Hello hello!
Where to start...
I'm sorta new to all this, well, a bit! Around 3-4 years ago, I was a -18 highschooler that loved the Clone Wars and the Grand Army of the Republic. I would lurk around on the Clone Forums, and ocassionally chime in here or there. Since then, I've certainly matured, and so have my thoughts! Without a doubt, the Galactic Imperial Empire is the rightful force in the Galaxy, supported by the brave Stormtrooper Corps, Imperial Navy and Imperial Army!
One long time thought in the back of my head, even when I was a kid, was owning a full set of armor and trooping. Back then It was more of a dream off in the sky, but with age comes experience, knowlege, a garage full of tools, an even stronger desire to pursue dreams AND a bank account just for that. Haha.
Over the years, I've slowly been able to collect, though, mainly random equipment. A Black Series TK helmet here, a Black Series TK helmet there..... I need a wall for my helmet collection.... I've cosplayed / "Trooped" in a Halo 4 Spartan Armor costume down in the comic cons, and slowly have been learning the swing of things. (Like, stay outside / near the waterfront when in full gear, as all the padding and clothing practically makes you into a walking furnace. Another being.... Mass produced businesses [Amazon] aren't reaaaally building up to the quality these costumes should be.... The thin plastic they use has cracked and shredded itself just through wear and tear)
With that being said, I think its obvious now that I'm interesting in building a set of armor to call my own, though... I have some questions!
The forums here contain amazing information. The Do's and Don'ts, Tips for trooping (The day before hydration really is something useful. Usually I just power through dehydration). Where to look for Verified Armorers.... How to join a Garrison (In the progress!)
*Hasbro Black Series Helmets... Better for decoration and not function right?
*The Verified Armorers / Builders list seems a bit outdated..? For interest in FO kits, 'jimmiroquai' seems to be MIA... though that's just from forum observation. I could be wrong.
*How sturdy really are the kits? I have trust in ABS plastic, but in my experience, that's just because how darn thick it can be. As stated above, I have a set of "mass produced" armor from Halo, which has seen quite the damage from just 5-6 troops, at around 4-5 hour intervals.
*Is it wrong to assume most of the insider information / buyers / armorers are locked up on Facebook? While I would rather not use Facebook out of personal feelings about the site, if its where the goods are kept, I'll go.
*Snowtroopers.... I would imagine Imperial Snowtrooper outfits to be extremely hot... especially with the face mask trapping all the heat in. Do FO Snowtroopers suffer the same? From a design aspect, they look more mobile, and look to have more 'gaps/ seams'.
*Can you wear glasses while in full gear + helmet? I don't have much problems with the Black Series helmets, but I'm unsure if those are size accurate.
*Are there 501st approved paints? Or does it just come down to whatever you can get your hands on, that's screen accurate (Is there a color scheme chart available? Or is that way too much for troopers that only contain the colors: Light Blue, Black, White, Grey.)
*How flexible (armor and pose-ability) is Imperial TK / FO TK armor? In the Halo armor I wore... Bending down was completely out of the question haha. Hopefully It's possible to sit down and not accidentally crack / sit on a armor piece?
*Roleplay breaking. If I'm ever to be 501st approved / in event, obviously the rules to stay in character are to be followed. For a example situation, are these same rules to be applied when Solo Trooping? Does the helmet always stay on? While I don't think eating food in armor would be great for the armor, sometimes when inside the Comic Con, you'll be starving after walking for hours.
(If you're doing Out of character things, does the armor have to be entirely off. Sounds a bit weird to ask, but I just want to be respectful/ follow the rules)
I'll probably ask more questions when I think / discover them. At the moment, I have a lot of time on my hands, that I would love to apply to this. Currently I'm split between FO Snowtrooper, or a Rogue One/ANH Stormtrooper. Been staring at KBProp's page, aswell as Authentic Props. From review on the forums both seem like strong picks for troopers. Anyone personally have input?
You can't ever seem to go wrong picking a Stormtrooper, though with Disney's FO Snowtrooper... I just can't help not loving the design. It reminds me of the Proto-stormtrooper concept art, looks clean (and could work great for outside work in the Michigan snow and freezing temps lol)
Stormtrooper:
Literally perfect. Decades of documentation for building, trooping. Recognizable for eternity.
FO Snowtrooper:
Seeeeems to be little interest around the Garrisons...? FO Stormtroopers hogging the screentime. Trooping could be short, as it (looks to be) a functional, cold climate outfit. Though stylish.
As said before, any input is welcome.
Thanks for welcoming me! For some final information, I'm currently 20 y/o. 5'7, 130 lbs. I feel now would be a good time to build a armor kit, as I haven't gotten any taller, or gained weight in years.
(I've been told that will change later in life)