Review: 60376 Arctic Explorer Snowmobile
Posted by CapnRex101,
LEGO Friends has introduced numerous unique animals and City has followed suited recently as well, including otters, squirrels, various breeds of dog and myriad others. However, providing two new animals in a single inexpensive set is quite unusual!
The presence of adult and baby seals in 60376 Arctic Explorer Snowmobile has therefore attracted considerable interest. These animals look absolutely adorable, although the snowmobile and minifigure must not be overlooked either.
Summary
60376 Arctic Explorer Snowmobile, 70 pieces.
£8.99 / $10.99 / €9.99 | 12.8p / 15.7c / 14.3c per piece.
Buy at LEGO.com »
Containing two lovely seals, 60376 Arctic Explorer Snowmobile is an outstanding set
- Two delightful seals
- Great minifigure
- Detailed snowmobile
- Remarkably reasonable price
- N/A
The set was provided for review by LEGO. All opinions expressed are those of the author.
Minifigure
Arctic explorers have become a regular presence in LEGO City. Their orange and blue colours have remained fairly consistent since 2014, but the modern design is my marginal favourite, on the whole. Medium azure seems perfect for this icy setting, in combination with orange and dark blue. The metallic silver stripes are also a nice touch.
Moreover, I like the re-use of the combined hat and hair element created for Hidden Side, now with dark orange hair. The double-sided head is appropriate too, featuring some freckles and a face suitable for use with the supplied video camera. The same piece has appeared many times before, but it looks splendid.
A similar minifigure appears in most of the larger sets, but the dual-moulded backpack available here is unique, remarkably! The mould has appeared before, but this colour combination is new and complements the minifigure. A helmet is also provided, for use when riding the snowmobile.
The Completed Model
Snowmobiles are ubiquitous in Arctic-themed sets, but this rendition stands out. Beyond being bigger than many others, the proportions of the vehicle seem more realistic than the version in 60191 Arctic Exploration Team, for example. The repeated colour scheme of orange, dark blue and medium azure looks great and I like the snowmobile's forward rake.
There is space for a minifigure to sit or stand while gripping the handlebars, while their camera connects on the back. 5x1x2 Technic shells form effective tracks for the vehicle and these are secured using low friction Technic pins, so they and the skids on the front can traverse rough terrain. I should also mention that the explorers' emblem is printed, so no stickers are required.
The brick-built camera is correctly scaled beside a minifigure, including a side-mounted screen and a handle on top. A light bluish grey bucket represents the lens nicely, while the legs for the camera look reasonable too. A tripod design would have been ideal, but incorporating the torch holder is simpler and connects to the snowmobile easily.
However, everything mentioned thus far is overshadowed by the seals, of course. These two animals are displayed on an Arctic ice floe, featuring some trans-light blue elements for detail. The wedge plates work perfectly for broken sheets of ice and there is space for a fish between the seals, which looks rather vulnerable!
The seals themselves are adorable. Inspired by Harp seals, the adult animal is predominantly grey and includes some texture on its flippers, while the baby is white. The black patches near its eyes show impressive attention to detail and both seals' faces are also accurately decorated. 2x2 jumper plates are available to attach the seals, but they will fit onto any studded surface.
Overall
Costing just £8.99, $10.99 or €9.99, 60376 Arctic Explorer Snowmobile is an excellent set. The seals are the highlight, inevitably. They are reasonably detailed and including both an adult and a pup feels rather generous, as I would have been pleased with one or the other in such a small set!
The explorer minifigure is excellent too, while the snowmobile is more complex than I expected and looks superb. Even the simple ice floe performs its role perfectly, providing somewhere for the seals to reside. Unsurprisingly, I can undoubtedly recommend this set and I think the price represents very good value.
179 likes
42 comments on this article
Lego consistently hitting it out of the park with these small sets, compared to the daunting overpriced larger city sets, these are a welcome refresher. Also, finally we have black landing skis for aircraft! Love the 2 small animals that always come with these sets too.
All about the seals. I don’t care about the rest.
Sea doggo.
Do these new seals fit inside the the new killer whale...?
Asking for a friend.
I'm just clad part 88001 wasn't included in the set. Looking forward to all this years Arctic sets.
I've been a fan of Arctic themes since 2000's Arctic theme and its appearance in Lego Racers 2. For various reasons I didn't have any arctic set, but this wave will be the first I'll collect. The entire line-up is on my wishlist.
I don't know, if it's not rolling it's not mobile.
This set was already top of my list for June releases just for the seals but I hadn't realised the backpack was the dual-molded one and there was so much to the vehicle build. Have to get two at least. With everything else on my list, it's going to be an expensive Summer.
This is just the arctic version of 60394
Couldn't dual-moulded backpack be made out of two parts? That can be combine with other parts. Isn't that the joy of Lego, building.
I already have the $10 snow mobile from the last two Arctic sub-themes, but those animals seal the deal for me to make this the third.
What a great little LEGO set!
Proof that the designers can do a great job, and provided lots of fun and detail and value, and not just in a $100 or $400 set!
This is classic LEGO goodness!
@Librarian1976 said:
"those animals seal the deal…"
‘seal the deal’ - I see what you did there. Nice! Gets my *seal* of approval :~P
This year's small sets are so much better than last year's! Let's hope this one will be widely available unlike the 'otter battle pack'!
@shaase said:
"I'm just clad part 88001 wasn't included in the set. Looking forward to all this years Arctic sets."
My minifig would only be clubbing the baby seal to protect the poor fish.
Nice only question will be if I buy 1 or 2 of them.
@Goujon said:
"Lego consistently hitting it out of the park with these small sets, compared to the daunting overpriced larger city sets, these are a welcome refresher. Also, finally we have black landing skis for aircraft! Love the 2 small animals that always come with these sets too.
"
60368 says join the dark side and free willy
I’m actually hyped for this set. I’ve been collecting LEGO snowmobiles for years, so i’m looking forward to building it. Oh yeah, the seals too.
Literally everything about this set is adorable.
I mean, c'mon, is there anyone who's not gonna buy one?
9/10 set it would be 10/10 if it had different face as this one was used already in another 9.99 set (with otters)
@lordofdragonss said:
"9/10 set it would be 10/10 if it had different face as this one was used already in another 9.99 set (with otters)"
I just see it as the same person who is continuing her expedition!
Also @CapnRex101 is there a Ninjago city markets review in the works? Super excited to see a review of that set, and the other Ninjago sets that are coming out soon.
Yay, more things to appreciate in LEGO. Zoo line when or is LEGO afraid to being called out by PETA or other groups?
@Librarian1976 said:
"I already have the $10 snow mobile from the last two Arctic sub-themes, but those animals seal the deal for me to make this the third."
Same. My main complaint about this go-around is the new Arctic logo isn't as appealing as the last two iterations. But the 2014 Arctic lineup is by far my favorite.
@EarthGirl83 said:
"Same. My main complaint about this go-around is the new Arctic logo isn't as appealing as the last two iterations. But the 2014 Arctic lineup is by far my favorite."
I think the new logo makes more sense, as it's not strictly an Arctic theme anymore and more like a new hybrid of Arctic + Ocean, grouped under "explorers" as set 60377 : Explorer Diving Boat definately isn't arctic based with the animals involved. (sea turtles are very vulnerable to cold water)
I’ve been ogling the Arctic sets for years but which these I’m going all in, I’ll be buying two.
Interesting that this element is now more commonly associated as a "torch holder" rather than it's original purpose - palm tree tops! But I'm glad it's still there and used so widely :)
A really charming set, especially for the price range.
Last year I came up with a really nice tripod design for my Home Alone block. It’s big enough that it would look more appropriate under this camera than the photo camera element, but it would probably need a tweak to the vertical post before it would work with the handle on the video camera.
@Zink said:
" @bananaworld said:
"
Do these new seals fit inside the the new killer whale...?
Asking for a friend."
Only the small one :)"
Well, it's a start(er).
Thanks for your research.
Always so so happy when the Arctic subtheme returns. Been a fan since the originals when I was a kid.
"[T]here is space for a fish between the seals, which looks rather vulnerable!"
"Get in our bellies!"
@Lemerbrix06: I thought of 60394 too, but there's nothing "just" about this set. Actually, I take that back, it's "just" about perfect.
@bananaworld:
In the real world, I don’t think an orca would be likely to encounter a seal pup. Seals and sea leopards may use ice floes, where available, to get out of the water for a bit (especially to hide from predators), but they give birth and raise their pups on solid ground. In the real world, that is. In minifig world, anything can happen. I’ve got the top half of a minidoll attached to some red parts that are in the mouth of a small shark that’s in the mouth of a large shark, which occasionally has been placed by another LUG member in the mouth if a Duplo whale. As one does.
@Goujon said:
" @lordofdragonss said:
"9/10 set it would be 10/10 if it had different face as this one was used already in another 9.99 set (with otters)"
I just see it as the same person who is continuing her expedition! "
That's exactly what i'm telling my boys too: "Hey look, she's the one who was in the rocket launch centre! she's back for another adventure!"
Great little set, just like the ATV with the two otters, lots of play value for only 9.99 USD
@PurpleDave said:
" @bananaworld :
In the real world, I don’t think an orca would be likely to encounter a seal pup. Seals and sea leopards may use ice floes, where available, to get out of the water for a bit (especially to hide from predators), but they give birth and raise their pups on solid ground. In the real world, that is. In minifig world, anything can happen. I’ve got the top half of a minidoll attached to some red parts that are in the mouth of a small shark that’s in the mouth of a large shark, which occasionally has been placed by another LUG member in the mouth if a Duplo whale. As one does."
Dude, if you've watched any nature show EVER about polar bears, you wouldn't have written that. Polar bears getting onto frozen sea ice to hunt seals that have just given birth is the whole reason why the bears are so vulnerable to climate change.
That said, AWESOME SET! My polar bears are hungry.
Edit: haven't you seen those nature shows where the Orca rushes in with the surf, and bursts out of the wave crest to snatch the clueless seal pup?
@PurpleDave said:
" @bananaworld :
In the real world, I don’t think an orca would be likely to encounter a seal pup. Seals and sea leopards may use ice floes, where available, to get out of the water for a bit (especially to hide from predators), but they give birth and raise their pups on solid ground. In the real world, that is. In minifig world, anything can happen. I’ve got the top half of a minidoll attached to some red parts that are in the mouth of a small shark that’s in the mouth of a large shark, which occasionally has been placed by another LUG member in the mouth if a Duplo whale. As one does."
What are orcas favorite food?
Killer whales (also called orcas) are apex predators, meaning they are at the top of their food chain. They feed on fish and squid like other odontocetes (toothed whales) do, but will also target seals, sea birds and even whale species far bigger than themselves.
How many seals does an orca eat?
Do Killer Whales Eat Seals? | Historic Cornwall
There is no one answer to this question as it depends on the individual killer whale and the availability of seals. Some killer whales may eat one seal a day, while others may eat several seals a week. Killer whales (orcas) are apex predators that live in all oceans around the world.
It could've been even better if the old Studios camera with removable film tile was used. Actually, a movie studio could be a great City subtheme. New space port and arctic themes seem to come out more often than remakes of Star Wars vehicles. Movies can be about anything, it could be really creative and have lots of references to other themes.
If someone from Lego is listening, make a studios subtheme happen!
This set has Seal-ed it's fate for my purchase.
@PurpleDave said:
" @bananaworld :
In the real world, I don’t think an orca would be likely to encounter a seal pup. Seals and sea leopards may use ice floes, where available, to get out of the water for a bit (especially to hide from predators), but they give birth and raise their pups on solid ground. In the real world, that is. "
In the real world, there's no solid ground near the North Pole, and ringed seals are fully dependant on the sea ice in that region, altho Polar Bears are the biggest seal hunter over there, but there are certainly orcas near the north pole as well.
But even on solid ground, some orcas have adapted to hunt sealion pups at beaches in Argentina, and even harbor seal pups at Protection Island, Washington state USA.
Comes with 'Warning: Choking hazard.'
10/10 This is too good to be true. They nailed it all down perfectly. Female explorer, photographer, scientist and THREE animals with two being new. This is raising the bar really high.
@legobear said:
"10/10 This is too good to be true. They nailed it all down perfectly. Female explorer, photographer, scientist and THREE animals with two being new. This is raising the bar really high."
The 60394 otter ATV was pretty good too. Female Park Ranger, Four Animals! (A double up on otters, Fish and Frog.) The habitat was a more interesting build than the Seal habitat, but the ATV isn't as good as the snowmobile.
If they continue to bring out new animals in these small sets, and making them good little sets I am going to be happy!
@Norikins said:
"It could've been even better if the old Studios camera with removable film tile was used. Actually, a movie studio could be a great City subtheme. New space port and arctic themes seem to come out more often than remakes of Star Wars vehicles. Movies can be about anything, it could be really creative and have lots of references to other themes.
If someone from Lego is listening, make a studios subtheme happen!"
At last, a theme full of green walls
Ahh, I shall be buying a sealed copy of this set.