Well done armored Halo costumes are always impressive, but Alexis Smith and Jeremie Sloan — also known as The Mgalekgolo Twins — have gone above and beyond. They’ve been working on Mgalekgolo costumes. The Hunters from Halo 4 are gigantic, and Smith and Sloan are making full scale versions. That means the costumes stand at about 10 feet tall. We highlighted the build last month, and I talked with Smith and Sloan about the impressive costume.

Adafruit: How long have you been cosplaying and what inspired you to start?

Alexis Smith and Jeremie Sloan: Both of us started costuming around 2009 and we did not meet until 2012.

Adafruit: Why did you decide to build the Hunter costumes?

Smith and Sloan: We decided to build the Halo 4 Hunter because it was a concept nobody has really attempted and we wanted to build something large that would be easily recognized but also unique and memorable.

Adafruit: What were some of the challenges involved with creating costumes this gigantic? How heavy are they to wear?

Smith and Sloan: Challenges with the suit was mainly getting the scale correct. There was a lot of math involved making sure the pieces were the correct size and then figuring out how we would fit a person inside of it. Once we got that figured out, it was easy to get it all put together. The costume itself is not too heavy, maybe about 40 lbs total. The heaviest parts are the stilts and the internal structure that holds the costume all together. The armor itself is lightweight so it was more awkward than heavy to wear.

Adafruit: What supplies have been crucial to making these costumes and why?

Smith and Sloan: Crucial supplies were definitely the structures we built for inside the suit so we could wear it. The stilts were important to achieve the height, the pack frame centered all the weight of the torso of the costume to our hips so we didn’t have to physically lift much, and the PVC pipe structure we made for the arms made it so we could move the arms and they weren’t completely stagnant. Other than those key internals, we used EVA foam for he armor and a lot of hot glue to put it all together.

Adafruit: Any tips or tricks to offer other cosplayers?

Smith and Sloan: No matter what project you’re working on, whether it be a costume or something else entirely, it is still easy to get frustrated even if you have lots of experience in your field. Don’t be afraid to take a step back and a couple of deep breaths and look at your project as one big picture. It’s easy to get lost down that rabbit hole of granular details.

If you are doubting your project will be successful, reflect on the uniqueness of your project. It is something YOU have started and no one else has! No two projects are the same. The best thing you can do is picture how amazing your project is going to be when it’s finished. If you need to, look at the final product of others to give you inspiration or ideas.

Aside from the motivational tips, when working with foam for costumes, always make sure your blade is sharp. Keep a sharpener on hand and have lots of extra blades nearby for when he one you’re using is too dull to sharpen. But this also leads up to the importance of safety. Always read safety instructions and be aware of what you’re doing. Hot glue is hot and knives are sharp. Anything that emits an odor, you should probably be using a filtered respirator. It’s better to be safer than sorry.

Parting words: Reach for the sky and beyond. Encourage yourself and others to do great things and we all can make amazing things together.

Keep up with Smith’s and Sloan’s work on Facebook.

Learn more about cosplay techniques in our series of cosplay interviews.