Foam Lightsaber: Everything You Need to Know

A foam lightsaber is a lightsaber made using a polyethylene (used in pool noodles), EVA foam, or neoprene in order to create a durable, yet soft and shock-absorbing surface. The forgiving nature of the foam material helps facilitate safer, full contact lightsaber battles among kids and live action roleplay participants alike (i.e. LARPers).

One of the downsides of certain types of foam is the material may crack and chip, although individuals may repair the foam with electrical tape. Many, but not all, foam lightsabers are non-electronic.

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foam lightsaber
Foam lightsabers from various Etsy sellers: ThatCraftyFriendShop (left), ALittleBitofSummer (middle), and Biomechine Props (right) | IMAGE CREDIT respective Etsy store

Star Wars Nerf BladeBuilders Lightsaber Product Line

Nerf, a toy company specializing in foam-based weaponry, launched an officially licensed foam lightsaber toy line in 2015. The Nerf foam lightsabers are part of the Star Wars BladeBuilders line, meaning some of the lightsaber components are compatible with other BladeBuilders products from Nerf and from Hasbro. The Nerf BladeBuilders lightsaber product line is discontinued, although the foam lightsaber toys sometimes become available in the secondary market on eBay or on Amazon.

Amazon Star Wars Nerf BladeBuilders Lightsabers

Nerf Foam Lightsaber BladeBuilders
Star Wars BladeBuilders Nerf Foam Lightsabers | IMAGE CREDIT Nerf

Pool Noodle Foam Lightsabers for Birthday Parties

Foam lightsabers are a fun and affordable addition to a Star Wars themed birthday party. They make great party favors, too. A quick Google search will yield several easy tutorials for making foam lightsabers. Two of the primary materials in foam lightsaber tutorials are: a pool noodles (polyethylene) and tape (duct tape and electric tape). Pretty simple. You can even work with your kids to help them construct their own foam lightsaber. The kids will love customizing the design of the handle (i.e. hilt).

If you’re short on time or you’d prefer ready made pool noodle lightsabers, several Etsy sellers also offer an assortment of foam lightsabers that they’ll ship straight to your door. Amazon also offers a selection of inexpensive, mass produced foam ‘light sabers’.

ALittleBitofSummer (Etsy) https://www.etsy.com/shop/ALittleBitofSummer

ThatCraftyFriendShop (Etsy) https://www.etsy.com/shop/ThatCraftyFriendShop

Amazon Foam Light Sabers

foam lightsaber
ThatCraftyFriendShop foam lightsaber with LED (left) and ALittleBitofSummer foam lightsabers (right) | IMAGE CREDIT ThatCraftyFriendShop and ALittleBitofSummer

Foam Lightsaber for LARP

Live action roleplaying (LARP) entails participants dress and act out in character during gameplay in a real-world setting. LARP is commonly themed around fantasy, science fiction, or a certain historical period. LARPers may engage in battle with each other during gameplay. In order to maximize fun while minimizing injury, ‘combatants’ in the game wield foam covered props and follow safety protocols.

Some LARPers will construct their own LARP weapons, shields, and other props. Alternatively, Etsy sellers like Biomechine Props specialize in foam LARP props including a selection of LARP lightsabers. A foam lightsaber for LARP is more detailed and more expensive that a simple pool noodle lightsaber. Biomechine Props foam lightsabers are intended for light contact only.

Biomechine Props (Etsy) https://www.etsy.com/shop/BiomechineProps

In late 2015, Calimacil launched a Kickstarter campaign for The Calimacil Foam LED Saber. The sophisticated foam lightsaber is equipped with both light and sound. Calimacil has a background in LARP weaponry, costumes, accessories, etc.

Biomechine Props Foam Lightsaber Legacy
Biomechine Props Foam LARP Saber Legacy | IMAGE CREDIT Biomechine Props

Sliding a Pool Noodle Over a Polycarbonate Lightsaber Blade

Custom lightsabers from companies like Ultrasabers, Saberforge, Vader’s Vault, Sabertrio, Electrum Sabercrafts, etc. use polycarbonate blades, which are made from a tough plastic material. Some lightsaber enthusiasts may slide a pool noodle over a polycarbonate blade in order to dull the impact of blows during light dueling, particularly among children (Caution: Try this at your own risk and always supervise children during dueling!). This is an easy and inexpensive hack. Consider that although a pool noodle softens blows, the material does not eliminate blows. Also, a lightsaber can still break.

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