Anovos Snowtrooper Review

I was fortunate enough to have been provided an opportunity to get first-hand access to one of the costumes as a local had purchased one.

I'll preface that this review does not include the helmet, as I've covered that (as well, I have a 40 minute review video on youtube if you're interested). This is strictly about the armor/soft parts included. You can watch the video here:
The GOOD: Armor without a doubt is from unaltered 3d scans of the screen used exhibition suit (Magic of Myth) snowtrooper. It is the closest one can get to screen-cast armor, sans the upcoming backpack and helmet from RS Props. Hardware and actual build structure (like the shoulder straps) are movie accurate down to the black-discs to attach the backpack. Soft parts are actually quite nice, accurate in pattern. The duster needs to be more "pilled" though. Pants are cavalry twill just like the imperial officer uniforms.

The BAD: Plastic is not thick enough for some parts, like the cod-piece. Construction of the backpack is really questionable. The slider knob (aka T-greeblie) is poorly cast, and the ab-disc is better, but still looks rough IMO. Forearms are not constructed properly in that the wrist-cuff should be attached to the outside of the main forearm body, but Anovos deliberately attaches them to the insides via velcro on one side. Additionally, the handplates were sewn to the wrong gloves. So far I haven't seen a reference that depicts the handplates different- The rule I use is "wide out-side, narrow inside." Though the MoM/exhibition suit may be unique in swapping this orientation. The thin plastic was worse at the "point" on the cod piece, where the strap for between the legs is riveted to. He's only worn it once for a picture and we were barely handling it when cracks formed around the rivets and even a chunk of the plastic just breaking off completely.

One thing that I had a feeling but wasn't entirely sure about was the overall scale of the armor. I'm a little bias at 6'7" but I have my Laws armor from 2009 as a comparison. Clearly there's a size difference with them, but not entirely far off on some components, like the chest, handplates, knees, cod and ab-plate. Forearms are considerably smaller than expected, where as the backpack is significantly larger. I did see the auction backpack at Celebration Orlando this last year, but didn't get a chance to put my pack side by side it.

Chest- Anovos Left, Laws right:




You can see on here that the small grey squares that sit side-by-side are misplaced. They should sit to the bottom-left corner of the metal plate. The Slider knob cast is more dull silver and poorly cast. Apparently they would make them by spraying the mold with silver paint, then pour the resin, but this caused a lot of failed casts. Not too noticeable but the red buttons are misaligned as well.

Shoulders- MonCal Left, Anovos right:





Forearms- Laws center, Anovos left and right



Ab Plate- Laws Left, Anovos right



Handplates- Laws center, Anovos left and right



Cod Piece, Laws on top, remaining photos are Anovos






BackPack- Anovos left, Laws right





Knees- Laws left, Anovos right



Overall, like I said, this would be better served as an unfinished kit to fix some of the construction issues seen like with the backpack, and how the forearm cuffs go together. It's fairly accurate otherwise, but would needs to be produced in thicker plastic in some places.

LMK if you've got questions

-TC

Fascinating, the things that are closer and the things that aren't between makers. I'm not shocked the exhibition suit has some things mounted wrong, Same with the Scout Trooper. For someone who can do a lot with various tools and glues and materials and such, d'you think the forearms can be broken apart and redone properly? Even if it means repainting them rather than leaving them bare plastic. Similarly, how hard is it to swap the handplates? Or drill out the crotch rivets and reinforce the plastic there? Any thoughts on how the backpack might be addressed? I like to know as much as I can for when people ask questions, regardless of whether I ever do a Snowtrooper myself.

--Jonah

Inquisitor Peregrinus said:

Fascinating, the things that are closer and the things that aren't between makers. I'm not shocked the exhibition suit has some things mounted wrong, Same with the Scout Trooper. For someone who can do a lot with various tools and glues and materials and such, d'you think the forearms can be broken apart and redone properly? Even if it means repainting them rather than leaving them bare plastic. Similarly, how hard is it to swap the handplates? Or drill out the crotch rivets and reinforce the plastic there? Any thoughts on how the backpack might be addressed? I like to know as much as I can for when people ask questions, regardless of whether I ever do a Snowtrooper myself.

--Jonah

Click to expand...

Unfortunately, I do not have any other maker's parts on hand to do similar photo comparisons to. I would like to see how they match up to the rest of MonCal, TM and even BobaMaker if I ever had the opportunity.

As for the forearms, of course. Honestly, the way it looked was not so much that the forearm cuff was vac-formed, but appeared as though they heated a strip of ABS and bent it around a form. I could be wrong, but that's how it looked to us. It made the sizing really small as well. One side is actually glued on while the other has velcro to secure it. This of course can be undone, but either way you'd likely have to replace the entire plastic cuff. The fortunate thing is that it shouldn't be difficult to get and work.

Handplates wouldn't be difficult. They're literally sewn onto the gloves and even then, one of the threads was already loosening out. The owner was planning to modify them anyways to allow him to wash the gloves after trooping.

For the cod-piece, I don't think you could honestly remove those rivets without damaging the plastic. Not unless there's a special tool for removing them. The rivets used on the armor is that double-cap sandwich style (not sure what the technical name is, but how it looks on the outside is the inside as well).

As for the backpack, concerning the construction issues....either you can attempt to carefully trim the excess plastic, or attempt to disassemble it...I can't say just how easily that can be done or if you may just end up breaking pieces..

*nod* Fair enough. I wouldn't recommend wading in without being aware it might not work. The same cost-benefit as all the other makers. If they ever offer the armor in kit form (doubtful, given all the decals and greeblies), problem solved before it starts. As it is... Have to weigh accuracy of the parts against material and assembly issues, and everyone must determine for themself whether they feel the risk worth taking to try to compensate for the latter.

--Jonah

Inquisitor Peregrinus said:

*nod* Fair enough. I wouldn't recommend wading in without being aware it might not work. The same cost-benefit as all the other makers. If they ever offer the armor in kit form (doubtful, given all the decals and greeblies), problem solved before it starts. As it is... Have to weigh accuracy of the parts against material and assembly issues, and everyone must determine for themself whether they feel the risk worth taking to try to compensate for the latter.

--Jonah

Click to expand...

Like I said, if you can manage to fix some issues without causing too much damage, like the backpack, and reinforcing the cod piece, then it's not bad. It confuses me cause some parts are clearly formed in thick plastic, but parts like the cod-piece were not. Frankly, it's not difficult to replace the greeblies either. You can still get an original slider knob, or at least a cast from one to replace the anovos one. The ab discs are closer to being open to the community once we get them in from south africa, so there's that to look forward to.

Honestly, I wouldn't mind it if they offered this in strictly kit-form, it would be a lot better for people and you can ensure that it's built correctly as well. If you're looking for display purposes, it's fine to sit on a mannequin. Trooping long term? Some parts are bound to break with time and use, but at least w/ this particular set, the cod piece was the first to go.