Foam armor

[Guest Sidd]

I just have one quick question as i am just starting my armor and will be getting my mask soon.

 

 

is Acolyte armor made from EVA foam acceptable to the 501st? I know they are accepting on a case by case basis but would i automatically be denied for foam armor even if its coated in resin or something?

 

Or do i need vacuformed armor to get approved?

[Twi'lek Pam]

Hi,

 

I can't think of any costumes that have been approved with foam instead of a hard armor material. There may be some that I'm not aware of or cannot recall, but all I can remember at the moment is that a few foam costumes have been turned down in the past. Not specifically because they were MADE of foam, but because they LOOKED like they were made of foam. In other words, instead of the professional manufactured look of armor that has been sculpted in three dimensions and then cast in resin or heat formed in plastic... they looked like layered pieces of flat foam that had been glued together. They simply didn't have the professional look that the 501st strives to reach. Sometimes even a hard surface coating can't disguise the fact that something's made of flat materials.

 

Really I don't think any judgement calls can be made until there is an actual costume for the LMO to judge. They may approve when they see it, or they may not. I've seen foam "armor" costumes that look like something that a kid threw together with twenty bucks and a weekend... and I've seen foam costumes that were truly works of art. If you really want to make armor out of foam, then make it, whether it will be approved or not. Make it for your own interests and your own personal challenge. If your main goal is to get the costume approved, then I would approach such a task with caution, knowing that there is a good chance that the armor might not be approved.

 

Hope that helps,

 

Pam

[Guest Sidd]

Pam,

 

Thank you for the information, I really appreciate it