The fursuitmak.ing Forum

fursuit fans are an essential item for many suiters at cons. as a suiter with a moderate level of heat intolerance, even under ideal conditions and working up to it slowly, i cannot (comfortably) go longer than 45 minutes without my fursuit fan and i'm only wearing a partial!

there are currently so many options for handheld fans out there so i'd love to see if we can aggregate a resource for best handheld fans for suiters, in terms of both style and cooling! i hope we can turn this into a helpful resource for those looking to purchase a fan but are unsure of what to go with.

to begin, here's the two fursuit fans i've used thoroughly alongside my thoughts!

• KiCA Jet Fan 2
  i was recommended this fan when asking around in various chats, and while it wasn't cheap i have no regrets! it's bulky, heavy and loud (at it's highest setting) but it keeps me cool and i can't complain. it also fits into most fursuit mouths, and while it's heavy and somewhat unshapely it's not so big it's miserable to keep on you, at least in my experience.
  
  • cooling: 5/5: this fan does not hold back. at it's highest setting it is almost uncomfortably strong. i tend to carry it with me for longer suiting sessions and it consistently keeps me refreshed and comfortable without having to take off my head.
  • style: 2/5: the design of these fans is clearly for function over aesthetics. they come in multiple colors and you may be able to customize it with decals, but if you're buying a fan like this it's clearly not for the looks.

• fursuitsupplies' "FS Rechargeable Neck Fan"
  this fan is a con staple, and the first fursuit fan i bought. it comes with a detachable neck strap so you or a handler can wear it for convenience. it's also relatively light weight and fits into a lot of small bags and large pockets like on hoodies or cargo pants. it can fit in most fursuit mouths easily too which is a plus.
  
  • cooling: 3/5: It's just enough to keep me content, but it definitely leaves something to be desired considering it's battery life and blocky form factor. i typically only opt for this fan to have something lighter than the KiCA Jet Fan as it's significantly lighter, like for shorter suiting sessions.
  • style: 3.5/5: these fans come in a white and grey version. fursuitsupplies sells decals for these fans at cons providing easy customization, although they don't seem to be available through their website. they also have a lot of surface area that you can place your own sticker(s) on if you'd like, which is what i opted to do. it's really only as stylish as a rectangle with stickers (or no stickers) can be.

feel free to share your thoughts on fans already discussed as well! i'd particularly love to hear more about the more cosmetic/aesthetic focused fans and how good their cooling is as i've been reluctant to invest just for aesthetics if i can't guarantee it meets my needs!

I started medication last year that has noticeably impacted my heat tolerance. Recently I've been thinking of investing in some sort of fan solution to help with that!

A long time ago I once had an internal fan in my head, which worked great but eventually broke and I had never gotten around to replacing it. I've been researching brushless fans to create a new replacement. I like internal fans as I don't have to really think about them, I don't have to compromise aesthetics, and they are a lot more direct.

I feel as though handheld fans are a lot more accessible, internal fans require a little more planning (routing wires, mounting, etc) whereas handheld is a turn on and go solution. However I've seen some really cool things done with internal fans, like having one fan for intake and another for outtake, turning on once a temperature threshold is hit, etc.

I also want to bring up a lot of the more aesthetic-focused fans that have 3D printed casings. I think these are really fun and I want to try to make my own version, perhaps one that uses an O2Cool fan as a base since they're so cheap and accessible. They're like functional props, and I've seen some really fun ones!

Ahh I've seen those "turbo fans" at some furry meetups and they look essential for hotter environments and bulkier suits! There were a couple attendees in kemono suits, and I imagine they were glad for something super powerful, haha.

Might be basic, but I've always gone with an O2COOL necklace fan! Affordable, lightweight to carry around, easy to keep discreet if you want. Probably not the strongest, but still makes a noticeable difference, especially if you stick it directly in your fursuit mouth (or in front of other ventilation areas) for a couple minutes :)