Post by mamared on Jan 8, 2023 0:14:47 GMT -5
Here's a review of the new set along with comparisons of different versions that I have.
I have a few versions, including a nearly complete Capture the Flag set that had Pleasant Company stickers on some of the pieces, a partial Capture the Flag Set that doesn’t have labeling, and the new Camp Gowonagin Accessories set which was released in June 2022. The older sets were purchased many years ago on the secondary market so I can’t be sure of their dates, but I’m the original owner of the latest set, which was purchased new at the LA pop up store soon after release.
I don't have the original packaging for most of the old version, but here's the box from the new Camp Gowonagin Accessories (SKU# HHN82, $36). I'll use the newest AG description of the set as a guide for the rest of my comparisons.
Molly’s days at summer camp are full of activities like swimming and canoeing in the lake, archery, singalongs, playing Capture the Flag, and trying to scare each other with creepy crawly things! Her summer camp accessories include:
A U.S. flag with 48 stars attached to a plastic pole - This is a pretty short flagpole (notice that it’s sitting on the log in this photo, and it still only comes up to nose level). The whole thing measures only 10.5 inches tall, including the gold tip, and while I understand that the shorter height makes it easier to package and store, I wish it were longer. I’m not a fan of the American Girl branding on the flag either (in white lettering on the bottom stripe). On the positive side, the flag is significant in the story so I’m glad it’s included, and I also appreciate the historical accuracy with the 48 stars to represent the 48 states after World War II (when the story takes place). Grade: C (marked down because of the branding)
The PC version (on the left in the photos below) is just a bit taller, at 11 inches, and it has a slightly skinnier flagpole that is made of wood. Both flags have the correct number of stars (48, arranged in 6 rows of 8) and stripes (7 red and 6 white), with the blue on the PC version being a little darker navy than the other. There isn’t any branding on the PC flag.
A wooden canoe paddle with the Camp Gowonagin logo - The three versions that I have of this piece are all pretty similar in terms of size and shape, with some slight variations in wood color and curvature as seen in the photos. The oldest paddle has the roundest handle edges, while the newest one has more square corners. The paddles measure just over 11 inches long and about 1.5 inches at the widest part of the blade. I’ve never understood why Molly’s name is painted on the paddle, or what the play value is of this piece, but I do like the significance in the story and the camp name and logo, done in red and blue. (This is the same logo that’s on the front of the Camp Gowonagin hat.) The new version of the paddle has an American Girl 2022 imprint on the back, along with the product number and other information about being made in China, whereas older versions had the gold oval stickers (the remaining one says it was made in Taiwan). Grade: C+ (decent piece with limited play value)
A blue armband for playing Capture the Flag - This is nicely done. As with the prior version, it’s made of fabric with a sewn-on knot, and a Velcro closure. This is used to show that Molly is on the blue team in the Color War at camp; the other team wears red armbands. I like how easy this is to put on the doll’s arm and that it always stays tied. You can see in the photos below that the new version is a slightly brighter blue and slightly wider than the PC version, and it no longer has a tag. (The PC version is on the top in the photos that show both.) Grade: B+
A set of realistic plastic bugs including three black ants, three brown ants, and two crickets - The creepy crawlies play a key role in the story but of course they can be used outside of the story too. I’ve arranged one black ant and one cricket from each set in the photo below, with the PC version on the left and the newest AG version on the right. The ants are all made of hard plastic, while the crickets feel more rubbery (like a gummy worm) in the oldest version and gradually get more firm. The second photo shows the scale and also some of “brown” ants, which look more like a dusty rose color to me. They are the same size as the black ants. (There’s only one brown ant in my oldest set, which is why I think it might be incomplete, as everything else matches up. Lots of creepy crawlies are missing from the middle set.) Grade: B
Five creepy-crawly plastic worms - Like with the crickets, the oldest version of worms is very rubbery and flexible, like gummy worms, while the newest AG version is firmer and has more of a fixed shape. I think the old ones are kind of interesting but the new ones aren’t appealing at all (which might be kind of the point). Grade: C
A vinyl pouch with the Camp Gowonagin logo that can be turned into a sit-upon by threading the red gimp (plastic string) through the holes as outlined in the included instructions - This piece was originally part of the Camping Equipment set (1988-2010). It consists of a white plastic piece that has the Camp Gowonagin name and logo, with prepunched holes so it can be folded in half and the sides sewn with the included red gimp (plastic cord). The original set came with a reproduction of the Chicago Daily Tribune June 6, 1944 (D-Day) edition to stuff inside the sit-upon and give it padding; the newspaper was a really nice bit which is sadly omitted in the newest version. I have a couple older versions of the sit-upon, one of which has already been put together, and they are on the left in the photos below. The newest version is slightly larger and a brighter white, still with thin red pinstripes. The bottom photo shows the older directions/information (a folded pamphlet) and the newer 2-sided instruction insert. I like that this is a functional craft that also teaches an old-time activity, but I do wish the newspaper was included. Grade: B+
A metal bean can for holding bugs - The older Camper’s Pork and Beans cans (on the left below) had metal rims and bottoms with cardboard sides, but the new one seems to be all metal. You can see the slight changes in size and appearance over time, and that the newest can is the only one with the light blue lettering and chef apron and hat (those parts are white in the older cans). The can plays an essential role in Molly’s plan to gather and transport bugs (and eventually capture the flag) in the story, and while a lid would be a handy feature, it wouldn’t be very authentic. Grade: A-
A letter in an envelope from Molly to her dad that features the Camp Gowonagin logo - These photos show the older version on top, with the envelope that you can actually seal. It was probably a good idea to change this! The letter is a really nice touch, as it ties all the other pieces together and it’s how the original book ends. Grade: A- (low playability, but it’s a nice touch and doesn’t take up any room)
A picture of Molly that she sends to her father after winning capture the flag - I’ll just include close up photos here, as the piece is self-explanatory. Grade: A- (same reason as above)
One piece not included in the description, but part of all the historical releases, is the pamphlet, which tells about the two weeks that Molly spends at Camp Gowonagin and the adventures she has. I really appreciate that the historical releases are once again accompanied by these pamphlets, and I give it an A.
The one piece that was part of the original Capture the Flag Gear that didn’t make it into this set is the whistle, so I’ll include my photos of the PC whistle here. It would have been nice to have it in the new set, too.
All in all, I think AG did a pretty good job on the rerelease of this set and making it more accessible for Molly fans, especially considering how expensive and hard to find the original can be. That said, I don’t know that there’s much play value for all of the pieces or that they would make much sense to people who haven’t read the story, so with that in mind the retail price might still seem kind of high. I think my overall grade would be around a B.
I have a few versions, including a nearly complete Capture the Flag set that had Pleasant Company stickers on some of the pieces, a partial Capture the Flag Set that doesn’t have labeling, and the new Camp Gowonagin Accessories set which was released in June 2022. The older sets were purchased many years ago on the secondary market so I can’t be sure of their dates, but I’m the original owner of the latest set, which was purchased new at the LA pop up store soon after release.
I don't have the original packaging for most of the old version, but here's the box from the new Camp Gowonagin Accessories (SKU# HHN82, $36). I'll use the newest AG description of the set as a guide for the rest of my comparisons.
Molly’s days at summer camp are full of activities like swimming and canoeing in the lake, archery, singalongs, playing Capture the Flag, and trying to scare each other with creepy crawly things! Her summer camp accessories include:
A U.S. flag with 48 stars attached to a plastic pole - This is a pretty short flagpole (notice that it’s sitting on the log in this photo, and it still only comes up to nose level). The whole thing measures only 10.5 inches tall, including the gold tip, and while I understand that the shorter height makes it easier to package and store, I wish it were longer. I’m not a fan of the American Girl branding on the flag either (in white lettering on the bottom stripe). On the positive side, the flag is significant in the story so I’m glad it’s included, and I also appreciate the historical accuracy with the 48 stars to represent the 48 states after World War II (when the story takes place). Grade: C (marked down because of the branding)
The PC version (on the left in the photos below) is just a bit taller, at 11 inches, and it has a slightly skinnier flagpole that is made of wood. Both flags have the correct number of stars (48, arranged in 6 rows of 8) and stripes (7 red and 6 white), with the blue on the PC version being a little darker navy than the other. There isn’t any branding on the PC flag.
A wooden canoe paddle with the Camp Gowonagin logo - The three versions that I have of this piece are all pretty similar in terms of size and shape, with some slight variations in wood color and curvature as seen in the photos. The oldest paddle has the roundest handle edges, while the newest one has more square corners. The paddles measure just over 11 inches long and about 1.5 inches at the widest part of the blade. I’ve never understood why Molly’s name is painted on the paddle, or what the play value is of this piece, but I do like the significance in the story and the camp name and logo, done in red and blue. (This is the same logo that’s on the front of the Camp Gowonagin hat.) The new version of the paddle has an American Girl 2022 imprint on the back, along with the product number and other information about being made in China, whereas older versions had the gold oval stickers (the remaining one says it was made in Taiwan). Grade: C+ (decent piece with limited play value)
A blue armband for playing Capture the Flag - This is nicely done. As with the prior version, it’s made of fabric with a sewn-on knot, and a Velcro closure. This is used to show that Molly is on the blue team in the Color War at camp; the other team wears red armbands. I like how easy this is to put on the doll’s arm and that it always stays tied. You can see in the photos below that the new version is a slightly brighter blue and slightly wider than the PC version, and it no longer has a tag. (The PC version is on the top in the photos that show both.) Grade: B+
A set of realistic plastic bugs including three black ants, three brown ants, and two crickets - The creepy crawlies play a key role in the story but of course they can be used outside of the story too. I’ve arranged one black ant and one cricket from each set in the photo below, with the PC version on the left and the newest AG version on the right. The ants are all made of hard plastic, while the crickets feel more rubbery (like a gummy worm) in the oldest version and gradually get more firm. The second photo shows the scale and also some of “brown” ants, which look more like a dusty rose color to me. They are the same size as the black ants. (There’s only one brown ant in my oldest set, which is why I think it might be incomplete, as everything else matches up. Lots of creepy crawlies are missing from the middle set.) Grade: B
Five creepy-crawly plastic worms - Like with the crickets, the oldest version of worms is very rubbery and flexible, like gummy worms, while the newest AG version is firmer and has more of a fixed shape. I think the old ones are kind of interesting but the new ones aren’t appealing at all (which might be kind of the point). Grade: C
A vinyl pouch with the Camp Gowonagin logo that can be turned into a sit-upon by threading the red gimp (plastic string) through the holes as outlined in the included instructions - This piece was originally part of the Camping Equipment set (1988-2010). It consists of a white plastic piece that has the Camp Gowonagin name and logo, with prepunched holes so it can be folded in half and the sides sewn with the included red gimp (plastic cord). The original set came with a reproduction of the Chicago Daily Tribune June 6, 1944 (D-Day) edition to stuff inside the sit-upon and give it padding; the newspaper was a really nice bit which is sadly omitted in the newest version. I have a couple older versions of the sit-upon, one of which has already been put together, and they are on the left in the photos below. The newest version is slightly larger and a brighter white, still with thin red pinstripes. The bottom photo shows the older directions/information (a folded pamphlet) and the newer 2-sided instruction insert. I like that this is a functional craft that also teaches an old-time activity, but I do wish the newspaper was included. Grade: B+
A metal bean can for holding bugs - The older Camper’s Pork and Beans cans (on the left below) had metal rims and bottoms with cardboard sides, but the new one seems to be all metal. You can see the slight changes in size and appearance over time, and that the newest can is the only one with the light blue lettering and chef apron and hat (those parts are white in the older cans). The can plays an essential role in Molly’s plan to gather and transport bugs (and eventually capture the flag) in the story, and while a lid would be a handy feature, it wouldn’t be very authentic. Grade: A-
A letter in an envelope from Molly to her dad that features the Camp Gowonagin logo - These photos show the older version on top, with the envelope that you can actually seal. It was probably a good idea to change this! The letter is a really nice touch, as it ties all the other pieces together and it’s how the original book ends. Grade: A- (low playability, but it’s a nice touch and doesn’t take up any room)
A picture of Molly that she sends to her father after winning capture the flag - I’ll just include close up photos here, as the piece is self-explanatory. Grade: A- (same reason as above)
One piece not included in the description, but part of all the historical releases, is the pamphlet, which tells about the two weeks that Molly spends at Camp Gowonagin and the adventures she has. I really appreciate that the historical releases are once again accompanied by these pamphlets, and I give it an A.
The one piece that was part of the original Capture the Flag Gear that didn’t make it into this set is the whistle, so I’ll include my photos of the PC whistle here. It would have been nice to have it in the new set, too.
All in all, I think AG did a pretty good job on the rerelease of this set and making it more accessible for Molly fans, especially considering how expensive and hard to find the original can be. That said, I don’t know that there’s much play value for all of the pieces or that they would make much sense to people who haven’t read the story, so with that in mind the retail price might still seem kind of high. I think my overall grade would be around a B.