[OK] Bongo 1.0 the Cabbit by Africat Creations The item being reviewed is 5 years old and may not reflect the makers current style, or work. Maker Information Africat Creations Year of Project2021 Completion Time (?)7 - 12 Months ETA AccuracyYES - the ETA was accurate 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 Date6 October 2022 RelationshipThe maker IS a friendThis relationship was indicated by the reviewer at the time this review was written. Review InformationReviewerInstagram: deadpossumco Prior ExperienceYes, this was my second partial suit and my first custom suit. Wear Time~10 hours Informed Maker of IssuesNo, there was some communication issues (mostly time zone related), the suit came with some noticeable mistakes/flaws, like loose stitching and unlined paws. The head was also tighter than my other suit's head (different maker). Bongo 1.0 Neutral ProjectThis item was a commission Paid: A Payment Plan of $501 - $999 Initial Contact: March 2021 Completion/Ship Date: September 2021 Shipping Origin: Africa Type: Partial Style: Toony Padding: None SpeciesName: Cabbit Found in: Cabbit(?) Features: None Concept Art Photos of Completed Product Overall Initial ContactEasy, despite the time difference (North Africa vs Midwest USA) Maker CommunicationThey were very easy to communicate with, despite the time differences. They let me know when they were taking breaks (ie going on family vacations), and sent me a handful of progress photos. Project Completion TimeThe longest wait for updates throughout this entire process was with shipping. The suit did take a couple months to get through customs, but did arrive in one piece (thanks DHL). Overall Project QualityFor $500 + shipping, I feel like I might've paid a little more than I should have for the quality and wearability of the head and paws. The maker had to be reminded of obvious things that needed to be added to the suit, like the whiskers and fluff details on the head. Measurements were never asked for, which could've prevented the sizing issues. The colors of the fabrics used were perfect, although they not very flexible and not stretchy, and the seams are coming loose in a lot of places. I have to take photos from a distance to avoid these flaws showing up. I'd definitely mark this partial as a LQ suit; I know for a fact their newer works have gotten much better in the past year. Components Head Wear SatisfactionToo tight; I'm not sure if this was Africat_creations' fault as the head was a 3-D printed base they bought from another maker. There was also exposed areas inside the head, where the base can be seen through loose seams in the fabric; there's a bit of the hard base that rubs against the bridge of my nose while wearing it. The lining is also made of a blanket-like material, so I've had to wear the head for short bursts of time as the lining makes it very hot to wear (even with a balaclava). The mouth is also fully visible; which means photos need to be edited to make sure my chin isn't visible. Ventilation is also pretty rough, no suit is perfect and I know that, but the combination of the lining and the head's tightness makes it very hard to wear for longer than a half hour at a time. Ventilation is only through the mesh of the eyes and through the mouth. There was velcro on the back of the head to help put it on (in place of a zipper), and I say *was* because it's been falling off since I got it. The velcro was just glued on to the fabric, and does not hold up. I'll have to reinforce it before the next time I wear it. For the pros; vision is surprisingly very good! The eye mesh lines up perfectly with my eye level, and wasn't painted on too thick. Visual SatisfactionThe fabric used for the exterior of the head and ears are very soft and great picks for a character who's supposed to be a plushie. (Which Bongo is, but not all sonas will fit their style). He's made of felt material, which might also add to the ventilation issues, but it looks very plush like. had to specifically ask for fluff on the cheeks and top of head to be added, and they added it without any extra charges. The eyes are static and flat; I would've loved for them to be better positioned on the suit as the left eye doesn't cover the entirety of the hole from the base. I wish the ears were filled with fluff too, they're currently flat. Whiskers were also added (I had to ask to put them in), but they were hot glued in and the glue stained the fabric around them; the whiskers are pretty flimsy and bendable too. Overall the exterior of the head matches the reference sheet very well, and I love displaying it! Hands Wear SatisfactionOh boy, my biggest issues have to do with the paws. I asked for hand paws with five fingers, and instead received paws with four. The markings are off as a cause of the missing finger. The paws aren't lined either, which could have helped with the cotton fluff stuffed in the fingers. Everytime I wear these paws, the fluff sticks to my sweating fingers and come out when I take them off. I've had to restuff them every time I've worn the paws. The wrists are also very small, and I have to wiggle my hands to get them in, and the fabric does not have any give to t either. The stitching between some of the fingers is loosening, and has caused some visible holes. Visual Satisfaction(See above) Tail Wear SatisfactionThe tail is a good tail; it has good movement, has a sturdy belt loop that was reinforced and it's easy to put on. There's also a squeaker at the tip, which was added when I requested it and it works perfectly. Visual SatisfactionThe tail matches the reference sheet pretty well, I wish it was bigger and longer. That's really my only critique with this tail, it's a simple tail design so I was happy that it turned out alright. RatingFursuitReview rates by asking the question: Would you recommend this maker? OK This review has been marked with a neutral rating. This means the reviewer MIGHT recommend Africat Creations depending on circumstances that have been clarified in this review. Final CommentsThe maker was young when they took on this project; they had created two suits for themselves and I expected Bongo 1.0 to have the same level of quality to their other suits. I might have been better off waiting to commission them after they had more pieces added to their portfolio, as none of their recent suits have any of the same issues as mine. Bongo 1.0 looks like an adorable suit, and I do plan on displaying him until I'm able to commission a 2.0 version, but for now, he'll be collecting dust in my closet. 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.
