The various types of armor and where to find them UPDATED 2023

[gakarl]

Ok here's a thought maybe been brought up before but since I'm new I will throw it out there... If you had a budget of $1000 start to finish. Could a good setup be made?

Edited August 3, 2012 by gakarl

[bigironvault]

Ok here's a thought maybe been brought up before but since I'm new I will throw it out there... If you had a budget of $1000 start to finish. Could a good setup be made?

 

Yes. It is possible. But I promise you will not want to stop there after starting. Haha.

Edited August 3, 2012 by bigironvault

[gakarl]

I'm thinking of buying some black armor from trooper gear and painting it white due to availibility. Any draw backs I should be concerned with?

[Locitus[Admin]]

I'm thinking of buying some black armor from trooper gear and painting it white due to availibility. Any draw backs I should be concerned with?

Any amour from our list painted black eould be better than buying from troopergear.

[gakarl]

 

Any amour from our list painted black eould be better than buying from troopergear.

Oh so you don't recommend troop gear. Good to know. For some reason I thought I got them off the recommended list. Thanks!

[gakarl]

Any amour from our list painted black eould be better than buying from troopergear.

 

So why is he on the recommened list then?

 

Type: Armor Master (AM) -

Country: USA

Contact: troopergear@gmail.com and tupperwaretk@yahoo.com are the two reliable, lowest cost, and best vendors of this armor. Both lite (helmetless) and full kits are available.

Kit: ABS, trimmed, fan sculpt. More accurate than FX and the armor is Expert Infantry ready out of the box.

Availability: No known problems though there may be a waiting list.

Assembly: Parts are trimmed and designed to be easy to put together - along with RT is the easiest kit to make.

Comments: Armor is good accuracy though the chest and back tend to be larger and sharply defined. Very durable. Helmet is a bit larger than scree-derived, and the face is the least accurate acceptable (though the dome is fine).

[gakarl]

This stuff still availble? Didn't see HDPblues when I searched his ID???

 

Type: TE2

Country: USA

Contact: HDPblues on FISD

Kit: HIPS, untrimmed, ANH derived

Availability: Very limited. Only produces set numbers in runs.

Assembly: Armor needs to be trimmed, parts butt joined with finishing strips, then painted.

Comments: Helmet is considered the most screen accurate available, though some don't like the bumpy cap and back.

[Locitus[Admin]]

So why is he on the recommened list then?

Sorry, I had him confused with another guy. Few people here call him by "trooper gear". Most just call it AM. It is available in black ABS from time to time.

 

TE2 is not made very often these days. Closest match would be ATA, also an american maker. Long wait list though. Much more accurate than AM however, and also a tiny bit cheaper.

[tkrestonva[TK]]

If you want white armor, you would be better off getting white armor rather than getting black and having to paint it white.

 

I recommend you attend C6 if possible. You wlll be able to see different types of armor there worn by 501st members.

[TK-42779[501st]]

Okay, first post here! Woo! I also am doing a TON of research and because I have NEVER done anything like this I am talking with RT about getting my gear from him. My intention is to submit myself for acceptance in the 501st and start trooping after I saw the 501st represented at the Chicago Wizard World comic con. So my sizes are as follows:

Height-6'1"ish

Calf- 18.5

Thigh- 27

Waist- 44

Forearm- 13.5

Bicep- 16.5

Head- 23.5

 

He said that he can add "shims" to make his kit fit for me (for an extra charge of course). My question, do these "shims" take away from the look = reduce the acceptable look that the 501st wants? I would love to even attain a higher acceptance level of level two or three acceptance. I know that you folks are helping tons of new people so I thank you in advance. I am so pumped to get this project started.

Edited August 19, 2012 by columbiamo

[markmg]

How can i contact TM/Troopermaster ? He didn't have contact email on the list.

[Dday[501st]]

He is here on the forums under he name troopermaster. Just start to type it in the PM section and it will autofill.

Edited August 19, 2012 by Dday

[markmg]

He is here on the forums under he name troopermaster. Just start to type it in the PM section and it will autofill.

 

Got it, thanks Derrek.

[Trooperik[TK]]

Hi mates! Im a 30 year old boy (yes, boy) who want to make a Stormtrooper armor the (ANH one). One thing wurryes me tho.. I`ve never built an armor before, and back in the days at school the art and craft class were a pain hehe.. I`m a SW fan but even more i want to help children

Does anyone share my thoughts on this?

 

Erik.

[YouCantBe Sidious[TK]]

Everyone is a little concerned with making their first cut Erik. I think a lot, if not most, of us went into it a bit like you're describing. If you really take your time and research each part, you will do fine.

 

When I built my kit, I studied this forum. Searched for one bit at a time (biceps, then forearms, then shins, etc). Opened 10 or more windows from my search to see how others had put that same armor together. It will be time consuming, but it's fun and the pay off is awesome when you get approved.

[Trooperik[TK]]

Thanks for the words of encouragement YouCanBe.

[Locitus[Admin]]

Don't worry Erik. All you need to know can be found here. Or you can just ask.

[Trooperik[TK]]

Thank you both of you . Im not lazy, but im searching for a kit all ready or almost ready to wear. 1 i dont have tools to trim pieces or modify other ways. 2 as i said before im not a great builder, art & crafter. So i will do the research as everyone else (no shortcuts), but hope to find a kit to wear with out too much work. I do this to visit children at hospitals

[Locitus[Admin]]

There are some armour suppliers that provide building services at additional cost. AP, TM, CFO and RS most notably. AP is from Canada and have recently stopped taking new build orders to work on their backlog. TM, CFO and RS are both all the UK. CFO is best for a ROTJ style armour, and the others are best for ANH, although AP can also be used for some game related ANH/ROTJ hybrids.

 

When it comes to ANH, it's TM and RS that are without doubt the best you can find.

 

Although I think that you would find it fun to build yourself as well. It's not as hard as it looks, provides you with lots of skills and experience for doing more prop stuff further on, which I'm pretty sure you will. And you save a lot of money dong it yourself.

[Trooperik[TK]]

I need to figure out all the abbreviations ^^

[Sonnenschein]

I need to figure out all the abbreviations ^^

 

They're all explained on the first page

 

You don't need many tools. A craft knife, rivet gun and some clamps are enough. There are many members who built armor on their kitchen table!

Edited August 27, 2012 by Sonnenschein

[Batman21]

Wow, so much great info, thank you all so much.

 

After CVI, i shall procrastinate no longer. I have a few questions...

 

1. 5'8", 200 lbs - seems like ATA is the way to go, thoughts? Who does black ABS if i go that route? I'm more concerned with overall quality than price. And i dont mind a project.

2. Regarding painting HIPS - whether i go white or shadow, what does the painting process entail? A sprayer? Just a brush? I know its kind of silly, but i live in an apartment and dont really have a garage to make a mess in. Shld i forget the painting and just do ABS?

 

Thanks a lot everyone.

[DarkTrooper[TK]]

Wow, so much great info, thank you all so much.

 

After CVI, i shall procrastinate no longer. I have a few questions...

 

1. 5'8", 200 lbs - seems like ATA is the way to go, thoughts? Who does black ABS if i go that route? I'm more concerned with overall quality than price. And i dont mind a project.

2. Regarding painting HIPS - whether i go white or shadow, what does the painting process entail? A sprayer? Just a brush? I know its kind of silly, but i live in an apartment and dont really have a garage to make a mess in. Shld i forget the painting and just do ABS?

 

Thanks a lot everyone.

 

I love my ATA armor, in ABS. ABS is so much easier to work with. I've built HIPS kits and was able to paint them in an acceptable finish but after making a kit from ABS that requires no painting I wouldn't do HIPs for a TK again. The glossiness is too good to replicate with spray paint (IMO). I have another HIPs kit to make but I'll be making that one into a Sandtrooper.

 

BTW, ATA can make kits in black armor too.

[HeyItsAdam[TK]]

Can I just throw some love to the "vetted" vendors that are posted on this forum? I emailed most of them, asked a bunch of stupid questions that I am sure that they answered 5,300,322,021 times beforehand, and they did it within 24 hours.

 

 

Who said the Empire was evil?

[TK-42779[501st]]

Can I just throw some love to the "vetted" vendors that are posted on this forum? I emailed most of them, asked a bunch of stupid questions that I am sure that they answered 5,300,322,021 times beforehand, and they did it within 24 hours.

 

 

Who said the Empire was evil?

 

I agree, I thought the same thing myself. lol They must get the SAME noob questions aaaaaaallllll the tiiiiiiiiiime. Hey, they make good money though I am sure. : ) lol