seems to work a little better with the larger crawler set. Unless you like trucks or are a completionist it might be better to spend a little more for the crawler or of course wait for a sale.
I love this kind of vehicles, but I will be skipping this one and buying the Fun at the Park.
I'm curious about the bigger Volcano sets that have an actual volcano in them, plus the treaded vehicle. Overall it seems an interesting theme, but this does look like a rather generic truck.
I might like this sub-theme more, if it had a half decent volcano......
I like the design of this vehicle, I just think lime green is an awful choice for a theme.
Despite the high price and lime green I may pick this up. It's the cheapest way to grab some of the new bar holders & the rectangular bar with studs. I guess I'll have to make a BLM fire engine to use up the Lime green...
Although doubtful I'll be purchasing any of the larger volcano sets I would enjoy seeing what they are all about. Just can't purchase everything but still enjoy seeing what there is out there. Thanks for the review as always. Might purchase this as mentioned its just a nice little truck.
I just bought this to use with my dinosaur themed stuff.
@Joefish: How so? It seems like the kind of high-visibility color you might want for this kind of job, and it stands out nicely from other City subthemes like Fire, Police, Construction, and Arctic. What color would you have chosen?
Anyway, this set looks nice. It's chunky and has a lot of character. I like the rollover protection structures. The figs look nice too. Great to see so much gender diversity in LEGO City sets lately.
The cracked texture on the outside of the new boulders is interesting.
Meh... crawler's a better build, but the female worker is a nice and subtle touch and I do really like the look of the rollbars around the cab. And I wouldn't pay $25 for one small truck like this, I don't really care how many greebly bits it has.
However, I know my little brother would be all over this type of set--at this, making normal vehicles awesome, the City designers have gotten very good over the years.
I look forward to the Spiderman reviews!
Make drill Orange and here you have it! ANother Power Miners vechicle!
I really want it and rebuild it as Pickup.
I'd love to see some Bionicle reviews next!
@Aanchir: I think I can answer the question why a lot of people dislike the colour scheme of this theme.
All the good LEGO themes have a triadic colour scheme. Three strong colours where the third forms a strong contrast with the others. The new volcano explorers set does not have this. When you look at the vehicles there's lime green, yellow and some trans light blue. Those are the three main colurs and they are close together on the colour wheel.
The Power Miners theme worked better, Because the vehicles where lime green / blue, with orange as the contrast colour. Yes, the new theme has the orange rocks, but they're not part of the vehicles.
^^ We don't have those. And plus, neither Rex nor Huw have much of an interest in BIONICLE so they won't buy them just to photograph for my own review. And while I'd love to review the summer wave (particularly Ekimu), I'm a horrible photographer.
I wonder how well the green uniforms match with the Endor rebel troopers - I'd like to swap some of those legs across, but it doesn't look quite right.
@ Aanchir - since when has a kind of muted lime green been a hi-vis colour? If the vehicles from this theme are in any area of dense vegetation then they are not going to stand out. I would have gone for the yellow used in the Deep Sea range. They were not land vehicles so it's not exactly repetition.
So ... there's yet another theme of boulders from an odd (and dangerous) environmental containing energy crystals?
Lego just loves going back to that well, don't they?
^ Volcano Explorers is a Power Miners reboot confirmed!!
Bright Green would have been great and would have loaded us up witha good range of pieces in that color. While, as a color, I love LEGO's Lime Green as much as I hate LEGO's Bright Orange (which made Arctic a "gah! my eyes!" theme for me despite the cool vehicle designs), I do think this was a missed opportunity.
To me this also reminds me for the umpteenth time that LEGO's shameful lack of metallic/pearl colors is truly inexcusable (a certain other brick brand which shall not be mentioned here has a gorgeous range of metallics, and LEGO has made such shades here and there, so it's clearly possible). A metallic orange or red would have been just the ticket for Volcano. Kids love shinies!
Good review, and interesting sub-theme for City. I definitely like the premise and idea behind it. I will have to check them out further. I am sure I will end up adding some to my city.
I'm missing doors. And I liked the (versatility of) the old detector element better. Finally I think the green and yellow don't go too well toghether. Other than that, it looks solid.
Very nice!I'll probably buy it only for collection...but I'm really excited about the technic excavator,claas tractor,volvo and even vacations getaways from the new summer sets!!!Probably this truck is worthier than a set that consists of a bunch of figures such as fun in the park(which as a car collector I'll skip is nice)....but I really wanted doors(I'll put them myself)!!!!Lego put doors in every vehicle!
Power miners 3
After the failure of the artic and underground expeditions, the Lego world must find a new magic crystal to power their cities. Luckily a new team steps up, the volcano explorers! Knowing if they fail it will result in a fate worse than death...
Another reboot(dramatic music)
I really don't like the exo roll-cage. I think it wold have been better if the did something like the delorean pillars.
@ninjagoyo: it's funny you don't like orange themed vehicles, because that's my favourite Lego colour and I think the green is too bright! It just shows that people have different tastes. Also, I think I remember reading when the Power Miners were available, that Lime Green was a very appealing colour for toys marketed at 5-10 year old boys. So, this theme is possibly designed to sell in the same way. I think I will buy this set anyway, and convert it to an ordinary civilian (and huge) off road adventure vehicle.
Reboot or no my kids are very excited about the theme. They loved arctic explorers and underwater explorers as well! I like it.
Too many vehicles, not enough volcanoes.
I wish they'd make more non-vehicle small/medium sets, for all themes.
@Rebuild: I think you are right. I remember from the 1970s and 80s there were lots of Classic Space sets that were more like a base or a launchpad with only a tiny vehicle, but you could use the other sets with them. For the volcano theme there could be a science laboratory but I don't know what else. It's a good idea but what do you suggest the non-vehicle sets could be?
@Rebuild I am a car collector and I'm in favour of vehicle sets...but I agree with you less but better vehicles because if this situation continues,I will have to pay an arm and a leg:)
Saw the volcano explorer sets, along with the new Nexo Kights sets in TRU Exeter today. No other themes though.
Its alright. The lime green colour across the theme is awful...and the £14.99 price is as usual, way too much for what you get...Thank you for taking the time to review it CapnRex but I don't feel £14.99 is "reasonable" for this, not when you place it against a weeks food shop and that may constitute half or even a quarter of someones food bill...I may buy it, if the price comes down to the £10 mark as thats what its really "worth", if that.
I like the volcono-subtheme and although this set ist not the best one it still looks quite good. The price ist just to high. I think the color choice is quite obvious. It should be a bright signal color. Yellow and red are reseved for construction and fire, orange would be free, but there wouldn't be enough contrast to the orange lava from the volcanos.
BTw I don't get, why you would want more volcanos. The one in the two largest sets are still small and ugly, but they increase the price by a lot.
@wasn orange would actually not be free as it was the color of every vehicle in the arctic explorers
theme just fyi.
The reason that this set is priced higher then most city sets of this size is probably related to the fact that there are two Minifigures AND a fairly good amount of pieces.