Do dolls really get that heavy?

So the biggest doll I have is only 54 cm but in terms of like-- resin volume? She's pretty curvy. I'd say she only weights like a pound or two-- however once you start getting up to the super buff sculpts there's a lot more resin- so they definitely to get pretty hefty.

posing wise it's honestly a bit easier to pose my SD compared to my MSD but I think that just comes down to the fact that I didn't do the best job of restinging him o-o'''

 

Yeah, some dolls can be a complete pain to try to pose for pictures because of how heavy the doll itself is. It can also make getting them to hold poses or small adjustments take a lot more work compared to smaller dolls, especially if the body doesn’t pose well. Larger dolls weigh more than you’d expect and while picking them up for a minute might not be too bad, after a 30 minute - 2 hour photo shoot the whole thing can be really tiring. It’s why I keep a lot of my dolls up for display (away from sunlight) as opposed to taking photos often, it’s just easier for my energy levels.

 

Oh, jeez, yes. Larger resin dolls, even my Dollfie Dreams, do feel heavier the longer you carry them. It's as much an issue of muscle fatigue as it is the doll's weight. I've strained the muscles/tendons in my elbow just from carrying my dolls around for too long without a break.

Definitely bring a bag with you that is big enough that you can tuck your doll inside. Also helps because you'll definitely want your hands free at some point.

For photo shoots, I know a lot of people get clever with coat hanger wires and use them as invisible stands. Similar to a Smart Doll's telescoping stand - if you angle the camera right, you don't see the stand in the picture. You just have to be really careful. No matter how stable you think your doll is, they will fall over. If they do take a fall, remember that most damage is fixable, whether it's broken fingers, a dented nose, or a scratched faceup.

 

For sure! There's a noticeable heft to SDs that can really wear you out if you're lugging around a few of them at a time. If possible, get either a rolling or crossbody bag to help distribute the weight so you don't get too tired from hauling hunks of resin.

 

It depends a lot on the doll. Not only the over all size and proportions as others mentioned, but the shape of the doll as well. A human body with legs that hold their pose rasonably well will likely take most of it's own weight, so you will only have to carry the load while trasporting the doll and setting up the photos.
On the other hand, some fantasy dolls require you to not only pose them more carefully, but they may also be shaped in a way that forces you to hold them up away from your body while you pose them and the further out you hold something, the heaver it will seem.
The more hands on work you do with the doll (redressing, restyling, reposeing, etc.) the more time you spend holding the weight and after a while it can get a bit much.
It's also a matter of physical strength, of course. I recently recieved a Mara creatures Ramunder, a troll doll with a rather extrem posture and his weight is listed on the product page as 4 kilos and while I haven't weighed him myself I think it's pretty accurate. To pose him I have to hold him up with one hand while positioning his legs just right. I've goten sore muscles from that several times already. But I am not a very strong or fit person, so another owner may have less trouble.

 

It also depends on how strong/tall you are! I'm 5'2" and weak with muscle (back and shoulder) issues - the largest doll I've ever handled was a Dollshe 26F (65cm) body with a hybrid head and it was just too awkward and heavy. I didn't enjoy manipulating it and trying to maintain balance.

The largest doll I own now is a Maskcatdoll Juni, who is 57cm. She is a lot lighter and 8cm makes quite a difference. She's still a harder for me to handle than, say, a 30-40cm doll, but she poses very well, and her center of gravity is engineered nicely.

 

My 80cm Lusion is a bit much but the 50cm to 60cm range are OK.

I've taken them to conventions and had an SD sized boy sat on my forearm with my elbow bent (to bring my forearm horizontal at waist level). Yes, they do feel heavier the longer you do it, but I find swapping arms every so often is enough to deal with that. It's only likely to be a real problem if your're particularly small and/or weak in the arms. I honestly find it more of a strain to carry a baby or toddler around with most of their weight resting on a hip while my arm keeps them in place than it is to have a doll with all their weight on my arm.

I do prefer, however, to have one of these slung over my shoulder for them to be carried in.

Not so much because of the weight, but because it leaves both hands free for other sttufff, like opening doors, while walking around, while it still leaves the doll visible and accessible, unlike taking them in and out of a bag or other doll carrier. I tend to wear it backwards so the doll is on my front rather than on my back. They're easier to get in and out without having to unsling it from my shoulder each time, and I sling both shoulder straps over one shouler instead of wearing it like a backpack (it does fit , even though it's made for children and I'm an overweight adult, but one shoulder is just more convenient)

Teddy

 

My heaviest SD doll is about 5 or 6kg! You do feel it after a while of carrying them or wrestling clothes onto them, haha.

 

Has anyone ever measured the specific gravity of BJD resin? Specific gravity is why say, a 1cm amber bead is lighter than a 1cm bead of glass.

 

Yes, and no.

I only dolls in the SD range, and for general posing, photography, changing clothes or otherwise handling, I don't think they're that heavy at all. I actually have more trouble handling tiny dolls and working with tiny clothes. But for packing around a convention or an outdoor meet that requires a lot of walking? Yes. They get really heavy and if I'm carrying one in my arm, my elbow starts hurting from staying bent to cradle them and that hurts more than the actual weight. It happens with MSD too. The only way I haven't gotten sore carrying one was in a backpack with both straps on my shoulders.

But as others have mentioned, it really does depend on the person. I'm 5'5" and work retail, mostly just doing shipment, so I'm regularly carrying heavy boxes and merchandise and standing for hours on end, so in comparison, handling a 1/3 doll is pretty easy. For someone much larger or stronger than me, it could be nothing at all. For someone much smaller or with lifting limitations, it could be far too much. I would recommend going to a doll meet if you can, and handling dolls of different weights in person. This could give you a better idea of how easily you could handle a large doll. I didn't realize how much I really loved SD until I borrowed one for a month and fell in love!

 

If you're comfortable carrying books and a laptop and other things, a doll probably wouldn't be so bad. Unless it's one of the big beefy boys or extra curvy girls, it would likely be lighter than your full backpack. The doll I took to a convention in a backpack was a Fairyland Feeple60 Moe Mirwen, and I barely noticed I was carrying her. Much easier than packing one in my arm!

 

even with my dolls, none of whom are taller than 18", there's a definite difference between how heavy they feel when first picked up (ranging from 'not at all' to 'a pleasant heft') and how they feel if I've been carrying one all day-- 'heavy' might not be the word, but you definitely feel it if you're on an all-day doll outing.

Kind of like using small hand weights-- you don't feel it at all to start, but enough reps and you'll still tire out.

 

everyone’s pretty much covered it, it’s super dependent on you/the doll/your carrying capacity and tolerance. even if you’re not going to a con but you’re going for a romp in your back yard or a park to take pics, it’s like carrying a heavier purse in the crook of your arm for a similar weight comparison. plus sometimes companies weights differ thanks to resin differences - i’ve seen some people say their older dolls are heavy compared to the same dolls that were made more recently from the same company

personally, i have bad joints and muscle issues, but I can more or less handle my SDs even when it comes down to restringing or wrestling them into poses for my older, bad posers. I don’t really take them outside, just my MSDs because they’re easier to pack. If i had to pick a doll of mine to carry around a con (which i did recently), I’d pick my yosd, because i know even an Msd would get cumbersome for me but i could tuck my yosd in my bags or jacket in some fun way if i needed to.

but these are all because I know my limitations - one of my favorite doll photographers takes beautiful shots outside, has spoken about her own disabilities and limits, and still definitely has to transport dolls and equipment to the locations and back. it’s pretty inspiring imo. so it’s really up to you! i second getting some sort of rolling tote bag or something if you’re worried about it.

 

The biggest and heaviest doll I have is a Ring doll guy (over 70cm) and he's a lot to handle, and even dressing him can be a pain. I can't imagine carrying him for any amount of time unless he's in a wheelie cart.

It doesn't help matters when you're a shortie or have physical issues.

 

Another thing to keep in mind is that you can easily be walking around for 4, 8, maybe even 12 hours at a convention without getting the chance to stop by your hotel room and actually rest. It's pretty common to have a standing/walking meal since food trucks are a big thing at anime conventions. Doll conventions are small enough that you'll probably get the chance to sit down, but it's not exactly comfortable to sit and eat with a doll either. A doll might not be a hassle to carry around from point A to point B in your home, but imagine being stuck with a doll in your arms for hours at a time.

 

I have two SD+ boys and they are pretty heavy. But if you have a good bag to carrying it, it's not really a problem I think. In conventions it could be a pain but for photoshoots I haven't got any issue in taking them with me aside the fact that it takes much longer to dress them beforehand. (◡ ω ◡)

 

When I bring two 70cm dolls and a MSD with my camera go for an outing, I will put them in rolling duffel. I'm sure my shoulder will literally break after running around all day. LOL
I saw someone said he got this bag in Costco, dolls can be fasten well with compression strap. And lots of stuff(wigs, tool, support) can be put in split-level storage. I think I can buy one, too.

 

I have a Dollmore Trinity (120cm) and that thing is a workout to do anything with.