Serious question, has anyone else tried using dollar store foam for armor?

I mean, I was super skeptical at first because it felt so flimsy. But I needed to make a shoulder pauldron for a con last month and gave it a shot. After three layers of PVA glue and a heat gun, it held its shape perfectly and only cost me like $4 total. Has anyone found a better cheap base material for this kind of thing?

3 comments

3 Comments

pat_park521mo agoMost Upvoted

It warps in the heat, though.

the_lisa1mo ago

Mine's been on my deck for three summers now and it's still perfectly flat. I guess it depends on the brand and how much direct sun it gets. Maybe you just got a bad one?

harper_wells1mo ago

Okay but is this a real problem? It's foam from the dollar store. It's not meant to last. If it works for one con, that's a win. People act like they're building a suit of armor for actual battle. It's for a costume.