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Ye, but since it's made of rubber, it won't crack or break unless you fold it in half or something I guess? :DQuote:
Originally Posted by MerEmma
I haven't seen the orca shaped one.
I'd love to have any of the colorful kid ones, just as a bigger size.
(and then I'd worry how to incorporate it into a tail :D )
I have tried to search for this info, but I think I'm doing it wrong. lol
So, I'm sorry if it was posted elsewhere...
Can this fluke be:
1) painted to match a fabric or neoprene tail? If so, with what kind of paint?
2) covered with latex or silicone?
It's definitely not easy to break. I can bend mine (just the tips where they're thin) all the way flat down on itself but I won't do it for too long, as the rubber tends to stick to a specific shape folded into until swum in.
I don't think the rubber could be painted but my own guess if it could would be acrylic paint.
It can be covered with silicone, unsure of latex but latex tails ALWAYS have neoprene between the two so it's worked out for Fish Butts before.
Is there any info about their new fins?
I could only find that photo album, nothing saying they plan adult sizes.
Anyway, I'll definitely get one as soon as they make them available.
And I won't paint them. They go great with any of my wetsuits <3
As for using them with a tail; I'll probably sew one to fit the fin, and pull the fabric over.
Think that would work?
When you email them the automated response tells all about it--it seems like that was copy+pasted here in the thread earlier? I'm not positive but it seems that way.
I'm sure it would work fine, has been done before and perhaps this fall I plan to do that too! :)
I re-read the entire thread (...), and yeah.
The new orca-line (for boys?) might be out in 2014, but it's not certain.
A bigger/adult size is nowhere mentioned :(
I couldn't squeeze even into the largest of the kid sizes. Especially since I like to wear socks in fins so my feet don't blister.
sad panda.
What size do you wear? They have up to a US size 8 (9.5in)/ EU 39
Guess it's one of the few times having really short feet (US 5.5) is a good thing. Usually I can't find anything that fits.
I just got the regular merfin size L, and I wear a 6 1/2 sometimes 7 and the fin is slightly loose on me. (US sizes) I will def. need to get swimming socks.
So...I was just talking about how the rubber isn't easily breakable. The little slit in the middle that's very thin has cracked. I'll get pictures when I can, but I'm kinda sad. I'm going to email Mahina and see what she recommends, I'm thinking E-6000 might work but I'm not sure. It's not a big deal, I swam for two hours and it hasn't cracked anymore, but I haven't done anything to it since I last used it. It was sitting on the floor of my bedroom flat, untouched, for four weeks and today I noticed the crack. I know it wasn't there last time. >__>
EEP!
There goes my dream of an indestructible fin!
Hope you can fix it.
I know rubber can break when it gets older and less flexible, but it's strange it would happen while you were not handling it.
I really don't know how it cracked! >.<
I swear some monofins have a life of their own!
I imagine them stealthily hopping out of my room when I'm asleep, and going for a swim all by themselves,
and that's why there appear cracks and scratches and stuff on them while I have no clue where it happened :P
Omg. xD Wow, I haven't been sleeping in my bed the past few days anyhow since my sister has been sick...maybe it did? :P
It's a sure sign it has been too long since it was swum with.
That tends to mess with their feelings... *sage nod*
Omg for a second there I read the first sentence and thought you were being entirely serious and went "Omigosh, I was the one who...broke it?" ;\ :P
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Here's the crack. Just emailed asking about it, so let's hope they can help me!
Huh.
How does something like that happen without some manual influence?
Like swimming, and dragging it along somewhere, or while stored, being slit open by a sharp edge?
:confused:
Weird. Though I've had some cracks happen out of the blue, too.
This week seems to be the Big Monofin Blues.
My first magictail monofin, which I had shelved for a long while and 3 days ago swam in, cracked also :P
(Right after I said here it still held up fine- I KNEW I should've kept my mouth shut)
Nothing special, just being the old flimsy magictail model, and me swimming away happily.
(If you just swim normally, or turn a lil bit with that monofin, it almost fold itself completely in the middle, so no wonder those break like crazy)
Haven't heard from them so far.
Figures, since I've sung their praises saying they reply to emails almost instantly. Lol!
Nothing happened for it to crack like that. Mahina MerFins replied, though!
"Thanks for your email. Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, we were waiting for a reply from our manufacturer re what is the best product to use to try and repair the crack. They have advised they don't recommend using any glue etc. They have said the thin webbing between the fin blades is not a structural part of the fin so won't effect the fins performance in any way. If you see the tear progressing into the fin fin blades (i.e the structural part of the fin), then using a hand drill to drill a hole in the V section of where the two fin blades connect will create a larger radius and will stop any further tearing. This will cause any load on the fin to be distributed across a larger area. Attached are some photos to show what they mean but you wouldn't worry about this unless you see the tear progressing into the fin blades."
So it looks like I'll just leave it for now and see if it gets worse. She attached some images of how to cut the hole and cut the little webbing.
I asked about larger fins... and this is the response that I received. "We do have plans to make some fins that will go up to US Size 8-10 and 10-12. We hope to have these available by Christmas so please check back with us then."
Oh, good info, thanks!
10-12 should be enough to fit me even with 5mm socks :D
Mine actually snapped and broke suddenly on the 4th of July. I own two Oceanika fins, and this was my "less used" of the two.. and I mean, significantly less used. Anyway, I emailed them about it, and there is a 12 month warrenty. I was out of that 12 month frame by 1 month, but they do review each case individually. I had to send in pictures of the fin, the break, the size on the back of my fin, and a ruler next to my foot. They also had me send in the positive reviews I had made/posted about them, and videos where I had mentioned their product. I truly love the Oceanika fins, and I know everything isn't perfect, so though I was disappointed, I had a feeling that things would be resolved. Sure enough, I got this response:
"We have reviewed you case and are please to advise even though you are out of your warranty period we will replace your fin with a new one. We have done this based on the fact you have been such a strong advocate for us and that it is very unusual type of break and we can see that the fin is still in very good condition. So please advise us of your address and confirm the size of fin you would like replaced."
So despite the minor setback on being without a fin, they handled it really well, and I will still advocate for them - I love their product :)!
Oh this crack is totally okay! I actually ripped this part of my fins off because mine too "cracked". It's just extra rubber. Don't worry about it at all, and if you just cut it off, it will be just fine!Quote:
Originally Posted by MerEmma
We did cut it out! It works fine now, my poppa thinks it was just a little thin piece for "extra" coverage against cracking. :D
Hey all! I just wanted to let you guys know about an alternate way to buy Merfins if you didn't already know. So this is my little review on Carla Swimwear!
Carla Swimwear is an Australia store that's an authorized retailer of the Merfin. It just so happens that they also have free DHL (!) shipping to the United States on orders over $100 (Australian). So I decided to place my order through them, considering their price was the same on the monofin and waaaaay less on shipping as the Mahina Mermaid website.
Here's the direct link to the Merfin for sale on the website.
After I changed the site currency to United States Dollars, the price for the Merfin became ~$91. In order to take advantage of the free shipping I needed to get my order over 100, so I looked for the cheapest stuff on the site and wound up buying a little purse-sized spritzer of perfume. I figured it'd be nice to throw in my swim bag so when I'm leaving the pool I don't just smell like chlorine, lol.
I placed my order on Sunday, August 11, so I would have to wait until Monday for them to receive my order.
On Monday I was pleased to find a tracking number in my email that indicated DHL had already picked up my package!
On Wednesday, August 14, I was EXTREMELY pleased to get a voice message from the DHL guy saying he was trying to deliver my package! Unfortunately I missed him and had to schedule re-delivery for the next day, but I have to point out how ridiculously fast the shipping speed was. I love DHL, and I love that Carla Swimwear didn't waste any time in shipping my order!
So earlier today (Thursday, August 15), I got my package. Unfortunately this is where the positive review stops.
Carla Swimwear packaged my Merfin horribly. Not only did they fold it in half AND bend it back on itself, but they packaged it in only a thin, plastic mailer bag with absolutely no other protection. (On the other hand, they bubble wrapped my mini perfume... LOLOL.) In places, the plastic bag had holes worn into it, which is really to be expected with that kind of thin envelope and is why you should pack your product in some other type of protective wrap. In the places where the bag had holes, the monofin is scuffed, but it's not super noticeable and I don't really feel like raising a stink about it.
Regarding the severe bend in the fin, I have it sitting on a table with heavy books holding it in the proper shape right now. I'm sure it'll be fine, or if not fine visibly it'll still get to the point where it's perfectly okay in the water, lol. Considering I'm planning on making a tail for it, I would be a little disappointed if it never regained its shape, but it's not the worst thing that's ever happened to me!
So, to sum it all up, I'm impressed with Carla Swimwear's free international shipping offer and the speed with which the fin arrived, but I'm slightly disappointed with the state in which the fin actually arrived. If it can be un-bent, I would highly recommend ordering from Carla Swimwear if you're thinking about getting a Merfin. If it never goes back into shape... well... I would think about getting it somewhere else (if it's important to you how the fin looks out of water).
Here, have some pictures!
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(Sorry for the messy state of my table!!)
OUCH! That poor fin :c Definitely lay it flat somewhere, maybe with a book on each of the tips to help flatten it. Take it for a swim and that'll straighten it out as well. Why does mine look green in every lighting but it seems like everyone else's always look blue? :P
Just a thought, couldn't you leave the currency in Australia dollars? Then it would've only cost you $91 USD, but you could have gotten the free shipping without spending any extra.
Ick... your poor fluke... :( My oceanika has a couple little quirky bends at the tips, but I've never been able to get them to unbend, no matter what I did.
I just tried that, and when I hit "checkout" and input my billing/shipping information, it automatically performed the currency conversion even though I hadn't selected USD from the dropdown menu on the shopping page. Although I think the real problem is that the fin is $99.95 Australian, so I think it's 5 cents under the free shipping threshold!! Good thought though, and if it had worked I probably would have kicked myself pretty hard. xDQuote:
Originally Posted by Mermaid Melaina
Darn... it makes me sad and a little worried to hear your fluke never unbent itself. :(Quote:
Originally Posted by Mermaid Dottie
Thats why dhl is dead
To be fair, this isn't a fault with DHL. This is the store not packaging it very well.
I hope it unbends. Let us know how it goes. I am still debating a merfin or another shape.
Try putting it in a black plastic garbage bag and setting it in the hot sun for a few hours. That might soften it up a bit without getting too hot or exposing it to direct sunlight.
Thanks for the tip! I will definitely give it a shot when the sun comes out again (the forecast for the weekend is rain so I won't be able to give you an immediate update). I also read someone mention dipping it in a hot tub or a hot bath? Do you know anything about the efficacy of those methods?Quote:
Originally Posted by Alveric
Never tried them, but I don't see why they wouldn't work. The water probably shouldn't be too hot to touch.
It's rubber...chances are hot water from your tap should be warm enough to relax it back to it's flat state. Draw a hot bath and hang your fin into the water - use a cord and tie it to your curtain rod - so the bent part is in the hot water, and that the fluke is as flat as possible, sideways in the tub...give it as much room as you can.
Good luck!
Guess I'll wait getting one until some local shop sells the Oceanika.
The shipping costs are just insane, and I wouldn't want to get it bent into itself either :<
Still nothing on the whale fluke I suppose. Poo, I need a new monofin and the orca tail's fin is the perfect shape :(
Thanks so much! I'm going to try this method tonight!Quote:
Originally Posted by PearlieMae
I'll keep you updated on whether my flattening adventures work out. If the fluke gets back to its original shape, I would probably recommend ordering from Carla Swimwear. Considering the shipping was free, I saved a looooooot of money. I hope this all works out so that this becomes a viable purchasing option for anyone interested in a Merfin!Quote:
Originally Posted by caltuna
There's still the problem of the size :p
I'd need a slightly bigger footpocket than they have.
There's no word whether they plan to make their mermaidy-merfin bigger, just a vague promise they'll bring out the whalefluke for guys in a bigger size (?).
Could you shave down the foot pocket a little? I know it's been done before with success. The straps themselves look pretty thin already, but you might be able to shave into the fin itself (no idea if there's enough fin to shave into... Someone who actually owns an Oceanika will have to field that).
They've actually said before that they want to make larger sizes, but can't currently.