Tag: backpacking

In search of the functional ‘blaster’ rifle

If you’ve been wondering why I haven’t posted in far too many weeks, this is one of the reasons. Don’t worry, projects are proceeding apace!
A295-StG44 Hothrifle*I use EU terminology. If you’re into post-Disney stuff, just replace any instance of ‘A295’ in the following with ‘A280C’*

About a year back, I began toying with the idea of retooling my SKS into a more GFFA-style slugthrower. Eventually, though, I had to resign myself to the limitations of the Simonov platform, and abandoned the idea. However, a few weeks ago, someone in the Endor Commando facebook group was seeking help on a A280 prop rifle they were planning…and I got the bug again. I never liked the looks of the Endor rifle…it just seemed clunky and ugly to me (the alternate version with the triangle buttstock especially so) – give me an A295 Hoth rifle any day!
A280 a295Owing also to having more time onscreen and the easier availability of the base gun*, I see way more prop A280s online. At the same, I got to thinking about what folks these days could use to build an A295 prop out of, and one fellow pointed out the most accurate base rifle would be AGM’s all-metal electric airsoft StG44, which retails for $235; he commented that it would be awfully expensive “for something you will be cutting up” for a prop rifle. I agreed, but this led me to my next question: well, what if you were cutting it up, but it was still a functional rifle? And just out of curiosity, how cheap could I do it for?
Continue reading “In search of the functional ‘blaster’ rifle”

An authentic Medpac at long last!

In the spirit of my New Year, New Gear tradition, I recently finished up an essential piece of my in-universe survival/hiking kit.  Some 20 months ago, I made a discovery – I noticed that the health powerups in Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy were essentially the same design as one from an early SWRPG sourcebook:

a bit of digging turned up similar designs in the Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology and the more recent SWRPG Revised Core Rulebook (2002):

As my backpack’s current first aid kit has been stashed in a repurposed extension cord waterproof safety box, I’ve been thinking about what I could use as a container for my medical supplies that would better fit the in-universe aesthetic. Continue reading “An authentic Medpac at long last!”

Galaxy’s Edge merch: ‘Resistance MRE’

resistanceMREContinuing our look at merchandise available at Disney Galaxy’s Edge, up next is the ‘Resistance MRE’. This sells at GE for $25, and is the one item I’ve actually been able to check out in person (shout-out to Seth for picking one up for me–thanks, pal!)
star-wars5-movie-screencaps.com-5547If this seems unfamiliar, it’s probably because it has nothing to do with the Sequel Trilogy ‘Resistance’–that’s just another attempt by Disney to impose ‘their’ setting as the dominant one. This should more accurately be called a Rebel Alliance ration kit!, and is based on the one Luke Skywalker brings with him when he first travels to Dagobah in search of Yoda. Continue reading “Galaxy’s Edge merch: ‘Resistance MRE’”

Artifact ID: Donovian Rainmen revisited

As we stand on the threshold of 2019, I hope that this blog will help inspire more of you to use this year to break out of the limiting ‘cosplay box’, and experience the Star Wars galaxy in the most authentic way you can! This is a follow up to a post I made almost exactly a year (51 weeks!) ago, which identified several items of European military surplus used to outfit some Episode II background extras portraying a crew of ‘Donovian Rainmen’:
rainmen1_AotCVD
This post would not be possible without the help of one T.K., who reached out from Germany and was kind enough to supply a list of several more items from the various films that he has identified, including several from our friends the Rainmen! T.K.’s observations are backed up by actively serving in the German Bundeswehr (Army) – so he has had first-hand experience with many of these pieces of gear. Continue reading “Artifact ID: Donovian Rainmen revisited”

Revisiting the winter hat

(Apologies for my delay in postings of late…with winter holidays arrived I now have a few weeks’ reprieve from school-matters, which I intend to use to finish up some posts and projects for this site).

Last winter, as I reskinned my Swedish milsurp hat, I was left with a few quibbles. (I find it’s helpful to write down these thoughts for just this very reason, so that I know what needs tweaking should I decide to revisit the project down the road):

“Were I to undertake this project again, I would’ve done a few things differently:
-using a heavier khaki material–like the plentiful scraps I had leftover from my donut helmet (uncovered only after I had finished this project!)
-only using two layers of wool for the flaps, instead of three.
-better copying the shape of the curvy panels that are added to the flaps.
-making the rear ribbed panel shorter (to better match the original artwork), while extending the neck coverage and shortening up the flaps a bit.”

As the weather has been getting cooler, I’ve been having to wear my flap hat more often, and as I’ve also been integrating more and more Star Wars style into my daily wardrobe, I finally felt that the vaguely-close-enough-ness of my hat just wasn’t accurate (or hardcore) enough.
And so, after pondering on what would be involved, I decided to go ahead and tackle the Pfilbee Jhorn Hat, Mark II.PfilbeeJhorn1

^ The look we’re going for^

Continue reading “Revisiting the winter hat”

Applied geometry: Star Wars style

thermos1155-after4One of the largest stumbling blocks to getting a real-world-functional GFFA kit is the lack of references to everyday material culture in the Galaxy. We have little evidence, for example, of the kinds of containers your average galactic citizen has around the house—do the citizens of Bespin have Tupperware? And as someone with an interest in creating a realistic—but recognizably Star Wars-y—set of outdoor-adventure gear, this is a wall I have often run into. When we have so few resources to draw on, we instead have to get creative in our solutions. In this case, since we have little gear to draw aesthetic inspiration from, why not draw inspiration from the gear that influenced the aesthetic we aspire to?
Viewed through modern eyes, it’s pretty clear that the original Trilogy films are products of the 1970s and 80s…so let’s take a look at late 70s and early 80s Tupperware and Thermos products!
Continue reading “Applied geometry: Star Wars style”

Building the Outer Persona: a three-season pack

While I’ve been humping my Bergan external frame pack around for almost a decade (and I’m very pleased with it!), I’ve been starting to wonder if maybe it isn’t…overkill. As an aspiring minimalist, I like to try and pare my outdoors kit down to the bare essentials, and a large frame pack with lots of attachment points—in a gear version of Jevon’s Paradox (as one’s pack increases in capacity, the expanded space cannot help but be filled)—only makes it too easy to throw in everything but the kitchen sink.

bugout bag2
pictured: Exhibit A

I realized then that while the Bergan is perfectly suited to be a winter pack—able to carry a tarp, sleeping pad, and blanket/sleeping bag, plus a drybag of spare clothes and other seasonal necessities—I might need something a bit more modest for the rest of the year. Continue reading “Building the Outer Persona: a three-season pack”

Step 2.5 – What Will You Do?

Before continuing, you should first decide what you are going to do when you are doing GFFA living-history. In other words, what form will it take?, and how involved will you be? When people are involved in these pursuits for non-fictional settings, we can usually group them in two types: ‘reenactors’, and ‘historical interpreters’. What’s the difference between these? As Master Townsend explains,

“A reenactor, in the truest sense of the word, is like a bit-role actor in a movie. They help fill out the set. Reenactors typically have no speaking role. They usually have limited direct public interaction.
Reenacting is a great entry point into Living History for beginners. You don’t have to develop a specific individual persona to reenact. While it can be the easiest method of Living History, it can be an expensive direction to go*, depending on the persona type one chooses to portray.”

*See the 501st for walking examples of this—a set of stormtrooper armor will set you back several paychecks, but once you assemble and put it on, all you have to do is walk around and you’re in business.

The analogy to background characters in a movie is especially apt in this case, as the background characters in Star Wars films are excellent inspirational examples. These extras don’t interact with the ‘public’—the film audience—but they really help sell the illusion that the Galaxy is a living, breathing, vibrant setting (now there’s a good homework assignment: pick a SW movie and pay attention only to the background characters! I’ve found this is easier with a foreign audio track turned on – if you’re not focused on the dialogue, you can use more ‘brain bandwidth’ for looking at details!).

Townsend’s explanation of a reenactor sounds very close to what a costumed fan already does at a convention—they are an appropriately-costumed warm body that stands around and gets photographed, and the depth of public interaction is shallow. When was the last time you asked a cosplayer what planet they were born on, or asked them what they’re carrying in their utility-belt pouches? Continue reading “Step 2.5 – What Will You Do?”

Step 2 – Connect!

Once you’ve decided to begin your journey, the next step is to Connect (with other people who are interested in what you’re interested in).

This one is easy! There are plenty of places to find people who like Star Wars—everything from message boards, charity societies (501st or Rebel Legion), subreddits (/r/StarWars, /r/StarWarsShips, /r/MawInstallation), to countless facebook groups. There are also plenty of places to find people who like to wear funny clothes and go for walks in the woods.
While there is certainly plenty of overlap between the two interests, as I explained earlier, it simply seems no one has ever tried to join them together in a serious manner. Shall the twain ever meet? I would like to think so, and this blog is meant to show that it’s possible. If social media is more your style, swing on over to join the SWLH facebook group!

It’s often very helpful in historic reenacting circles for a newcomer to link up with a more-experienced Mentor figure to show them the ropes and help them grow, and the same goes for GFFA living history as well. Our facebook group now includes a Mentorship feature to help you do just that. If you’ve managed to find your way here, WELCOME! Leave a comment and say hello!