Lions and tigers are two of our most requested mascot costumes, and it's easy to see why. Both have that instant "big cat" presence that works well on a stage, at a sports fixture, or as a standing brand mascot outside an event. But the two animals suit slightly different jobs, so it's worth thinking through what you actually need before you order. This post sits alongside our full jungle and safari mascot costumes guide if you want the bigger picture first.

Lion costumes

A lion costume tends to suit anything with a "king of the jungle" theme, school productions, sports club mascots, pantomimes with a jungle scene, or events where you want a character that feels regal rather than comic. We stock several lion designs, including Leo the Lion, our most popular version with a full mane and expressive face, a standard Lion Mascot Costume for a more classic look, a striking Red Lion design if you want something with a bit more colour for branding purposes, and a King Lion costume with a more elaborate mane for a real showpiece moment.

Lion costumes are also a natural fit for sports clubs, particularly rugby and football clubs where a lion already features in the badge or nickname. If that's your situation, it's worth telling us when you order, since we can advise on which design photographs best in club colours, and whether a simpler mane style might actually read better on the pitch than a very full one.

Tiger costumes

Tigers work well anywhere you want something a bit more dynamic and playful than a lion, sports days, school fetes, and any event aimed at younger children in particular, since the striped design tends to read very clearly even from a distance. Our range includes a standard Tiger Mascot Costume, a Tigers design with a slightly different face shape and stance, and a Black & White Tiger costume for anyone after a white tiger look rather than the classic orange.

If you're choosing between a lion and a tiger purely on visual impact, tigers generally photograph a little more dramatically thanks to the stripes, while lions tend to read as slightly friendlier and more approachable in person, which is worth bearing in mind if small children will be interacting closely with the costume.

Which events suit which animal

A few patterns come up often enough that they're worth passing on. Leavers' assemblies and end of year productions tend to favour lions, there's usually a "brave" or "proud" theme running through the script that suits the character. Sports days, fun runs and fetes lean towards tigers, since the energy of the costume matches the pace of the event better. Corporate or club mascot bookings are split fairly evenly between the two and usually come down to which animal already features in a badge, logo or team name.

Sizing and wear

Both our lion and tiger costumes are built for adult wearers, with most designs suiting a height range of roughly 5'2" to 6'2". As with all our animal costumes, the head sits on the shoulders rather than balanced on top of the head, which keeps the wearer more comfortable over a longer shift and gives them a proper field of view. If the costume is being worn outdoors in summer, plan for regular breaks, big cat costumes tend to have fuller manes and body suits than some of our other designs, which means slightly less ventilation than something like a monkey or bird costume.

It's also worth thinking about who's going to wear it. A confident volunteer who's happy to wave, high five and pose for photos gets far more out of a lion or tiger costume than someone who stands still, since a lot of the impact comes from the performance rather than the costume alone. If you can, brief whoever's wearing it beforehand on a few simple actions, a wave, a bow, a playful roar gesture, since that's usually enough to bring the character to life.

Common questions

Can children wear these costumes? Our lion and tiger designs are built for adult wearers. If you specifically need a smaller costume for a younger performer, get in touch and we can advise on what's available.

How long can someone realistically wear one? Most adults manage 30 to 45 minutes comfortably before needing a break, particularly in warm weather. For a full day event, plan on rotating two people if you can.

Do you offer custom colours for club branding? For club colours that don't match our stock lion or tiger designs, our custom made mascot costumes service is the better route, it's worth contacting us to talk through timescales.

Where to go next

If lions and tigers aren't quite the fit and you're after something gentler for a safari theme, our giraffe, zebra and elephant guide is worth a look. For something more playful and interactive, see our monkey and circus animal guide. And if you'd like to compare the full range side by side, our jungle and safari mascot costumes category has everything in one place.