One of the most famous/infamous symbols of the Furry Fandom is a fursuit. I myself am a maker.
So, fursuits cost a lot of money. Like…for a full suit it’s about $8-10k. For a partial it’s closer to about $4k. (That’s what I charge, and an approximate. Other, more professional makers might charge more). There are a lot of other things that it could be used for. Should furries just forgo purchasing/making fursuits and use that money for something else?
If you don’t see yourself wearing a suit super often, maybe don’t commission one. But if you go to cons and meets and you really love being in suit, make a budget and research your options!
I’ve found a good alternative to fursuits is Prosthetics. They are much cheaper, and easier to see through. I prefer them because while a fursuit feels like hiding your real self in a cuddly costume of someone else, prosthetics help you morph yourself into your fursona. You become something else, but not someone else. Northfur FX has good prosthetics and is furry-owned.
Those are definitely interesting, but they don’t have the same feel as a fursuit, and I don’t think there are any prosthetics for Protogens.
I think it’s definitely dependant on how much you use the suit, but if the suit makes you happy and if you use it regularly then I don’t think they’re a waste of money. That said, they are 100% a luxury item so it’s really important to make sure your living essentials are covered before you invest in one.
Also prices do vary a lot between makers. My suit is a full suit and I got it for $1500USD. It depends on the experience and popularity of the maker, as well as whether the maker is making a career out of it or doing it for fun.
The value of fursuits depends on how much you want it, how much you’ll use it, and how much expendable income you have.
I would argue for a lot of furries who have them, they are a waste of money, because they buy them when they’re hardly financially independent stable, but want to “fit in” or whatever. But for some people, they’re no worse an investment than having a fancier car than is necessary.
