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View Full Version : Finding the rite tail.



DepthWitch
07-27-2013, 08:52 PM
So I am going to start this off by saying, I am far from affording a silicone tail, but I have been reserching and have found 2 tail makers that seem like they know what they are doing. Merbellas and Finfolk Productions.

Now what I would like ti know is what y'all thank. (especially people that own tails made by these people)

I would like to know the fallowing.
1. quality of the product
2. how it holds up in swims
3. how the color holds up in long term use
4. Just your thoughts on your tail and the tails from both people.

thank you very much :)

Theobromine
07-27-2013, 09:53 PM
Well, I own a tail from Finfolk Productions and I love it :) So I can weigh in on that.

1. The tail is really good quality. It's made from Dragonskin silicone and painted with psycho paint that was tinted with really beautiful pearlescent colors. They really went all out on the paint job! I love the way they interpreted my sketches and made the colors come out so very dimensional. The inside of the tail has a very fine mesh netting which helps strengthen the silicone and keep it from tearing.

2. It holds up really well when I swim in it. I paid a little extra to have a Competitor put in it (their standard tails come with a Rapid) and I swim SO FAST in it! They made the waist come up high and fit really tight so it doesn't gap when I swim either; that was something I was concerned about. And the whole thing just flows really well.

3. I can't comment much on how the color holds up long-term as I've only had it for a few weeks now.

4. General thoughts...I think both companies make beautiful tails. I was coveting a Merbellas tail for a long time, but I also knew Raven was in such high demand that I probably wouldn't have my tail sooner than six months even if I ordered it right away. I pondered for a long time, but eventually ended up ordering a full silicone tail from Finfolk through their Kickstarter project (which they used to fund their big Hawaii expedition and photoshoot they're doing pretty soon). It ended up being really awesome because they were making all new molds for their project, so I got to have a lot of say in their design! So I got to design my own fluke, fins, and even the scales! Well, I told them I wanted realistic scales and sent them lots of pictures of scales I liked and they were totally on the same wavelength as me and said they had been having a lot of the same ideas. So it was really fun to collaborate with them. The scales were actually really important to me. I'm a zoologist/aquarist so I spend a lot of time staring at fishies :P I never really liked the plain round scales other tailmakers seem to use, and was hoping someone would come out with something more textured and realistic. I got really excited when I saw that Raven had finally done her Merbella scales, but then when I looked closer at them they were a little too....stylized....for my taste. Of course, it all comes down to personal preference. But I thought they looked a little too high-profile, especially along the edges. I told the Finfolk girls all my thoughts and they actually hand-sculpted all their new scales out of clay. I really love the way they look! And the fact that they were just so excited to make my tail and to paint it (they loved my color scheme ideas) just made me feel great about the fact that they were making my tail. If someone loves doing something, you know they are going to do it well!

DepthWitch
07-27-2013, 10:14 PM
@Theobromine (http://mernetwork.com/index/member.php?380-Theobromine) Thank you very much for your impute. would you say that finfolk is very open to collaboration from sketch and color because it is very important how my tail look and the realistic scales are very important to me too as well as the fluke and fins I myself am a bit of a student of marine life (by hobby for now but hope to get a degree in marine biology:3)

thank you again for your impute :)

DepthWitch
07-27-2013, 10:25 PM
@Theobromine (http://mernetwork.com/index/member.php?380-Theobromine) I also meant to ask what the difference between Competitor and rapid was?

MerAnthony
07-28-2013, 02:24 PM
The difference is that you can buy a rapid for around $80.00 an the competitor is more than doubled. Also the competitor is made out of fiberglass an the rapid is not. There is alot of differences between the 2 of them.

Mermaid Varshana
07-28-2013, 02:59 PM
I hear the competitor is really fast, but you can get by well in a rapid too. Another mer who owns a rapid loves hers. But people love their competitors too. Some people have said it takes some monofin swimming experience to really learn the competitor without a bit of a learning curve. It depends on how much money you wanna spend.

Theobromine
07-28-2013, 03:39 PM
They are definitely open to collaboration. If you want custom fins, that would probably cost extra, but you can go nuts with all the colors and patterns you want. Also, as someone who owns both a Rapid and a Competitor, I can tell you the definite differences. The Rapid is fast, sure, but my main issue with it is the adjustable ankle straps, which can slip off. They are also bulky and I knew I did not want the buckles and the rest of the straps causing weird bumps in my tail. I figured if I was spending all that money to get a silicone tail, I might as well go all out and get the monofin I really wanted. Also, while I can swim much much faster with the Rapid than without, the Competitor just propels me across the pool. It is much bigger and made out of higher quality materials, and it is evident when you swim with it.

Theobromine
07-28-2013, 03:48 PM
Just wanted to add that the Rapid is a really good practice fin. If you are not planning on getting a silicone tail for a while anyway, I would recommend getting a Rapid to practice with. You can easily make or get a fabric tail skin to go with it!

DepthWitch
07-28-2013, 08:20 PM
Mermaid Varshana (http://mernetwork.com/index/member.php?2185-Mermaid-Varshana) Thank you I will defiantly keep that in mind.

Theobromine (http://mernetwork.com/index/member.php?380-Theobromine) thats good I defiantly would want to customize and as for the mono fin I will most likely make a fabric tail first so I will conciser using the rapid to practice.

rogerturcotte
08-03-2023, 05:11 AM
The rival is apparently quite fast, yet you can get by just well in a hurry. A other mer who is a speedy owner adores hers. Conversely, people tend to have a healthy appreciation for their rivals. There may be a slight learning curve involved if you have no prior experience swimming with a monofin, according to some. It's up to you and how much you want to spend. wordle today (https://wordletoday.io/)