# Quadsuits



## BRN (Jun 10, 2011)

Having a feralized character, I'm more interested in sporting a quadsuit than a fursuit. Fiscal hammerblow aside, I hear they're much harder to wear and walk around in - to what degree is this true, and does anyone on this forum have experience with quadsuits?


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## Fay V (Jun 10, 2011)

From what I understand Quadsuits are more difficult, you need to use stilts for your hands so the suit legs are all the same length. You also have trouble seeing because the head is really mounted on a helmet on your head. It pretty much just looks like it ups the awkward difficulty of wearing a suit, but hey there are dedicated suiters that make it look good.


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## Inciatus (Jun 10, 2011)

maybe you could try using a periscope like device to see...


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## dinosaurdammit (Jun 10, 2011)

Inciatus said:


> maybe you could try using a periscope like device to see...


 
>:C

Six you can walk on all fours with out stilts if you put padding in the right place. I saw one fursuiter who did a sandslash like that and it looked boss but i cant find the picture ;A;


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## Monster. (Jun 10, 2011)

I've seen people who only used stilts for their arms so that they could have less difficulty walking in general. I'm sure they're a _lot_ heavier than regular suits, though, due to the extra weight of the stilts and probably extra padding to position the head right and make it look natural when you're on all fours.


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## Stargazer Bleu (Jun 10, 2011)

I seen someone who had one at Califur.
The person was moving a lil slower that other ppl but he seemed to be getting around fine.
I would imagine it would take some getting used to moving around in one. 
Tho it looks like it be fun to try one.

I would love to get one of my feral form of my char.  I would probably bump into things with my chars tail and wings tho.


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## Deo (Jun 10, 2011)

I made my werewolf into a bipedial/quadsuit (interchangeable legs and stuff). It was dreadfully hot, uncomfortable, abysmal, and completely unworth it. :C


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## Billythe44th (Jun 11, 2011)

Those things are one-person affairs? I thought they were like those two-man horse costumes you see in Halloween cartoons.


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## BRN (Jun 11, 2011)

dinosaurdammit said:


> >:C
> 
> Six you can walk on all fours with out stilts if you put padding in the right place. I saw one fursuiter who did a sandslash like that and it looked boss but i cant find the picture ;A;



My god that sounds awesome, but I can't find pix either. D:



Deo said:


> I made my werewolf into a bipedial/quadsuit (interchangeable legs and stuff). It was dreadfully hot, uncomfortable, abysmal, and completely unworth it. :C


 
I've heard quadsuiters rig fans and cooling systems into their suits to counter the heat. Sucks you had a bad run, though.


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## Fay V (Jun 11, 2011)

Lots of suiters will rig in fans for the ventilation and heat. quad or regular one.


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## Xenke (Jun 11, 2011)

Quadsuits always look so clunky.

Also, I tried to look for the aforementioned suit, but couldn't find it. Found Girafarig though.


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## DawnKestrel (Jun 11, 2011)

They're generally harder to walk in, but after some practice you'd get the hang of it. The stilts don't need to be heavy (PVC piping is light), but they will seem to weight a lot more the longer you use them. Padding on the front legs can really help define the shape, bu also makes it hotter to wear. By installing fans in the stilts, you can cool off a great deal. A good place to look out of the quad is from under the chin, as it's not that noticeable with the netting, and can allow quite a bit of vision. DO NOT USE MIRRORS IN A QUAD! If you happen to glance at the sun, a bright reflection, or someone uses flash on their camera, it could seriously damage your eyesight and may leave you momentarily/partially blind. Trust me, I've researched into it quite a bit, and it's not worth the risk.
Movement will obviously be limited due to padding, and you may not me able to crouch down properly, which can be extremely tiring at a convention. But you can generally get away with lying down if it proves to be too much of a problem ;D
Stilts don't have to be clunky, it's just that people find it easier to make them out of thick piping/wood. Here's an example of something really thin: http://freakmylife.deviantart.com/art/Wolf-Quadsuit-WIP-161835066?q=boost%3Apopular%20quadsuit&qo=82 
But people usually don't use that method because it will end up straining your wrists, and will be harder to keep the legs in position.
Another example: http://radywolf.deviantart.com/gallery/#/d3felqq The only way i can think they have done this is by using a block method instead of tube method, if they used stilts at all. You will also find that running is difficult at first, and you'll need to adjust to the added length on your arms.
Bu~ut quadsuiting is extremely fun when you're not exhausted/dying from the heat. It's really fun to communicate with other quads, as well as members of the public, and can be really rewarding. People also usually pay more attention to quadsuits at conventions ;D
It'd be a good idea to have a spotter for crowds/generally walking around, since an extra pair of eyes is extremely useful.


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## Kaluna (Jun 12, 2011)

Quadsuits are kinda how I found out about regular suits. I was looking at Beastcub's quedsuit videos on YouTube and saw other fursuits in the recommended videos. But that's just a random side note....

I have done a little research into them and as far as I can tell, most of the tricky areas are how the head/neck connects to the body, and making the position of the arms while holding the stilts comfortable. A lot of that is up to personal preference though. Recently Beastcub made an arcanine quadsuit and it is definitely the best I've been to date, you should look for it on YouTube.

Quadsuitting is not something I can afford to do, nor do I have the fursuiting experience I feel I would need, so it's kind of a distant dream for me right now. I have to say though, I don't think it's something for a novice to costuming to try. You should be ready to deal with heat and low field of vision because there are much more pressing issues than that in a quadsuit.
Furthermore, prolonged wear on a regular basis would likely lead to back, shoulder, and wrist problems because of the unnatural position.


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## Rhasp (Jun 12, 2011)

Ive seen pictures off some really amazing looking quadsuits that was simply wowing but I dont think I have the stamina to even try one no less have one for longer times since they looks preatty complicated to put on and use. So for me they would be to much investment for to little use.


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## Night-san (Jun 12, 2011)

I've never made a suit before, but my first one may be a quadsuit of my Absol character. Talk about throwing myself in head-first.

Luckily, I have a friend who's working on a Kirara (Inu-Yasha) quad right now; it's coming out pretty well. c: She's planning on helping me out when I finally get started on mine, so at least I'm not going into it alone.


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## Deo (Jun 13, 2011)

SIX said:


> I've heard quadsuiters rig fans and cooling systems into their suits to counter the heat. Sucks you had a bad run, though.


 I did have fans. Like six 80mm fans, the wiring never worked and I'm pretty handy with wiring. :C



DawnKestrel said:


> http://freakmylife.deviantart.com/art/Wolf-Quadsuit-WIP-161835066?q=boost%3Apopular%20quadsuit&qo=82


 D:< 
Did you seriously link Freakmylife as a reference? Fuck no. She's like the new Jesskit. Her crap is NIGHTMARE FUEL.


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## Fay V (Jun 13, 2011)

Fursuits are fun things, they can either be great, or awful. Quads are like that but more so. they can either be spectacular...or god damn nightmare fuel. 

Here's a good one 

this one is okay, extra points for character choice


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## Trpdwarf (Jun 13, 2011)

Spliff Kitten said:


> Quadsuits are kinda how I found out about regular suits. I was looking at Beastcub's quedsuit videos on YouTube and saw other fursuits in the recommended videos. But that's just a random side note....
> 
> I have done a little research into them and as far as I can tell, most of the tricky areas are how the head/neck connects to the body, and making the position of the arms while holding the stilts comfortable. A lot of that is up to personal preference though. Recently Beastcub made an arcanine quadsuit and it is definitely the best I've been to date, you should look for it on YouTube.
> 
> ...


 
I agree heavily with this. This is not something a person new to making or suiting should really try. I've never been in a quad but I know that they are going to be just as hot and stuffy as a regular fur-suit even with all those fans. Even in a regular suit you have to get used to having limited vision, and all sorts of other things. Only when you master that should you take on something that is even more limiting as a quad suit where usually you have to have a spotter to make it safe.

Quads are, to my understanding, very very difficult to transport to location. So if a person isn't going to be attending local area type things to use the costume it's not easy to justify even getting it...which is something OP should be thinking about.


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## Foxfairy (Jun 13, 2011)

> D:<
> Did you seriously link Freakmylife as a reference? Fuck no. She's like the new Jesskit. Her crap is NIGHTMARE FUEL.



She's actually 12 years old, so I call justifiable suckage. It's not like she's old enough to live in her own trailer.


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## Fay V (Jun 13, 2011)

Foxfairy said:


> She's actually 12 years old, so I call justifiable suckage. It's not like she's old enough to live in her own trailer.


 from an objective standpoint of art nothing is justifiable. it's great that she's only 12, but you shouldn't use her work as a reference if she does suck. That's like using a 5 year old's drawing as a house reference. Yes no one expects the toddler to be good, but at the same time you want a reference that is good no matter the age.


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## Sar (Jun 13, 2011)

Less common and hard to find tuts on but impressive if you can make it well.

Try this Playlist. Its the best i can find on making quads.

As for the use them... it depends what you find easier, walking on all fours or standing up. *shurgs*


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## Rhasp (Jun 13, 2011)

"Noob" question: Are all quadsuits off the fursuit head well above youre own head or are there versions that uses youre own head as a base for the quads head? (in lack off other words and names for it.)


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## Fay V (Jun 13, 2011)

Rhasp said:


> "Noob" question: Are all quadsuits off the fursuit head well above youre own head or are there versions that uses youre own head as a base for the quads head? (in lack off other words and names for it.)


 From what I know all te heads are mounted off your head, rather than using your head as the base. otherwise the creature wouldn't have a neck.


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## DawnKestrel (Jun 13, 2011)

Fay V said:


> From what I know all te heads are mounted off your head, rather than using your head as the base. otherwise the creature wouldn't have a neck.


 
You can make it like a fursuit head, but it's straining on your neck to look up all the time, and as you said, doesn't give much of a neck.

And in response to my last comment, I was just trying to find an example of a different type of stilt, and hers was the only one I could find.


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## Deo (Jun 13, 2011)

For those of you listing bad tutorials, I hope you can sense me cringing across the internet.

Here is the mother of all quadsuit tutorials:
http://www.cosplay.com/showthread.php?t=145587
http://beetlecat.livejournal.com/445203.html

And these are okay reference images too (I'll add more when I remember to):
http://th07.deviantart.net/fs48/300W/f/2009/182/c/a/wolf_quad_WIP_head_by_LilleahWest.jpg


Also check out this tidbit of EPIC:
[video=youtube;FhS4KaiamtU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FhS4KaiamtU[/video]






[video=youtube;pDRAvx6mFtA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDRAvx6mFtA&feature=player_detailpage#t=45s[/video]
[video=youtube;lic6SFopqu8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lic6SFopqu8&feature=player_detailpage#t=8s[/video]
Ten points to who can guess what this one is


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## CannotWait (Jun 13, 2011)

I think quadsuits are interesting.

/the nonexistent post at the bottom of the page

Or the prevalent post at the top of the page.

bad timing


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## Sar (Jun 15, 2011)

Fay V said:


> From what I know all te heads are mounted off your head, rather than using your head as the base. otherwise the creature wouldn't have a neck.


 Could  this be where the periscope idea comes in.


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## Inciatus (Jun 15, 2011)

yes but as was pointed out that would be a bad idea becuase flashes off of mirrors are rather bright...


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