has anyone else broken a Luna??? and fixed it???

[swordwhale]

Based on some favorite mermaids' reviews, I sprang for a Finis Luna. Really nice, molded in one piece silicone, adjustable, translucent, pretty colors, nice flow, even fits inside the FinFun tailskins...

sized for Tinkerbelle. Though one size 11 mer can fit in them fine (she has long narrow feet, I have very wide feet with arthritic toe base).

I MacGuyvered that with hair bands extending the heel strap and it works.

I have never had it in extreme temps, and only in a pool and a Delaware Bay beach. I have cared for it with tender loving care for a month.

Then, at an event, someone whose foot size matched the fin well, tried it on and the strap not only broke, but it broke the side of the heel pocket. Pwang! Split right off. No one was pulling on it unduly, it was being used in a normal fashion,. and ...:jawdrop::jawdrop::jawdrop::jawdrop::jawdrop:

(poor kid was like, "OMG what do I owe you for this?!?!?")

Um, no, it shouldn't have done that. I did contact WalMart's online customer care (where I ordered it) and there's a hoopla of "third party sellers etc etc... who should contact me... blah blah blah"... hopefully I can get it replaced or refunded.

Meanwhile, has anyone else broken one? Did you fix it? Can you fix silicone? I thought of (worst case scenario) gluing a heel strap (neoprene) on with E6000.

UGH :(:(:(:(:(

[MeliPixie]

Hi swordwhale! Yes I broke my Luna and fixed it! What I used was called sil-poxy, you can get a small tube for relatively cheap on Amazon and it goes a looooong way. The fix is so strong I can pull and pull and it is just as if the sil-poxy is part of the original silicone, it just doesn't rip!

A few tips:

1. Clean the surrounding area with rubbing alcohol and allow it to dry thoroughly

2. Apply a tiny amount in between the pieces to be glued, then also smooth some on in the surrounding area to reinforce. An old credit card or business card will work for smoothing ut on.

3. Use way less sil-poxy than you think you will need. It is easier to add more than to remove excess. It is super strong and will go a long way.

4. Consider reinforcing the corners on the side one that is not broken as well. I noticed mine was starting to crack where there is the most stress.

Here are some pics of the tear in my fin, I will post photos of the repair when I get home. Good luck!https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190610/26ded744360263bf4ff82cebe6360c37.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190610/201dbbd970ad37a36038600a99fad900.jpg

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[the.tattooed.mermaid78]

Wow I didnt think it was possible to rip a Luna. Have you contacted Finis directly

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[swordwhale]

:jawdrop::jawdrop::jawdrop::jawdrop:

OMG, that's the EXACT rip mine did.

[swordwhale]

OK, CONVERSING LIKE MARINER, BECAUSE why the bleep can't i upload a pic?!?!?

[MeliPixie]

Are you on the MerNetwork website? Or are you using an app like Tapatalk to post?

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[swordwhale]

https://www.swordwhale.com/uploads/2/6/3/5/2635054/20190608-182409_orig.jpg

[swordwhale]

https://www.swordwhale.com/uploads/2/6/3/5/2635054/20190608-182422_orig.jpg

[swordwhale]

Are you on the MerNetwork website? Or are you using an app like Tapatalk to post?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

argh... on a desktop with DSL

I did post my pics on MY website, then copied and pasted onto here... yeah, that worked... bwaa ha haaaa I have beat the compoofer into submission!

[swordwhale]

Wow I didnt think it was possible to rip a Luna. Have you contacted Finis directly

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Yes, contacted both Wally World and Finis. Left a cautionary note for my favorite mer too, as in , has this happened to anyone else, and maybe you should know about this...

[swordwhale]

Fabulous input folks! Thanks!

[swordwhale]

Finis contacted me. Next...

[the.tattooed.mermaid78]

Let us know what they say

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[MeliPixie]

Finis contacted me. Next...What did they say?

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[swordwhale]

so far nothing further in the email, from Finis

Wally World is useless, they keep sending me "fill out our survey of how we did" with a random name like Clarice, as in how did Clarice do. Um, not well, nothing's been resolved. Bleep you Wally World.

Forza (the apparent "third party seller")sent me a PDF of a return label with NO instructions... uh, yeah, do I get a refund??? A replacement??? Am I paying for this???

AAAAUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH

[swordwhale]

Hey I'm gonna give Finis points for this:

Thank you for including the pictures and proof of purchase. I do see that this fin would still be covered under warranty. Could you please confirm your shipping address? With this, I will be able to process a warranty replacement for you.
Best,
Haley

I'm guessing this means they send a replacement???

[MeliPixie]

Hey I'm gonna give Finis points for this:

Thank you for including the pictures and proof of purchase. I do see that this fin would still be covered under warranty. Could you please confirm your shipping address? With this, I will be able to process a warranty replacement for you.
Best,
Haley

I'm guessing this means they send a replacement???Yea, Finis often has excellent customer service. Since your fin is still under warranty, they will replace it for free. Awesome!

I still would reinforce the corners of your foot pockets with sil-poxy, since this is apparently a more common issue than I thought. But yay! New fin!

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[swordwhale]

silpoxy a great idea!



from Finis...

Thank you for confirming your address! I have processed a warranty replacement for our warehouse to ship.

No need to return that fin to us, please dispose of in which way you choose. Let us know if there is anything else we can help with!

Best,
Haley


Thanks Finis and Haley!

[swordwhale]

I'm gonna make a point about middlemen tho...

If I had bought it directly from Finis, it would have been simpler. They seem to have great customer service. Wally world and Forza... not so much.

Thanks again for the silpoxy knowledge!

[MeliPixie]

I'm gonna make a point about middlemen tho...

If I had bought it directly from Finis, it would have been simpler. They seem to have great customer service. Wally world and Forza... not so much.

Thanks again for the silpoxy knowledge!Anytime! Can I ask, do you plan on repairing the fin or just throwing it away? Since you are getting a new one for free I wonder if you might let me take it off your hands instead of throwing it away. I'll happily pay the shipping.

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[the.tattooed.mermaid78]

Oh that's fantastic that your getting a replacement. MeliPixie you'll have to record the repair if you get it off swordwhale so we can see how you repair it. I'm interested

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[swordwhale]

Anytime! Can I ask, do you plan on repairing the fin or just throwing it away? Since you are getting a new one for free I wonder if you might let me take it off your hands instead of throwing it away. I'll happily pay the shipping.

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;)

ahhhhhh....one would never throw away a perfectly good but damaged item (my parents were products of the Great Depression and WWII)... especially one this cool. At the very least one would hang it on the wall ... or pass it on to someone.

...but I actually got some sil-poxy and am going to fix the break, then expand the foot pockets (the Luna is great except WHY ARE ALL THE DAMFINS DESIGNED FOR TINKERBELLE?!?!?)(I have size 10.5 feet with lumpy arthritis) ...brainfarting about getting some silicone kitchen ware (like a potholder or the cutting mats we have at the arts and crafts store) to use to expand the foot pockets a wee bit. It's good sil-poxy practice for future problems, and if I totally goober it, I still have a nice wall hanging. I had thought about passing it on to someone, but I think I'm going to experiment...

The top of the fin is all one piece from ankles down to the fin tips, but the bottom of the foot pockets is a short, thinish piece of silicone that could be cut and expanded without messing with any other part of the fin. Might be enough space for the lumpyfoot to be happier.

It may become (with slight modifications) to go to for inside the Fin Fun tails (it sticks out slightly now).

A friend has self published some books that include mermaids, and we have a mermaid theme at book events. Had a blast last weekend sticking people in mermaid tails for pics (the Luna blew on a perfectly normal size foot with the usual care). We may need an extra fin...

[the.tattooed.mermaid78]

;)

ahhhhhh....one would never throw away a perfectly good but damaged item (my parents were products of the Great Depression and WWII)... especially one this cool. At the very least one would hang it on the wall ... or pass it on to someone.

...but I actually got some sil-poxy and am going to fix the break, then expand the foot pockets (the Luna is great except WHY ARE ALL THE DAMFINS DESIGNED FOR TINKERBELLE?!?!?)(I have size 10.5 feet with lumpy arthritis) ...brainfarting about getting some silicone kitchen ware (like a potholder or the cutting mats we have at the arts and crafts store) to use to expand the foot pockets a wee bit. It's good sil-poxy practice for future problems, and if I totally goober it, I still have a nice wall hanging. I had thought about passing it on to someone, but I think I'm going to experiment...

The top of the fin is all one piece from ankles down to the fin tips, but the bottom of the foot pockets is a short, thinish piece of silicone that could be cut and expanded without messing with any other part of the fin. Might be enough space for the lumpyfoot to be happier.

It may become (with slight modifications) to go to for inside the Fin Fun tails (it sticks out slightly now).

A friend has self published some books that include mermaids, and we have a mermaid theme at book events. Had a blast last weekend sticking people in mermaid tails for pics (the Luna blew on a perfectly normal size foot with the usual care). We may need an extra fin...

You'll have to take some pics of the process if your able to fix and alter it if you could, It would be good reference material for the future x

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[MeliPixie]

That sounds like it could be a great fix! I'd love to see pics of your progress as you do it. A sil-pat might be a good thing to use for the extension piece? [emoji848]

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[swordwhale]

Cool! I will take pics.

I seem to have a camera glued to me most of the time :lol:... I think I burned through two sets of batteries and more than one 8gb SD card on one week trip. One card announced it was full at the top of the Assateague Island Lighthouse... after waiting in line to climb up there. You shoulda' seen me peering at the teeny screen trying to figure out what I could delete.

[Echidna]

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20190610/26ded744360263bf4ff82cebe6360c37.jpg

^
this is the reason why I'm scared to invest in a Luna.
I'm looking for a super comfortable fin that is nice for doing tank/aquarium stuff, but the idea of having to pay that much (costs an arm and a leg here) only to have it rip after a few uses is highly offputting.

There is just a single review on the fin on amazon, rating it one star saying the quality is bad, and two pics showing the exact same rip as above!
The customer said she'd only used it around ten times.
:jawdrop:

[the.tattooed.mermaid78]

I feel like with something like this, and the damage I've seen, what are yas doing in the sence of, are you being rough with getting it on etc. I've got one and I cant see how its able to rip and totally tear off.

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[Echidna]

There are plenty more reviews on the US amazon I saw.
Many said they were super careful, yet that same rip happened again and again.

I can't verify how careful they really were, of course, but overall this fin is rated quite low with many people having had that rip happen, compared to, say, the Mahina or new Linden monofin which have few bad reviews and only a handful of people stating their strap came off/broke.

So I'm torn. But I'm not going to pay 150 bucks for this fin with so many bad reviews.

[MeliPixie]

I am absolutely careful with this fin. But silicone us much more delicate than rubber. What happens is, with use, the corners of the foot pockets form cracks, where the strap meets the pocket and anywhere there is a right angle. Then all it takes is one too many uses, and RIP! That is why I recommend to everyone I can, if you're getting this fin, also invest in a tube of sil-poxy. Reinforce those angles and connections first, before you ever swim with it, and save yourself the heartache (and headache!) of a broken heel strap. It's a good fin, but just like most monofins, it has its flaws. You just need to work around them!

(Also, $150?! When I bought mine I paid $99!)

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[swordwhale]

I got mine based on several online reviews by more serious or professional mermaids and they love the Luna and have not had issues. I have a Mahina and a Linden and if I'd got the Linden first I probably wouldn't have any other fins. Not to say anything bad about the others, the Mahina is mad powerful and looks great, even with only leggings... very realistic, especially in a natural water setting as it surfaces. I have to use either coconut oil or baby powder to get my enormous feet into the largest size, then it's fine.

The Linden has wider foot pockets and is super adjustable. It's also light, fast, maneuverable and fits in the Fin Fun skins. And it floats. I also use a bit of baby powder to slide it on over the neoprene socks.

The only downside is the buckles on the side are a wee tad bulky, but I'll trade minor bulky for good design and adjustability any day. The Fin Fun Atlantis tails have heel fins which hide the lumpy bits.

I'm gonna say the Luna is still fine, but treat it gently and don't tug on it. Use baby powder or lubricants and reinforce if you can.

The Mahina seems relatively indestructible.

If I was going to suggest a first fin, I'd say the Linden. It's also cheaper. And if you have teeny Tinkerbelle feet, you can get the even cheaper kids size.

I will admit the Luna has great movement in videos!

The first part of my video is me in the Chesapeake Bay with the Luna inside a Fin Fun skin... yep, the water is murky.. nope, don't try to sit on bay rocks... you'll stain your tail... https://youtu.be/ePFpFcNgMqo?t=9

[MeliPixie]

The first part of my video is me in the Chesapeake Bay with the Luna inside a Fin Fun skin...

Looks fun! Do you have any photos of the fluke, with the Luna in it? I'd love to see how it looks up-close before I invest in a Fin-Fun tailskin [emoji846]

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[Mermaid Jaffa]

From a technical standpoint, the rips would not happen had it been a rounded or curved corner instead of a square one.

[MeliPixie]

From a technical standpoint, the rips would not happen had it been a rounded or curved corner instead of a square one.You're absolutely right! It's a flawed design, sadly. That is why I always recommend reinforcing those angles with sil-poxy as soon as someone gets a new Luna. I have 2 now, one repaired, and the other immediately reinforced upon receiving it!

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[the.tattooed.mermaid78]

You're absolutely right! It's a flawed design, sadly. That is why I always recommend reinforcing those angles with sil-poxy as soon as someone gets a new Luna. I have 2 now, one repaired, and the other immediately reinforced upon receiving it!

Sent from my SM-G950U using TapatalkHave you got some pictures of how you reinforced it please I'm scared mines gonna rip now

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[MeliPixie]

Have you got some pictures of how you reinforced it please I'm scared mines gonna rip now

Sent from my [device_name] using MerNetwork mobile appI don't at the moment, sorry. Basically I just added a tiny bit of sil-poxy into those corners in order to round them out and make them stronger.

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[suzanne86]

If other folks had similar problems with the Luna, that doesn't say much about the quality of the material used. It is good that it is still under warranty, and that Finis is will to replace it. I have a Foil, and it's been holding up O.K.--knock on wood LOL. Good luck with your replacement Luna! :-)