Packing Cosplays for Travel

By Mischa. 20/09/10, 02:20 am

With Auckgeddon coming up on us like a fright train I started thinking on how I am going to pack my costumes and props to keep them safe and unwrinkled BUT take up minimal space.

Does anyone have any good tips-guidelines for packing?

By Bedemmy. 20/09/10, 02:24 am

How are you travelling up?

By Mischa. 20/09/10, 02:25 am

Plane- but I think the same rules apply for any mode of transport Very Happy

By Mandie_Chan. 20/09/10, 02:30 am

For auck last year I pre-ironed all my cosplays so they folded a lot smaller~
I also 'pre compacted' each cosplay into it's own bag and sat books on top before putting them into my suitcase.
It doesn't sound like much but it was enough so that it all fitted into one bag ^_^;

By **jpwise**. 20/09/10, 04:09 am

I've sometimes wondered how much difference those little vacuum storage bags would make..

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They would make things smaller, but in the adds they always look like they make things wrinkly. Maybe if you vacuum packed with a piece of cardboard on either side of the costume inside the bag.

By Icarus. 20/09/10, 04:40 am

I was hoping a thread like this would come up, but I was wondering about how you'd take large costumes on a plane with props like swords and staffs.
well if not the props, anyone know how to take up costumes that you don't want to crease or can't fold?

By **Tamoo**. 20/09/10, 05:05 am

Mailing up props to friends in Auckland in advance might be cheaper than trying to pay for extra on a plane.

By **seraphik**. 20/09/10, 05:39 am

i usually pack each cosplay in a different bag and iron when i get there because there will ALWAYS be a crinkle... as for props/delicate cosplays, i just paid the extra $15 each way for an extra bag on my air nz flight to transport my ashe costume and just padded it with squishy polarfleece...

By neimhaille. 20/09/10, 06:39 am

Yeah I always figure in ironing time :) So I fold and pack as I can. :)

Both my Leia and my Samara were carefully stacked into a rigid carry on bag so they were able to be protected from jolting and crushing. I used bubble wrap and fabric costume parts to layer between the rigid pieces too.

My suitcase is non rigid so I will put in a plastic box if I need to transport anything breakable. I know of someone who had their SCA crockery wrapped in their garb and when the pottery broke it cut up all the garb it was wrapped in.

By Rikku. 20/09/10, 07:05 am

I haven't transported any cosplays before, tbh. This is a really helpful thread.
For my Cloud's armor, I'm thinking about just wrapping each piece in a layer of cloth or something, then packing them into a padded box inside my suitcase. Same goes for wigs. Pretty much all three of my costumes I can fold with minimal difficulty, so. But I would suggest small boxes that you can pack in along with stuff, for things you /really/ don't want broken?

By RJayne. 20/09/10, 07:10 am

Good thread, this.

Pre-ironing really does help with size, and so does putting things in separate plastic bags, untied at the top. I went to Argentina (without an iron) earlier this year, and found that the bags make storing stuff a lot easier and my clothes had less wrinkles by the end of it. It also meant I got no shampoo or anything on them XD

I think it's DEFINITELY best for larger props to mail them to a friend. Planes are havoc. Small enough props could be carried on for added safety (for example some armour) if they can fit into a bag that size. And breakables should always go in the middle of your bag, surrounded by soft objects, or as neimhaille said, in a sturdy container lined with bubble wrap if they're VERY breakable. Fragile signs do help a bit though.

Unfortunately, folding always leaves some crinkles in clothing. Considering I go on a plane at least 8 times every year, I'm pretty sure I know by now.

If you're staying in a hotel, I think they usually have irons in their rooms, right? So you could iron the night before and hang them. Coat hangers are your friend!

Um, yeah. Long post.

By Icarus. 20/09/10, 08:47 am

ah good tips~ will come in handy for Auckgeddon~

completely forgot the rules for carry on luggage, does anyone know what the max is? I might have to put this thing in a garbage bag and carry it on the plane with me.

this ones outta curiosity, anyone know how the heck Pyro got those wings up to Auckgeddon from Chch last year?? 8O cause dayuuuuuuum they were HUGE!

By azeria. 20/09/10, 08:56 am

^7kg I believe.

I'd say for any extremely styled wigs it would be easier to take them carry on. When PI came down for WellyGeddon she just had her Natsu wig on a wig head with her on the plane lol.

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This makes me so glad that Beth is driving me! Considering how heavy my imitation black dress is @__@

By Bedemmy. 20/09/10, 09:08 am

^ I have a use 8D

By Winds-Of-Despair. 20/09/10, 09:25 am

This could be of some use with heavily styled wigs http://www.cosplay.com/showthread.php?t=220484 and many other things

By **jpwise**. 20/09/10, 10:01 am

Icarus wrote:: completely forgot the rules for carry on luggage, does anyone know what the max is? I might have to put this thing in a garbage bag and carry it on the plane with me.

Depends on who you're flying with. Check the confirmation email they send you if you booked online and it'll have the figures in it. Or otherwise it's buried on their respective websites.

By Tails. 20/09/10, 10:10 am

azeria wrote:: I'd say for any extremely styled wigs it would be easier to take them carry on. When PI came down for WellyGeddon she just had her Natsu wig on a wig head with her on the plane lol.

^ This!

I drove up to Auckland last year, and my Ultimecia wig was on a wig head the entire time. If I had gone by plane I would have held on to it too~ ~~for dear life~~

By Mischa. 20/09/10, 10:47 am

Winds-Of-Despair wrote:: This could be of some use with heavily styled wigs http://www.cosplay.com/showthread.php?t=220484 and many other things

That's great Very Happy

thanks!

By azeria. 20/09/10, 10:54 am

That CosCom thread is awesome! /saves

and omg Tails transporting Ultimecia O__O
Luckily Synchronicity is at Wellington next year so I won't have to transport any armour. And my other cosplays shouldn't be too troublesome.

~~Icarus move to Wellington for when we do Clover. Wings DD8~~

By Pura. 20/09/10, 11:35 am

Pyro transported wings in a box if I remember correctly xD. A flat box, or something.

Lul, carrying a wig on a plane xD. Must be awkward xDD.

So far I've never needed to transport big or really breakable things, so I can't really help xD

By firecat70. 20/09/10, 12:01 pm

A really good alternative for vacume bags/dry cleaner bags is Ziplock bags from the supermarket. When travelling I oh so delicatly shove all the clothes I can into them - it saves a lot of space.
But you can use them like vacume bags - place your folded clothes in them then squeeze out all the air and seal them. Then you can label them and rumage through your bag to find stuff without messing up your clothes.

The way you fold your clothes can change the wrinklage ammount too. This site: http://artofmanliness.com/2008/10/16/how-to-pack-a-bag-when-traveling/ has some good pictures showing folding technique. You can also fold then roll your clothes to save space.

I normally put my wigs that don't need styling in a ziplock bag. I love ziplock bags!

I have heard people using boxes with lots of padding for wig/prop transport. Also, for extra large props - making them so they can come apart for easy transport.

By Static. 20/09/10, 02:53 pm

firecat70 wrote:: A really good alternative for vacume bags/dry cleaner bags is Ziplock bags from the supermarket.

Ziplock bags are GODLY! They make stuff so much easier, AND you can label them! For stuff you can't fold, garment bags on a coathanger can be carried on a plane, and little accessories and things can be shoved into the bag to keep it all together. You can get the bags from the 2 buck shop as well, so they're nice and cheap.

By Pyro. 21/09/10, 02:42 pm

@Icarus-- I packed my wings in a massive flat box and just prayed that none of the feathers on the tips would get crushed. 8D;; That's all there was to it. For all the moving around I've done in my life, I'm terrible at packing.

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