Why was Vader so feared by the soldiers of the Rebellion? The last few minutes of Rogue One answer that question very clearly.
 
Again, the props department couldn't resist messing with a design just a little bit, even though it technically needed to lead right into A New Hope as far as continuity went. As such, the gunmetal grey is spray painted rather than brushed, though at least they managed to restrain themselves from giving it a thick coat of gloss lacquer. The dome is highly polished rather than gloss coated, and we replicate this finish with extensive hand sanding and polishing.
 
We happen to know quite a bit more about this helmet than the others, and the reason is that it was actually our helmet that was used as the master for the prop department on Rogue One! Vader as a character was something of a last minute addition to the movie, and so they were left scrambling to produce a costume. Crew members were asked if they could help out, and a couple of members of the production volunteered the use of their Vader helmets. The face from our helmet was chosen to be used in conjunction with a separate dome. It was handed off to a model maker for a little bit of fettling (apparently some of the more organic lines that Vader's helmet is well known for among collectors were judged unsuitable for HD cameras), but the basic shape was left unchanged. It really was incredible to be even such a small part of the Star Wars universe.
 
The helmet itself is constructed from epoxy fibreglass of the type used in boat building, and finished with a smooth resin interior to the mask and dome.
 
Fully approvable with the 501st or any other costuming group, assuming the rest of your costume is up to scratch, but please do let us know if you plan to use it as a costume as we'll add a couple of extra details that make a costumers life a little bit easier.
 
NEW - If you are a costumer and want to lighten the load a little (Vader is a heavy costume!) we are now able to offer the helmet made with carbon fibre. Externally it is painted exactly the same as the standard helmet, but you can expect a 35% weight reduction by opting for carbon fibre instead of fibreglass. The weave of the carbon fibre cloth is visible only on the inside of the helmet.
 
Please be aware that this item is made to order, refer to the banner at the top of the Shop page for the current lead time.