As guy with love for all things Marvel, I've been wanting a Captain America shield for the longest time; however affordability was always an issue. Some shields go up to $800.00, and as much as I love the captain, that ain't happening. So when I saw this baby for pre-order at, I jumped at the chance. I didn't know what to expect from a $100.00 shield, I mean clearly this can't be up to par with the higher end ones out there, right? Well, maybe not... but this thing is absolutely great, especially for the price. Here's my breakdown: Packaging: Upon arriving at the doorstep I'm surprised this thing didn't get stolen. The box that it came it was labeled "Captain America Shield", really big on the side along with other Hasbro writing. This isn't a big issue, but I live in a bad neighborhood and it's might have gotten stolen by prying eyes (how it didn't I don't know, perhaps they knew not to mess with a man that now has a full sized Captain America Shield and a 2006 Honda Civic). Just giving you a heads up if you're not going to be home for delivery. The actual inside box is pretty nice, but mine got messed up during delivery and the top was smashed, but that's not a Hasbro issue, that's a UPS issue. :/ Overall the shield was packed really well, no fancy bells or whistles, just Styrofoam and twist-ties. The product: This thing is a beast. At this price point I thought that it would be flimsy and plastic, man was I wrong. It's layered plastic (or something to that effect) that looks like it gets snapped in one on top of another, but that gives it a weight that lends to the overall feel of it. You'd expect the real shield to have a bit of heft to it and that's what this feels like. If you look closely you can see the little snap slats (?) on the rings in-between the color rings, but it's only there if you're looking, other than that they're not noticeable. The color and finish are pretty well done, I'm sure the higher end ones have a more metal finish, but it's pretty great and vibrant in it's palette. The only issue's with that is that there are tiny scratch abrasions on the paint job, might have been from the construction or the packaging. Either way, they are hardly noticeable. Also, the center blue ring is not as blue as the picture, in fact it's a bit darker than I would have liked. On the underside of this thing, it's pretty standard with two adjustable straps (Not real leather or anything) and it's silver. This is actually my biggest and real only grip with the shield... the adjustable straps are, well, not really adjustable. I'm not a huge guy, about 180 pounds, and my arm goes through both of the straps without any real security. At the tightest adjustment (which is still extremely loose for me), the forearm strap fits very loosely and the hand strap is mega loose, I have to basically hold on to the strap with my hand and grip it. That really wound't be a problem if it wasn't so loose, because even with that there is too much give for me. I mean, there are going to be compromises, I just wish it wasn't with the straps. With that being said, I don't really plan on busting this thing out when I hear police sirens on the street; I'm going to hang it up on the wall until comic-con and get this baby signed, so it's not a huge deal breaker either (clearly I'm a lover, not a fighter). So, a breakdown: Pro's: * Great quality & solid feel * Good overall paint job * I feel like Captain America... 's cousin... twice removed... Con's: * Prone to scratches * Blue color is off * Adjustable straps are not the best. * Box is a criminal attraction device, use you're shield and bust some heads! (Please don't really do that) Overall, if you're looking for a low cost Captain America shield for cosplay, Con's or just to hang on the wall (Like I did!), then this is a great option and you will not be disappointed.