It's not too late to order... wait you know what...

Slinging West into the Pacific Ocean from the shores of Vancouver BC

...it is too late to order a sling from Slingmoore that will arrive on Christmas morning...but it's not to late to suggest what that boy might want to spend that Christmas cash on.  Think of the other options.  The next few times he goes to Taco Bell he might spring for an extra squirt from those guacamole caulk guns... blow it all on a movie or two... download twenty apps from the internet... or donate it to feed the hungry... ok if he's considering that last one then forget the sling... but assuming the other three are more likely you can give him a little nudge toward buying a sling.  It will last longer than any of these other options, throw a tennis ball farther than his dog can run, is much less fattening than guacamole... and to top it all off, you can finally get rid of that ten-times-regifted fruitcake by nailing it to the fence and declaring it a sling target.  Merry Christmas all slingers and slingers to be.   

Stuff a Sling in It.

You have the tree, the lights, the chimney with the ceramic natural gas log, all is well ordered and ready to go but what's this?!  Stockings?!  They're Empty!   What to do?  Stuff a sling in there and forget about it.  Weighing in at less than two ounces it will look like the stocking is empty.  Imagine the joy on his face when he reaches in, expecting a Pez Dispenser and finds one of our slings.  He'll realize that he actually does like fruit... just not in the same way you have been trying to get him to like it his entire life.  Hide the fruit basket and remind him of snowballs.  Sling in the New Year with Slingmoore.  Slings are 19.95 plus $3.00 S/H.

Nothing says "I have no idea what to buy you" more powerfully than the gift of a sling.

So what are you going to get him for Christmas?  You know who I'm talking about.  He needs nothing except maybe clothes because he wears his shirts until they disintegrate.  He likes so many sports you wouldn't know where to start.  And besides, he has all the gear for those anyway.  He loves being outdoors, but it's hard to wrap that.  He likes throwing stuff but what are you going to do... give him a rock?  Ironically he might appreciate that, but you don't want to go that route.  Instead give him the gift that screams "I have no clue what to buy you for Christmas."  Give the gift of a sling.  Not the kind you put your broken arm into, and not the kind you carry a baby in, and also not the kind you use to carry a firearm.  The sling is the most simple ancient and powerful throwing tool ever weilded by men (like the one we're talking about) in the history of the world that could fit easily into your hand, or a stocking for that matter.  He can carry it with him in the glove box of that nasty old pick-up of his...the one with the dried deer parts and motor oil in the back.  He can keep it in his backpack for that moment at the edge of the lake when the bouy is just out of arm throwing range.  He can keep it in his pocket and find creative ways to make apple cider, and keep that opossum away all with a single purchase.  Slings are $19.95 with $3.00 shipping and handling, email your order to slingmoore@gmail.com and at least for this year...cross him off your shopping list.  To see a sling in action check out some of our videos in previous posts.  Merry Christmas!

See what we have in stock on our Slings in Stock page.

Fall 2011 Slings

Fall 2011 Slings have finally arrived. Buying local has brought a Himalayan twist to Slingmoore. We're using two different types of leather, three different types of cord, and a beaded handle and trigger, all of which combine to make our slings trimmer, lighter and easier to handle. To celebrate our new designs we traveled to Thailand for some beach slinging.

Detailed shots of the new slings are located on the "Slings in Stock" page just under the Slingmoore logo.

Sling Students

When you choose sling students it's important that you screen them for ill-will toward you.  Seeing that a sling "accident" would be pretty easy "happen".  Thankfully, though I didn't screen them, these friends of mine bore me no ill will, and did a very good job on their first try.  As usual all of them used different styles despite having one teacher.  Fall 2011 Slings are finished and on their way, stay tuned for more info.

Slinging in Dzongu

In Dzongu, one thing that will gather a crowd quicker than a bunch of big loud Americans, is a bunch of big loud Americans with slings. In the second clip, my sling hits the ground where a recent earthquake had rumpled the asphalt. The rock jumped out, thankfully away from the afore mentioned gathered crowd. The rest of the projectiles went far and long into the middle of the Teesta River below. Slingmoore's Fall 2011 slings will be unveiled soon, till then, sling on.

Slinging From the Bow

Slinging on a lake in Pokhra Nepal would be good enough. The mountains, the lakes, the possibility that Everest might actually be visible if the clouds go away. But slinging from the bow of paddle boat is even better. My target? "Chuck a rock without falling in". And this time I'm glad to say I hit my target dead on leaving me high and dry which in this case is a good thing. In other water related slinging news. Yesterday I was slinging at the Railey River and my sling left my hand with the rock and landed in the middle of the heaviest flow. After chasing it, breaking my flip flop and watching it rush away as well, I gave up. So besides my two back up slings that I haven't used in three months...both of which are missing parts...today slingmoore is slingless.

Sling at the Raven...Nevermoore

My second day in Nepal I tried my sling at a raven sitting up in a tree. I missed of course by what I would call a country mile. But the raven...neither forgave... nor forgot. The very next day while reading outside this same bird flew up behind me and popped me in the head! I would have thought it a fluke had it not happened again five minutes later and several times the next day. He was so consistent at attacking only me and so many times that we shot this video with only thirteen seconds of recording. Now, at just the sight of my sling he spreads his wings and takes off. In the bird's defense, I have continued slinging passion fruit, tiny pre-mangoes, and acorn size dirt clods at my little avian enemy. But so far the score is

glen: zero

raven: nine

Slinging in the Himalayas

One of the things that slingmoore slings do best is loading fast. When I was still experimenting with woven slings and different stay/trigger designs it used to take me half a minute to get the sling loop on my finger and load the ball, and balance the blah blah blah. But these days I use the fast-load.  I slap the rock into the pocket, thread my fingers and run them down to the stays to the handle and trigger. You can sling a whole lot more per unit time if you can load fast.  So it boils down to...(you'll just have to forgive me for this one)...The only way to get better at slinging is to sling... moore.  Load fast and sling away.

West Sikkim Slinging

entrance to the zoo above Gangtok

Slinging in Sikkim yesterday.  We stopped on the side of the road and I took ten shots at a huge leaf that I couldn't hit at that distance.  But more interesting than any of it was the view from where I was slinging.  If nothing else, slinging in Sikkim is beautiful.  My boy's favorite part?...feeding the pig.

blue bamboo grew everywhere

trail down to a village below the road

rice fields... just starting to sprout from the mud

trip's highlight for the boys feed the piggers

Slingmoore...with an Asian Twist

Slingmoore has relocated to the Himalayan foothills and so naturally we've acquired a bit of an Asian bent. Bamboo stay rods, patterned trigger beads, a rich chocolate brown leather, and deeper set rivets all come together for the kind of sling that you'll wanna keep tucked in your pocket for that moment when you are standing in an open field with a sling-projectile in your hand. These are coming soon... Ordering and pricing haven't changed with our location however... orders can still be emailed to

sales@slingmoore
Happy Slinging...

Slingmoore

If you give a monk a sling...

...he just may put down his cricket bat to give it a try.  As I entered the grounds of this monastery, we found some monks playing cricket.  They were playing rather carefully since even a half way decent hit would send the ball plummeting several thousand feet to the river valley below.  A nearby terrace wall looked like a good target area to me and so I whipped out my sling out and gave it a try.  It just so happens that if you can catch a monk just after his yearly memorization exams he may be keen to try his hand at slinging.  "Guietro" as it's called here.  He shot backwards, sideways and then forward getting better with each shot.  We used the cricket ball that they had been playing with as I arrived.

Broken Projectiles

Hacky sacks make pretty good projectiles when they slam into something soft like the grass or a hand... but... or the asphalt, or a park bench and they don't last long.  I made my own out of leather and the innards of a broken one which lasted wonderfully until it landed in the lake.  It's funny how things filled with rocks don't float very well.   The woven hacky sacks work well though a little more expensive.

Give the gift of a sling... hurry... there's still time.

Visions of slingmoore slings danced in their heads...

It's crunch time.  At this point, you either give them cash, regift the fruitcake, or see what you can find in the garage.  Instead of that, why not give them a sling?  Ok so there's lots of reasons not to get them a sling, but let's not think about those things right now.  Slingmoore can ship slings to your loved ones anywhere on planet earth, and since it's a sling we're talking about, the farther away they the better.   So there's still time.  Let them sling in the new year...with the most simple, ancient, and powerful throwing tool known to men... under two ounces... the sling being under two ounces... not the men.

Slinging off the Battery in Charleston SC

You have to be careful when you're slinging off the Battery in Charleston SC. First of all, there are three year olds everywhere, and they don't mix with slinging, well maybe that was just my three old. Second, it's possible that you might hit Fort Sumpter. And usually when Fort Sumpter is bombarded from the Battery it is not appreciated and may have far reaching consequences. The cannons that were used for said bombardment are still here, sitting behind me in the park, the biggest collection of this type of cannon in the world.

Gift Your Weird Nephew a Sling

You know who I'm talking about.  He's built things with legos that just may outlast the pyramids.  He can list the islands taken by U.S. forces in the pacific during World War II in chronological order, but he's not sure how you're related to him.  Last year he attempted to cut down a two-hundred year old oak in with a hacksaw.  There's usually a living creature in one of his pockets.  You wouldn't recognize him without mud on his face, and it's often not mud.   What are you going to get this kid for Christmas?  I'm telling you, Get this kid a sling.  The best gifts keep on giving.  Your weird nephew won't put this thing down until Spring.  Sure, you'll wonder why entire bags of apples and plums disappear over night, and scratch your head when squirrels cower at the sight of a tennis ball, but nothing... nothing says "I love you and I have no idea what to get you for Christmas" better, than the gift of a sling.  Meet your nephew right where he is, and give the gift that will keep him there for at least a couple more years, because you know as well as I do, he's weird, but man is he entertaining.

Slingmoore

Sling Golf

If there is ever a Masters for Sling Golf, I will not be wearing the green jacket at the end.  Slingmoorehttps://www.slingmoore.com/p/landing-page.html

Sling Index

The Sling Index calculates slinging accuracy as margin of error in the angle of each shot.  Assuming a circular target area.  The point of release, the center of the target, and the edge of the target form a right-triangle.  At the vertex where the slinger stands the angle gets smaller and smaller as the accuracy of the slinger improves since both increased distance and decreased target area shrink the angle.  Therefore the lower the Sling Index, the smaller the angle of error possible to still allow a hit on the target, and therefore the better the accuracy.

I was asked recently how accurate I was at slinging and found the question difficult to answer.  The size of the target, how many shots I took at it, and of course the all important, how far away I was, all depend on the likely hood of me hitting the target.  I've slung with high and low percentages but the situations were  not comparable.  There must be a way to level the playing field, so that no matter what I'm slinging at and how far away I am, I can have a gauge for the level of accuracy I'm attaining to.  To accomplish this from now on I'll be using the Sling Index.

Sling Index equals the inverse tangent of the target radius dividing by the distance of the target.  So if the radius of your target is the same as your distance from the target, the sling index is 45.  A very easy shot. At ten feet your target would be 300 square feet, about the size of a house.  Conversely, if you are 19 feet from a 3 square foot target, the sling index is just over 3.  A difficult shot, like standing on the sidelines of a football field and hitting a beach ball half way between you and the center of the field.  This graph gives some idea as to how quickly the Sling Index drops with  distance from a 1 square unit target.

Tiny Target in Decatur TX

I have three reasons why this video made the cut. First, it's the first video I've taken in months. Second, the snazzy hat. Third, I came within a twelve inch radius of hitting a very tiny target at a farther-than-usual distance. This near-strike got me thinking about a way to rate the difficulty of different target situations. The mathematical formula for rating targets is still in testing, but I think it is well founded on how light decreases intensity over a distance. Moore to follow.

Keep Slinging
slingmoore

Sling at me... please.

During my last few days of slinging in Kentucky I was interested in getting a shot from the target's perspective. Curiously, I couldn't find anybody willing to hold the camera. Weird. But there were plenty of people willing to sling at me I noticed. We'd open each session with "I want you to aim for my head (only tennis balls here). It's amazing how sharply everybody's target percentages jumped when they felt the motivation to actual hit the target... here being... me.

Slinging: Simple Rotational Dynamics Applied

About slinging.  It's basic rotational dynamics.  Need I say more?  The sling has three parts.  The pocket, the stay, and the trigger.  The stay and the trigger are the two ropes attached to the pocket, and as you would imagine from the names, the stay is the rope you hold on to, and the trigger is the one that you release.  Now WHEN you release it is the MAIN issue.  To make things simple, imagine yourself throwing a baseball, and for this example, picture yourself watching yourself throw from the side.  You wind up, your arm goes traces a circle over your head and your wrist snaps and releases at the top of your swing, at the top of the arc.  But the ball doesn't go up, it goes forward... roughly 90 degrees from the place your released it.  Now imagine that that same ball is on a tether.  As you are swinging the ball in a circle, each moment of the ball's circular travel, it yearns to travel in a straight line... but at there is a competing force.  At the same time the tether overpowers the ball's yearning and keeps the ball consistently turning around the circle.  The tether pulls the ball towards the center of this circle where you are holding the tether.  So when you release the tether, it loses all ability to overpower the ball's yearning to go forward.  So at the moment you release the tether, the ball will get it's wish and travel in a straight line that is perpendicular (90 degrees) to the line formed by the tether at that moment.   Slinging is the same way, when you release the trigger, the pocket opens and the ball will travel in a straight line from that moment on.  See... simple rotational  dynamics.

Load it, Swing it, Release it.
Slingmoore

Slingmoore back in Business

View Larger Map

After a summer spent in the best slinging place on earth known to some as a "Canada" and over three thousand miles on the return trip alone. Slingmoore is back in business.  I'm going to be building like mad the next couple of weeks so email me your sling orders.

Slinggames: Target Camera

I don't think this needs any commentary. I laughed so hard watching this thing that I think I have inadvertently created a new genre of sling games for myself.  Next stop: Finding someone to hold the camera...

Sling Games: Gallons of Gath

I challenge thee to a contest of skill. Two consecutive hits on a gallon jug at fifteen paces. Impossible? Maybe. Here is a tip. Slinging involves both the vertical and horizontal dimensions. Trying to time your sling release in both dimensions at the same time IS nearly impossible. Instead, limit your dimensions. Tip the sling arc so that it is aimed at the target edge-on. Picture your sling arc like a circular saw, and line it up as if to cut the target in two. Then you are only dealing with one dimension. One more tip, don't start at fifteen paces, start at 5. Increase to 8, then 10 etc. Making this one change to my form shot my percentages up twenty percent. One more tip, begin with a standard size projectile. I recommend tennis balls, they are light, cheap, and are unlikely to damage anything or anyone inadvertently. And...they show up very well on video. The only prize this round is bragging rights, when we get to twenty paces then we'll talk prizes. Send your video links to slingmoore@gmail.com

Slinging at Crescent Beach BC

Two recommendations for slinging at the beach. First, make sure nobody is around. This can be difficult since beaches usually have at least one lonely walker looking for seashells or beached whales. Second, bring a target. Despite the ubiquitousness of the perfect slinging rocks, there were few targets to be found. Occasionally the seagulls were tempting.

Slingmoore