Captain America Suit

Captain America first showed up on the cover of Captain America Comics #1, dated March 1941, punching Adolf Hitler in the jaw. Joe Simon and Jack Kirby created him before the U.S. had even entered World War II, and he's been the most famous star-spangled hero ever since. These days, the shield belongs to Sam Wilson, played by Anthony Mackie in Captain America: Brave New World, which opened on February 14, 2025. And on December 18, Avengers: Doomsday brings Mackie back, along with Chris Evans as Steve Rogers. So this is a good year to have a kid in red, white and blue. HalloweenCostumes.com sells a Kid's Captain America Zentai Costume by Jazwares, and right now it's on sale for $19.99, down from $29.99.

That's one of the cheapest licensed superhero costumes on the site. It's a full-body suit, head to toe, which is the look most kids actually picture when they think "superhero." Here's what that means, what's in the bag, how the sizes work and how to make it work on Halloween night.

What a zentai suit is

Zentai is a Japanese word for a full-body suit made of stretchy fabric. It covers everything, including the head, the hands and the feet, and it fits close to the body like a second skin. Superhero zentai suits are popular because they look like the costumes in the comics and movies, smooth and form-fitting, without padding or armor.

The upside is that they're light and easy to move in. Kids can run and climb in them without anything slipping. The downside is that they're snug by design, and they don't leave much room for layers. Keep that in mind when you think about sizing and the weather.

What's in the bag

The Kid's Captain America Zentai Costume (item JWC7499) is officially licensed by Marvel and includes three pieces: a jumpsuit, a pull-on mask and a belt.

The suit is made of polyester and spandex, and the design is printed directly onto the fabric with "all-over sublimated graphics." That's the printing method that bakes the colors into the fibers, so the stripes and the star won't peel or crack like a heat-pressed decal might. The design has comic book-style shading, with the classic red, white and blue, the big white star on the chest and the stripes at the waist.

The listing doesn't call it a Steve Rogers or Sam Wilson suit. It's the traditional Captain America design, the kind that works for either.

The details that matter

A few features on this suit make a big difference for kids.

First, there's a hidden zipper down the back, so getting in and out is easy, at least with a grown-up's help.

Second, there's a front zipper for bathroom breaks. This is the detail parents tend to forget to look for on a one-piece suit. Without it, a trip to the bathroom means taking the whole thing off. With it, your kid can handle things much faster.

Third, the gloves are sewn on, but they're fingerless, with openings at the wrists. So your kid can slip their hands out to hold a candy bag, eat a snack or use a phone, then slip them back in.

And fourth, the feet are fully enclosed. The suit covers your kid's feet like footie pajamas. That looks great, and it's very accurate to the comics, but it also means you'll need to think about shoes. More on that below.

How the sizes work

The suit comes in four sizes, Small through X-Large, all at $19.99 on sale. The size chart lists height, which is the most useful number for a full-body suit.

The Small fits kids 45 to 50.5 inches tall, with a 25.5-inch chest, a 23.5-inch waist and 26-inch hips. The Medium fits kids 50 to 53.5 inches tall, with a 26-inch chest, 24.5-inch waist and 27.5-inch hips. The Large fits 54 to 58.5 inches, with a 28-inch chest, 26.5-inch waist and 30-inch hips. And the X-Large fits 59 to 64 inches, with a 32-inch chest, 29-inch waist and 33-inch hips.

There are a few things to notice.

Height comes first. A zentai suit runs from the top of the head to the bottom of the feet, so if it's too short, it pulls everywhere. It'll tug at the shoulders, at the crotch and at the mask. Always pick by height before chest or waist.

The Small and Medium overlap. Both cover kids who are 50 to 50.5 inches tall. If your kid is right in that range, go with the Medium. A little extra length in a stretchy suit is easy to live with. A suit that's too short isn't.

The Medium is a narrow size. It only covers 3.5 inches of height, from 50 to 53.5, and the chest only grows half an inch from the Small. So a lot of kids will be at the edge of it. If your kid is close to 53.5 inches, or growing fast, think about the Large.

And the X-Large goes up to 64 inches, or 5 feet 4 inches. That's tall enough for a lot of tweens and young teens, which is a nice surprise in a kids' costume.

Since zentai suits are meant to fit close, plan for that snug feel. If your kid is between sizes or doesn't like tight clothes, size up.

The mask

The mask pulls on over the head. In a zentai suit, the face is usually the part that takes the most getting used to, since it's close to the skin and kids feel like they're breathing through fabric.

The listing doesn't give details about the eye or mouth openings, so try it on at home before Halloween. Have your kid walk around a room, look left and right and go up and down a few stairs. Make sure they can see the ground in front of them.

If it bothers them, there are easy alternatives. The site sells a Captain America Superhero Mask for Kids for $19.99 and a Captain America Kid's Value Mask for $12.99. Either one works with the suit if your kid would rather wear the mask on top of their face than over the whole head. And going maskless with just the suit and a shield still reads as Captain America.

The feet

Fully enclosed feet look great but need a plan.

The fabric under the feet is thin, so it won't protect your kid from cold sidewalks, sharp gravel or wet grass. It can also be slippery on hard floors, like a pair of socks on a wooden staircase.

The easiest fix is to wear shoes over the suit. Dark sneakers or red rain boots go right over the feet. If the shoes feel tight, try a pair half a size bigger, or loosen the laces.

For a more finished look, the site sells Kid's Red Superhero Costume Boots for $39.99, and Child Red Superhero Boot Covers for $12.99. The boot covers are the budget pick. They slip over regular sneakers and turn them into red superhero boots.

Either way, check the feet after a night out. Walking on enclosed feet with shoes on top can rub the fabric, so look for thin spots before the next wear.

Keeping your kid comfortable

Zentai suits are light. That's great on a warm night and less great on a cold one.

Because the suit is snug, there isn't much room for a sweater underneath. A thin long-sleeve shirt and leggings can work if you sized up, but bulky layers will stretch the suit and distort the design. On a very cold night, a jacket on top for the walk between houses is the easiest plan. Captain America can take it off at the door.

Bathroom breaks are covered by the front zipper. But practice using it at home first, especially for younger kids, since it's a little different from regular pants.

Care

The listing says to hand wash or spot clean only, and not to machine wash or dry. That protects the printed graphics and the spandex. Wash it in cool water with a little gentle detergent, and lay it flat or hang it to dry. If your kid wears it all year as play clothes, which is very likely at this price, hand washing will help it last.

Add the shield

Captain America without a shield is just a kid in a flag-colored suit. The shield is what makes the costume.

The shield is sold separately. The Kid's Captain America 12" Shield costs $24.99, and it's a good size for younger kids to hold and carry all night. There's also a 12-Inch Sam Wilson Captain America Shield Prop for $24.99, for kids who are fans of the new Cap. And for older kids, the 24-Inch Sam Wilson Captain America Shield costs $49.99. It's big and dramatic, which is great for photos, but it's also a lot to hold for a few hours.

Here's a budget note. The 12-inch shield costs more than the suit itself. That's a funny way to buy a costume, but the total is still only $44.98 for the suit and shield. That's less than many other kids' superhero costumes cost on their own.

How it compares to the other kids' Caps

The site has several other Captain America costumes for kids, and it helps to know where this one fits.

The Marvel Captain America Boy's Costume costs $39.99 to $49.99. The Boy's Captain America (Steve Rogers) Costume is on sale for $29.99 to $49.99. The Deluxe Boy's Captain America Sam Wilson Costume costs $39.99, for kids who want the new Cap's look with the wings. And the Premium Marvel Captain America Costume for Boys is on sale for $49.99 to $59.99, down from $114.99.

So the zentai suit is the cheapest of the bunch, by at least $10. The other costumes may have more structure, like padding or a separate mask. But if your kid wants the sleek, comic-book look, and you want to keep the price low, the zentai is the easy pick.

Building a team

Captain America is better with friends. If you have siblings, the Captain America Falcon Kid's Costume costs $44.99 to $49.99, and a Cap-and-Falcon pair is a great nod to Steve Rogers and Sam Wilson. For a younger sibling, the Boy's Toddler Marvel Captain America Costume costs $29.99, and there's an Infant Captain America Steve Rogers Costume for $39.99 to $49.99.

And for a parent who wants to join, almost any red, white and blue outfit with a shield works. Captain America is one of the few heroes who's easy to recognize even in a homemade version.

What it costs

The suit costs $19.99 on sale. Add a $24.99 12-inch shield and $12.99 boot covers, and the full look comes to $57.97.

If you skip the boot covers and use red rain boots or sneakers from home, you're at $44.98. That's a full superhero costume, head to toe, for under $50.

Summary

The Kid's Captain America Zentai Costume from Jazwares is a full-body polyester and spandex suit with printed comic-style graphics, a pull-on mask and a belt, on sale for $19.99. It has a hidden back zipper, a front zipper for bathroom breaks and fingerless gloves. It comes in four sizes, from 45 to 64 inches tall, so pick by height first and size up if your kid is between sizes. Add a shield and shoes or boot covers, and the full look costs under $60.

So, is it worth it?

Yes, especially at the sale price. For $19.99, it's hard to find a full licensed superhero suit that covers this much, and the bathroom zipper and fingerless gloves show that someone thought about how kids actually wear costumes.

I'll admit the enclosed feet are the part I'd plan for most. They look great in photos, but they're not made for a long walk around the neighborhood. A pair of boot covers or rain boots solves that for very little money.

So measure your kid's height, size up if they're close to the edge of a size and try the mask on at home. Grab a shield and something for their feet. Then let your kid go out and save the neighborhood, one candy bar at a time. Just like Cap, they can do this all night.