Anovos Stormtrooper.... thoughts?

[Al-]

I was at the 501st panel on Saturday. And one of the guys on the panel said he worked with Anovos and that they at going to go with ABS after all.

 

[Karasuryn]

I think I've decided to pick up the Shadowtrooper. Unfortunately I ordered the TK kit before the 10% coupon was being offered with purchase. I'd be very grateful if someone could send me a 10% off code to use on the Shadowtrooper. I'll certainly forward the one I receive after purchase to another in need. Thanks. Look forward to seeing everyone's progress.

 

[Timmythekid]

I was at the 501st panel on Saturday. And one of the guys on the panel said he worked with Anovos and that they at going to go with ABS after all.

Well I was having lunch with George Lucas and Andrew Ainsworth yesterday, and the way I hear it, both PVC and ABS are out and Anovos has decided to go with a layered product consisting of newprint dipped in flour and water and laid up over a substrata buck made of baloons. :devil

 

[JD]

Well I was having lunch with George Lucas and Andrew Ainsworth yesterday, and the way I hear it, both PVC and ABS are out and Anovos has decided to go with a layered product consisting of newprint dipped in flour and water and laid up over a substrata buck made of baloons. :devil

I was over listening at the table next to you... Lucas was adamant about using milk not flour.

 

[jedijim3002]

These are looking really good. No shipping notices yet?

 

[Timmythekid]

I was over listening at the table next to you... Lucas was adamant about using milk not flour.

Oh, that was you! You left early though. Yeah, you missed the part where the Disney liscensing rep said "yeah, yeah, that's nice, George - we'll TOTALLY take your input under advisement.".

 

[Kevin Gossett]

These are looking really good. No shipping notices yet?

They're not even in production yet. They're slated for a November delivery as of now

 

[DBoz]

These are looking really good. No shipping notices yet?

These aren't scheduled to ship until "winter". Although there have been rumors they may start shipping in November, I wouldn't expect them until after the new year.

 

[Sv3onSA]

It's been a long time without updates from Anovos. They didn't send a newsletter since before SDCC. Has anyone here heard from them? I mean, except for their Facebook account, which has been quite active lately!

 

[Got Maul]

Hey all, we are working on those updates now ! Hold Tight ...

 

[Sv3onSA]

That's great news! This is probably the craziest thing I ever did so I beg you pardon for the impatience!!!

 

[JD]

The latest update from the Anovos newsletter...

Welcome to Update #2, Troopers!
Thank you again for your ongoing support of the Classic Stormtrooper Armor we are producing---your excitement is really fueling our team to make this the best costume available! We are also reading your comments, and hope that these updates help demonstrate our commitment to you as not just customers, but investors in the new line of STAR WARS™ products!


A lot has happened since our last newsletter, including the public prototype debut at San Diego Comic Con International where some of you saw this armor up close. While that particular suit did not reflect the final production armor, it was very close to what you should expect upon delivery. A few adjustments are being made for better alignment on the thighs, calves, biceps and forearms, but the details true to the original forms are not being changed.



As you may have heard, the base material for the armor will indeed be UV-coated ABS instead of the custom PVC that we were developing. We heard a lot of concerns about the unfamiliarity of working with PVC and, thanks to your support, were able to get the volume pricing needed to make the switch back to our preferred material. Hopefully, the change back to ABS will make kit-builders more confident in their ability to construct their armor using tried and true methods and materials.

Speaking of building kits, our friends at Tested.com have also put together part one of a great video tutorial to introduce you to what it takes to build armor from a kit. If you purchased the ensemble, you may still pick up some tips for further modification. Check out this video here for part one: http://bit.ly/1Jlg6HT

We also wanted to address the undersuit which has been previously referred to as an “arming suit.” To keep this costume affordable and to allow for the end-user to customize their own strapping system, we have simply decided to provide the basic long-sleeve and long-pant lycra undersuit in the sizing you selected when ordering. These black undersuit pieces are the first thing you’ll put on when suiting up, and the strapping in the form of velcro and black webbing material will be separate (not attached) to the suit for maximum user customization and optimal fit. While the original concept was to re-purpose an idea for a Clone Trooper undersuit, it was simply not going to be comfortable due to breathability.


Another soft goods change we have made is on the Stormtrooper neckseals. The shiny version we showed in an earlier newsletter has been replaced with a lighter, more breathable material (shown below on the right). Comfort is always a priority when we are making final decisions on accessories.



The best news is that we still appear to be on target for a late November/early December delivery!

Don’t forget that although we are now at full Initial Offering Price for the Classic Stormtrooper, it’s still not too late to convince friends to join the Empire---in fact, we noticed that many of your are taking advantage of and sharing the 10% OFF coupon codes that come with every order placed after mid-June 2015. We think it’s awesome you are “paying it forward” to grow your Empire!

Thank you again for your support as we work together to change the face of costuming and fill the world with more soldiers of the Empire! Be sure to ‘like’ our Facebook page at facebook.com/anovos, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/anovos, and on Instagram at instagram.com/anovos.

For the Empire!
Team ANOVOS

 

[JD]

...I'm really concerned about the changes to the "arming suit" - now "undersuit" - and to a lesser extent the neck seal.

The "arming suit" was something that really helped sell me on this suit - this really seemed to take a difficult part of making this armor work and make it much easier. It's also worth noting that the Tested video they linked to had nothing at all about attaching the armor to any undersuit.

I understand that they need to make money on this. But, they're changing (what I felt was a huge part of) an advertised part of the deal after money was sent in and I think that sucks.

 

[E Williams]

What has changed? My impression of the "arming suit" for the kit version has always been that it would simply be black tights. I don't think they even have indicated otherwise. Only the ready to wear version of the armor would have an "arming suit" with attachment points in place already.

The Tested.com video is only part one in a series. They should be addressing the strapping in a later video.

 

[Got Maul]

...I'm really concerned about the changes to the "arming suit" - now "undersuit" - and to a lesser extent the neck seal.

The "arming suit" was something that really helped sell me on this suit - this really seemed to take a difficult part of making this armor work and make it much easier. It's also worth noting that the Tested video they linked to had nothing at all about attaching the armor to any undersuit.

I understand that they need to make money on this. But, they're changing (what I felt was a huge part of) an advertised part of the deal after money was sent in and I think that sucks.

Hi JD, I understand your concern. I think the problem with the arming suit is that we didn't properly set the expectation for what it was, originally. The arming suit was nothing more than a suit with some straps and hoops. It was never meant to be an end all solution, just one extra step. The only problem was, due to the different ways that people wear their armor and the different body sizes, we found that this alone would have stalled the manufacturing process for very little, what I believe, consumer return. Therefore, we opted to maintain our timeline and give some suitable options for how to wear the armor with a harness system.

Lastly, if you feel that the deal has changed, ultimately too much, which I respect fully, just send me an email and we can issue a no-nonsense, no questions asked refund.

 

[Clutch]

The armor shouldn't even attach to the suit. Do not worry.

 

[Apollo]

Now THATS customer service! :thumbsup

Lastly, if you feel that the deal has changed, ultimately too much, which I respect fully, just send me an email and we can issue a no-nonsense, no questions asked refund.

 

[JD]

Hi JD, I understand your concern. I think the problem with the arming suit is that we didn't properly set the expectation for what it was, originally. The arming suit was nothing more than a suit with some straps and hoops. It was never meant to be an end all solution, just one extra step. The only problem was, due to the different ways that people wear their armor and the different body sizes, we found that this alone would have stalled the manufacturing process for very little, what I believe, consumer return. Therefore, we opted to maintain our timeline and give some suitable options for how to wear the armor with a harness system.

Lastly, if you feel that the deal has changed, ultimately too much, which I respect fully, just send me an email and we can issue a no-nonsense, no questions asked refund.

Thank you for the reply, as it stands I am still considering my options.

I guess my concern really lies in the idea that this arming suit - which is still listed on your site as a 'feature' - seemed to take away a (potentially huge) step in the building process. In fact, it seemed to imply to remove a huge step in the building process.

I'm not too sure the best way to attach the armor now. I vaguely recall talks of gluing velcro, adding snaps and that type of stuff - which will most likely make this a much more difficult build. It's a step that Tested video Anovos is linking to, doesn't touch at all.

(I should add that I didn't plan on wearing this armor, but using it as a display).

Again, I thank Got Maul for both the fast reply and the refund offer. I will consider that refund offer and get back to him on that.

 

[JD]

Now THATS customer service! :thumbsup

I will agree that this is good customer service - I am grateful for the offer and the updates provided which includes notations about these changes. But, and I say this with all due respect to Got Maul and Anovos, I think it might be better customer to provide that what was originally sold.

 

[Sv3onSA]

Thank you for the reply, as it stands I am still considering my options.

I guess my concern really lies in the idea that this arming suit - which is still listed on your site as a 'feature' - seemed to take away a (potentially huge) step in the building process. In fact, it seemed to imply to remove a huge step in the building process.

I'm not too sure the best way to attach the armor now. I vaguely recall talks of gluing velcro, adding snaps and that type of stuff - which will most likely make this a much more difficult build. It's a step that Tested video Anovos is linking to, doesn't touch at all.

(I should add that I didn't plan on wearing this armor, but using it as a display).

Again, I thank Got Maul for both the fast reply and the refund offer. I will consider that refund offer and get back to him on that.

I can tell you this from the research I did. I am new to this, just like you and this isn't a huge step, not as big as you think. Strapping mostly comes down to glueing snaps and elasctics at a few strategic points in the armor. If you can cut and glue together the pieces of the armor, you can do it to.

Go have a look at trooperbay's video on YouTube about how to assemble an armor. The guy does it in your face in a matter of hours and while he's a real pro, it gives you a good idea!