Ph1l2007

OMG. So funny XD Especially the one with Luke and Ben Kenobi. "You guys should probably just be friends...trust me on this one." Stormtrooper and Scout Trooper was funny too

If people ask if they can take a picture with you, do you guys ever say things like "You're not affiliated with the rebellion are you?"

I am planning on attending a local con soon and I have spent months getting together my armor. I put a whole lot of time and money putting this costume together, and several people have told me how great they think it is. Now the task ahead of me is preparing to actually "play the part". The thing is, I really want to do an exceptional job acting. I want to make sure everything I say to people fits within the context of my character (I mean, I want to create a whole story about why I am even at the convention). It will take a lot of work though. For instance, I plan on studying my Star Wars dictionaries and encyclopedias to be able to answer questions people may have about the Empire, battles we fought in, etc...I also need to come up with a convincing story for my character. I'm pretty sure this will all be worth it - I just wanted to get some help from you guys to make it easier! So, what kinds of things do you do / say specifically to make your appearance as a trooper even more convincing? For one, what would a trooper be doing on planet earth? I am thinking of telling people something like: "I am stationed here as a part of the Empire's IRO program - Intergalactic Reconnaissance Operation - an effort to investigate potential threats to galactic security". Tell me if any of you have come up with something better And I'm sorry if this topic has been raised before - I'm kind of new :/

So very sorry to hear that man. We never think will happen to someone close to us until it's too late. I really hope you get through this, and don't give up on life because there are a lot of people who care about you here.

Hey everyone. Well, I am really excited because I am getting my Trooper Master armor next week, but I am trying to figure out how to do the interior of my helmet. One of my primary concerns is staying cool during long periods. Do you guys know of any ways in addition to cooling fans to work against the heat / sweat problem during trooping? Actually, I am particularly concerned with the inside of my helmet getting really sweaty and smelly. Do you all know of any ways to keep moisture from accumulating inside the helmet? Also, if you have tried a number of different cooling setups inside your helmets, is there one that you have found to be most effective? One of the things I have been concerned about is balancing padding with space for cooling machinery. I don't want the helmet to wobble around, but I also want to have enough stuff to keep me cool. Also, I have heard about some full-face Underarmor head gear that is supposed to help to absorb moisture? I don't know, that's why I am asking you guys. What are some of the most effective ways that you stay relatively cool inside your lids? I would really appreciate any help anyone is aple to give. Specifically, I would love to get some advice from people with AP, TE2, or Troopermaster lids because I heard the interiors of those helmets are less spacious then the FX or MRCE. Pics are much appreciated!

Yeah I like ESB first because the Empire strikes back

They look like a bunch of skulls O.o

Thanks for the recommendation man I will look into this.

Hey everyone, I am buying a pair of black Jodhpur boots and I need to dye / paint them white. A friend of mine suggested using Acetone to remove as much of the black color as possible, and then use several layers of white shoe paint (or is it dye?) to paint the boots. He specifically said this: "Buy the white shoe dye product aka BOSTON (its a white, whit black stripes on whit a boxer dog on as a logo, made in the US i think)." Does anyone no what he's talking about? If not, does anyone know where to get a quality white dye / paint for the boots? Thanks a lot troopers. -Phil

I am so lucky. Seriously. I was so impulsive to get a TK outfit a few months ago that I would have bought this Rubies outfit outright if I had the money. It was only because I didn't have enough money at the time that I had to hold off from buying this suit, and it was during this time where I had the opportunity to learn about the FISD and actually learn all of the nuances that make the difference between a quality suit and a poor suit. So thanks to my good luck and the help of the FISD, I purchased a brand new set of Troopmaster armor when I finally got the money this past month, which is soooooo much more accurate than this kit. Call it fate, luck, or what have you, but it seems I was spared from the wrath of the Rubies suit.....

I'm desperately trying to get all the parts I need to complete my TD outfit. My armor should be arriving sometime around next weekend

I think this is incredibly cute how the trooper is so little and the blaster is so big Well done on the outfit though, it's great!

Is it just me or does vader seem a little shorter then tha trooper?

Guys (and gals), I have read almost all of your responses, and again, I do really appreciate the thought you put into them. Although I don't think I will have time to respond to each one of yours, the responses you gave have helped me put some things into perspective, so thanks again for the support and friendship.

So I was watching ANH today after not having seen it for some time, and I found myself mentally suffering because I couldn't stand to see how bad the aim of our supposedly "elite" troops was. But here is something some of you might not have thought of. Recall that right after the Millenium falcon landed on the death Star, they placed a homing beacon on it because they couldn't rely on Princess Leah to tell them where the rebel base was. Hence, Governor Tarkin planned on letting Han, Leah, and Luke go in order that they could track the Millenium Falcon straight to the Rebel base. So what do the troopers have to do with this? Well obviously, the Empire couldn't track the ship to the hidden base if the crew of the Millenium Falcon were dead now could they? So my guess is that the troops were ordered sometime by Tarkin NOT to shoot to kill, rather to make an elaborate display in order to make the heros think they truly escaped the Empire's clutches. Think about it, Tarkin was probably smart and knew that if he didn't make it seem like the Empire wanted to re-capture or kill Han, Luke, and the Princess, the heros would have assumes something fishy was going on and thus, go somewhere other then the hidden base. So, like I said, the troopers were most likely shooting to scare the rebels off the Death Star, but NOT to kill them. What do you guys think of that?

Hey guys thank you for all of responses. I really appreciate your words of advice, and the fact that you all were willing to listen to my personal problem. It is really great to have a community like FISD where you can talk about yourself and people won't judge you. It's really helped.

Thanks everyone, I appreciate all of your comments. I know it was a lot to read but each one of your responses is giving me something to think about.

I have been dealing with an issue in my life for some time now that is really important to me, and I wanted to get some help from anyone who is willing to listen to my personal story. I know it is a bit lengthy, but I think it is a topic some of you may be able to relate to and I would really appreciate any feedback you are willing to give. I am getting ready to turn 20 years old, and I have hit at a point in my life where I feel like I have lost a lot of happiness in my life, and a sense of joy that I haven't been able to experience since I was younger. It is that kind of joy that we only see in kids these days when they play with their little toys, or jump about while listening to their favorite song over, and over, and over, and over again. It's like a blissful feeling that I suppose comes from enjoying certain things in life without the cares and concerns that are thrust upon you when you reach your teens and adult life. Well, for many of us, one of these concerns is how we interact with and are perceived by the rest of the world. Personally, I developed this bad habit of being overly concerned with what people think of be. I have been a flat-out conformist in many respects - changing aspects of my behavior and lifestyle based on other people’s words and opinions – all because I want to be “liked” and “fit in” with everyone else. I felt like I really, TRULY enjoyed my life up until 6th grade when I started to be looked at as a "weirdo" for my…eccentric personality and interests. I mean, I was considered a "Nerd" in every sense of the word because I really enjoyed things like - needless to say - Star Wars, video games, fantasy books, and music. But I didn't just like those things, I really I got INTO them. They spurred my imagination. I could get lost daydreaming about the fantasy lands and characters I saw in games and read about in books. And music...I could spend hours listening and jamming to my favorite tunes and letting the emotion and atmosphere the music created take over my mind (In spite of the fact that a lot of my favorite tunes were from video game and cartoon soundtracks). I also never really had a “normal” taste in fashion. I was the kind of kid that would wear superhero outfits and costumes of my favorite movie characters as my day-to-day clothes if I got the chance. In fact, it was a dream of mine when I got older to be able to wear something truly fantastic - like a real-life Stormtrooper outfit - as my everyday apparel! As I went into middle school, it turned out that I had “grown up” a little less quickly then my peers. As my friends from elementary school started to progress into the fads and the whole “quest for coolness” in their teenage years, I was still enjoying many of the same things I enjoyed in my childhood. Instead of hooking up with girls, going to parties, and blasting the latest rap hits, I continued to enjoy my Star Wars, anime, and eccentric soundtracks. But when I went into middle school, I became incredibly self-conscious as my unconventional personality and “childish” interests got me laughed at, looked at strangely, and ostracized in general. Now I know some kids in my position become content with their roles as “outsiders” and continue to live their lives for themselves. But wanting to keep the “friends” I hung out with in elementary school, I got out of Star Wars, anime, and even enjoying the music I loved and learned to act in a manner that would make me “cool” and popular. Surprisingly, for the longest time - it worked. By observing the way most other kids were dressing, talking, and thinking, and fashioning my behavior after them, I gained the ability to effectively fit in and become “cool” with whomever I choose. I started wearing the latest fashions, listening to popular music, and started valuing things like sex and “hooking up” with girls – things that I was told was the “normal” thing for every teenager to be into. So when I went to High School I actually became one of the more popular kids. But this was all because I had learned to effectively follow the crowd and, frankly, be a conformist. Looking back, I know now that none of these people I was “cool” with were true “friends”, but at the time I felt like I had achieved something by not always being ostracized and laughed at. I thought being liked by people and fitting in with the times was the most important thing at this point in my life. But as the years past, I went through some stressful and challenging times that really caused me to question what I was living for. Even though I was supposedly “cool” and popular, I wasn’t truly happy. By trying so hard to be cool and follow the times, I discovered that I had sacrificed the joy in my life. So now I am at a point where I am desperately trying to regain the happiness that I experienced in my youth when I wasn’t so concerned about what people thought of me. I want to get back to a point where sometimes, I just live my life for me and enjoy things like Star Wars, and comic books, and the music that made me happy (even if these things are considered “nerdy”). I don’t mean that in a selfish way, as I know I have responsibilities and moral commitments to my job, family, and community that require me to give of myself. But when I do have time for me, I want to really ENJOY myself again. However, I have had a real challenge mentally allowing myself to let go of certain inhibitions. These are patterns of thinking that most people would consider “mainstream”, or normal and acceptable in our society. An example of such thinking is believing that it is absurd for a fully grown person to want to wear a Stormtrooper outfit their “clothes”. But this something that I actually have really wanted to do - not necessarily because it would entertain people, but simply because I like the way that the white armor looks on me! But my hesitance to let go of mainstream thinking is partly a result of my fear of becoming an “outsider” again. An outsider in the sense that the people I interact with on a daily basis (i.e. my coworkers, schoolmates, and family members) who have more mainstream tastes will not be able to relate to my interests and “different” personality (I know many people that wouldn’t understand why anyone would want to walk around in a plastic suit for fashion). In effect, I know that being myself will cause me to be somewhat isolated from certain people. But being so concerned about what other people think of me is a hurdle I really want to overcome, because I really do feel good when I am able to do the things I enjoy. Because of that I am prepared to accept a degree of isolation, if you all can help me answer this one pivotal question: Do you think having joy and happiness in life worth giving up being “cool” and / or being able to relate to people who have more “mainstream” personalities and tastes? Do you think it is productive to take time to really enjoy yourself with things that perhaps only you would enjoy, even if it distances you from some people?

Lol. Right on man.

Tht's hilarious if he was bieng serious. LOL.

Tittle says it all. What are the most memorable / best reactions you have gotten from a kid, or adult while walking around in public with your armor? Mine is when some kid came up to me who was amazed by the realistic nature of my modded MR CE helmet, and he asked me quite seriously: "So if you get shot, that will protect you?"

Society is struggling to make conformists out of us all. My childhood were some of the best years I had in my life. I wasn't concerned about what people thought of me, I just enjoyed life. I went through a period of time in my teens where I let people like that principle define me - and I listened too much to how everyone thought a guy "should" act. I ended up trying to be a people-pleaser, and my personality and interests swung back and forth to whatever was "cool" and "popular" with the people I hung out with. I regret this and in many respects I am still struggling to get back in a mindset where I just be who I am and not worry about what other people think of me. And to enjoy the things I have always loved like cool sci-fi outfits Do your thing man. I agree with everyone else. That guy is just another conformist. I love the fact that there are people like all of you who have preserved their fun-loving childhood side.

How do you dye boots white?

Is there an online store that consistently sells stormtrooper boots? I need a size 12. Thanks guys.

What kind of armor is that?