Me putting on my Merbella Studios full silicone (performance) tail on for the first time, and my first swim in it!
The waterpoof housing makes it hard for the camera to pick up sound, so I put subtitles/closed captioning (CC) in (you have to turn it on at the bottom of the player) so you know what I'm saying :) You can hear better with the volume turned up. There were a few others in the pool area, and it echoes a lot, so please excuse all the noise!
In case you don't know, putting on a full silicone tail can be quite a task, especially the first time! This was my very first time putting on this tail, or any tail of this material. A lot of people have requested footage of the process, and I'm the first one that I know of to film a first attempt. Full silicone tails skin tight and sticks to your skin and everything else. Therefore they are best put on in the water. After this first attempt, I started using water-based lubrication to help me put it on much faster!
Thanks to my friend Jon for lending his legs to film it for me!
Facebook: / mermaidiona
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Official website: www.mermaidiona.com
I'm also on Twitter, G+, and deviantART!
The company that made this is Merbella Studios (like it says in the title).
Merbella Studios FB: MerBellaStudios
Merbella Studios FAQ: / 455537217835697
This is a performance tail with a Finis competitor monofin with pectoral, dorsal, and heel fins. It weighs about 30 lbs.
Total cost of this tail: $3,500
There is NO storefront to order tails from Merbella Studios. They will post on their Facebook page when they are taking orders. When a spot opens up, you email them. IF they take your order (there are very limited spots), they will contact you, and you pay them the full price up front via PayPal. They then get started on your tail and it can take anywhere from 6-12+ months to complete. You then pay for shipping and it is shipped to you.
Where can I get a tail?
Go to merfolktails.info for a full list of professional tail makers. MerNetwork also has sections for discussing commercial tails, tail makers, and tailmaker reviews in the forum. I will tell you that no matter what tail maker you would like to buy from, research them and their products and look at reviews not endorsed or posted by the company FIRST. Also research the materials that they use before buying. A good place for mermaid tailmaker reviews and information on materials is MerNetwork.com.
Can you teach me to make a tail?
No, but I can tell you where to find all the information you will need to make one. MerNetwork also has the most comprehensive information on the net on making every kind of tail there is. So if you're a crafty person you have the information to make what ever kind of tail you want, all at your fingertips! Start at this page mernetwork.com/index/content.p... and check out all of the links, especially the ones at the top (Guide to materials and supplies, FAQ, Tailmaking Reference Index, Tailmaking section of the forum). You HAVE to read through the information if you want to learn how. Asking how to make one will be replied with with links to where you can read it for yourself as those questions have been answered dozens of times previously. If you look there is information on how to make every type of tail there is.
Can you give me a tail? Can a tailmaker give me a tail?
No, and it is impolite to ask that of anyone. You have to work hard and save up for a tail. In high school I worked an entire summer and dedicated all of my savings from my work to buy my first tail. I saved over 4 years for the tail you see me in in the video! Work hard and save responsibility and you too can have enough to buy a beautiful tail :) If you watch the mermaid community closely there are raffles for tails every once in a while, which gives you a chance to get a tail for a lower price.
I'm a kid or a teenager. Can I buy a tail?
You have to have someone who is 18 years or older order it for you. Some parents will buy tails for birthdays, Christmas, ect bot not all will of course. You can work hard and save (baby sitting, chores, odd jobs, actual jobs, saving allowances, saving birthday/christmas/ect money) to buy your own tail. I highly advise against buying anything but a fabric tail if you are not fully grown (at least 17-23 years old) becuase you will grow out of it. Some kids and teens have grown out of tails in a matter of months. Fabric tails are cheap and stretch more and thus can be used for longer and replaced for cheaper once they're grown out of. Wait until you are fully grown before you invest in a nice tail (neoprene, latex, silicone ect).