I bought this travel frisbee from a Kathmandu store
in the UK around 2006. It's undoubtedly the best nylon frisbee I've owned and has been with me on many of my travels over the years. For a while I
misplaced it and was sure it would be easy enough to get a replacement -
wrong.
My 'original' Kathmandu frisbee
It has a grey colour colour ring underneath
Fortunately for me I managed to find mine again. At one point I even had two but decided I didn't really need two so donated one to a charity shop.
Many of you will be thinking of course there are hundreds on eBay right? Wrong.
The
nylon frisbees you see on eBay are either dog toys or the kind which are
so light they blow away in the wind. The dog versions tend to have a
heavier tougher rubber ring in the seem which usually makes it too heavy
for good flight.
The Kathmandu frisbee is perfectly
weighted (about 114g), sized (24.5cm diameter), and made from strong
nylon. It's easy to take with you in a bag. It's easy to catch being nylon fabric and good for kids because it doesn't hurt if you get hit
in the face. It also flies extremely well. I even used to take it with me for office 'team days' for some impromptu frsbee fun during breaks.
Several
years ago before I found my missing frisbee I went back to the store I purchased it only to find they had
stopped selling it. I then began searching the web and was amazed and
frustrated to find there was nothing similar for sale anywhere.
However,
during my extensive searching I discovered there is a Kathmandu chain in New Zealand selling them for
less than $10 (New Zealand dollars). It certainly looks the same but
seems to be slightly heavier. That would be ideal if you live in New
Zealand, but postage to Europe and import duties make it uneconomical to
buy:(
Alternative Kathmandu NZ frisbee
Size 24cm in diameter Fabric
600D Polyester PU Weight 130g
The moral here is that if you buy a good product you like, don't
ever get rid of it! You can never be sure they will still be making it
in a few years time.
If anyone believes they've found another source for these then let me know! I'm pretty certain they will be inferior versions. If you do find one lurking in a cupboard somewhere then I strongly recommend you keep it!
Some of the Star Wars Stormtrooper helmets currently available to buy
There’s never been a better time to buy a Stormtrooper
helmet. The only question is, which one?
There are two things to consider - your budget and whether you want to wear it or just display
it. Some are made as a costume wearable and some are prop replicas intended for
display. Anovos produce costume wearables and EFX produce prop
replicas. There are Lucas Film licensed helmets and even fan-made helmets.
For the gallery photograph above I've selected helmets which were broadly
comparable. For example I've included the top of the range Rubies
helmet, which is their ‘collectable’ edition. The Shepperton Design Studio
helmet in the photograph is their cheapest 'Battlespec' edition.
You often see helmets referred to as 'Stunt' or 'Hero'. Basically, a Stunt helmet is the term used for a helmet which appeared in background shots of the film. A 'Hero' helmet had better attention to detail so it could be used for close-up shots. You'll find much more about this on the fan websites.
This is more of an introduction than in-depth guide.
The comparison table below shows all
the different versions available from each maker. At the bottom end of the scale is the Rubies two
piece costume mask. At the top end of the scale is the Rolls Royce of Stormtrooper helmets made by Shepperton
Design Studies with their 'Hero' helmet.
Maker
Version
£*
EFX
https://efxcollectibles.com
269.95
Anovos
https://www.anovos.com
Original trilogy pre-assembled
200.00
Kit version
120.00
Shepperton Design Studios
http://www.originalstormtrooper.com
Hero
499.99
Stunt
449.99
Standard
299.99
Battle spec
200.00
RS Propmasters
http://www.rspropmasters.com
Jim Dowdall Signature Edition
324.99
Stunt
299.99
Hasbro
https://www.hasbro.com
Black Series
89.99
Rubies
https://www.rubies.com
Supreme
72.70
Classic
39.98
Standard (mask)
35.00
(April 2017)
*The prices I’ve shown are from different sources including
Amazon, eBay and makers own websites. Some prices have been converted to British Stirling so there may be some slight variation. One
thing to bear in mind is the additional costs of postage/packing plus import
duty and taxes if buying from the USA. This can make what seems to be a good
buy, much more expensive and less attractive. In which case a helmet by Shepperton Design Studios may prove to be a better buy. No doubt it's the same vice versa. VAT and import taxes into the USA must make the Shepperton helmets rather pricey.
If you have a few thousand pounds going spare then you can of course go for the 'full monty' and fulfill a childhood dream by treating yourself to a complete Stormtrooper
outfit. Some of which are so good you could qualify as an instant film exta! Since there's now such a wide choice of Stormtrooper helmets you can choose to speciliase in collecting just Stormtrooper helmets and all their variants. However, this will require a good size budget and lots of space to display your prize helmets.
To the uninitiated, they all look the same. However, start to delve deeper and you realise there's more to it than meets the eye. The devil is in the detail. Changes were made to the production props with each new film. The first helmet
props seen in Episode IV A New Hope were hastily made using improvised
techniques and materials. All this has been examined in great detail elsewhere so I've included some reference links further down.
One of the good things about Disney owning the star wars
empire is that it’s keen to cash in in the blossoming market for Star Wars prop
replicas and costumes. That's good news for fans because it leads to some exciting new products for
collectors.
I was shocked when I discovered that the former Star Wars
prop replica maker Master Replicas disappeared into obscurity. I had previously
purchased several of their products which I imported directly from the USA.
They were expensive then, but many were limited editions and made to a high
standard (even if it was in China).
A boxed Master Replicas Stormtrooper helmet 2007
I picked up a Master Replica Stormtrooper helmet from
Play.com (now gone) when they were selling them for about half price. I think I
paid about £45 instead of the full retail price of around £89 (if my memory is
correct). I was impressed with the helmet. As with Master Replicas products it
was more of a display item but could be worn and had some very basic foam padding inside. That was back in 2007 and it was certainly the best around for
that money at that time. I couldn’t believe they could make such a good helmet
for that price. Then I spotted the “Made in China” sticker. We have some things to thank
China for.
Master Replica helmets still come up on eBay from time to time and go for around £150-£200. Considerably more than what I paid! However, there's more choice now and for around £200 you can get something equally good if not better. Some of the limited edition versions made by Master Replicas sell for over £1000!
Master Replicas
Is it worth spending around £200 for a 10 year old Master Replicas helmet?
Master Replicas
Master Replicas interior had minimal foam padding
The detail on the Master Replicas helmet was excellent
For the purist who wants a ‘screen accurate’ helmet it has
to be either Shepperton Design Studios or RS Prop Masters. With Shepperton Design studios you’re getting
something which is handmade from the original producer*. It doesn’t get much
closer to an original prop than that. But is it too good? It’s made from the
original molds, which were not perfect and produced a slightly asymmetrical
helmet. This could actually disappoint some. In the face of increasing
competition, Shepperton Design studios, have wisely produced a ‘Battle Spec’
helmet for the budget conscious which comes in at a competitive £200. RS Prop Masters produce what's considered to be one of the most accurate prop replicas, including imperfections found on the originals.
*Without meaning to open a can of worms, it's worth noting that hardcore fans are unhappy with claims made by Shepperton Studios and have pretty much blacklisted their helmets. However, claims and counter-claims aside, the helmets look pretty good to me. If you're interested in finding out more about this controversy, you can enter the debate here: http://www.therpf.com/f45/original-anh-stormtrooper-helmet-armor-just-facts-102219/
Before you know it, you’re collecting Stormtrooper helmets
because each one is slightly different - one for display, one for wearing etc,
etc. That's fine if you have the budget and space to display them. My Master Replicas helmet was on display for quite some time before finding it's way back in the box due to lack of space. It's one of those things which should be on display or it's not really worth keeping. If you're a natural hoarder/collector like me, then just the fact you own it gives satisfaction - even if you can't find anywhere to display it!
The Anovos helmet kit version looks to be excellent value. The only thing that puts me off is having to pay postage, packing plus import duties from the USA, which bumps up the price considerably.
I almost didn’t include Rubies because they’re of a much
lower standard, but decided to include their ‘supreme’ collectors edition
helmet. To be fair they’re more like cheap costume wearables rather than
collectors items. Probably fine for children or adult fancy dress parties where
you could use it as a urinal in an emergency. Don’t expect much and you won’t
be disappointed.
Hasbro Rogue One Stormtrooper helmet
If you want a Stormtrooper helmet, but aren't prepared to stretch to £200 for something which is nice to own but not useful, then I would
recommend the Hasbro helmet. It doesn’t matter that the ‘voice changer’
microphone doesn’t work, it still looks good. There’s nothing else
around this good for the money. It's not an original trilogy version since it's based on Rogue One, but it's close enough and looks great. Although Hasbro are a toy maker, this is certainly more of a collectable than toy and good enough to satisfy most fans. It's not classed as a prop replica because of the voice changer modifications. This one looks good on display or as a costume item. Only hardcore fans would notice it's not an original trilogy helmet. I think it will probably be a future collectable even though it's produced in large numbers. Many are being modified by owners so 'untouched' versions may be sought after. Some have wondered whey they even bothered adding the voice changer. I suspect this could be down to the terms of their licence. Without the voice changer it's almost in direct competition from the likes of Anovos and perhaps EFX.
Update: I decided to buy a Hasbro Stormtrooper helmet and it arrived at the end of May 2017. I paid £72.28 from Amazon. I can remember my Master Replicas helmet was very well packaged inside the cardboard box. It had that strong kind of suction molded plastic in two half's which offered excellent protection. The Hasbro helmet comes in three separate pieces inside clear plastic bags. There was just one piece of protective cardboard on the top, otherwise the items were loose within the box. In fact the box lid was only secured with one small piece of clear sellotape which looked as if it had already been opened. I adjusted the inside strapping before assembling the helmet as that was easier. The helmet sections clipped together with some firm but careful force. At first there was a gap between the top piece and bottom at the back, as reported by others. However after some further careful pressure applied to various points, the gap almost completely closed. Fully assembled it looks excellant. Whilst a little uncomfortable to wear, it looks excellent on display, preferably with a stand. I didn't even bother to check the voice changer as I already know it's poor. Whilst it's not a replica and therefore not likely to get approval from the 501st, it's good enough for most fans.
If you see one you like then I would just buy it while you can. Some companies are producing them under a licence, which has a limited life span. Don't expect the same helmets to be still available in the coming years. Master Replicas is proof of that. The good thing is that the best helmets retain their value and will always sell second-hand.
Just when I thought I'd referenced all the
main contenders, I came across two more helmet makers, RS Prop Masters
and CFO (Cast From Originals). I've not added their helmets to my photo gallery for now but
included RS in the comparison price table. RS Prop Masters specialise in
making helmets which are as screen accurate as possible, in the true
spirit of the original props. The team their sound like dedicated enthusiasts so 'helmets off' to them. CFO (Cast From Original) were founded in 2009. They offer "the rarest replicas all
cast from original props, moulds or production made pieces available
nowhere else". I couldn't find a website but they have a Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/castfromoriginal/?ref=page_internal
Shepperton Design Studios 'Hero' helmet
Here's a promotional video for the Hasbro Stormtrooper helmet:
I'm only really scratching the surface here but hopefully that’s enough of an overview to wet your
appetite. For more detailed reviews, check out some of the many fan websites
and YouTube videos.
The choice is yours!
If you're interested in further information about the origins of the Stormtrooper helmet and further comparisons then I recommend visiting here:
This original Episode V screen used prop helmet sold for $120,000 in October 2015
Real screen used prop helmets seen at 'Star Wars Identities' exhibition, London 2017
I was lucky enough to visit the Star Wars Identities exhibition at London in June 2017. I took the opportunity to get some photographs of the Stormtrooper helmets on display. These were all from the Lucas Film archive. Despite the fact that they were in a glass cabinet, I managed to get some reasonable closeups of helmets from each film in the original trilogy.
Episode IV - A New Hope
These next photographs are one of the prop helmets used in Episode IV. Apparently, 50 helmets were produced for use in the first film. What becomes apparent on closer inspection is that this example was made from a sand coloured plastic, brush painted with white gloss. On the third picture, you can even see where the paint has dripped when it was painted. The paint has cracked and fallen away from areas at the bottom of the helmet. If you can remember the quality of the original screen projected Episode IV then you know that such imperfections would never be seen on all but the closet shots. This helmet has the standard plastic lenses and was therefore not one of the few used for very closeup shots. On this helmet the nose piece was hand painted silver and had holes (the black areas).
Original Episode IV Stormtrooper helmet prop
Silver paint has been used for the nose piece
You can see from this photograph where the white paint has dripped when it was painted
Cracked paintwork reveals the original khaki/sand colour
Green plastic lenses were used for the eyes
It looks like the detailing on the cheek is a hand-painted sticker.
Detail on the Hasbro helmet
I still like the Hasbro helmet as it's an example of how the helmet was
intended to look (apart from the voice changer conversion).
Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
The most notable difference with this next prop helmet is that the nose area is completely black with no holes. There is also some sand coloured residue on the bottom which suggests it may also have been painted. The white surface is much smoother so it may have been spray painted. Some of the yellow residue looks like it may be from glue. In the fourth image there is a web strap hanging down so it may have been fitted with a helmet liner. The label attached to it gives the Lucas Film property details.
Here's a video made by Star Wars Helmets.com which features an original prop from the Empire Strikes Back. The video mentions there are no Episode V helmets in the Lucas Archive collection - except for the two on display at Star Wars Identities!
Episode VI - Return of the Jedi
This prop helmet is a 'hero' version because it has the 'blister' eye lenses used for close-up shots. In this example the nose has holes. Notice how the mic tip on the left side has been pushed in slightly.
This closeup shows stickers were used for some of the detailing. I can
understand now why some fans want to own an 'imperfect' replica since
that's just what the original props were like. Peeling stickers and
brush painted detail give it a unique appeal.
I managed to get a few photographs underneath this helmet. I wonder if the name written inside (K. Huston) was the actor who used it?
Here's a full costume used in Episode V on display at the Identities exhibition. This helmet is not the same as the one in the previous pictures. Both have the 'blister' type of plastic eyes. Notice how the 'brow' sits very low on this example with no white plastic visible below it.
A Stormtrooper Costume used in Episode V
Rubies?
I came across this rather sorry looking Stormtrooper being used as a prop in a cafe. From a distance it looks quite good. However, he's lost the mouthpiece to the helmet. Looking closely at the helmet you can see that it's not very good quality and I suspect is one of the Rubies helmets. I think he swapped his blaster for some Christmas tree lights. I'm not sure about his armour, but it looks like a reasonable copy of the real prop.
