I found my old View-Master in a box and tried it out with my kid

The reels from the 90s are still sharp and bright, but the new ones I bought at the store look washed out. They feel cheaper too, like the plastic is thinner. I think they cut costs somewhere in the last twenty years. Has anyone else noticed the quality drop on these things?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_derek1mo ago

What did you end up doing with the old reels? I had the same problem with my daughter. The new ones from the big box store were just sad. I found a few sellers online who specialize in old, unused reels from the 80s and 90s. The colors are way better and they last. It costs a bit more, but it's the only way to get that original look now.

morgan9151mo ago

It's wild how much better the old ones are. My mom found a box of sealed reels from a yard sale, and the colors are so much brighter than anything you can buy new. The plastic feels sturdier too, like they actually expected kids to play with them. It's a shame companies can't just make the same thing anymore, but at least the old stock is still out there if you look.

the_cameron1mo ago

Wait, they're still making new reels? I honestly thought they stopped years ago. That's kind of sad to hear they're so bad now. @the_derek is totally right about hunting down the old stock online, it's the only way. It just feels wrong that the new stuff can't even match the quality of something from thirty years ago.