4 Tips For Buying A Sport Whip
Posted on: 24 June 2021
Whip cracking is an up-and-coming competitive sport that is drawing more and more fans. If you would like to get started in this activity, you must first purchase a good starter whip. This will give you time to practice and develop your cracking and whip control skills.
1. Style
There are two main styles to choose from, Australian or American. Australian whips are usually handmade and are primarily made to create a strong cracking noise, as this is how they were originally used to control stock animals. This means they lend themselves well to multi-cracking whip control skills. American-style whips tend to be machine-made. Their design was both for striking and noise as a means to control stock, so they do not perform multi-cracks as well. They are often less expensive than the Australian counterpart, though.
2. Length
A bullwhip can be up to 10 feet in length, but that is usually too long for a beginner that is just learning the sport. The key to proper cracking is to keep the whip off the ground, which is more difficult for a longer whip. Of course, the longer the whip, the louder the crack as well. You can find whips as short as 5 feet, but these should be reserved only for practicing in small spaces. Otherwise, an 8-foot whip provides plenty of play with less chance of the whip ground dragging.
3. Material
Whips are made of either leather or synthetic materials. For a beginner, synthetic is lower cost and lighter weight, making it a good entry-level choice as you learn the sport. A synthetic whip can also be wiped clean and it doesn't require any conditioning to stay in good condition. As you gain experience, you may want to upgrade to a leather whip. These have more heft in the hand, are long-lived, and they can produce an optimum crack when maintained properly.
4. Weight
Finally, consider the weight of the whip. A heavy whip is more difficult to control when you are first learning, but an overly light whip won't make a satisfying cracking noise. Test a whip before purchase whenever possible. American whips do tend to weigh less than Australian whips, so they are sometimes recommended to beginners that are just getting a feel for the effect of weight on cracking.
Contact a bullwhip supplier, such as snakewhip.com, to learn more about whip options and the sport of whip cracking.
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