Thinking about getting an inflatable suit of my own...

19 posts / 0 new

Sat, 07/11/2015 - 12:08

crabappletreez

So I'm beginning to save up for a suit from Squeaklatex, specifically the ball one. I thought about trying for a cheaper and smaller one, but I decided I might as well go the distance for something I'm buying purely for pleasure.

Anyway, I have a few questions for folks with similar suits. Off the top of my head I only have a couple, but if I can get responses to these I can probably think of more later. Can you sit down in it (not in like a small chair or anything, but in a large beanbag or couch) at all? How long does it take to get in/out of the suit and is it necessary to have someone help you in/out of the suit?

And, is there any way to sort of gage if a suit would be right for me? As in, any super cheap and easy way to have a watered down version of an inflatable suit experience? It would be awesome if there was a 'try before you buy' kinda thing, but I realize that such a system would lend itself to abuse.

I dunno, this is pretty much just me being a noob. Sorry if this is a dumb topic.

Sat, 07/11/2015 - 14:39

Another Canadian Guy

These are good questions. Coming from a suit owner (I have the latex bag, it looks like a giant pillow), I'll do my best to answer.

Assuming that you aren't too inflated, yes, you can sit down in it. Ideally what you want to do is sit down uninflated and start that way, or at least that is what I found best so it doesn't rapidly shift the shape of the suit. I don't know if this is a good idea long term, as it could possibly distort the shape, but I do not know if that is true and I might just be paranoid.
Getting in and out of the suit is relatively easy, assuming you have help and/or a lubricant. Most people I know who have latex clothing use baby powder as a lubricant: It's soft, it's smooth, helps keep you dry, very soft, easy to clean off, and cheap. I think you can use a water based lubricant, but that gets to be much more expensive. I'd ask Blowup_boy here on the site or Eden when you place your order (Blowup_Boy is the owner of Squeak Latex on these forums). Ayways, the process can take anywhere from a few seconds to under a minute, depends on how prepared you are and set up. Ideally you want to set up in the area you plan on being inflated it, and on that note, make sure to clean up as you don't want dust or other small things on the ground getting on your latex.
I'd say it is nessesary, but you should be able to get out yourself if you absolutely have to through the head hole. I don't reccomend this as that is not how you are supposed to enter: the suit should come with a zippered entry that you want to use to get in. Using the head hole or another hole will really stretch the latex, and while it is quite durable, long term it would not be good for the suits health. Plus, it's just so much easier having someone help you deflate and then get out (side note, you probably can't get out of the suit inflated via the zippered entry if it is on the bottom, as the inside of the suit will press against you and can cause suffocation as the latex keeps getting pressed into your face. I haven't had any other entries so I can't speak for other exits. Common sense should be good enough for you to figure it out, and if you are ordering from Squeak, I think you can ask to have the zippers placed at specific areas if needed. (I think, but do not know, that the suits have a deflation valve thingy like on bike tires. I could be wrong, but I saw them in a photo on the site).
Sadly, I do not think so. A big reason why the inflatable suits are so great is because they are double layered, so your whole body feels a gentle pressure along with inflation. This makes it more than visually inflating, as you can more or less "feel" like your inflating. You can get those chubsuits for the visual effect, but for a cheap version of the latex suit, I can't say I know of a way. That's why it feels like such a leap for these things, because it's a fair amount of cash. I can say, and from what I've seen from every other person who has a suit, that I(we) absolutely do not regret our purchases. There are cheaper suits on different sites, but Squeak has been known to have the best quality and the best designs.

If you have anymore questions, please do ask away and I'll see if I or perhaps others can help.

(Not on here too often, replies might be slow.)

Sat, 07/11/2015 - 20:23

crabappletreez

Thanks for the response! The answer to my first question is a bit vague though, so hopefully other people will offer their experiences. I just don't want to stand up all the time in the suit; I'm imagining just chilling out on a couch playing video games while inflated... Probably one of the more innocent uses for it I'd imagine.

Which brings me to another question, is there any sort of time limit on how long you should be in the suit while inflated without damaging it?

edit: Also, I suppose I'd need an air pump. Can you recommend a cheap, reletively powerful pump?

Sat, 07/11/2015 - 20:48

(Reply to #3) #4

Another Canadian Guy

I'd like to say that I actually mostly use my suit lying down, so gaming in it would be a much more comfortable idea than standing. However, what I am afraid of is that if you inflate the suit even almots full, when you sit down it might balloon over your horizontal sightline to the TV.

(Not trying to self promote, but I did a video for inflation on a couch leaning back. You might want to check the results and judge how much you'd inflate from there: https://youtu.be/STO48O8Cva0?t=2m50s)

As for the length of time, honestly, if you only inflate it a very modest amount (full, but not stretching, or barely stretching), I don't think it'd ever be an issue for damaging it. I've heard that the suits can inflate to about 7X their size, so I'm sure if you only inflate to 1.2 times it's size it shouldnt be an issue. This is just an assumption from me though as I do not know latex professionally.

For the pump, any mattress inflator should work. This model was very close to mine, I just can't see if it has an on off switch.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Intex-110-120-Volt-AC-Electric-Inflation-Pump-for-Inflatable-Toys-Boats-Air-Beds-/221385368240

You can probably head to your local Walmart and find any electric mattress inflator there. Should cost you around $20 or less.

Final note on the pump, you will need it, because you do NOT want to blow it up by mouth. Not that you'd ever be able to do it, the issue is that if you get moisture between the two layers, it could cause the latex to rot.

(Sorry, not trying to scare you, just saying why you'd want a pump and a common thing a lot of people don't think about).

(Not on here too often, replies might be slow.)

Sat, 07/11/2015 - 21:45

(Reply to #4) #5

crabappletreez

Thanks for replying! The one video you did with prep work was interesting and leads me to question some aspects of caring for the suit. Mainly the cleaning part, because while I've read some FAQ pages on it already I think it would be more helpful to have a video guide. Maybe you can point me to a preexisting guide (there's probably some on non-inflating suits, but I haven't seen any for inflatables) or perhaps make one of your own? Just an idea since I saw you were looking for video ideas.

Sun, 07/12/2015 - 09:55

(Reply to #5) #6

deleted_20180328 (not verified)

How to clean it:

1) When deflated completely, put the cap on the valve and close any tubes for hoses with a rubber band.

3) Hang it up in the shower and give it a rinse.

4) Use some mild detergent on it. Mild shampoo or one of the non-perfume shower gels is ideal.

5) Rinse thoroughly

3) Leave it hanging for a little bit to drip excess water into the shower stall / bath.

4) Towel dry thoroughly inside and out.

5) Leave to dry out on a flat surface with a towel on it (bed is ideal) I leave it inside out until dry then turn it back out the right way.

6) Talc both inside and out to stop it sticking to itself. (don't breathe in the talc!)

7) Now leave it longer as the zip will have fabric in it and that needs to dry too.

8) Fold up neatly and put away in some sort of fabric cover. A pillow slip is ideal.

9) Store out of sunlight, UV will degrade it.

Sun, 07/12/2015 - 18:47

crabappletreez

Thanks so much for the replies, guys. It really means a lot. I've sent blowupboy (owner of squeaklatex, right?) an email and am actively looking to buy one. Ideally if it could come by Halloween it would make an awesome costume; I'd probably go as Mario with a power balloon from Super Mario World. I'll have to find an extra-extra-extra large pair of overalls and make sure I have a suit-friendly environment though...! I'll post pics if I end up doing that. If not this year, then maybe next!

Mon, 07/13/2015 - 06:57

(Reply to #7) #8

Another Canadian Guy

Your most certainly welcome, and oh my gosh that would be amazing! I really hope that works out well for you man, and please do post pictures if you do that!

Also, did you PM him on these forums or did you email him directly on his site? Sometimes he doesn't have time to check messages on these forums so your best bet would be to email him directly.

(Not on here too often, replies might be slow.)

Mon, 07/13/2015 - 13:28

crabappletreez

Yeah, I sent him an email over the squeaklatex gmail account. Hope he can find time for me soon! I saw some... not so promising comments on his turnaround time, but those comments are rather old and hopefully he can get to me quickly.

Mon, 07/13/2015 - 15:17

(Reply to #9) #10

Another Canadian Guy

Honestly, I've heard the same, but keep in mind he has a LOT of orders, and he puts a lot of quality into them (the suits) as well. It's a bit of a shame that they take so long, but I get why, and if you want the best sometimes you gotta wait for the best. Hopefully the production doesn't take too long.

(Not on here too often, replies might be slow.)

Tue, 07/14/2015 - 18:39

(Reply to #10) #11

crabappletreez

I guess I'll just have to wait for blowup_boy senpai to notice me, then.

I guess I can still ask questions about inflatable suits to ease the anticipation. Like, how do they handle having tape on them or things like bedsheets covering them while inflated? If I want to romp in this in semi-public I need to have the 'it's just a costume!' excuse haha.

Tue, 07/14/2015 - 20:17

(Reply to #11) #12

Another Canadian Guy

(first off, again, I am not a latex expert, so while I have done a bit of research, these may not be the most correct answers).

To answer that (and perhaps other questions), I don't think it would do very well. Think of it like tape on a regular balloon. As for the sheets, I'm pretty sure that as long as the material is clean and not oily, it should be completely fine. Actually that might not be a bad idea because the sheets can act as a sort of UV shield, prolonging the life of the latex (my suit has been exposed to the sun a lot, so it has a few places where it's losing colour, bleh).

And please, do keep asking away! I do however find sometimes it's easier to try and completely forget things you really want until you get it. I had that with the first Oculus Rift(s) and believe me, that was a rollercoaster of emotions waiting for it (as I had no idea when it would ship).

(Not on here too often, replies might be slow.)

Wed, 07/15/2015 - 14:56

(Reply to #12) #13

crabappletreez

Heh, I know I shouldn't be obsessing over this, but I've actually been wanting a suit like this for a few years now and I finally have the freedom to purchase one of my own. Blowupboy's suit exhibiton videos are part of what got me into this sort of thing, so I guess you could say I'm a long time fan of his work. This has been by far my favorite of his uploads: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSWCMkNlrHI . I'm very new to the suit upkeep and properties of latex though, and am trying to learn what I can before rushing into the purchase and popping the suit on the first wear. That would be... extremely sad.

So how can you fix minor and major punctures in inflatable suits? As in, what kind of products should I have on hand and how should I use them? And if you've found any interesting sites while doing your own research it would probably help me out immensely. And, I guess having overalls in the character design should help keep the sheets in place. Buttons and such would also help, but I'm still not too sure about how I would keep the 'pants' up if tape wouldn't work. Bed covers with elastic might work, though I'd have to balloon to the right size and maintain it to keep them up even then. Maybe I might be too big for one bed cover as well...!!

Also, how thin do you think the latex would have to be to reach the size he did in the video? I'm inclined to lean towards a hardier, thicker latex, but if I can't reach the size I want it'll make it less worth it.

Thu, 07/16/2015 - 06:32

(Reply to #13) #14

Another Canadian Guy

I should first off say that unless there is a severe defect in the product, I'm pretty confident that you won't pop the suit. I sound paranoid with these things because I hate to see someone spend so much cash and not treat products with the best quality they can. I'm not implying your foolish and that you don't know what your doing, but it never hurts to be too safe right?

Also, while I do like answering your questions, this site came to mind when I had rubber based questions of my own.

http://www.rubberist.net/forums/forum.php

It's a really big rubber community and is very knowedgable towards latex and like-latex products, and has been around since 1998. I'd suggest making an account and asking there, because there are some veterans who can probably answer anything and everything about latex, and give you some advice to boot.

Please do feel free to continue asking here, but for seriously professional advice and professional users, I highly suggest checking out there and asking around.

Also, don't think it's wrong to obsess over this kind of stuff. Many of us have felt the same way, and when you finally can get one it's amazing. You like what you like, and there's nothing wrong with that!

(Not on here too often, replies might be slow.)

Fri, 07/17/2015 - 12:43

#15

crabappletreez

Okay, thanks for the link. I'm not a full member yet apparently but what I can access has been helpful.

Maybe you could give me advice on colors and such? Maybe not advice, more like opinions on what other characters I could maybe masquerade as in a ball suit, like Pompom from Homestarrunner and stuff. Ideally I could just put colored sheets over another color to go as another character, like red and blue sheets (buttoned together) for P-Balloon Mario over a yellow suit for Pompom.

Have you ever gotten hot in the suit? As in more easily than usual?

I'd like to keep talking with you about this; it's nice to have someone to talk to :p

Mon, 07/20/2015 - 12:29

(Reply to #15) #16

Another Canadian Guy

http://vocaroo.com/i/s1zevHpAQEv4

Well, I do find that I usually do get a bit hot in them, but not like I am super hot, just like sweaty (the stuff clings to your skin). Assuming it isnt too hot outside the air in the suit shouldnt be too hot, but I've never actually done much activity in it or been outside with it so I am not entirely sure. The same can be said about being cold in it, if it is cold outside it will cool the air inside, and that can cool you off as well.

The thing is that in latex like that, your body can't cool itself off as easily because to cool off you sweat. However, if you have a layer of latex pressed against your skin the sweat cannot exchange with the air. Same thing for the cold, but instead of sweat, it's basically a dead layer that your body has to try to heat up. In most cases, it isn't an issue, but if you live in Canada like me, our Halloweens can be -20C or below. It's basically like wearing nothing outside like that if you don't have a layer underneath.

(Not on here too often, replies might be slow.)

Sat, 07/25/2015 - 18:54

(Reply to #16) #17

crabappletreez

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. I've e-mailed blowupboy and he responded fairly quickly but I had some payment questions that I need answered before I can continue. :x Hopefully he gets back to me soon!

Mon, 08/10/2015 - 13:29

#18

crabappletreez

Hi guys, I sent payments for my ball suit :) !! But now I'm waiting on confirmation from blowupboy himself for about a week now. I know he's been around a while and stuff, but I'm getting rather worried. Can anyone else vouch for him to make me feel a little better about this situation?

Mon, 08/10/2015 - 16:57

(Reply to #18) #19

Another Canadian Guy

I'll tell you this, and its not to sound rude, but Blowup_Boy hasn't been exactly the best on communication. He's pretty busy with stuff, but I trust that your in good hands, and while you might be waiting another week (or longer) for communication, I'd say you can trust him to take care of ya. You can send him a PM on this forum though if it helps.

(Not on here too often, replies might be slow.)

Thinking about getting an inflatable suit of my own...

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