I've had my tail from UnderSea Mermaid Company for 10 months already! I've taken it out to the pool and lake so many times. Everyone loves it. After so many uses the tail still works wonderfully! A bit of paint here and there has rubbed off, but thanks to the pigmented latex, you can hardly even tell! I've had to repair the fluke a few times where the tendrils try to pull away from the monofin, but it has never been a problem. Kids think the tendrils make it look like a stingray. The tail has amazing and sturdy ankle fins, dorsal and even little black spikes! I had always heard bad things about latex, and I have no idea why. This tail is amazing!