Better lanyards

[The Dark Tangent]

FLAVOR FLAV!
As long as there aren't gimpy die cut badges that snap in half again this year, I'll be happy.

Only the best Singapore lasers were used to create those badges! It took two years to find a place that could do enough colors in enough quantity at the right price.

I guess we could go to silk screen art on soft laynard, but the ink falls off over time as the softness causes the laynard to stretch and contract. The stitched logo ones don't do that, but cost about double or more.

On another note, we have three different badge ideas we have been waiting on for over three years, waiting for the costs to come down and suppliers to pop up.

[LosT]

Great, now DT is going to track us all with active RFID tags....

Maybe we all need to get the tinfoil underwear now...

LosT

[ck3k]

yeah the defcon 13 badges make me worry, I got a black one after much effort, and now need to design some sort of bullet proof vest for it. I guess this begs the question, what happens when you break a black badge? I am guessing something like the end of the last Indiana Jones. I think some black and white versions of the defcon 13 lanyards would be the perfect combo.

[ghost]

Maybe we all need to get the tinfoil underwear now...

LosT

you say that like its a bad thing :D

[AlxRogan]

Since this kinda fits into the whole lanyard thing, what about DEFCON branded badge holders (the little retractable doohickes)? The little circular sticker pack was cool, but unfortunately they won't fit on the standard badge holder spool. However they do trick out a BlackBerry nicely.

[converge]

doohickies rock, you bring, we buy for cash $$$

[[Syntax]]

My only complaint so far is the same as astcell.. the black beaded chain that the dye rubbed off. Other than that one design, the lanyards have been fine.

I particularly liked the DC13 type of lanyard. The latch was nice with the swivel.

The only other problem in previous years has been that the part of the badge where the clasp attaches usually tears or breaks. Not a problem with the Plexi & Metal Badges, but it was with the holographic, plastic, and the squishy badges (DC 9 / 11 / 12)

[Cowthief]

We don' need no stinkin' badges!

Hello.

I have the thing on for a few sec' while entering, then that thing goes in the pocket.
Yes, sometimes someone asks, but only early on, after that almost everyone is plastered.
So, how about a G-man style of badge flashing wallet, hey. if best buy can get away with "geek squad"!

[Strom Carlson]

The Defcon 10 badges were pretty cool, but I didn't go to that one so I don't know from experience or anything :)

The Defcon 11 badges were awesome.

Defcon 12's badges were not so hot. It was tough to tell what the badges actually looked like against people's clothes.

Defcon 13's badges were really awesome. The only people I saw snap them in half were people who sat on them, fell on them, etc etc etc. I like the new lanyards too - more comfortable than the old ones. My only complaint was that my blue badge didn't fluoresce like the green ones...and you know it's all about the fluorescence.

[polyhazard]

I thought the ones from 13 were perfect. They are currently being used as bootlaces at my house!

[renderman]

Defcon 7 - Thin metal, silk screened logo. Not bad, touch sharp on the edges though

Defcon 8 - Plastic with pills printed on it. Eh, not very impressive. Did like the 'pill' theme though

Defcon 9 - Squishy! Provided a great amount of entertainment value while waiting for talks

Defcon 10 - Heavy metal! On a long lanyard they were well known as nutcrackers. These still have to be the coolest I've seen so far. Only problem was the bruising from when they would swing and smack a hand, wrist, head, etc. The things weighed alot. Nicely rounded edges though made for no cuts. Black badges were beutiful.

Defcon 11 - 3Dish. Kinda cool, pretty flimsy though. Felt like the back of a frosted flakes box

Defcon 12 - Neat idea with the translucent image, but very flimsy and I know several broke off lanyards and got lost.

Defcon 13 - Very nice, yes a few broke, but overall very sturdy and easy to identify.

Other cons badges have been interesting but have thier problems too.

Hope 5 - Arm bands. Ok, cool idea, except none of them fit anyone! You could fit them around your neck!

Shmoocon 2006 - Laser etched and cut 1/8" steel. Gorgeous to look at but sharp as hell. I really liked the puzzle idea where badges fit together.

The lanyards through the years have been suitable, except the black chain issue mentioned before. I personally like the embroidered ones rather than silkscreen. It's a more professional touch and makes it seem worth more. I also like it because it's nice enough to use as a lanyard for other functions.

My random suggestion for badges one year would be etched PCB's. It would be interesting to have the traces on a PCB spell out 'human', 'press', etc. There's a variety of colors (Green, red, orange) and it certainly fits in the theme.

Alternatly I'd call for a return of the Heavy metal badges from DCX with better lanyards.

Above all though, badges and lanyards should arrive before attendee's :)

P.S. The solution ot any itchy lanyard is to just do what I usually do and tie it to a belt loop. Keeping it on a short leash keeps it out of the way too.

[KeLviN]

i wanna bring something up that hasnt been mentioned yet: last year i came with the black badge(s) i got from DC 12 and i assumed that when i showed them my badge at checkin that they would just issue me my new badge for this year, but i was told that my previous years black badge would be my badge for this year. needless to say, i was upset that because i won a contest i was now forced to have an incomplete badge collection for the rest of my life! I had to trade out any eatra black badges for stuff, including an up-to-date badge for the year. so instead of giving me a new badge, at a cost of 4$ or so, they had 2 people not paying 75$ instead of just one.

edit: i just want to make sure that no one thinks i'm ungratefull for the life-time admission privledge, just that i feel that not getting an up-to-date badge is a big deal for a small investment. I'd even be willing to pay for the production cost of the badge if thats what it took.

[renderman]

i wanna bring something up that hasnt been mentioned yet: last year i came with the black badge(s) i got from DC 12 and i assumed that when i showed them my badge at checkin that they would just issue me my new badge for this year, but i was told that my previous years black badge would be my badge for this year. needless to say, i was upset that because i won a contest i was now forced to have an incomplete badge collection for the rest of my life! I had to trade out any eatra black badges for stuff, including an up-to-date badge for the year. so instead of giving me a new badge, at a cost of 4$ or so, they had 2 people not paying 75$ instead of just one.

edit: i just want to make sure that no one thinks i'm ungratefull for the life-time admission privledge, just that i feel that not getting an up-to-date badge is a big deal for a small investment. I'd even be willing to pay for the production cost of the badge if thats what it took.

I too ran into a similar situation. I think it was more an issue with registration staff being told something different than what was assumed.

I have no problem with paying a few bucks to get a badge to keep the collection.

[KeLviN]

I too ran into a similar situation. I think it was more an issue with registration staff being told something different than what was assumed.

I have no problem with paying a few bucks to get a badge to keep the collection.

i went pretty high up trying to get a badge for last year, but was always told that it was policy. so i dont think it was a misunderstanding... but i could be wrong. the best answer i got was that badges were for paying atendees and that they might be able to do something after they were sure that there were enough badges to go around.... but nothing ever came of it.

[The Dark Tangent]

Black Badges and New Badges

i went pretty high up trying to get a badge for last year, but was always told that it was policy. so i dont think it was a misunderstanding... but i could be wrong. the best answer i got was that badges were for paying atendees and that they might be able to do something after they were sure that there were enough badges to go around.... but nothing ever came of it.

The problem is there is currently no way to be sure that someone with a black badge doesn't just keep coming back every hour and getting a new human badge. Short of punching a hole in the black badge for each year attended, I'm not sure how to solve this problem.