General Help - Buying Pre-Made Armor

[Proto1001]

Ok, so don't laugh but I'm just a regular guy that doesn't know anything about the stormtrooper costumes and design. I literally found this site linked to the 501st Legion site, so I thought I would give it a try.

 

Goal: I'm just looking for a good stormtrooper costume for halloween, but I'm looking for everything included - The mesh/black cloth undersuit, the actual suit(individual pieces), the gun with the holster on belt, and if possible I would like to get a helmet with a modded voice changer (SFX for speaking).

 

I started searching with google, then worked my way around ebay, and then finally to 501st site. So far I'm not liking the pricing on everything. I kind of rushed through viewing this site, but from what I see this forum gives good help on custom designs, kits, and tutorials for home-made armor. I'm just looking to buy pre-made armor that I can use for Halloween at a decent price. I would prefer to spend under $200 because that's practically all I have to work with, but if that's insanely impossible then please explain. Can anyone help?

[kaa1304[TK]]

I'll let you know what my armour has cost me so far and bear in mind two things: One, I'm very new at this and not cleared yet and two, I've spent less so far than most veterans here (and yes I expect the spending to continue).

 

Armour, inc belt: 750 GBP

Undersuit, balaclava, 50 GBP

Holster: 30 GBP

Voice unit: 120 GBP (got caught in customs)

Blaster: so far... just don't ask.

Various bits and pieces: around 100 gbp

Boots: 40gbp

 

Let's just call it 1000.00 gbp or around 1400 USD.

 

The thing is that here, people work to certain standards and quality (indeed the 501st expect them) and those don't come cheap. I would say my costs above are low-middling but I'm sure others can give you advice on that.

 

I realise this is most probably exactly what you didn't want to read but, I think I'm new enough and average enough to be able to present a realistic picture of cost.

 

Hope that helps

Edited October 5, 2012 by kaa1304

[Sonnenschein]

Kevin, you're dead on.

And if you want to buy the armor built, it'll cost considerably more. And 3 weeks time sure won't be enough.

[Proto1001]

Well I was expecting this much. My low budget was an attempt at finding someone with a really cheap pre-made kit. As much as I would love to save up and just buy the expensive versions for $1000 USD, I simply can't save it up in time before Halloween. At most I have about $350 USD to work with, and I really didn't want to spend it all. I just can't believe that the suits are so expensive...I've seen so many people showing how they bought theirs online from a custom designer, costume entrepreneur, etc. for so much cheaper. I DON"T SEE HOW

[Locitus[Admin]]

What we build on this site and very much so in anything related to 501st is that we build movie-quality or better costumes. They are simply miles ahead of what most think of for an halloween costume.

 

Just the plastic alone for a stormtrooper cost probably more than $200. And on top of that you need to add labour and other expenses such as costs of the moulds used, shipping, tools to build with and accessories.

 

And the stormtrooper isn't even that expensive compared to Boba/Jango Fett or Darth Vader who all three can cost some $5000 or more.

[Sonnenschein]

You can find a lot of cheap recast kits on ebay ($300+) , but with all the tools and other supplies you'll end up near the $1000 mark, but you'll need a lot of work and end up with sub par quality

[Proto1001]

I understand, especially for people that make it home-made to have high pricing considering it takes twice the effort, but honestly after so many years nobody has taken the time to buy the proper moulds and capitalize on making them cheaper? $1000+ just seem's outrageous in general because right now that's the price of a really awesome custom built computer (I would know, I build custom pc's as a side business).

[RogueTrooper[TK]]

Hi Walton, welcome to the FISD.

 

What you are asking for, a good stormtrooper costume (with all the add-ons) for $200 is to use your words "insanely impossible" especially this time of the year. Once in a blue moon someone will need some extra money, and have to sell their full suit, but I have never seen the price tag drop under $500.ooUSD (average price for a good used might you with everything is around $1000.ooUSD.

 

Pro style costuming (what we do) is not a cheap, especially when you look at the costumes like the Stormtrooper (the cheapest quality made armor kit is around $500.ooUSD) that is not including all the other things you will need (boots blaster,undersuit neckseal gloves and all the little things that you wanted like fans and speakers etc..) this is not cheap nor done overnight or in a few days.

 

We do pride ourselves (the FISD community) on helping and showing the best routes to take when someone is looking to do a TK costume, because it is not an easy nor cheap adventure.

 

One thing I would like to say is buying a pre-made Stormtrooper costume is something you have to be dead on with your size (body type). The armor has to be fitted to your body type, if you buy a pre-made suit, more than likely it will not fit you properly and will need altering. Which can be a headache in it's self.

 

 

I hope you will change your mind and not just look at doing this for one day of the year, but look into the 501st and see what the group is about and the good it does in this world with charity work and fund raising + we do have fun be the characters for a galaxy far, far away.....

 

We have a lot of info hear to help you do a great Stormtrooper costume, But like I said before, costuming is done at this level is not cheap nor done in a few days.

[rhapsodyred99[TK]]

yes if you are just looking for a quick halloween costume, then you can spend less money on a recast fx or even a used FX suit that most of the public is going to think is a dandy Stormtrooper.

 

The point of this site and the 501st in general is supposed to be to help people have movie quality costumes, and once you embrace the hobby, you realize that there is a vast difference from a prop replica and a costume.

 

Its possible to have a cheap costume, it is not really possible to have a cheap prop replica.

 

As Locitus says, prop replica Armor makers either spent considerable time on sculpting and researching the suits themselves not to mention making the forming tools, and forming tables, and buying plastic that very closely matches the original, or went to considerable expense getting a hold of actual props that they were able to cast from, which still involves alot of clean up, mold making, and forming tables.

 

There is alot of work on the back end of it as well, cutting out the armor etc. If you are going total prop replica with accurate strapping and cover strips for ANH that takes a ton of work, and time.

 

I think it sounds like you ar emore interested in a costume than a prop replica, and there is nothing wrong with that, just be aware that most of the cheapo costumes on ebay are poorly made/formed recasts and are pretty grossly inaccurate to anyone that knows anything about "real " stormtrooper armor.

 

If you are headed to a party i'd say no one there is going to know anything about it, and it is not like you would be in a line up of 4 or 5 501st troopers in prop replicas that would show how off yours would be.

 

I have an old suit of FX armor, when I put it next to my RS or CFO it looks terrible, but for years I loved that thing.

 

good luck!

[Minuteman]

I can only agree, you need to spend time and money to do this hobby professional.

Mabe this suit is right for you:-----------

It´s the rubies suit. Not accurate, not liked in the legion and it would be hard if not impossible to get legion approval with this thing, but for halloween it might be okay.

But remember. Pay twice the price of this rubie thing and you get an excellent accurate armor plus most accessoires. Your choice.

 

Good luck

Edited August 2, 2022 by gmrhodes13
link removed no longer working

[Proto1001]

Alrighty, well you guys have certainly painted me a perfect picture. I'll take your advice into account and try to work with what I have. I'm honestly considering just saving up to buy the real deal for next year. I'm still browsing for the cheapest options. in fact, I have an electrical engineer as a friend that said he could rig up a voice changer out of an old radio for me. Regardless of price I would love to just have the quality prop replica armor versus some cheap costume. Anyways, thanks for the help fellas, you've set me straight on the best options.

[bigironvault]

On 10/5/2012 at 9:33 PM, Minuteman said:

I can only agree, you need to spend time and money to do this hobby professional.

Mabe this suit is right for you----------

It´s the rubies suit. Not accurate, not liked in the legion and it would be hard if not impossible to get legion approval with this thing, but for halloween it might be okay.

But remember. Pay twice the price of this rubie thing and you get an excellent accurate armor plus most accessoires. Your choice.

 

Good luck

 

Not even twice, if you spend the time researching. You can get a full TK for $1200 easy all-in.

Edited August 2, 2022 by gmrhodes13
link removed no longer working

[tkrestonva[TK]]

Alrighty, well you guys have certainly painted me a perfect picture. I'll take your advice into account and try to work with what I have. I'm honestly considering just saving up to buy the real deal for next year. I'm still browsing for the cheapest options. in fact, I have an electrical engineer as a friend that said he could rig up a voice changer out of an old radio for me. Regardless of price I would love to just have the quality prop replica armor versus some cheap costume. Anyways, thanks for the help fellas, you've set me straight on the best options.

 

You don't have nearly enough time or budget between now and the end of the month to do what we do here. Truly the best thing you can do is forgo this year's Halloween and set a goal for next year, all the while saving and researching.

 

Where approximately do you live? There is very likely a 501st Legion unit near to you that you can join as a supporter and help out at events. In turn you'd get a close look at our costumes and an appreciation of why they cost so much and why they are far superior to practically anything you'll find on eBay or in the retail Halloween stores at this time of year.

[bigironvault]

I think OP just wants a halloween costume for under $200. If that's the case, this is not the place for him.

[Horrendous]

Tray is selling a ANH kit for $650 I just bought a few of them. All said and done I'm thinking ill be at around $1000 per complete kit. I know eBay gas some fairly inexpensive kits but as stated by others the accuracy and quality comes onto question.

 

Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2

[snoopy trooper[TK]]

I think OP just wants a halloween costume for under $200. If that's the case, this is not the place for him.

 

[tkrestonva[TK]]

I understand, especially for people that make it home-made to have high pricing considering it takes twice the effort, but honestly after so many years nobody has taken the time to buy the proper moulds and capitalize on making them cheaper? $1000+ just seem's outrageous in general because right now that's the price of a really awesome custom built computer (I would know, I build custom pc's as a side business).

 

This has been tried, and the result is the Rubies Supreme Stormtrooper - google it. A fully LFL-licensed piece o'crap.

 

When it first came out a few years ago (and it was at the time eagerly anticipated by this community), the initial retail cost was $899. Furthermore, that cost does not include a holster, blaster, undersuit, neckseal, boots, or any of the electronics you want to incorporate. While it can be brought up to 501st standards, doing so is not for the faint of heart (or light of wallet). Nowdays you can get one for less than half of that cost on ebay - but it's still an officially LFL-licensed piece o'crap. A quick search here on "Rubies" will yield you plenty of information on this commercially-available product.

[OsotheBear]

Hey man, You say u have about $350? If I were you I would take that and get myself an ATA or AP helmet kit, that will get you a nice looking helmet to star with , you will have fun putting it together, get some experience and it will leave you wanting for more, so you can use it when you save more for the rest of the armor, or just get the blaster and the belt and go dressed as a Luke ,and you can use the same blaster and belt for when u get your full armor!!

Edited October 5, 2012 by OsotheBear

[Nicky]

You're underestimating the costume. 501st approved or not.

 

Asking a <$200 price tag on a Stormtrooper costume sounds like you have not seen a stormtrooper costume up close, or thinking it's just a lot of foam or rubber-like fabric you glue on the undersuit. Even the least accurate styrene plastic stormtrooper costume is a hell of an impressive full body armor that just doesn't fit in a gym bag.

 

The size of the thing and the amount of parts, their weight, even without counting gloves, undersuit, belt, harnesses, helmet or not, will cost over $100 to ship already.

 

Even the cheapest unassembled kit will require you buy toy gun kit, holster, boots, soft parts, tools, powertools, snaps, straps, glue, paint, clamps, magnets, screws for another $500-1000 unless you're using leftovers from a previous costume.

 

My suggestion is that you forget about it this year, for Halloween 2012 you can wear a nice looking but cheap white suit, black shirt underneath and get a Stormtrooper helmet from ebay for around say $200-300, regardless of quality. You'll make people laugh, say wow, etc. You can keep an eye on ebay in case someone wants to get rid of his stormtrooper costume but don't hold your breath. Even when it doesn't fit anymore people spent so much time perfecting their kit that it would break their heart to sell it or give it away.

 

If you ask a 501st member to lend you his armor, he will say no unless you're childhood buddies and he doesn't care about damaging his kit.

 

We (501st members or applicants) pay $2000 for our costumes because it looks simply great. Once it's fit to you and you wear it in public, everybody's looking at you and you're automatically the coolest person in the world. You can be ugly underneath you'll get laid anyway. Is that a good explanation? haha

 

I might sound like an elitist but our elitism isn't based on budget but on hours tweaking tiny barely noticeable details, for fun.

Edited October 10, 2012 by Nicky

[seantrooper[TK]]

I agree with what everyone else has said. This hoppy just isn't cheap, but the time and money that we put into our suits really shows.

 

I'd save up and get yourself a proper armour kit for next year... but in the meantime, if you're rally desperate, you could always to a cardboard job

 

but when it comes down to it,

 

you can look like this now

 

-----------

 

but the cardboard one could be good for a bit of fun

Edited August 2, 2022 by gmrhodes13
link removed no longer working

[Proto1001]

Ok, so the reason I was tight on money this year was because I was rebuilding a computer for a friend (the graphics card alone was $300, but its awesome). I recently just got re-payed for part of that build and have a little more money to work with. Congrats, because you guys have convinced me to save up and buy a good suit of armor. Total I'm at about $1200, and though I would love to read for hours on how to do this right (hint: sarcasm), I'm still in school and simply don't have the time. Now I did read a little bit on armor types from this link:-----------

And if you pay attention(like I did) at the top it links to THIS FORUM'S POST on armor types. Which I also spent another 15min browsing.

 

I get the general idea of what I want now:

An ATA or AM Full Suit Armor Kit - Includes helmet (I understand holster and gun aren't typically included because the gun is expensive)

White, Shiny, and Sturdier (based on reading this means ABS rather than HIPS)

Less work/modding (based on reading this means already "Trimmed" to fit me)

Generally Good (based on reading this means AP - "Authentic Props", but I don't really care as long as it looks nice)

 

Now based on the reading, there's still some fan-based armor kits that are legitimately sold at fairly low costs. Does anyone know if the ATA - "Affordable Trooper Armor" and/or the AM - "Armor Master" kit makers are still around making them?

If so, which one is cheaper and what's the general price range for their kits?

Do they sell these kits online at random times as they start/finish making them? or do they allow customers to contact them with size/dimension requests for specific armor?

As I've never been fitted for anything, not even a tux, what body dimensions do I need to concern myself with (besides height and weight) for building/buying my armor?

 

FYI: I'm 5'8" (68 inches) and weigh about 145 lbs now (I lost 35 lbs in the last month, and i don't know why but my sisters hate me).

 

YES, I understand they are expensive, probably more than what I have, but I'm saving up.

YES, I understand their might be a waiting list and I might not get it for months.

YES, I can handle buying pieces separate, but it seem's more costly and time consuming than buying a full kit if their available.

NO, I do not want to make the armor myself because I am not an artist/designer, its a lot of work, and honestly I usually mess stuff like this up.

 

Any help is appreciated, but please comment to answer one of my many questions. I really don't have time to read EVERYTHING, which is why I really just want hard facts and insights necessary to help get me on my way. Comments like "research it yourself" or "you need to look at more posts" is NOT helpful (at least to me).

Edited August 2, 2022 by gmrhodes13
link removed no longer working

[Locitus[Admin]]

For someone of your size, weight and budget I would recommend ATA. AM is too large for you and means more time trimming the parts smaller to fit you than it would mean to trim ATA. Also ATA is more accurate and has better proportions.

 

You do not need artistic talent to build armour. It's just a matter of cutting away and rough plastic, while keeping the smooth and then glue the parts together. There are however makers that can build a kit to your specifications. AP, TM, CFO and RS more specifically. But then the price goes up. A lot.

[Proto1001]

Recommendation Accepted. Do you have any more details on who I should contact in order to get an ATA kit? I'm still doing some minor reading here and there so I kind of get how it's just a matter of trimming the armor for my size. I just want it to be as accurate as possible before I end up having to adjust it. As I said my starting budget is $1200, but I would love a price range on what an ATA armor kit would cost BEFORE attempting to buy it.

[Locitus[Admin]]

We don't discuss prices very publicly around here, but for $1200 you can get pretty much any kit you want. But then you also want boots, blaster, holster, tools, glue, etc... If you go with ATA that will also fit nicely within your current budget. You can find ATA's contact address here: http://www.whitearmo...e-to-find-them/

[Clamps[TK]]

You do not need artistic talent to build armour. It's just a matter of cutting away and rough plastic, while keeping the smooth and then glue the parts together. T

 

^^^^ This ^^^^ is so very true. I am living breathing TK proof of this point. Good luck with your research and build.