Review: #249
Name: Long Haul
Brand: Transformers
Allegiance: Decepticon
Line: Generations - Combiner Wars
Year of Release: 2015
Size Class: Voyager
Variations: SDCC version has more paint apps; TakaraTomy version has more paint applications and remolded elbows
VEHICLE MODE:
As you'd expect, Long Haul transforms into a green and purple dump truck, very reminiscent of his G1 incarnation.
Due to transformation, the bed does not function since his robot legs poke through.
His only play value here is the rolling wheels. He's lacking a few paint applications, only sporting some black, purple and you can spot a bit of silver from the sides.
Long Haul has the honor of being able to store most of Devastator's combiner kibble (i.e. individual robot's weapons) in vehicle mode, apart from the chestplate wings, everything plugs onto Long Haul's back.
Despite being touted as a Voyager classed figure, Long Haul is massive and much bigger. You will be very surprised at how hefty and wide he is when you pick him up.
He's way bigger than MP Bumblebee but has enough details to stand in while we wait for a proper MP version.
There are a lot of sculpted detailing on the figure, sadly they get lost since they're not painted.
He looks great with the rest of the Constructicons and is easily the largest figure of the set.
A fantastic vehicle mode that feels great in your hands.
TRANSFORMATION:
Long Haul has a simplistic transformation but one that works really well. The feet interesting fill part of the bed and so it's pretty cool when you unfold it. Rotating the waist can be scary the first time around due to the tight ratchet and its tendency to make a shearing sound. Due to Long Haul forming the upper legs of Devastator and having a lot of the combined mode's weight on the hip joints, Long Haul has extremely tight ratcheting hip joints. Movable pieces are big so transforming Long Haul is fun and not fiddly at all.
ROBOT MODE:
From stock photos, Long Haul seemed to have one of the weakest robot mode of the set, being compromised for combined mode resulting in a stock figure. I'm happy to say that Long Haul is actually one of the stronger individual figures of the set.
While he is still stock and wears the truck bed on his back as kibble, he feels really good in your hands, the stockiness works well and the engineering is impressive.
As per usual, the headsculpt is awesome, made even more so here thanks to the silver paint. Unfortunately, due to the back of the head knocking against plastic, it can only turn from side to side.
Long Haul has thick limbs but that just makes him very stable. He wears Devastator's waist plate on his back but it doesn't impede on articulation at all.
Long Haul is slightly taller than a Voyager classed figure and definitely bigger than a Deluxe. Once again though, he is much much heavier than your typical Voyager classed figure and feels bigger for that (he actually weighs heavier than Combiner Wars Ultra Magnus!).
Some people are using this version as a stand-in for the Masterpiece line, and it works well here. The silver paint over his hips really add a premium feel to the figure.
Now, onto articulation. Initially photos made it seem like he doesn't have proper bending knees but that is not the case. Surprisingly, his leg articulation isn't compromised at all from the stockiness, able to get a huge range of movement, plus he has tilting ankles!
The weakest part here by far are the elbows. It looks like they are just awkwardly jointed and only able to bend inwards. Unfortunately, they can't do much of that at all, I don't know why the designers molded into the plastic a stopper but it doesn't bend inwards more than what is considered "natural". On the other hand, it can bend outwards all the way...
The stock photos and instructions doesn't allocate Long Haul a weapon, so I went off the BotCon 2015 display and gave Long Haul two guns, one from Devastator's chestplate and the other from half of Devastator's gun.
He can hold the gun in either hand but due to the restricted elbow articulation, it is of limited use.
The guns look good and manages to remain distinct from what are essential combiner kibble.
Dual-wielding looks really good here though. The shoulders cannot fold outwards much either.
Naturally, he looks fantastic with the rest of the Constructicons.
A better robot mode than expected, there weren't as many compromises made here and the designers did a good job of making a fun robot.
OVERALL:
We have yet another winner in Combiner Wars Devastator. Long Haul is a fun, BIG figure that will not disappoint. While some might find the lack of proper elbows infuriating, it didn't turn out to be that much of an issue in the end since Long Haul still looks so good (and if it really annoys you, then get the TakaraTomy version which gives him proper elbows). It's surprising at how well this guy is designed, able to accommodate the combining gimmick without many concessions.
----------------------------------------
Check out this page for more Transformers reviews.