Thread: Lack of quality props this year?

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I went out yesterday to see props at Spirit and Halloween USA first hand and I was dissapointed in this years quality. Years past there has been much more and much better IMO.

There was a boa snake I bought last year and wore around my neck that I really liked and was very well made that I saw again this year and there's no way you could even put it around your neck. It was much more hard "plastic-ey" and you could barely move it.

Many of the other props looked very cheesey. I didn't like the Animated insane serial killer at all. It was more of a moving flat pillow.

I did like the Zombie babies, but even the one whos head rotates the body and head are grey but the neck where the two meet and rotate are pink and don't match with a little work they could look great and I would buy some on sale.

WHERE YOU BEEN!

Be honest with you i have never been in a spirit store I usually just make stuff...It always look better anyway. Ill bet they contract out every year and sometimes you get better companies building things then others. Maybe next year will be higher quality.

I went to a spirit store last week and seen several things that were new.two different animated witches,one that looks like shes flyng.i bought this one ,but i am going to make her look more sinister.seen the zombabies,witch that rises from a cauldren,and other stuff.the problem i have is the quality of the animatronics.they don't last.i got a chest ripper zombie and it worked only one year.stirring witch,didn't make it to halloween.the stuff is expensive,so i do wish it lasted longer.wal mart sucks this year ,just like last year.i was disapointed in big lotts to.

QUOTE=Toetag;725953]WHERE YOU BEEN!

Be honest with you i have never been in a spirit store I usually just make stuff...It always look better anyway. Ill bet they contract out every year and sometimes you get better companies building things then others. Maybe next year will be higher quality.[/QUOTE]

Now that fireworks are done until most likely next year it's time to get back to Halloween stuff

I made my first small props ever last year and with the way things looked at the stores it looks like i'll work on my own this year and add the other things in that I bought on clearance after Halloween last year

Has anyone considered the idea that we have become "Halloween Snobs"? I know my wife and I have. After years of prop-building, facade-building, home-decorating, food-creating, house-haunting, and party-throwing, we find very little at stores that we like enough to buy. If we DO like it, we usually just make it ourselves. And Halloween Recipe Books & Magazines? Forget it. We left them behind years ago.

As far as the quality of props lately, yes, they may be inferior, but perhaps we just expect more.

Also, we may be experiencing the effects of a new buyer at some corporate office somewhere that knew he needed snakes, but went with the cheaper "plastic-ey" ones, probably assuming everyone was too broke to buy the good stuff. He'll learn.

I think the last really good prop I noticed was the warped Burtonesque candelabra's they sold at Michaels, Garden Ridge and Spirit about three years ago, nice little step candelabra with three LED candles.

It was a nice prop if you hadn't been able to locate any decent candelabras at the local thrift store, something to load down with pvc pipe and 'waxicles' of hot glue.

It's been a challenging year for me and I wanted to buy some really cool props. Sadly, I find the market lacking in quality. But on the other hand I might have become a Halloween snob because there are so many talented people on this forum that my mind can't accept less than the best....which is seen only on this forum.

Now that fireworks are done until most likely next year it's time to get back to Halloween stuff

I made my first small props ever last year and with the way things looked at the stores it looks like i'll work on my own this year and add the other things in that I bought on clearance after Halloween last year

Hey- another pyro! I am as well. Do you shoot for a local company?

Dan

I haven't seen much in the way of really innovative stuff in the past 4-5 years. Whats out there is pricey and you really need to shop around to either get a bargain or find something worth the asking price. Seems many of the stores are carrying the exact same things, just with different prices. Certain types of props can simply be made better and cheaper by doing it yourself. Selection this year is really marginal compared to the past few years. Hopefully it's not a downward trend.

Originally Posted by Shockwave199

Hey- another pyro! I am as well. Do you shoot for a local company?

Dan

Good to see another pyro around If you aren't already a member of pyrouniverse.com you should check it out there's a ton of good info on there. I had an offer to get my feet wet with a local display company this year, but at the moment I don't have the time, but I would like to in the future Here was my small backyard display for the 4th 2009 if you want to check it out. Not my best show, but there's always next year

PART 1: http://www.pyrouniverse.com/gallery2...009_part_1.wmv

PART 2: http://www.pyrouniverse.com/gallery2...009_part_2.wmv

I was looking forward to seeing some cool new stuff in the stores this year after seeing some of the stuff in the 2009 Halloween Expo thread, but I guess not lol. I suppose if I drove closer to Chicago I might find some better stuff.