Metal Gear SnakeEater/PeaceWalker Big Boss. Starting on Spirit camo

[The Ronin]

Hey guys, I figured that I'd post my current project, a pair of STABO and SPIE harnesses for myself and a friend that will both be doing different versions of Naked Snake/Big Boss from the Metal Gear Solid series.

I already made a STABO harness for myself last year, but I wanted to update it and make it a bit nicer and more accurate to the game, as well as get it to attach to the pistol belt a bit better. (Hiking it up every 10 minutes at a con gets a little old)

For reference here's my first harness.


(Yes that's my adorable daughter)

(Please don't comment on my elbow sticking out 5 miles :rolleyes)

So far I've found that the proper hardware is obnoxiously expensive (around $100 :eek), but buying old military surplus parachute harnesses will net you all the hardware, plus enough webbing for 1 harness, for only $25 shipped


After cutting it up I was left with this (pistol belt thrown in because on the STABO it's a structural part of the harness.


Now to assemble the harnesses! I do have black mil-spec webbing for my Naked Snake, but the SPIE harness for my friend will be using the leftover webbing from the parachute harness to keep costs down.

Edit: I figured that I'd just chronicle the consistant harness builds and my own personal updates to the costume here.

 

[The Ronin]

Re: Metal Gear SnakeEater/PeaceWalker Big Boss harness builds

Well the weather here in Colorado has involved snow falling from the heavens for the past 36 hours, so work has been very boring. I brought my supplies for the SPIE harness to piece together.

It's currently held together with staples because I still need to be able to test fit it to my friend since he's a bit shorter than I am. The way this thing is made is nuts. It's a big weird helix. I'm going to be so glad at how simple the STABO harness is when I get to it.

 

[The Ronin]

Re: Metal Gear SnakeEater/PeaceWalker Big Boss harness builds

Well the SPIE harness is done. I reversed the hooks to be more accurate to the game, not real SPIE harnesses. I also added in loops for the pistol belt to pass through so that the harness will hold it and the accessories for better comfort when being worn all day at conventions. I'll try to get some pics of my friend wearing it later.

 

[The Ronin]

Re: Metal Gear SnakeEater/PeaceWalker Big Boss harness builds

Looks like I forgot to update here :eek

Here's the Snake Eater STABO harness. This is just the bare harness without the pistol belt.


It's all heavy, MIL spec webbing. I had to use pliers to sew this crap by hand, and I ended up breaking probably a baker's dozen needles :confused

Here it is with the pistol belt and pouches. I know the holster isn't correct, and I still need a radio, but I'm pretty happy with it so far.



And here's how it looks when worn!

 

[nick daring]

Re: Metal Gear SnakeEater/PeaceWalker Big Boss harness builds

I'm thinking about putting together a Peace Walker outfit and your harness replica will come in handy! Thanks!

Nick

 

[mxpxrobbie]

Re: Metal Gear SnakeEater/PeaceWalker Big Boss harness builds

This is awesome. I've long wanted to do a Snake costume.

 

[The Ronin]

Re: Metal Gear SnakeEater/PeaceWalker Big Boss harness builds

I'm thinking about putting together a Peace Walker outfit and your harness replica will come in handy! Thanks!

Nick

Yeah, I wish I had pics like this when I was putting it together. Good luck!

This is awesome. I've long wanted to do a Snake costume.

Thanks!

I finally got a pic of my friend Jacob in the SPIE harness! I'm pretty happy with how it turned out.

Peacewalker harness action shot! by RoninsArt, on Flickr

 

[nick daring]

Re: Metal Gear SnakeEater/PeaceWalker Big Boss harness builds

Didn't know about the SPIE harness being used in Peace Walker versus the STABO harness in MGS3!

STABO Harness-

The straps go straight down and between the legs.

SPIE Harness-

The straps-criss cross along the side of the hips and then come through the legs.

Nick

 

[The Ronin]

Re: Metal Gear SnakeEater/PeaceWalker Big Boss harness builds

Yeah, I finally learned the difference on Cosplay.com in the Metal Gear thread. I kept thinking the PeaceWalker harness was just a modified STABO harness (Techically the SPIE harness design was based off of the STABO, so I was partially right :rolleyes )
A few of the cosplayers kept mentioning their SPIE harnesses, so I googled it and realized that was the harness used in PeaceWalker.

 

[nick daring]

Re: Metal Gear SnakeEater/PeaceWalker Big Boss harness builds

What is the strap width for the harness?

Nick

 

[The Ronin]

Re: Metal Gear SnakeEater/PeaceWalker Big Boss harness builds

What is the strap width for the harness?

Nick

1¾", but if you order mil spec 1¾" it's actually 1¹¹/16".

This is a link to the place I order my webbing from Flat Nylon Webbing 1 Inch

 

[nick daring]

Re: Metal Gear SnakeEater/PeaceWalker Big Boss harness builds

Just picked up this set of hardware.
MILITARY PARACHUTE HARDWARE Buckle Snap D-ring plus more | eBay

I think I might use this for the webbing since it's actually old military strapping-
STRAP GENERAL PURPOSE UTILITY LASHING 2QT US MILITARY OD GREEN CANVAS NYLON X 5 | eBay

Hard to recreate that nice 50 year old feel that the real stuff has. Cheap too!

Nick

 

[The Ronin]

Re: Metal Gear SnakeEater/PeaceWalker Big Boss harness builds

That looks like the right kind of stuff, hopefully there's enough webbing there!

 

[Sharkman]

Re: Metal Gear SnakeEater/PeaceWalker Big Boss harness builds

Could you make a Stabo harness like the one at the top of the page

 

[The Ronin]

Re: Metal Gear SnakeEater/PeaceWalker Big Boss harness builds

Could you make a Stabo harness like the one at the top of the page

Sure! I'll PM you about details.

 

[The Ronin]

Re: Metal Gear SnakeEater/PeaceWalker Big Boss harness builds

Updated action shot of the new harness. I still need a proper holster and all the radio bits, but I'm pretty happy with how it's turned out.


P1050509 by dmgice, on Flickr

 

[CyborgNinja]

Re: Metal Gear SnakeEater/PeaceWalker Big Boss harness builds



Some guy is selling these SPI/E Harness' on ebay for $35. Thats why I got mine. 02 Military Issued. Same harness used with the sneaking suit on Peace Walker.

 

[The Ronin]

Re: Metal Gear SnakeEater/PeaceWalker Big Boss harness builds

That's a pretty good price. I've only made the one SPIE harness, but the STABO is ricockulously expensive to find real versions, so I'll keep making them.

 

[Ezra Ortiz]

Re: Metal Gear SnakeEater/PeaceWalker Big Boss harness builds

That's a pretty good price. I've only made the one SPIE harness, but the STABO is ricockulously expensive to find real versions, so I'll keep making them.

Hey Ronin, I was wondering if you were still making these STABO rigs. I did a bit of looking around on eBay and other such websites and the rigs I found were ASTRONOMICALLY expensive for what they are. I was planning on doing a naked snake Cosplay for Halloween, but the rig has been holding the project up. I dont think ill be able to make the 2 week deadline but I was wondering if you did commissions for the rigs? Let me know what sort of price we might be looking at. Basic details: 5'8" slim framed. Thats about it I guess. Thank you!

 

[The Ronin]

Re: Metal Gear SnakeEater/PeaceWalker Big Boss harness builds

Hey Ronin, I was wondering if you were still making these STABO rigs. I did a bit of looking around on eBay and other such websites and the rigs I found were ASTRONOMICALLY expensive for what they are. I was planning on doing a naked snake Cosplay for Halloween, but the rig has been holding the project up. I dont think ill be able to make the 2 week deadline but I was wondering if you did commissions for the rigs? Let me know what sort of price we might be looking at. Basic details: 5'8" slim framed. Thats about it I guess. Thank you!

Sending you a PM