Simple 4-Legged Hunchback Halloween Costume

You have probably seen those videos of people on halloween dressed in large 4 legged monsters. You also probably tried searching it up online for where to buy them, only to realise that you just can't. That is what I, and many other people saw when searching for this. I, seeing that I had some useful supplies on hand, decided that it might just be possible to actually make one of these things. Long story short, I was pretty successful at bringing it to life. I realised after making it that not many people have the supplies that big creators online have to make such abominable creatures, but after doing some digging, it might just be easier than you think.

The idea was simple. use what I have to make the big spooky monster. Simple is what I thought... for a few months... without starting the project.

Alright, now time get to work. The first and most important things you will need are foot stilts and crutches. The crutches are the easy part, being pretty cheap on amazon (https://www.amazon.com), but the harder part is the foot stilts. stilts come in many shapes and sizes, and the best ones are often expensive and difficult to use. I had it easy, being that I already had a pair of foot stilts, being Skyrunner Kangaroo Shoes/Jumping Stilts (https://www.amazon.com), however, finding a cheap pair of stilts is going to be tricky. Buying them is one thing, getting used to them is another. It is best to buy stilts way before hand so that you have time to get used to them. Stilts are challenging to use, so please be careful.

Once you have your stilts and crutches, find a comfortable position. this takes a lot of trial and error to get right, so don't rush it. You should adjust the length of your stilts (if possible) to be decently easy to move around in without using the crutches.

If you can successfully and flawlessly move around on your stilts, then you are ready to continue.

Grab your crutches and find a height that works. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT that you do not "go big or go home" this. Higher up is NOT better. It is important that you find a height that works for you. Going big only makes it harder for you, and can also ruin the effect.

Your crutches should be long enough that you don't need to put weight on them to lean forward. you are not a quadruped, so don't try to walk like it. In many videos, and from lots of practice, I found that making the crutches long enough to reach the ground when you slightly crouch down on the stilts is a good height. Believe it or not, you don't actually want all your weight on the crutches. You are not used to walking like that, and it is not necessary to learn how to walk all over again at 10 times the difficulty. The stilts are to give the illusion that you are a quadruped, without actually requiring you to put weight on them. with practice, you will learn that the crutches are not a tool, but rather a prop. they shouldn't be used like your new arms.

This next part is not required, as it uses a 3d printer, and it is for making a custom mask to your liking. You do not need a custom mask, and any mask that doesn't obscure your vision is good.

I wanted to have a scary mask. Not a stereotypical scary mask. An uncanny mask.

with a lot of searching, I eventually resorted to making my own. I sketched up a design that I was proud of and ran through hundreds of design ideas, using ai to generate it, modeling it from scratch, and eventually I got something decent. I printed it out with leftover filament, planning to spray-paint it...

it was very heavy and didn't feel right.

I abandoned that and went shopping. I found a decent mask at Spirit, and tried it out. That kind of worked, but it got hot really quick, so as a last second resort, I decided to just 3d print someone elses mask.

I must credit them, but I cannot link the files, due to the model being " licensed under a Standard Digital File License."

Thanks to Acheituno on Makerworld for the mask! Full credit to the final mask goes to them.

I found that putting a pillow inside a backpack and putting it under the main costume gives the best hunchback look, so do this for the best shaping. It is advised, but not necessary to cover the crutches to make them look less like... well... crutches.

I didn't have the time to do this, nor the supplies, but a simple cardboard cover spraypainted over would be the easiest and most effective way around this. the same can be done with the stilts, but it is much harder, so I wouldn't worry too much.

Finally, the main costume can be anything. I chose a long black robe, bought from Spirit Halloween, and I got the largest size, hoping that it would cover as much of the stilts and crutches as possible. It didn't cover as much as I wanted, but I didn't have time to put fabric over everything. If possible, try to wear a costume with super long sleeves and not too long leggings, because it is harder to trip on crutches that you don't need to rest your bodyweight on than to trip on the stilts. One is obviously worse. The rest of the designing can be up to you. Knock yourself out! That's basically all there is to it. It can't get more simple than that.

P.S. I wouldn't recommend trick-or-treating with this because you cant really hold a bag and ring a doorbell when you are using crutches, and its not advised to walk up stairs while wearing stilts either, so just stick to the tricks instead of the treats with this costume.

One major idea to do this was this one video on YT of a really well done version of this, using the same supplies I had used here. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKB7KzPK6qs, 827K on YT)

I made several children cry. I scared several adults. I think depending on how you design it, you could probably make someone pass out from shock. Don't Hurt anyone, stay safe, and have fun scaring people. I had lots of fun, and I hope you will too.

BOO!