Neoprene under suit-second batch?

[Zam I Am]

Yep, ya'll are getting both swatches, sorry the double fabric is so tiny. Everyone except these slow pokes:

:confused Zam&Jango
:confused Goldenrod
:confused Foernakate
:confused RudyDarthG
:confusedVader674


I have yet to hear from them about addy's etc.

 

[asok]

ZIA, I have a friend who make costumes for college and teaches there. I will see her next week and ask her what she thinks.

 

[Seven]

Got my swatches today.

I have to say that I like them both. The thicker swatch would seems better to use for the pants but probably too think to be for the shirt.

While the thinner smaller swatch seems a little too thin for the pants but perfect for the shirt.

My vote: Both

However, If one has to be chosen, I would pick the thicker one.

 

[sl tk8456]

As discussed via email.....Please put me on the list if someone drops off

 

[Benkenove]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOHHH !!!

I'got my swatches today... and all I can say is that I love it !!!

Now... my opinion...

Tricot... Neoprene one: AMAZING !! simply AMAZING !! LOVE IT ... I really have no words... ZIA... I really thought it was way thicker than this... but DAMNED IT !! Is really reall THIN !!! I could imagine you could get it that thin !!! It's amazing !!! I'm used to wearing neoprene suit to surf that was way thicker than that (about 5mm. or so), and I imagined that this fabric would be that thick BUT NOOOOOOO... It's amazing ... I simply love it, and I have no words to describe it... Is perfect for the costume... and the seam test you did show how accurate is this fabric...

2 Layers... : Well, I must admit that I really DONT LIKE THIS FABRIC AT ALL !!! ... yes, ok. it has the same last layer of fabric... ok, it has the same colour, but it has not the same FEELING... the hem for example, in the tricot has a lot of volume, like to original one, but the 2coats is almost flat... I DONT LIKE THAT...

Well, my vote is clear... THE NEOPRENE one :zam ...!!! I have it very very clear... I dont like the 2layer version... Sorry, but I really think is everything BUT accurate .

And to finish my review... a question for you ZIA... I have note that the outter layer of lycra is very very different to the one on the first run... The old one is really amazing... with and almost flat look (I dont know how to explain it properly), BUT the new one, the one of the 2coats, ... has a outter lycra that looks a little STRANGE to my eyes... it has directional waves... some lines in the lycra.. that looks a little bad to my eyes... the lines captures more lights, and show EVEN more the lines, and make a bad contrast, changing the colour substantially !!!

Will be this lycra the FINAL version ???

Is there any way to get the same lycra you used in the first run ???

I think this is something important... althought it can sounds stupid, I really think is very very important !!!

Please, let me know what do you think, and I pray god and all the saints you can solve this and get the same lycra on the first run (which looks more than amazing).

Ben.

 

[Zam I Am]

I don't understand your question, all the double fabric lycra and the neoprene tricot lycra that was given to you all was from the first run, you are over analyzing the lycra and putting your eyeballs up too close to the fabric.

 

[Got Maul]

Just got my swatches, I looked at the reference pictures and without a doubt think its the thinner of the two. The thicker is just like the picture says, would bulge and not conform to the body as well as a thinner neoprene would.

 

[Zam I Am]

When I get a chance, I will try my best to re-sew a welted seam, and take pics, and you can see the three next to each other. That way, you all can better decide. There are tons of other "thicker" shots too though, that the double fabric (non-neoprene) couldn't accommodate. By the way, on the other hand, people doing "colder" events, would be warm I just went to a Christmas parade, my hands with lambskin gloves were freezing, but my body was warm But on the warm side ack~ events greater than 80 degrees in neoprene is sufferable without cold ice water.

 

[Benkenove]

Hi ZIA, I didnt want to bother with my observation...

It may be an optic effect... I can also think is due to the lamitation process... If I strech the double fabric.. then the lycra looks like the neorprene one ... I guess it's just a matter of the stretching... Optic effect... So, please, accept my apologies.

So please.. excuse me for my comments .

P.S. I still thinking the best and most accurate is the neoprene one, and as you have said (ZIA), for some cold days is more than perfect . I'm dying to get my neoprene to start working on it .

 

[Langsuir666]

Gutted Gutted GUTTED!!! I missed it AGAIN! hahahaha I havent been on the board in a year. Oh man how unlucky am i?!

 

[Zam I Am]

I might have to open it up again, so please reply down "please add if someone drops off list"

 

[Iceheart]

I was definitely wishing for Neoprene for the parade the Ohio Garrison did last weekend... I think it took me 2 days to quit shivering.

BUT... I will never wear my armor in temperatures this low ever again. Too much broke! So, my vote is for the thinner double lamination, so it's more comfortable for events like DragonCon or or local summer cons.

Double for me!!!

 

[MaulMaus]

Now... you see, this just ain't fair... I like the neoprene one too (I think it looks more screen accurate) On the other hand I don't want to end up a puddle of lavender goo every time I troop... Arrgghh!!!! Think it might be easier for me to vote for the neoprene and move someplace colder! Let me think about it a couple more days...

 

[MonCal]

If it's cold outside you're going to be cold no matter what with any of these options. Kathy was a solid ice cube last March for a parade in Denver. It's the warm weather you may want to consider. But even with warm weather you're still going to sweat where you have things against your body like the leather vest and the armor. It just traps the heat in. Her vest has sweat stains where it was trapped. There are hardly any costumes that aren't hot though!! .. so in the end if you wanna troop in costume you're gonna have to tough it out cold or hot..

 

[Resilient]

Got the swatches today and my vote goes towards the thicker neoprene sample from the first run.

Though I agree that what's in the actual suit seems like it's probably somewhere between the two in thickness. Too bad they had alarms at FIDM so we couldn't give the bodysuit a pinch to see how thick it was.

Yeah, the Zam body suit is supposed to be pretty form-fitting, but it's also supposed to have bulge/folds at spots like the knees and elbows. It definetly shouldn't be skin-tight like a plain lycra suit would be and I'm leery of the the double-laminated. (Though I think double-laminated would be pretty perfect for the Spidey costume I'd love to have at some point so that's something to mental note.) Bulky folds show in all of the production photos I've seen; especially at the knees in the one where Leeanna is standing straight. (attached picture 1 & 2)

As for the FIDM Zam, to me it seems like the reason it doesn't show as much wrinkling/bulging is because it didn't have the same proportions as Leeanna and was a tad bigger than she is. That mannequin did have rather the zameltoe after all and the pants are stretched tight over the knees. (picture 3)

In the MonCal version posted earlier in this thread, the way the 1st-run fabric is folding looks close to spot-on aside from the extra bagginess at the sides of the knees. How form-fitting it gets while still wrinkling in the right places I think probably comes down to the pattern and seamstress skill level.

Another thing I'm noticing is the creasing in the offical Zam's fabric around major joins due to general wear. (picture 4) I don't think the double-laminated would be able to do that.

 

[Benkenove]

I cannot be more agree with you Resilient, It's completely impossible to get an accurate suit with a double-laminated... and like you said, it would be more a Spidey tight costume than a Zam... .

 

[MonCal]

We've been meaning to get the legs altered to get rid of the bagginess at the knees but haven't yet.

 

[Resilient]

Yeah that little tweak at the knees seems like all your guy's bodysuit really needs. Looks really nice otherwise.

Is any of it possibly caused by the pant legs riding up during wear? It was mentioned earlier that stirrups would probably help possible bagginess and I'm curious if any of you guys are thinking of adding something like that. I've mental noted it as something I'll probably have added to mine.

 

[MonCal]

No.. The seamstress who initially made our suit got it way way off! She made it to fit an oompa loompa the first time. I think she actually mixed up two different people's measurements. We sent it back to her and she go it closer. We still had to take it to a local seamstress to totally redo the bodice but we didn't have time to have the pants altered. I could check with my wife but I don't think the suit will ride up.

 

[MonCal]

I suppose this isn't really my place to decide which fabric y'all get but I can offer my thoughts and suggestions based on our experience with our suit. I will however be getting two suits sewn for friends on the list so I am trying to be present to offer some support .

I haven't read the whole thread but what is the concensus now? To get the same material that I have on our suit or go with something thinner? I would really be aprehensive about a thinner material because it will end up looking more like a dance leotard instead of neoprene and might not have the nice thick look and the way the wrinkles form.