Getting my first silicone tail!

[MysticMerman]

I'm getting my first silicone tail (for not only my lifestyle, but the start of a career in professional mermaning) and I'm SUPER excited! Idk what color scheme or pattern to use though! I want so many!!! Any ideas? The tail is a mertailor partial silicone (the kind with the detachable fluke) I explained that I'm using it for personal and professional uses and asked if I could send him an colored drawing of what I want so I can get as custom as can be, and he said that would be ok! (As opposed to using the text box to tell him the four colors I want.) I don't wanna make things too complicated since he's so incredibly nice about these kinds of things... But since it's sort of an extension of my own body, of course I want it to be spectacular! It's like a tattoo (given, yes you can take it off and get more later) but when you're broke and starting off, it should be very well planned!

[Merman Arion]

Mmmmm... Buyer beware.
A partial silicone tail from Eric is not a full silicone tail as I imagine you are aware that the product you're asking is also made of neoPRIN and NOT neoPRENE. It's TOTALLY different as a matter of quality.
Also, if you intend to do professional stuff, I would suggest to go full silicone instead because the Mertailor Partial Silicone tails aren't perfect : you can clearly see the seams and that it's a two-piece costume instead of one unique tail. As proven in these pictures on dry land and in water :

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If you want to go professional, you have to get a flawless tail or else, even the kids will figure it out that you are not "real".

You might need to check these threads first if you wanna know what we actually think about these products. That might help you making a decision.

http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?6207-Mertailor-quot-Flipper-quot-would-you-buy-it

http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?6021-NEW-SKINS-by-Mertailor (http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?6021-NEW-SKINS-by-Mertailor)

Plus, i'm warning you that Eric has an one-of-a-kind customer service...

Hope that helps. Good luck. :thumbs-up:

[Sirena The Coral Reef Koi]

I happen to agree with merman Arion , Eric has a reputation for being "all to eager to help " but fails to deliver :( if your wanting to go pro again it would be wise to get a full silicone tail or even one of Merbellas basic silicone tails <3 if anything The only difference in appearance between merbellas basic and pro is that one is full silicone other than that they look identical <3 good luck hopefully you get the tail of your dream. :D

[Merman Arion]

I happen to agree with merman Arion , Eric has a reputation for being "all to eager to help " but fails to deliver :( if your wanting to go pro again it would be wise to get a full silicone tail or even one of Merbellas basic silicone tails <3 if anything The only difference in appearance between merbellas basic and pro is that one is full silicone other than that they look identical <3 good luck hopefully you get the tail of your dream. :D

She's right. Here's the actual proof of what she just said :

On the left, it's a full silicone tail (performance). Starting price : 2600$.
On the right, it's a partial silicone tail (basic) made with neoPRENE. Starting price : 1500$.

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Another basic tails made with silicone and neoprene but these have a competitor monofin hence the new fluke shape :

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[MysticMerman]

I do like merbellas studio tails, and price wie, comparable... But isn't there a very looooong wait with raven? Also, those links just say invalid when I click on them, but that's probably just because of my phone. Also, how much are the extra fins on ravens tails? (If you may know)

[MysticMerman]

Anyways, thank you both for pointing me in to a different direction.

[Ilyena]

There is also Finfolk for full silicone tails. Price is a similar to Merbellas but the quality is there and I think the waiting is not as long.

[Merman Arion]

Well, the thing with Raven is that the wait is always worth it no matter the time. You can see her reviews, she's always getting 5 stars and she's putting her soul in her tails to make the customers happy. At this moment, she's finishing the last tails of her current orders and i believe she's gonna take a little break afterwards so you can wait for the next line-up for orders. About the extra fins, she charges 150$ a pair for her performance silicone tails. However, it's not possible for the basic tails.

Here is her FAQ for more informations : https://www.facebook.com/notes/merbella-studios-inc/faq/455537217835697

Here is a tail where the owner (Mermaid Kailani) waited for ALMOST a year. She just got it this January 2014 for the NCMerfest event who happened this past week-end and look how beautiful she is :

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She is very happy with her tail and I believe she will write a good review soon.

Back to the topic, it's up to you. I'm not saying that Eric is a bad tailmaker but i'm pointing out that he doesn't provide the same quality in his tails and the same goes for his customer service. There are plenty of other tailmakers to consider such as Merbella of course, Finfolk Productions, MerNation, Sirenalia and Mermaid Creations LLC. There is also Tom Shouse who made the tail from the "Splash" movie with Tom Hank. Each one offers great quality in their tails with different prices. I'm giving you the links to their page :

Merbella Studios : https://www.facebook.com/MerBellaStudios?fref=ts

Finfolk Productions : https://www.facebook.com/FinfolkProductions?fref=ts

MerNation : https://www.facebook.com/TheMerNation

Sirenalia : https://www.facebook.com/Sirenalia?ref=ts&fref=ts

Mermaid Creations LLC : https://www.facebook.com/MermaidCreationsByMermanJesse?fref=ts

Tom Shouse : https://www.facebook.com/thom.shouse1?fref=ts


To end my long post, i'm giving you a wise quote from Mermaid Iona who is an admin of this website and owns a Merbella tail.
This is one of her opinions about Eric's partial silicone tails :


He's officially listed the new partial silicone tails on his site. In the description it says, "Not only are they completely safe to wear, but are extremely durable with added Neoprene like backing for strength." "Neoprene like backing" = NeopRIN. Sorry, but I will always advise against buying any tail made with neoprin, no matter the tail maker. I really wish he'd just go back to neoprene already :/ The trouble of it is not worth the price difference. I'd rather pay $1,000 for a partial silicone made with neoprene than $850 for a partial silicone made with neoprin.

[Rogue Siren]

I wanna second Finfolk. XD Seems the wait time is only like two or so months and from what I've seen, the quality and customre service is fantastic. :)

[Nicoseamus]

Congratulations on getting your first tail, no mater where you get it! It is your decision where you get it, However, Namiko, Arion, Milieu, and Ilyena all have super valid points. While the Mertailor is the most "mainstream" and "well known" tail maker, his tails may not be for you. I personally look at it like, each tail maker specializes in creating a certain type of tail. Idk, this may not be right, but this is how I see it. If you want a "fantasy tail( as I call it) you should go to FinFolk or Mermaid Creations LLC. They have great customization options, so every tail looks like it comes from a fantastic dream. They use vibrant colors, and each tail is one of a kind. If you want something very realistic, try the Mertailor. His soft, subdued palate blends with the water in a way that it looks like an actual fish. But If you want both, wait for Merbella Studios. They get away with vibrant colors and add a touch of realism, which I believe is one of the sources of their popularity. I think that all of these tail makers are fantastic, and when I decide to buy my first silicone tail, it will be a really hard choice too! If I can give you one bit of advice: Go for quality over quantity. Save up a bit, and buy the best tail that a tail maker makes. If you're going to be using it for both personal and professional use, it's going to wear down pretty fast if it isn't sturdy! Hope I could help you, and again, congratulations.

[Merman Arion]

Congratulations on getting your first tail, no mater where you get it! It is your decision where you get it, However, Namiko, Arion, Milieu, and Ilyena all have super valid points. While the Mertailor is the most "mainstream" and "well known" tail maker, his tails may not be for you. I personally look at it like, each tail maker specializes in creating a certain type of tail. Idk, this may not be right, but this is how I see it. If you want a "fantasy tail( as I call it) you should go to FinFolk or Mermaid Creations LLC. They have great customization options, so every tail looks like it comes from a fantastic dream. They use vibrant colors, and each tail is one of a kind. If you want something very realistic, try the Mertailor. His soft, subdued palate blends with the water in a way that it looks like an actual fish. But If you want both, wait for Merbella Studios. They get away with vibrant colors and add a touch of realism, which I believe is one of the sources of their popularity. I think that all of these tail makers are fantastic, and when I decide to buy my first silicone tail, it will be a really hard choice too! If I can give you one bit of advice: Go for quality over quantity. Save up a bit, and buy the best tail that a tail maker makes. If you're going to be using it for both personal and professional use, it's going to wear down pretty fast if it isn't sturdy! Hope I could help you, and again, congratulations.

Great post! Couldn't say better! :clap:

[annika]

i dont support your dision to get a mertailor tail because i have heard very bad reviews about them and they are usually very lat but i suggest merbellas because even though they are pricey they are much better than metalior you can get full costom coloring (no extra charge) special scales ( no extra charge) and they are a whole lot more personalized and you have soooooo many more options with raven i have been in touch with her for a while now and she is very nice and open to new ideas and you can get extra fins for only $150 a set or $300 for a dorsal fin hope this helped

[samabell]

I worked summer jobs when I was in high school and devoted all of my earnings to be able to purchase my Mertailor tails. Those are the partial latex ones he sold many years ago, not the full silicone ones he sells now. Only one is swimmable though, as one came with so much wrong with it that it isn’t swimmable, and I’m having to spend a ton of money out of pocket to fix it myself.

[PearlieMae]

I've said it before...you might want to consider a newer tailmaker who is still perfecting their techniques...you get a tailmaker eager to build your custom tail and likely a significantly lower price and shorter wait time.

[-Annwyn-]

i dont support your dision to get a mertailor tail because i have heard very bad reviews about them and they are usually very lat but i suggest merbellas because even though they are pricey they are much better than metalior you can get full costom coloring (no extra charge) special scales ( no extra charge) and they are a whole lot more personalized and you have soooooo many more options with raven i have been in touch with her for a while now and she is very nice and open to new ideas and you can get extra fins for only $150 a set or $300 for a dorsal fin hope this helped

Nobody has to support anyones decision. If you like a particular tailmakers techniques and designs then it's your choice (or your parent or guardian's choice if you're a minor). There are a plethora of choices, and I like a lot of tailmakers designs. Personally I own a Mertailor full silicone tail and it's in great condition, got constant communication during production, swims like a dream and was delivered completely on time. I didn't choose the Mertailor above anyone based on what anyone else thought. He had a product that suited my tastes, Eric has a great portfolio, so I went with him.

If you have any questions you'd like to ask, please let me know. I am happy to answer them. :) But yeah, I suggest to quit assuming stuff and actually go out and do some research and make up your own mind. Nobody is forcing you to be loyal to any one tailmaker! If you want to go with Merbellas, Finfolk, Mernation, Sirenalia, Mermagica or even Magictail then do so! :) Peace.

[Rogue Siren]

If I had the money I would get a tail from each and every one of them! XD Haha!

[annika]

thank you for your advice

[Fifi Tigg]

My daughter got a tail from Finfolk Productions, the quality, artistry, colouring, details, no visible side seams and it swims like a dream is five stars!! If I had to choose a tail maker again I would go for them every time!! :D

[Winged Mermaid]

I worked summer jobs when I was in high school and devoted all of my earnings to be able to purchase my Mertailor tails. Those are the partial latex ones he sold many years ago, not the full silicone ones he sells now. Only one is swimmable though, as one came with so much wrong with it that it isn’t swimmable, and I’m having to spend a ton of money out of pocket to fix it myself.

Um, why are you quoting something I've posted before as your own post?

[AniaR]

Omg ban samabell lol

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk

[Merman Arion]

Seriously.. Trolls really get on my nerves. I vote for a ban as well.

*facepalm*


Envoyé de mon iPhone à l'aide de Tapatalk (http://tapatalk.com/m?id=1)

[MysticMerman]

After doing my research I'm doing merbellas, the wait time actually will play in my favor anyways. I've been in a hurry to get my silicone tail but sticking with fabric for a few months longer (with weights attached to my ankles and legs simulating the weight of the silicone) will allow me to get the hang of the some of the differences the weight causes) there really is no reason to rush it. I like Ravens work, I respect Raven a lot as an individual, and feel confident in supporting her.

[Ilyena]

That seems like a good idea but I'm unsure about using weights with a fabric tail and swimming, as most people on here have said silicone tails are mostly neutrally buoyant in the water (maybe small weights on the waist) but heavy on land. It's just for safety wise as I don't think anyone would want anything to happen to you ^_^. Could suggest maybe a thicker fabric with less stretch, since lycra is extremely stretchy and allows more movement than silicone.

[MysticMerman]

The weights are real light and actually meant for pool use. (Shallow water of course) they go around the ankles and wrists for water aerobics and similar activities. Lol. I used them once before in my lifeguard training classes.

[Ilyena]

Ohh, that makes more sense now and not as dangerous. I apologize for jumping to conclusions ^_^