The event won’t be until May but I thought I’d make this thread in Advance as I need a few pointers from those who have gone as Ghostbusters. Both my Buddy and I will be going as Ghostbusters and as far the packs go should I leave the thrower mounted on the pack or should it be hanging on my side? My Buddy’s pack is mounted on the back of his wheelchair so he doesn’t need to worry about that sort of thing. Any other tips or suggestions you might have will be appreciated.
If there are plenty of wide open spaces, then you could wear your Proton Gun hanging at your side, but when in the crowded areas either have it hooked to your Pack, or in your hand (which often might be the best place in those busy spots).
Be wary of the odd convention-goer who just has to be an idiot and might either grab your Pack or Gun. Most attendees do behave properly, but there’s always a few who try do something silly. If possible, see if you can have a friend to act as a steward for you (they can also help with re-holstering the Proton Gun).
Take regular breaks. The weight of your equipment may not be an issue, but the heat of the convention location will be.
Which con are you going to in May?
It’s a local event, probably won’t be anything as big as comic con
To echo what Kingpin said, definitely consider keeping the thrower mounted or in-hand if it’s a smaller area. More than just having to deal with people bumping into it, you might find yourself kicking/kneeing/bumping it into things. Additionally, many throwers are somewhat delicate (non-aluminum) and it’s very easy to knock it into something when it’s hanging from your belt/leg.
Here’s a bunch of other random stuff off the top of my head:
- Bring a spare parts/emergency bag for your car just in case. In mine I kept basic tools, scissors, moleskin foot patches, quick dry 2-part bonding agent (like JB Weld), Krazy Glue, spare tubing/knobs and a towel. Just in case.
- Have a wingman/friend whenever possible. Someone looking out for you, watching for broken parts or helping you with navigating the hall/doors is always a plus.
- When mounting/removing the thrower, try to have a friend help or worst case, slide a shoulder carefully off and reach around. If you’re not comfortable with that, just accept that you might have to remove it completely. It might be a hassle but rushing can lead to broken parts and doing this alone is difficult with screen-accurate pack mounts. You don’t want a dropped thrower if you can avoid it!
- Get used to going through doorways and small openings at an angle and/or very carefully because, when mounted, that thrower sticks out pretty far. In fact, always try to keep a small “bubble” around you as best you can. People WILL run into you (it’s unavoidable) but you want to try not to run into THEM. For example, when trying to turn around in a cramped/crowded area you’ll be about 10-12" thicker wearing that pack and it’s easy to smack someone as you do it. So be conscious of what’s around you and when in doubt, FREEZE and look around before moving. After 1-2 events it’ll be second nature.
- If you haven’t done it yet, try walking around your house in full costume for a while to get a sense of any issues you might have. One thing I noticed was what a pain the GB belt was when it was loaded up with gear. I’d find it constantly sliding down and/or moving around because on me, it was either too tight or too loose (not many adjustments). For a quick fix, I used some clear $5 double-sided carpet tape (very strong) so it didn’t budge. Warning, be sure it’s not “permanent” tape.
- Dress very light underneath as you’ll get pretty warm in the suit. Many people stick with just shorts and a basic T-shirt but if you’re a bigger guy and/or sweat a lot, you can look into sweat-reduction clothing like Under Armor or even just a simple Champion workout shirt (Target has these for cheap) to help wick/absorb the sweat. Also, consider a small bag/case for your cell phone or anything sensitive so you don’t get it wet. Even though I wasn’t visibly sweating at my first event, my cell had condensation on it from being pressed against my chest in the upper zipper/pocket.
- Plan out what you’ll be carrying with you. I switch to a cheapo money clip and just the bare minimum of car keys and stuff so I can keep them in the suit pockets without having a big annoying bulky item jabbing at me for hours on end. You want to be as comfortable as possible since you’ll already have 30lbs on your back!
- If your boots aren’t 100% broken in and/or you’re not used to wearing them for long periods, consider getting some moleskin patches for your feet. A few strips in the high-stress areas will work wonders on comfort and preventing blisters. Here’s an Amazon Link to an 8 pack (but one pack is enough for a single event)
- Make sure you have socks that are tall enough to go past the boot edge as they can rub on skin after a while (unless you tuck). Also, you might look into wool hiking socks which provide good padding and wick away sweat. I use these plus the moleskin patches for long 6+ hour events.
- Last but not least, have fun and be prepared to pose for photographs!
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great tips Morydees, thanks for the info.
As a final note, expanding on the last point of Mory’s excellent list: be prepared to cover very little ground when the photos start happening. 
Once one person takes a photograph, several more will.
And an additional reason why it’s good to have a wingman who isn’t in costume: they can guard your Proton Pack and equipment if you need to take a bathroom break.
Yep, especially once you group up with other Ghostheads. It’s like a vacuum as people gather. One more photo…one more photo! Good call on the restroom thing, too. Let’s just say that first time I was at a urinal in full gear was a bit…difficult. Nearly crossed streams and **not **in a good way.
Okay, Important safety tips, thanks guys. 
the handicapped stall is your friend!
I cant add much else more than what everyone else has already said. Though I can suggest keeping a pleasant demeanor while geared. I forget who said it, but there’s a quote to the tune of, “never turn down a fan, and never return wonder with a frown.” Being a ghostbuster at a convention is not a comfortable experience most of the time, but it always pays to be jovial. And never be afraid to drop down on a knee when little kids seem timid, it makes you less intimidating in all that gear, and makes it easy to let them see things while having control of the gear involved so nothing gets dropped or broken.