I get asked a lot of questions about stormtrooper armor. Most people see one of the CostumeBot YouTube vids and it whets their appetite for more info. Unfortunately there’s just not a lot of reliable information out there. Now, I’m certainly not the most knowledgeable person on this subject but I have been a 501st member for a few years and I know my way around.
You have to understand how precarious the relationship between Lucasfilm and the fan armor makers is. LFL supports the 501st because the 501st supports LFL. We can mobilize a literal army of stormtroopers (and Tuskens and Clones and…) at the drop of a hat and the majority of them will not embarrass themselves or LFL. That’s a tremendous resource for LFL to use in promotions and goodwill opportunities worldwide. Trouble is, most of our armor isn’t licensed.
LFL makes a LOT of money off of licensing Star Wars products. When a company buys a license they are also buying the strong arm of LFL to help protect their investment. In other words, if I buy the rights to make and sell light bulbs shaped like Imperial Guards, I want to be assured that LFL will go after anyone else who tries to bring the same items to market. If they don’t protect my investment then I bought nothing…I could have made my light bulbs without the expensive licensing deal.
So there’s a bit of a catch 22. LFL likes having fans in armor but no one has made a good set of licensed armor to date. LFL’s lawyers have eaten up a few armor makers over the years (the ones who try to make their wares available to the general public) but generally leaves the underground armor makers alone. Why?
I think part of the reason is that LFL has traditionally thought that there aren’t likely to be any real companies who will want to buy licenses to make such an expensive and difficult to manufacture and fit costume (this may be changing – more on that in a bit). Now they’ve set a precedent that they will leave the underground hobbyists alone AS LONG AS THEY STAY UNDERGROUND. This is why you will never see the contact info for one of the armor makers mentioned out in the open on any of the 501st forums. Members will debate the armor to death on the boards but the makers info remains quietly in private messages. So couldn’t LFL watchdogs dig into the forums and ask for the armor makers’ contact info? Sure they could, but it’s become something of a don’t ask don’t tell kind of rule with them because the 501st is – A. On Lucasfilm’s side (most of the time) and B. Doing lots of charity work around the world in the name of Star Wars.
So, that said, I will not openly post info here regarding how you can contact any of the armor makers. Most of these guys do what they do out of love for the hobby and they don’t make a living doing this. One of them is even a cop so I KNOW you don’t want to be on his bad side. What I will do is give you the info you need to be able to take the next step and decide if this is really for you or not.
I cannot recommend highly enough the Mos Eisley Police Department. They are the Sandtrooper detachment of the 501st legion and they are some of the most detail-obsessed guys (and girls) in the hobby. The unusual part is the fact that they are also open, welcoming, and friendly. Just visit the site and join the forums and you’re in. There’s a lot more info there than I could ever hope to include in a single web page.
If you’re looking for pics and info on the original costumes (and some of the fan-made suits and helmets as well) check out Jez’s site Star Wars Helmets. His is an invaluable resource when doing research for Star Wars costumes.
The first thing you should know is that it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks is the best armor out there if you’re happy with what you have. All of the suits I’m going to discuss are high-quality kits. All of them can be made into very nice costumes. Some people get hung up on the holy grail of screen-accuracy (I’ve been known to take a dip or two in that pool myself) but you should know that you don’t have to spend $3K to have a very nice suit. You’ll probably end up spending close to $1K when all is said and done though, even with the cheapest options because none of these kits comes with necessities like an undersuit, gloves, boots, straps, blaster, voice amp, mic, fans, etc. The only element I’m going to be discussing here is the armor itself. Also of note is the fact that I’ll only include armor that can actually be purchased. There are those who build and sell to only a tight-knit circle of friends and while their armor is top-notch, I don’t include them because their paranoia has kept their wares off the market. As far as I’m concerned, they might as well not exist at all.
Stormtrooper armor falls into three categories – those fan kits derived from LFL sources, those that are entirely fan sculpts, and licensed consumer models.
Fan Armor Cast from LFL Sources
There are a couple of kits that are readily available that were supposedly cast off a LFL tour suit of ROTJ armor. The molds were modified to make the armor more accurate to ANH but these are the only makers whose work is physically based on a real suit. They are TrooperExpert (TE) and AuthenticProps (AP). Both will fit well if you’re under 5-11 or so and under 190 pounds. Smaller folks can be accommodated but larger folks should probably look elsewhere.
TE has declared himself done with the hobby a couple of times and even though he keeps popping up, I’d recommend TrooperExpert2 over him anyway. TE sold a set of his molds to TE2, hence the name. TE2 is one of the nicest guys in this biz and is one of the most honorable armor sellers out there. His suits are made of styrene and sport some of the sharpest pulls because of it. Unfortunately because they’re styrene, his suits also require painting. The styrene can also crack easily if mishandled. His kits come untrimmed although you can order your helmet assembled (I think). I’ve never purchased from him but I’ve met him and he has a firm reputation in 501st circles.
AP is similar to TE2 but is formed out of glossy ABS so there’s no painting required but since his ABS is thicker than the styrene TE2 uses, the AP kit pulls aren’t as sharp and well-defined as TE2′s. It’s a reasonably accurate kit except for the reuse of one of the shin sections on both sides and the fact that both forearms are the same. Still, it’s a very nice kit and AP is easy to deal with.
Fan Armor That’s Been Recast From Fan Armor From LFL Sources
This is a relatively new grey area of armor vendors that includes ATA, CAP, & CAP2. All of these have been recast from TE sources, supposedly by permission. I don’t want to get into the whole recasting debate, but suffice it to say that the waters get turbulent when this subject comes up. The fact of the matter is that these are less expensive options for relatively accurate suits but the details are softer due to the very nature of recasting. Still, if you can afford it, you’re better off with TE2.
Fan Sculpts
This is the category that’s been growing every year. As more and more fans get interested in the hobby it’s inevitable that more people with the skills needed to sculpt and form their own armor will surface. For my money, the best of this lot is the UK’s own TrooperMaster (TM). While not as easy to obtain as some of the others, the TM armor in high-gloss HIPS is really a sight to behold. It runs a little larger than the LFL-derived armors but not by a lot. I own one of TM’s stunt helmets and was able to compare it to a LFL hero and while they weren’t identical the resemblance was uncanny.
RT-Mod is a Canadian armor maker and his stormtrooper armor was designed for us bigger guys. He attempted to scale up the standard trooper look with very good results. His armor is made of heavy ABS. If I ever purchase another suit, it’ll most likely be one of his.
FX armor used to be what most (probably upwards of 90%) troopers wore. I’m wearing FX armor in my “How to Dress a Stormtrooper” tutorial. It’s not accurate in any way but it’s a good looking kit that’s durable for trooping. It can be adapted to fit a large range of body types but the helmet can certainly look oversized on smaller troopers. The helmet is the worst part of the design but you have to remember that this was sculpted long before we had the visual resources we have today.
FX has now been retired except for some ebay vendors who offer poor recasts (avoid Ebay when it comes to buying armor). The newly revised FX is called Armor Master or AM and it’s been modified to look more accurate and fit more body types. Everything in the kit still comes pre-trimmed but the pieces are larger and can be trimmed down for a perfect fit. Even for a tall trooper like me! My recommendation for new recruits is to purchase an AM armor kit minus the helmet then purchase a better helmet separately. This is the way that many 501st troopers are currently upgrading their gear. AM has even been offering a headless kit at a considerable discount.
Licensed Vendors
While his isn’t actually a license (unless it’s a license to steal), Andrew Ainsworth’s company, Shepperton Design Studios, has been producing armor “from the original molds” for a few years now. they’re currently embroiled in a legal battle with LFL over it and are not available directly to US citizens as a result. There’s considerable doubt that what Ainsworth is selling is actually from the original armor molds, although his helmets most likely are genuine. He fabricated the original armor for A New Hope working from the designs given to him. He currently claims the right to reproduce the helmets and armor based on his claim that he designed them. However, I wouldn’t put a lot of stock in anything he says. Some say that the armor he’s selling is a recast of an AP suit and for more than twice what AP charges!
Surprisingly, for Halloween 2008, Rubies began offering a set of armor that has a suggested retail of about $1K. Given Rubies track record with SW costumes, most 501st folks were skeptical, and rightly so. It’s a pitiful version of a ROTJ suit. Do not purchase this overpriced trash! It’s not acceptable for a Halloween party, let alone entry into the 501st.
If you’re just looking for a helmet, EFX Collectibles has been offering some wonderful ones. They’re currently offering low cost helmets from the old Master Replicas CE helmet molds and those are easily modded to make the acceptable for 501st use. If you want something more accurate, they’ve offered screen-accurate helmets in the past, but be prepared to pay prices that will make you think twice about trooping in them.
So that’s it for now. Hopefully that will be enough to get you started. Happy trooping!
11 comments
Auston Nagata
October 1, 2011 at 11:56 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Hi, I was thinking about starting this hobby. I need to find a costume for a good price, nothing over $1000. I want one that just looks like a Stormtrooper, I could care less about the screen acurrate costumes. I just want one that looks like it. (No $10 costumes.) Can you tell me where to find one?
Tom
October 1, 2011 at 12:40 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Hi Auston. The minimum you’ll spend for a suit that looks decent is $500-$700. Even the crappy Rubies “Supreme” suit is $1K and it’s a big step down to their hideous “deluxe” $40 costume. My post isn’t 100% up to date so there have been a few new vendors on the market. The FX armor has morphed into AM (Armor Master) armor) and there’s now a newer TE derived armor called ATA (for Affordable Trooper Armor). The AM will probably be your best bet. Just don’t expect anything that looks remotely like a stromtrooper to come cheap. Don’t forget, you’ll also need an undersuit, boots, blaster, etc.
Trooper324
October 7, 2011 at 9:55 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
And you will spend even more money on the items to put it together. Paints, rivet gun/rivits, tape, the proper tools to trim your armor. (I recommend a dremel) This armor does not come 1 size fits all. You WILL be trimming. Difference areas for everyone. I’ve had my AM amor now a month and I’m just now trimming the thighs. This is not a discouragement, just telling you that you are going to spend at least $1,000, the minimum, to get going. Boots, well you have CA Boots or TKBoots, those are your only 501st approved boots. ($50-$150) Expect 8-12 weeks before you can even order or receive them. Or you can buy black boots and paint them, which is a little more money and time. Blaster, the hasbro is ok but requires a doopydoos kit. (Another $50) Expect 2 weeks for that. You’ll need a neck seal. (Check out TK409.com) That’s 1-2 weeks (Another $50) Undersuit, a Lycra Dive Skin is ok, those are $30-$60 at a dive shop. You’ll need gloves, $4 if you buy the rubber gloves that make your hands sweat, or $50 ish for a pair of flight style gloves. If you want to add fans to your helmet so it doesn’t fog up, you can DIY for cheap or buy kits. Do you want a mic, voice amp, and/or static burst module? $100-$500 depending on what you end up going with. Patience is the key here. If you want a quick halloween costume, this isn’t it. If you want to join the 501st, do your homework and check out FISD (www.whitearmor.net) and read read read.
Good luck!
Uncle Copious
October 7, 2011 at 8:03 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Good Read, thanks for the insight> I recently purchased a (supreme edition) storm trooper costume from http://www.officialstarwarscostumes.com, I paid 750 USD $ for the armor with jump suit. Been real excited about Halloween this year especially since I got the supreme Vador costume last year which was an epic time.
Im just hoping that this apparently “licensed” costume is all that it seemed to be. Im aiming to look like a storm trooper at the partys this year! Does anyoneknow what the quality of the kit I Already Purchased Might compare to when considering the authentic qualities of STARWARS?
Kurt
October 24, 2011 at 2:43 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Hi there,
Uncle Copious, did you get your (supreme edition) storm trooper costume yet? How is it?
NastyNoah
December 22, 2011 at 11:39 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
I am looking for a set of armor that will fit me. I am 6’4″ and 230 lbs and not sure which set to buy. I found a set on ebay that claims to be Sheperton Armor and says it will fit up to 6’6″ does anyone have any recommendations?
Tom
December 22, 2011 at 12:11 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Noah, if it’s on ebay and listed as Shepperton (SDS), it’s probably a recast of SDS which is (at least partially) a recast of one of the fan armors. In addition, it will be way too small for you. I cannot emphasize strongly enough how much of a gamble ebay is when it comes to trooper armor.
You have two options to get reasonably good armor in your size (which is similar to my own). One is Armor Master (AM) and the other is RT-Mod. Both are fan sculpts but they’re both very good. Join up at the forums at MEPD.net or whitearmor.net for more detailed info and PM folks over there for current kit pricing and contact info.
Adam
March 11, 2012 at 1:07 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Hi!
I’m looking for a neet costume and liked the one i saw on originalstormtrooper.com however i noticed that boots wasn’t included and also that you couldn’t buy boots on that page and since iv’e got size 12 i wonder if you know some place i could get such in?
Tom
March 11, 2012 at 2:33 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Hi Adam. First of all, I’d recommend you avoid originalstormtrooper as that is Andrew Ainsworth’s site. See my comments in the post for more info, but I’d definitely recommend you buy armor elsewhere. Helmets are another matter as it does appear that most of his helmets are as advertised.
As to boots, the best source for them is caboots.com here: http://www.caboots.com/product/1SCSSTORM/STORMTROOPER-ANKLE-BOOTS.html. They’re fairly expensive, though. You could also do what the original production did and purchase a pair of black or brown chelsea boots and color them white. Just be aware that you’ll have to paint the elastic sides as well (or replace them with white elastic) if you go that route.
Adam
March 12, 2012 at 12:34 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Hi again
If you recomand me to avoid those armours than what you recomand? I’m a first time trooper and i’m realy crappy at asembling things but i want an realy neet trooper. Prices is not very important less than 3k and i’ll be happy.
Thanx for answer
Tom
March 12, 2012 at 9:36 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
It really depends on what you want, Adam. I’ve listed the basic info along with the major differences in my main post. You might also want to read current posts at mepd.net or whitearmor.net.