intwenothor
Well-Known Hunter
Well, they seem to be an assortment of recasters. Moral arguments on recasting aside it is usually the case that the product is inferior in terms of quality, size, and detail.
Even the very best copies by the best makers have generational shrinkage and softening in the first generation although it may be minimal and difficult to detect with the naked eye (and that would be the work of an experienced individual working with the best tools and materials). But you still get a great copy.
Replace the best maker possessed of much experience who is using the best tools and materials with someone inexperienced working in their garage, using mediocre materials and the product suffers greatly; generational shrinkage and distortion sets in hence even from poor pictures we were able to detect a mishapen dome and small size almost straight away (unless this is the goalkeeper of our dreams).
Only you can decide if a B grade helmet is better than no helmet. It might get you into the 501st (I wouldnt know as not a member but I doubt it) but your B grade helmet, that might pass muster on its own, will be next to lots of those A grade helmets. That might sound like elitism but it isn't; it's just a fact.
My rough calculations tell me you could buy a better kit than this and all the paints for less than $325 and paint it yourself. That would be a lot of fun and you can do better than this paint job even first time around.
@Major can advise you on 501st and whether this gets you in.
