Mascot Health Tips & Mascot Cooling Systems

Have you ever worn a mascot costume? If you have, you know how physically demanding it can be! Especially when the costume is being worn for an outdoor event during the scorching summer. In fact, it’s possible to sweat off up to 10 pounds while in costume! This job isn’t to be taken lightly. It’s important that your character actor has the proper fuel before going out in costume. Look at this as a workout, because- let’s be honest, it IS one! Your body needs fuel to make it through the period that you’re in the costume. This means you need to eat something healthy, stay hydrated, and get plenty of sleep before working in a costume. It’s also I important to do pre-workout stretches beforehand. Remember, your motions and acting must be extremely exaggerated, so you want to be as loose and flexible as possible.

There is a general rule of thumb as to how long you should stay in costume before taking a break. Typically, an actor should spend 20 minutes in costume followed by 20 minutes out of costume. This prevents the mascot actor from getting dehydrated and worn out- this is important because your mascot should be very lively the entire time it’s out in front of your patrons. If it’s not possible for your actor to follow this schedule and it’s necessary to have the character out for extended periods of time, you can purchase a cooling system.

Mascot cooling systems are worn by the actor underneath the costume. Typically, the cooling system is a harness worn by the actor that has pockets which hold ice mats. There are also cooling systems for the head and forehead. Built in exhaust fans are a smart choice, but added cooling systems make the experience much more enjoyable for the actor. A happy actor makes for good acting! Some cooling systems even have a built in hydration system, allowing the actor to drink water while in the mascot costume! We’ve had great experiences with the cooling systems we’ve found at this website. You’ll be amazed at how much more comfortable it is to be in costume when you have one!