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So to reply to an ancient thread… first time here on the RPForums, but I was directed here (to this thread) by some folks who do running costumes. My wife and I had a night race (a 5K with a scavenger hunt sort of thing after) at Disney's Animal Kingdom… and we almost always run in costume. TRON is a Disney property, and it lights up… so I really wanted to go this route.
And this thread was a godsend!
For everyone who, over *many* years, has contributed to it, believe it or not it's still referenced, and used, by those of us trying to come up to the standards we see around us in the Cosplay world. It helped immensely… Thank You!
Our costumes were basic, but based on ELwire. A pattern was made for each piece and each light pattern, with the light pattern piece cut from csrdstock and had the ELwire Scotch taped in place. The front surface was 3mm EVA foam (wire was 2.7mm HiBright from CoolNeon, so it would be embedded completely in the EVA foam; EVA foam triple-coated with spray-on Plasti-Dip) with channels cut, then the wire secured to card stock glued in, then a 2mm or 5mm EVA backing glued to the back; all glue was E6000, which worked pretty well. The ELwire channels were then covered with a piece of window diffuser held in place with black electrical tape which is an amazingly good match for the Plasti-dipped EVA foam. The foam 'armor' was than held to a fabric 'backpack' (patterned on a lumber-reservoir running hydration pack) with industrial strength Velcro and Velcro strapping tape. Unlike the method advocated here earlier, where the ELwire is covered and only the diffuse reflection is seen, we ran the ELwire under the diffuser "in plane view", and it worked great - when moving there were no hot spots to be seen, and it's only in some pictures of the larger light panels that you can "see the wire". The back plates were built-up layered 5mm EVA foam, with the curves around them being done with ELwire through frosted plastic tubing (for ice makers etc.) instead of the channel method.
The biggest difference we had was these had to work for
running… which meant they had to take some abuse, back tightly in a luggage (the race was away), and have zero bounce, as well as of course not shorting out. Connections were soldered, with quick-connects between pieces, and due to the expected heat (Florida in May, even at night) we didn't want to do the gauntlets or heavy legs… but I *really* wanted Quorra's light strip down the leg. Our under layer was all running tech wear however, and we didn't want to ruin a pair of running tights (or as it turned out capri's… having your choice of undergarments for a race is a good thing). So the light strip was built the same as the other armor pieces, but metal washers were embedded in the under layer. A strip with four enclosed rare-earth magnets was slide inside the running tights, and held the leg lighting strip very securely in place… for the next version of this I would do that for *all* the leg lighting. It allowed the wearer to strip off the costume in seconds without damage, and put it back on in under a minute… again a special and necessary requirement when you are running a race and may have to get in and out of a porta-potty in the dark quickly.
The response was overwhelming - we got compliments all through the night (went to an after party as well, and could ride roller coasters in the costume without any damage to it), and during the run anybody we passed would comment. Best race *ever* in terms of interactions. The Identity Disks were $1 frisbees with a 4" middle holes cut by a hole saw, coated in Plasti-Dip and with frosted plastic tubing secured with E6000 again to run the ELwire through… they could be hooked to the backpack, or run independently (my wife had hers mounted, while I ran carrying mine the whole way… the run was only about 4-5 miles all told so holding a prop was fine). The pictures above are of my wife Laura before the race… lit up like that she was impossible to loose in the crowds, and I wish I had more shots of her outfit from the back because in the dark, in a race… this looks spectacular! Mine was similar but with the different design for Sam on the back, hips, and breastplate of course (I ran out of time to do Sam's legs; next time). I'd post more pictures, but this gives you the idea and my wife looked *FAR* better than I did in that wig and eye makeup.
Again, thank you so much to everyone who's contributed to this thread over the years - your ideas, hard work, and inspiration are continuing to have ripple effects… sometimes in places (like the costumed running community) you might not even have heard of
.
#1 comment on the run? "You guys win the costume contest hands down". #2 comment… "hey, did you guys know there's a TRON 3? Are you going to do that?" Hmm… now I'm thinking. A dangerous pastime I know
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Brian Davis