Merbellas Thread

[Winged Mermaid]

That's right! The main difference between the performance and basic flukes (besides having or not having a layer of neoprene) is that the performance fluke is molded and the basic fluke is textured (no molding involved, just texturing of the silicone). Therefore the basic fluke can be customized a lot easier, and for no additional cost. But you have to specify to her what fluke shape you want when you order, and what she can do with the texturing process for the actual texture (not shape) of the fluke is limited. Otherwise to customize the performance fluke there is an additional cost, as she needs to sculpt and make a whole new mold for you.

[Melanie]

I just emailed her yesterday about purchasing a basic tail and using a competitor so hopefully I will hear back soon and I can report back here. (:

[Ayla of Duluth]

I just posted my official review of my Merbellas tail in the review section. Currently I'm uploading my video review to youtube, and it'll be up and running at some point in like a half hour if the upload gets any faster =,,=
I posted some new pictures on my facebook page too so that's available to check out. There's a picture of my shell belt and mermaid necklace. Also a link to the written review here on mernetwork, because the forum seems to not want to show the most recent post, it's still saying [at least for me] that Oceana was the last one to make a post.

[Winged Mermaid]

Your review is up! The add on that lets us have a review system requires that each post be moderated and approved manually by an admin, so when there are delays, that's why.

[Ayla of Duluth]

oh thats nifty thanks for posting it. I had linked it on my facebook page but I thought other people could see it. Well, now they can

[AniaR]

I read your review, I was concerned about my measurements too when I first put the tail on dry. Even with lotion it's just very difficult to move silicone around and smooth spots out. When you're in the water/ actually wet it makes a WORLD of difference. You can fine tune it and make sure it's on exactly the way you'd like. Also, you may still be able to lift the fluke once you get used to holding your feet the correct way in the monofin. If you can't do it dry, don't worry. There's lot of opportunity to try it out when you use the momentum of diving deep in a pool. You can do a surface fin slap!

See for you, I think you're going to find there's a bit of a learning curb since you've never used a monofin/swam in a realistic tail before. I had the benefit of learning with fabric, then an alex plus tail with a monofin, and it still took me a bit to get it down. I think a lot of the little concerns/awkward things you have will disappear as you come to know your tail and monofin

I dare say nearly all of us with belts have real shells on them. My weight belt is made with real shells, and my decorative belt is too. The trick to keeping belts from breaking is to put them on once you're in the water, and take them off before you get out. They only break if you're climbing all over and rolling around. If we can all make it work, I'm sure you can too. if you're feeling extra nervous you can always coat the shells in clear silicone or varnish etc to make them a little stronger.

I'm not sure what you mean by "gunky", silicone itself feels and looks kinda gross. When I saw the photos of the inside of your tail they're very similar to mine, and many other silicone tails so that's normal. However, after you take a tail off if you've used lotion inside it- that will be gunky and stay that way until you wipe it off. The nice thing about silicone is that you can literally stuff a towel in there and pull it out to wipe things off and dry. You may want to do what I did and invest in silicone sex toy cleaner it gets rid of all the nasty stuff that accumulates when swimming (usually your own dead skin!) disinfects and prevents mold, but also will not break down the silicone and is safe for use on things that touch your skin. You can order something online if you don't feel comfortable going to a sex store. I suggest one that comes in spray bottle format!

[Winged Mermaid]

Actually I don't think she can wipe out the inside of hers. She has a strange nylon-looking mesh all on the inside of the scales. Here's a picture she posted. I've heard of people using nylon mesh for strengthening silicone before (for the whole of the tail, or just to reinforce certian areas), but so far it's always imbedded in the silicone, not stuck to the surface. I'm sure Raven has her reasons, but it's a bit puzzling for a few reasons. One of which is that she won't be able to wipe it out or wipe it dry. Unless it dries super fast, drying the inside will be an issue, as will washing the lube and gunk out of the material without hurting the material or the silicone. Silicone is very stretchy, but usually if you put silicone on a less stretchy material it loses that ability to stretch as much, and to get a better fit. I have not felt the material, so I don't know how it will effect the silicone in that way. Just puzzling and concerning. Maybe we should just ask Raven about it, since I obviously don't know what I'm talking about with this stuff :P

[AniaR]

Here's an up close photo, scaled next to my thumbnail so you see how thin and small this stuff really is. I think because her silicone is tinted white it looks like there is more material than what's actually there. Makes it look thicker when it's really just the silicone behind it.



I can guarantee from my own experience it doesn't effect your ability to wipe it out or clean it or it's stretch.

[AniaR]

Mine is like that too though, it's so thin that I never mention it. It wipes out perfectly easy. You can see it in my videos up close with my tail Seriously, it might as well be tracing paper. I've never mentioned mine because honestly I never notice it, it's like it's not there.

[Ayla of Duluth]

AniaR, your nails...They're gorgeous. Tell me your secret.
When I said the seams were gunky, I actually meant the outside. I did snap a few pictures, but I didn't think it was necessary to post them as it's not that big of a deal. Here is what I was talking about when I said gunky:

I tried to show it in the video review, but it's really hard to see unless you look at the tail in person. The inside is fine, the seams sit nice against my skin so that's no deal at all. I was just talking about the seams on the outside, where the silicone looks like it was more difficult to work with. The black lines down the sides of my tail do hide them extremely well.

[AniaR]

Yes this seems to be something with every tail maker. They get better and better at hiding them but unless there's one body mould for someone there is always seams.

As for my nails, that would be genetics. lol They grow crazy long, and I chop em off so I can play guitar

[Ayla of Duluth]

So I got a message from Raven today, the monofin inside my tail is a Finis Foil, not a Competitor. Which would explain the open toe thing.

[Melanie]

I just placed my order! Super excited.

[Thalassa]

Question for anyone who has a Merbella's performance tail: How big are the bottom water-flow vents? (The holes between the two layers of silicone) My Fish Butts tail has vents like that of about half an inch and they gap something awful (could be the stretching of the neoprene, though). I've also had kids stick fingers into them before if I wasn't careful.

[AniaR]

tiny and impossible to see without knowing they're there. Certainly not big enough to stick a finger in, and honestly, water doesn't usually get that far lol

[Thalassa]

Good to know. Honestly, the Fish Butts holes were small to begin with, until kids put fingers in 'em. The first time it happened I heard, "She's not real! Look, there's a hole!" And my tail was yanked. I squawked and did the usual, "That hurts, don't do that!" But seriously? How the heck did they get that in there, and why did they think that was okay? XP So I was a little nervous when I heard Merbellas tails have similar vents. Good to hear that it won't be a problem.

[AniaR]

it's literally like a tiny slit, not even a hole! This in mine, after a year of non stop use.



I've got two, both in dark paint spots, both along natural grooves in the texturing.

[MerEmma]

Raina, I'm curious, do your legs get wet when you swim in your tail? Swimming without my legs getting wet sounds so bizarre. xD

[AniaR]

yeah they do. I think it's unavoidable because it's practically impossible to make something seal at the waist and stay sealed so water and air doesn't get in. If water and air don't get in, you get suction, and that looks bad. I remember reading that in Splash, she was shrink wrapped with plastic inside the tail to avoid the knees and ankles and leg in costume look, but even then she'd get wet too. If I model in my tail on beaches though, and I sit in waves to take photos etc, my legs don't get wet if the water doesn't come above my waist.

[MerEmma]

Oh, okay. Thanks! I think I'd prefer my legs get wet anyhow. =P

I'm super psyched to see everyone's tails once they get them...I love to read the reviews, as well.

I've got a plan to start up this job where I'll get to make $10 a day (pretty good for a 13-year-old, haha) and within 300 days I'll have $3,000 to set aside for a Raven tail once I start growing. I'm super psyched. I start on Monday!

Also, does anyone know where the video of the woman in the Merbellas tail at Nemo 33 (I think?) for the Christmas card is? I saw the video a while back but since it was in Flemish/French/Dutch/German (Belgium has too many languages...) I can't seem to find it. I've searched for a while now. >_<