Hey guys tomorrow will be my first ever con in GB gear, I wanted to get any tips or tricks to make the con more enjoyable!
Im already at a disadvantage because my suit is too tight and my pack weighs like 10x the norm cause its almost completely solid wood lol!
Any tips would be SUPER helpfull!
Just be weary of your surroundings, you’re going to take up quite a bit of space… take breaks when possible (especially with the weight of your pack), and have fun with the pictures people ask you to take with them!
If you don’t have them yet, get insoles for your boots for some cushion, and hopefully you have the pipe insulation around the upper neck portion of your ALICE frame… put it on right, and it can shave like 10 pounds off of your pack…
If you’re with other Busters, don’t be afraid to put on a show for people, they will love it… this is the time where it’s OK to cross the streams… LOL! Also, LifeGards make great beacons to help find each other if you get separated…
If you’re running full sounds and lights, make sure to get a full charge tonight for your battery…
Sadly my other busters went today and me and the fiancé are tomorrow no lifeguards yet but we won’t split up! Yea I wear the pack high because the weight is nuts that Alice frame is making its money tomorrow !!
My tips for a successful con in GB gear:
Don’t be afraid to quote the movie at any and all times! Puns also work well, the punnier the better.
Every time time you are about to go up a flight of stairs, ask “Hey, where do these stairs go?” Every. Time.
When you first enter a room, call out “Anybody see a ghost?”
Mix up your replies when someone asks ‘Who ya gonna call?’ with “someone else” or start a He-Man chant.
Learn the “ready to believe you” finger point for anytime you get stopped to take a photo.
If you see a dog, ask who brought it.
Fill your pockets with Twinkies and Crunch bars.
And finally, if someone asks you if you’re a god, you say YES!
(But seriously, watch the doorways. I usually scuttle sideways through them when I have my trap on and pack.)
Have fun!
Eternal Con was my first con wearing a pack too. It’s close quarters, but I didn’t have any trouble with bumping into anything. Just check your blind spots before changing lanes and reversing.
Definitely pick up some insoles on the way if you don’t have any already. I forgot to put some in my boots and by the end of the day my feet were feeling it. And like the others said: wearing your pack correctly makes a big difference. I honestly didn’t start feeling the weight until I’d been wearing it for like 3 hours or so. After a 20-30 min lunch break I was good to go until the end of the con. I’m sure your pack weighs way more than mine though.
Oh and bring water with you. There are some nice cool spots at the venue, but the main room was pretty warm especially with full uniform and equipment.
We had a blast today and I hope you guys have fun too. We can swap stories later.
Oh, yes, definitely this! You will hear this the most… have fun with it, otherwise people will pester you about it… especially when you do like charity walks or have a booth/table at a con, so learning to answer it in a way that will make people turn their heads, make a double take, smile or laugh is very important…
Oh, and be mindful of both your thrower loom and your leg hose, it can easily get caught on things… last thing you want to do is knock some things over and make some unwanted purchases, or cause yourself to fall to the ground because it got caught on something and trips and yanks you…
If you take photos with kids (there will be TONS of them) you’ll have the urge to kneel down with them (which is great, and the parents are thankful for you making the effort), just be very careful standing back up, especially since your pack is heavy, and your leg hose can sometimes get caught under your boot, so make sure to push your leg hose aside when you stand up so you don’t trip yourself over…
And, does your wand have an S-hook on it, and do you have a key fob on your belt? It will come in handy if you unholster and don’t have a chance to put it back on your pack… seriously, they thought this through in the movie, I’m glad they thought of that S-hook…
Good points about the leg hose. After I did the magnet mod to mine it was such a relief if it got caught on something. The first con I went to was cold so the hose didn’t stay on middle stick part thing (Crix/gbfans one) so we have to zip tie them to stop them from falling off. Not fun when you do crouch and stand up as your hooked.
this is all fantastic advice! i didnt attach the leg hose just because of that! and it did sav me a few times, almost took out some civilians with the ion arm but the fiance saved me usually! god a few bumps and one of the banjos on my wand came off (just glued resin ones till i can get real ones) but thats easy, the battery drained and i pulled once and it sounded like the half life of my power cell was till that moment!
we did start the he-man chant once or twice and my knees hurt from kneeling for kiddos but it was an awesome experience and now the fiance is HOOKED so we WILL be back! Next time def need S-Hooks as she really has a hard time replacing the wand for me! WOOO good times!
This is turning to be a great thread! Glad to hear you had a great time, got any photos to share?
If you’re moving through a crowded event, it helps to have a handler in less bulky clothes walk ahead of you. We were at an outdoor First Fridays event once, and my handler stopped to talk to someone she knew. I went on without her and almost immediately pranged a teenage ■■■■■■■ the shoulder with my (welded aluminum) ion arm.
Don’t back up and don’t turn around suddenly without first taking a small step forward. You can puncture inflatable StayPufts or chip paint off cars with some of those metal bits.
Alex
I’m kinda curious. How would the Twinkie/Crunch Bars work out at a con, when handling them out?
You better have a lot of Twinkies and Crunch Bars! LOL!
However, Halloween Trick-or-Treat sized Crunch Bars are convenient… At parades, we would chuck Twinkies, Marshmallows and Crunch Bars into the crowd…
Really???
Wow!
In my Stargate (1994) garb, I try to carry
one 5th Avenue candy bar as a prop. When
it melts in the package, I put it back in the
freezer!
I love all these ideas! Next con is getting some crunches!!!
Got any pictures? I’d love to see how the first con went! I remember my first con dressed as a stormtrooper; ValleyCon #38 in Fargo, ND. Luke was right, you can’t see a thing in that helmet. 
This makes me glad I plan to forgo the leg hose on my own uniform. I know it’s more accurate with it but my cutlass hit too many things for me to need to worry about that.
I’ve done a few Bad Santa inspired, “I’m on break! Call someone else!” comments. It amuses spectators but I think it may insult the person who threw out the original, “who ya gonna call?” It just feels awkward to answer with, “ghostbusters” or, “me” or something.
I suggest learning to move your head without moving your body. It’s usually the opposite in some costumes due to limited visibility, but a sudden turn can end in disaster. Since this costume allows it, keep your head on the swivel.
Pay attention to things like handrails and door handles for reasons already mentioned.
Don’t be afraid to ask people to move! I’ve spent a few Con’s standing still because I couldn’t squeeze my gear through a crowd. Exaggerated, “‘Scuse me, comin’ through, Ghostbuster business,” type lines get peoples attention and they kind of feel like it’s part of your character or a little performance. But you’re telling to get out the damn way.
When my girlfriend got her pack, I had her walk around in the house with it. It gave her an idea of how much room she needs to turn and move and (unintentionally) illustrated how much (or little) of a beating the gear can take. She tried to turn in the hall while wearing my pack and smacked the wand on the wall. The loud crunch sound it made scared her to death. Lesson learned!
Also, don’t be afraid of breaking something. I wouldn’t suggest you go nuts with it, but… it’s gonna get broken at one point or another. No sense in flipping out on someone (or yourself) if it does. Just gather the pieces and continue on. We made this stuff once, we can make it again and it will give you an excuse to upgrade.
Two words - “Hot Trap”… 
…still will ■■■■ you off if it’s because of somebody who won’t keep their hands to themselves… still stands to just keep your cool and carry on, though… no need to start a commotion and ruin an otherwise awesome day! Maintenance will always be required, no matter how much you try to be careful…
Pics will come! Don’t have many but if I find any online il post! Can’t wait for NYCC to hot trap it up! Yea handrails were a rough time, my n filter and cyclotron are thin plastic so they crunch but don’t break and that happened a few times!