[YES] Hoku the Plush Lynx Fullsuit by Star Tiger Suits The item being reviewed is 5 years old and may not reflect the makers current style, or work. Maker Information Star Tiger Suits Year of Project2021 Completion Time (?)7 - 12 Months ETA AccuracyNO - the ETA was passed 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 Date29 December 2021 RelationshipThe maker is NOT a friendThis relationship was indicated by the reviewer at the time this review was written. Review InformationReviewerFuraffinity: anotheredgydog Twitter: edgydogsoftlynx Prior ExperienceYes, I have another digi fullsuit, planti fullsuit, and have worn friends' suits and suit parts. Wear Time25ish Informed Maker of IssuesYes, and it was an issue they mentioned to me before sending out the suit. Hoku the plush fullsuit Positive ProjectThis item was a commission Paid: A Lump Sum of $1000 - $2999 Initial Contact: September 2020 Completion/Ship Date: June 2021 Shipping Origin: USA Type: Fursuit Style: Toony Padding: Plush, Digitigrade SpeciesName: lynx Found in: Felidae(?) Features: None Review Videohttps://twitter.com/edgydogsoftlynx/status/1402085769762816002?s=20 Concept Art Photos of Completed Product Overall Initial ContactI reached out to them through a DM when they had opened for a head-only slot to see if they would consider a full suit project like this at that time or in the future. They got back to me quickly and told me to send over my reference. It was easy to establish what they'd need from me to claim the slot and later build the suit. Maker CommunicationMy maker, Vi, absolutely blew me away with their professionalism and skills throughout the entire process. They worked in a very timely manner and communicated any issues that arose very quickly. I never worried I'd be left in the dark with them. I strongly believe they should raise their prices if they take on commissions again (they are closed indefinitely at the time of this review). Project Completion TimeMy only request was the suit be completed for Megaplex 2021, which was almost a year out at the time. I believe the original estimate was December 2020 but actually completed in April 2021. This wasn't really an issue as they informed throughout the process what their estimates were and where they were at in the construction process. They were also upfront about this being the first project of its kind for them so it was understandable it was a bit harder to estimate completion time. I was given updates about weekly or more, depending on what they were working on at any given time. Once completed, they got the suit to me very quickly and it did arrive on time. I believe they shipped the suit through USPS. Overall Project QualityI am very happy with the overall suit. It's built with a lot of care and attention to detail. All of it feels well-constructed and built to last. I feel like a very cute plush while wearing Hoku and that was a major part of it for me. The suit looks great from just about every angle, with or without eyelids, and is fun to wear the whole time, too. I really feel like I will be getting a lot of time in Hoku at future cons and events because of the attention to detail that was put into his construction. This project exceeded my expectations and was absolutely worth more than what I paid. I have already recommended them and shown off the skill put into the suit to several friends. It's hard not to gush when asked about Hoku. Components Head Wear SatisfactionThe head is just pulled over the wearer's head, no need for a zipper or anything. The head is spacious enough that I can wear my glasses with it, though I usually wear contacts for convenience. The head is beautifully lined with a neoprene material which makes it easy to clean. The lining is very thorough and clean even around the eyes and mouth, which are lined with a different material. I do not feel any hot glue or uneven seams under the liner while wearing the head. The ventilation and vision are fantastic. The mouth is very open and the eyes, even with eyelids, are large and easy to see out of. There is a noticeable blind spot, but I would say it's within an average range. The only time I've had an issue with it has been with photos. I think this is common with larger foam heads meant to go with a full suit. Visual SatisfactionI LOVE the way the head turned out. I think my maker did a fantastic job with the overall feline shape as well as the key species features (larger ears and fur tufts). The proportions are very true to the reference as is the expression. The symmetry is very good and they made sure Hoku's markings were symmetrical and accurate. The eyes are static and ideal for the expressions I wanted to be able to achieve with the suit. The eyelids are magnetic and stay on reliably. They are a perfect shape for the sleepy or flirty looks I wanted for the character. The fur is all high quality and the variations in length are expertly done. The shave job is impressive. It's very even over the entire head and the areas where the length changes have good transitions. The combination of long fur and foam sculpting give the hair and cheek fluff a consistently fluffy look. The stitch "markings" are a stiff felt and convey the idea well. The locations add to the plush aesthetic very nicely and built off the suggested spots I had on the reference. I requested the back of the neck by shortened a bit to better show off the back details so sometimes while looking down you can see under the suit a bit. I don't think this is too big of a deal as it's unlikely for me to be looking down often enough to be noticeable. One-Piece Body Wear SatisfactionThe bodysuit is SO LIGHT. One of the first things I told my maker after getting to try on Hoku was how amazed I was with the lightness. The feet are built off a pair of crocs and as carved out as can be without sacrificing shape. The thigh and butt padding is made with two large pillows that go around the wearer's thighs. They took a little getting used to but are now very easy for me to put on. The thighs slide right into the suit's thighs and then the suit just needs to be pulled up.The suit being so light allows for a LOT of mobility. I can easily walk around and do many poses. The arms are a little snug, but they mentioned this and did offer to potentially lengthen the arms free of charge if I asked. The hand paws do make my hands sweat a bit extra but I may get lycra gloves or similar to help with this. The hand paws also have squeakers, which was a surprise feature that I have adored. They can be a little hard to make squeak at certain angles. I have to have assistance with putting on the bodysuit as it is all one piece and due to the sculpting on the arms my maker wasn't able to find a good way to add hand escapes. I rarely suit up alone so this isn't a major issue, and I could theoretically get the suit on alone, it would just be unzipped. I can also remove the head on my own if I need to and having been suiting for a few years, that's enough of a safety feature for me. I may need to add a loop of string or similar to the zipper as it is very small and difficult to pull. The body suit is not lined inside nor did I expect it to be. The back details are reinforced with a little hot glue over the double seams but you can't really feel it. The seams overall seem very durable even in high stress areas. The airflow is alright but not great. The short furs help with this and if I stand in front of a fan I can still cool off in suit. I wouldn't say this suit is too much hotter than other digi suits. So far cleaning has been fine. I generally try to do a high level of maintenance between wears to minimize the amount of full soaks/washes and this can be a little difficult with getting alcohol sprays into the sleeves and legs and also getting the suit opened up enough for solid airflow. I may need to invest in a scuba dryer or similar. Visual SatisfactionThe symmetry and shave job on the body suit are just as well done as the head. The chest seam marking is beautifully symmetrical even with the zipper going right through it. The back markings are gorgeous and brought the character to life super well. It's one of my favorite parts of the suit. The furs used are easy to brush and maintain and very soft. The padding in the arms and legs achieves the cute plush look I wanted. I really like how the digi legs turned out, they aren't chunky or blocky and feel like something I'd see on an actual plush toy. I told my maker they could simplify the back and wrist/ankle markings (the yellow semicircle "bracelet" markings) but they kept them very true to the reference. It must have been very complicated, but it turned out beautifully. I've continued to be impressed with each detail they achieved with the bodysuit. 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 Star Tiger Suits. 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.
