For those of you that considering getting armor, or maybe just ordered it and are getting ready to start assembly, let me offer some advice.

Take Your Time
I know you might be up against a deadline like Halloween or a convention, but take the build slow and make sure you know what you’re doing. Check out lots of movie reference photos to see how things are supposed to look. Check out other 501st member armor photos to see how they attached things (click here to see mine). Ask questions on your local garrison’s web site. Go to that convention without the armor and quiz the fellow stormtroopers first. You’re kit was a big investment so you’re most likely still gonna be trooping at next year’s event too, and you won’t be very happy buying replacement thigh pieces because you cut them too small.

Securing Things
Most inexperienced TKs wind up modifying their armor shortly after their first or second long-term troop. Securing things will probably be your first mod. Let’s face it, Velcro isn’t gonna last long. Instead of the elastic and Velcro suspenders provided with the kit, consider nylon webbing and snaps… or even real suspenders. ABS cement is gonna be your friend too. I use it instead of Velcro for the front seams of the leg pieces, and on both seams of the biceps and forearms. Depending on your size and fit, you might cement more or less. And where Velcro is needed, consider industrial strength Velcro. It’s more expensive, but it does hold well. I use it to secure my belt together, and to secure my canister to the belt.

Modding for Comfort
Let’s face it, wearing the armor is uncomfortable. There are a few things you can do to make things a tad better. Start by venting out the frown on your helmet. This will help you breathe easier (especially if you put some CPU fans on the other side), and it will help reduce fogging. It’s a good idea to do this mod before assembly since the smaller piece will be easier to work with and there’s less helmet to cover if you spray paint. Most other comfort mods will be specific to your body shape so just go with what works and take note of what others do.

Adding Flair
After things are comfortable and holding up fairly well, you’ll want to look into adding some extras. Civilians are always impressed when you have a radio-crackle sounding voice to go along with the shiny armor. If your kit didn’t come with it, pick up a voice amplifier, and maybe even a static-burst board from Hyperdyne or Rom FX. I use a headset mike glued to the inside of my helmet, that leads to a Hyperdyne, that goes to the amplifier, which leads to speakers in my aerators. Make sure you get some plastic tubing to corral all the wires too.