[YES] Replica the Arctic Fox Partial by Wolfbuck Studios Maker Information WolfBuck Studios (WLFBUCK) Based in Texas, Arlington. Crafting since Dec 2021. Formerly known as newt wolfbuck. Year of Project2024 Completion Time (?)1 - 3 Months ETA AccuracyEARLY - the item was delivered before the ETA An ETA is the Estimated Time of Arrival for a project. In other words, an estimated turnaround time. An ETA is not a deadline. Review Date22 February 2025 RelationshipThe maker is NOT a friendThis relationship was indicated by the reviewer at the time this review was written. Review InformationReviewerReplicaFox Bluesky: @replicafox.bsky.social Prior ExperienceNo, this is my first fursuit. Wear Time20 Informed Maker of IssuesNo, there were no major issues. Replica partial Positive ProjectThis item was a commission Paid: A Payment Plan of $3000 - $4999 Initial Contact: June 2024 Completion/Ship Date: August 2024 Shipping Origin: USA Type: Partial Style: Toony Padding: None SpeciesName: Arctic fox Found in: Canidae(?) Features: Hair / Wig Concept Art Photos of Completed Product Overall Initial ContactI filled out a form on their website and they contacted me via Telegram to follow up. All very straightforward, including clear directions for needed measurements. Maker CommunicationThey got back to me quickly from the initial request (I want to say it was within a day or so). Communication from there was clear, I was told what to expect up front, and a contract was provided before work began. Updates were frequent, with concept art provided for review before construction began, and detailed photos were sent as progress was made. Project Completion TimeThere was no queue, and the head and paws were completed in about 2 months. I was told to expect less than 4 months, so definitely hit that. I asked for the tail a bit later, and that took a few additional weeks (it also came with a surprise custom badge!). Shipping was quick and secure, with items wrapped in plastic within the box. Overall Project QualityI am very happy with everything about this partial fursuit! It captures the character, improves upon it, feels durable, and fits well. Nitpicks are minor, and to be expected with a one-off custom build like this. It was definitely worth the price considering the amount of time, materials, and skill put into it. Turnaround time was very fast despite unique challenges in the design that required creative solutions (the long, multicolored hair). The maker was pleasant to deal with while being receptive to requests for changes to design concepts. And importantly, I love how it looks on me. Components Head Wear SatisfactionAn adjustable backstrap is built into the head, making it easy to put on and take off, while being held in place very securely. The mechanism is easy to use, just position the strap into place and rotate a wheel to tighten. The whole head moves with my head rather than just sitting over it. It's about as comfortable as wearing ear protection that hugs the head, I need a break every couple of hours to relieve pressure across the top of my head, but it's a good idea for cooling off and taking on water anyway. Otherwise it's padded adequately. Ventilation is good even with a (included!) balaclava. It's just possible to fit a KN95 mask in there too, but breathing is difficult going that route, so I abandoned that idea immediately. Vision is as expected, I have to turn my head side to side or look straight down when engaging stairs. It's especially challenging navigating difficult terrain with the eyelids on, which cover another half or so of the vertical field of view, but doable. Glasses may be fit inside if needed. Visual SatisfactionI love how it looks! The maker took my character sheet and applied it in their style, and I think it works quite well. I was given opportunities to review and draw over 2D design work before the 3D build was started, and updates were regularly sent out as the 3D head was built. The expression is perfect, and I find myself leaning more into the design elements and personality that the maker brought than my original design. Fur shaving is even and feels like the right length, and symmetry is good. If you get really close, stitching for the nose is visible, but I've never looked at anyone's suit that close, so I want to say that's to be expected. Eyelids are held in place by magnets and are very secure, even after I taped identifying information to the backside of each in case they get lost. They can almost be reversed for a different look, but it wasn't designed for that, so the magnets don't quite line up, and I wouldn't go outside with them like that. The maker went above and beyond with the most challenging aspect, which is the long hair that transitions from dark blue to bright pink in the character sheet, with a cyan strip down one side. I originally thought this would require taking a preexisting wig and dying it carefully, but the maker had an idea of cutting into shape and sewing several different colors of fur into a rug of hair that's permanently attached with a zipper all the way down the center. I feel this works much better because it give the hair a lot more volume to match the oversized head, and tangling/thinning isn't a concern like it would be with a wig of long-haired strands. Durability seems good. I've bopped myself in the nose a few times while playing drums with the head on to no ill effect. If I were to pick on anything to improve, I noticed a slight brown tinge to the right eye's lower part of the iris. It was in all the photos I was sent before delivery and I didn't see it, and I went to an entire con without noticing, so it's very subtle. I only realized it's there because I love the look of the printing on the eyes so much that it caught my attention after the con, and I was afraid the fursuit spray I used may have damaged the printing, but it's always been there. Hands Wear SatisfactionThe fit is great! I asked for a 5-finger design with pads on each finger, and they fit like a normal (very large on the outside) glove. They are comfortable and sized appropriately for my smaller hands and wrists. I had tried on other pre-made paws from a different maker at a con, and my wrists were swimming around in the much too large wrist openings. I'm happy the maker was able to size these appropriately for me with the measurements provided, as they stay firmly on my hands without being uncomfortably tight anywhere. Durability seems good. I've never had a thought that the seams might fail even after drumming with them. Despite their size, there is just enough dexterity available to be able to grip a stick and play without losing it. The claws are durable, each being a solid piece of hardened resin, and they feel firmly attached. Visual SatisfactionThey look great! Fur matches the head, the symmetry is good, and the claws all bow consistently inward a bit. The fur length feels right and can be brushed easily where it's longer near the wrists and back of the paw. The pads match the spec'ed design, and I was given an opportunity to approve a 2D drawing before they were made. The claws are an iridescent blue resin that looks great, with different colors reflected at different angles. If I was looking for something to improve, some of the fur around the claws appears to be glued to them, but you have to really get close and inspect them to notice. I didn't even see this until going over them after wearing them to a con. Tail Wear SatisfactionThe tail fits snugly on a standard 1.5" belt and is attached by two nylon straps with a gap between allowing the tail to be centered even if the belt is run through a belt loop in the center back of worn pants. I use a KORE Essentials belt with the tail, which is thicker than normal to hold its shape stiffly and have no problem threading the tail onto it. I originally had a preexisting tail that I was going to use, but I found that the fur color didn't quite match the head and paws, so I requested this tail to match the other's shape but in the matching fur color. It came out a bit smaller than the tail I had (still reasonably sized though), but I found that this gives it much less bounce off the back of my calves since it doesn't drop down quite so low, which makes it better for walking around in. The straps seem securely attached and durability is good otherwise. Visual SatisfactionThis was pretty straightforward as a single color matching the shape of an existing tail given a photo reference. The shape is spot on! As noted above, it came out a bit smaller than the original, but it's still an appropriate size. If I were to pick one thing to improve, there is a bit of waviness to the fur that I think is coming from the underlying fabric (rather than a botched trim) that brushing doesn't totally eliminate. It's subtle and doesn't look bad in isolation, but it does make it appear just a bit more unruly than the original tail. RatingFursuitReview rates by asking the question: Would you recommend this maker? YES This review has been marked with a positive rating. This means the reviewer would recommend WolfBuck Studios. Final CommentsI would recommend this maker for custom fursuits, for all the reasons described elsewhere in this review: I'm happy with the design, it feels durable, they are good to work with, and quick turnaround on the build. Are you the maker of this item? Would you like to leave an official response? Click here. In case the button above doesn't work, you can click here to launch the maker response form.
