Thoughts on Merrowfins? "New" Tailmaker

[Mermaid Momo]

People dish out major money for a tail, being "butthurt" (i.e, unhappy) with a less than perfect item is 100% acceptable and understandable. If I dished out that much money to someone I trusted who told me it would be perfect then I would expect nothing less to arrive at my door. Also reviews on facebook while nice aren't accessible to everyone on the forum since some people here don't have a facebook while others are blocked (I know I'm blocked by a ton of people lol)

Also, if writing a review isn't a priority, then you can't exactly get mad when a bad review out glows the good since you know.... there aren't many ppl who have his tails posting reviews here that are that detailed as the bad review.

And another thing I've noticed is that you are a bit quick to tell anyone who says anything but showering praise on Matty about how happy YOU are with what you got, or how happy YOU are with the way something looks but you have to remember that you aren't his only audience, there are other people his products need to appeal to and someone saying they don't like the way scales, fluke, coloring, etc looks on his tails are not only valid criticism but also their opinion since everyone has different tastes in tails.

[Moongazer]

I love how when someone has a bad review or a bad product people instantly jump at anyone saying, it MUST be their fault!!

Victim blaming occurs when the victim of a crime or any wrongful act is held entirely or partially responsible for the harm that befell them. The study of victimology seeks to mitigate the perception of victims as responsible.

We have enough of this happening in the world as is! Why do we need to do this in this community?!

[kellygracee]

Been pretty busy with catching up on shoots and usually don't come on the forum unless I see a few things I getted flagged on. This is actually one I follow seeing how I was curious how everyone's tails where coming along.

My point was just giving a review on this forum if one doesn't personally have a hands on or personal experience. That was my point for responding.

I do agree with the fact that having good and bad comes with the business and I too would want to know customers experiences. But real customers who swim, have had hands on seen them at shows or conventions... Just some type of prof of owning it and making an option.

So I just spoke up seeing how I happen to be one of the few who owns one and might help give a balance to the company.

I will gladly post video and pictures on the review page and will hope to help anyone with any questions before buying if they want. Just want us all to be happy and hope everyone can enjoy what we do best... Making people happy and teaching them about the ocean conservation and ecosystem. I know that's what my business stands strong by.

I'll be posting pictures and reviews soon


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[Mermaid Momo]

Oh, Kelly, I always wondered who's tails those were. I figured those were just tails made for his team and that you all weren't a separate company but just hired by him (like the Mertailor's mermaids are hired by him) Are yours the basic tails?

[Moongazer]

"My point was just giving a review on this forum if one doesn't personally have a hands on or personal experience. That was my point for responding" The only place to make A PROPER REVIEW is here http://mernetwork.com/index/forumdis...lmaker-Reviews ANYWHERE ELSE ON THE FORUM ANYONE CAN POST AND COMMENT HOW THEY LIKE. I don't understand what's so hard to understand about that. No one but Cat has posted a review about HER TAIL regarding her experience. a REVIEW goes in the REVIEW section.

[kellygracee]

I will say however that he made this sick glow in the dark tail for my night kayak tours that I am in love with!!!!!

It has an 8hour glow charge and has the same huge fins Val's tail has...

Matt had complete free artistic freedom to do whatever he wanted on this tail.

The only guidelines where to be in my company colors (green) and glow for my night swims.

Final product happy and it's amazing.

Only down side is I need to be able to now swim like a "beast" and be able to swim in a tail about twice as heavier than my current tails... But I'm ok with that. Beauty is pain haha

hope everyone has a good day tho and hope this didn't ruffle too many feathers. I'm usually the quite one on this forum been on here for years hardly ever posted or said anything ever.




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[kellygracee]

Hi momo ) I've seen a few of your costumes and wow! Do I love them by the way...

Yes we are a completely separate company who uses Merrowfins as our Tailmaker. I do however but old tails of mermaids and give them a home here I own about four tails from previous mermaid performers who either had an issue with their old tails or where ready to retire the tails to move on to a new one. I've bought tails from Tatiana from dive bar, Val who actually was a doll and did speak up on her good experience too ( I've bought two tails from her since she is my same shoe size) coral Beth and also treasure coast mermaid. All who are now friends of mine do to buying their old tails.

Merrowfins makes all our New tails and also flys in to train my girls and fit them in person. He also does repairs, paints our tails and is involved in all our instructor programs our trainers and performers follow. Most mermaid trainers are sea lion trainers at the local park and are marine biologists so we try our best to be well rounded in the program. Matt has been amazing with us and worked with us to provide tails for our customers and also our performers.

I guess that's why I spoke up to say I was happy. We own a few of his and other tail makers works and been happy all around.

maybe I'll post a few more things about the company but we are very new and still molding our brand at the moment. But been following this forum for years... Never made an account but been admiring the costuming for a long long time before we opened.

About 9 years ago I started researching tail making and costuming and making stuff myself so I'm happy to be apart of the Merfamily officially now.


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[kellygracee]

Sorry so off topic. Momo ours our basic and full silicon. My trainers use basic for our school and for performances and night kayak we use full silicon.


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[Theobromine]

Theo, it's very disrespectful to call Kelly kiddo, as she is not a 4 year old child and condescending, as she was just stating her experience.

Correct. I don't have much respect for anyone who tries to use their own experiences to invalidate others' or for anyone who claims that informing people about poor quality products is "kinda horrible". If you're so concerned with people who are just stating their experience, you need to give equal consideration to the negative experiences as well as the positive ones.

Kelly is a friend of mine and she owns a successful business which has a lot of MerrowFins tails. I'm really disappointed that the tail the mermaid got was not well made. It's very unlike Matt. And I Am pretty positive it is Dragonskin. I have been to Matts house, I've video chatted with him while he's working, and I've seen many of his tails in person. I've also seen him pour flukes and bodies and what not using Dragonskin. I don't know why he would switch, wouldn't make any sense.

You don't seem to have any experience actually working with silicone, however. I do. I can tell from photos that yours looks like full dragonskin silicone, yes. That doesn't mean that all his tails are. I'm sure you've seen him working with dragonskin, but that doesn't rule anything out. He could very easily be using the tin-cure mold rubber for partial tails when and where you can't see. No, it wouldn't make any sense if you want to make high-quality tails. If you want to make CHEAP tails, however...

I also own a tail from him which is a full silicone one and it is lovely. Amazing fluke, great fins, easy to swim in.

Good for you. Not relevant to the current discussion, however.

The mermaid who has the tail on the other forum has a basic tail which stretches only so far because it's not all silicone, it's a thin layer of silicone attached to fabric. So the tail can stretch as far as the fabric allows. I agree those seams are quite terrible but it might cause it's too tight on her and the material is loosening causing stress. And the sizing issue is a hard one to deal with. I had that with my first silicone tail from Mertailor, I know how painful that is. That's why I drove 20+hours from CT to FL to visit Matt so he could measure me himself. There's always the chance the sizing won't be spot on when ordering online. That goes with anything. Even buying a dress online. Might not fit the way you want it and it's better to try it on in stores.

This is victim blaming, as Moongazer has pointed out and explained very well. Don't do it.

As for the "it's a thin layer of silicone attached to fabric" bit, dragonskin silicone layered over spandex or scuba knit (same material as spandex, just a bit thicker) would still be extremely stretchy. I know, because I have done it multiple times and the dragonskin retains its stretch. The fabric cannot be what's causing the stretch to be so vastly reduced. It's the silicone itself.

Kellygracee, I don't even know where to start with you. You keep making multiple posts trying to take over the discussion repeating over and over again what you've said about how great your own experience was but you're not even listening to what anyone else is saying about negative experiences. Stop. People have just as much right to discuss bad experiences as good ones, but you're trying to overwhelm the discussion with your own and it's extremely unhelpful. You also keep saying a lot of things that aren't even relevant to the discussion at all, while completely ignoring everything that people are trying to tell you. You're not being polite, you're being passive-aggressive, and you're certainly not being sensitive to the concerns that many other people are voicing.

[kellygracee]

Just like to say that we all have the right to express our feelings and personal experience.

These type of topics are always harder expressed accurately online and it is in person.

Was expressing my own experience. I understand good and bad experiences happen. Was sharing photos as a point of reference to back up my point. Which is my personal experience.

Not trying to stray away from what was mentioned before but since this is a Merrowfins post I figured I might put a few photos I currently have on my phone.

Hey I guess i need to figure out how to properly post on this forum a bit more formally than how I've been. Like I said I never really post anything.






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[Moongazer]

Just like to say that we all have the right to express our feelings and personal experience.

These type of topics are always harder expressed accurately online and it is in person.

Was expressing my own experience. I understand good and bad experiences happen.

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So you get to just say what you want and then ignore everyone else's responses to yours while adding pictures and post after post of your own. I'm sorry but that's not really how the world works. Guess I'll be ignoring everything you say now, just as you've ignored mine and others from trying to have a discussion with you and your WRONG points.

[kellygracee]

I just don't like to argue really. that's all


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[Moongazer]

This is not arguing. This is a discussion. If you don't know the difference, don't comment or start something you don't want to finish.

[kellygracee]

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[kellygracee]

Wayy too aggressive for need on a topic.

Come on now.


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[Saelyyia]

Can we please consolidate posts instead of posting several back to back. It makes the threads very frustrating to read and even more frustrating notification wise.

[Mermaid Momo]

Hi momo ) I've seen a few of your costumes and wow! Do I love them by the way...

Yes we are a completely separate company who uses Merrowfins as our Tailmaker. I do however but old tails of mermaids and give them a home here I own about four tails from previous mermaid performers who either had an issue with their old tails or where ready to retire the tails to move on to a new one. I've bought tails from Tatiana from dive bar, Val who actually was a doll and did speak up on her good experience too ( I've bought two tails from her since she is my same shoe size) coral Beth and also treasure coast mermaid. All who are now friends of mine do to buying their old tails.

Merrowfins makes all our New tails and also flys in to train my girls and fit them in person. He also does repairs, paints our tails and is involved in all our instructor programs our trainers and performers follow. Most mermaid trainers are sea lion trainers at the local park and are marine biologists so we try our best to be well rounded in the program. Matt has been amazing with us and worked with us to provide tails for our customers and also our performers.

I guess that's why I spoke up to say I was happy. We own a few of his and other tail makers works and been happy all around.

maybe I'll post a few more things about the company but we are very new and still molding our brand at the moment. But been following this forum for years... Never made an account but been admiring the costuming for a long long time before we opened.

About 9 years ago I started researching tail making and costuming and making stuff myself so I'm happy to be apart of the Merfamily officially now.


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Oooh, I think my favorite one from the group tail shot is the blue tail with the purple accents, I've always loved blue tails but a lot of them seem to disappear in the water because of the color, How does this tail color look in photos/the water?

Are any of those in the photo basic? Because I thought the basic tails didn't have textured flukes (one of the main things that turned me off the basic tails because even though I love his paint jobs, I also love textured flukes)

[VanoraSirene]

No one is victim blaming, I think we can all agree that the mermaids tail isn't perfect and has issues. I do think it is fixable though and I hope she contacts Matt and hopefully he can fix it up and give her a better product. She had a not so go experiance while me and Kelly had a good one. That is all. No one is blaming anybody. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I do not think that any ones experience should be invalidated.

[Mermaid Lorelei]

I hate pulling the Moderator card, but please keep this calm and respectful.

Mernetwork is an open forum for opinions on many different topics, including opinions on tailmakers. You don't all need to agree with each other, but be polite and respect the fact that others will think differently than you. I'm not pointing at anyone directly at the moment, but I will if necessary. Please don't take it that far folks.

[Theobromine]

Vanora, please stop. You were absolutely victim blaming. You were implying that Cataleya's tail is falling apart because she didn't know how to look after it properly. That is not only super insensitive, it's really destructive behavior and people on this forum don't stand for that kind of thing. Saying super passive-aggressive, victim-blamey things and then acting like you don't even know what we're talking about when we call you on it? Saying "I do not think that any ones experience should be invalidated." after having JUST INVALIDATED everyone who disagrees with you? Not cool at all. You're just digging yourself a deeper hole. You better check yourself before you wreck yourself, because we're not falling for it.