Hydrogen Sports PROTON

[FightMeAtTheNet]

Much better discussion of said ball launcher here:

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/new-ball-launcher.648644/

I submitted a pre-order and the expected delivery date is some time next summer. I'll give feedback when I finally get my hands on it.

 

[JEDI MASTER]

Much better discussion of said ball launcher here:

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/new-ball-launcher.648644/

I submitted a pre-order and the expected delivery date is some time next summer. I'll give feedback when I finally get my hands on it.

TW should combine both threads and keep the title at Hydrogen Sports Proton....

can't wait to get mine...and personally pick it up..

 

[dnguyen]

mine is cheaper... $995 and shipping Summer of 2020...

Is that 25% off?

 

[JEDI MASTER]

Is that 25% off?

not sure what retail price will be...but MSRP is $1595
so that's approx 35% off...

i was able to get the early bird price before it was offered to the public for pre-order..

 

[dnguyen]

not sure what retail price will be...but MSRP is $1595
so that's approx 35% off...

i was able to get the early bird price before it was offered to the public for pre-order..

Lucky you! I had help from my friend and we both pre-ordered it with 25% off.

 

[treo]

Yesterday I was thinking about upgrading my 25 year old Tennis Tutor and and after looking around at what was available, I started wondering why nobody was offering the latest technology. Looks like I have to wait until next summer.

 

[2ndServe]

I have used all the ball machines and imo the lobster is the best in terms of form factor, portability, weight, easy of battery change, functions etc. It's been a proven design and I've only ever had to change my battery. Fits in my trunk and has nice big wheels, I even got a different size battery to reduce the weight.

 

[FrankyRelax]

New preorder up today with 25% off retail. Use my name and I get a battery...or don't. But it would be nice if you did.

 

[TorontoTennis]

I vote for the Spinfire Pro 2. I came close to buying a Lobster until I heard about them. The big problem with the Lobster is that it warns you which way to run while the Spinfire does not move at all. That alone puts the Lobster and most other ball machines to shame. Also it moves faster and is quieter because of that. The Lobster does not have a safety feature like the Spinfire. The Lobster Grand IV, probably the most comparable to the Pro 2, does less than the Spinfire but you have to pay extra for the remote and external battery so it costs $250 more. Spinfire includes them in the price. I can even call Spinfire on a Saturday with a question and they actually answer the phone. I even emailed them on a Sunday night and got a reply within an hour. Both machines are about the same size and weight. For all of these reasons I think the Spinfire Pro 2 is a way better machine.

Having said all that, the Proton looks promising. The problem is that you cannot get one and also new products always have growing pains and issues. It's promised for Summer 2020 but Slingerbag, another ball machine, was promised in Oct 2018 but still hasn't shipped. Now they are promising delivery in early 2020. I bought a Slingerbag for my 10yo as it was so cheap but am not holding my breath because of the constant delays and missed promises, not to mention the final product looks nothing like what was promised and the top speed only about half of what was advertised.

 

[2ndServe]

I vote for the Spinfire Pro 2. I came close to buying a Lobster until I heard about them. The big problem with the Lobster is that it warns you which way to run while the Spinfire does not move at all. That alone puts the Lobster and most other ball machines to shame. Also it moves faster and is quieter because of that. The Lobster does not have a safety feature like the Spinfire. The Lobster Grand IV, probably the most comparable to the Pro 2, does less than the Spinfire but you have to pay extra for the remote and external battery so it costs $250 more. Spinfire includes them in the price. I can even call Spinfire on a Saturday with a question and they actually answer the phone. I even emailed them on a Sunday night and got a reply within an hour. Both machines are about the same size and weight. For all of these reasons I think the Spinfire Pro 2 is a way better machine.

Having said all that, the Proton looks promising. The problem is that you cannot get one and also new products always have growing pains and issues. It's promised for Summer 2020 but Slingerbag, another ball machine, was promised in Oct 2018 but still hasn't shipped. Now they are promising delivery in early 2020. I bought a Slingerbag for my 10yo as it was so cheap but am not holding my breath because of the constant delays and missed promises, not to mention the final product looks nothing like what was promised and the top speed only about half of what was advertised.

I like the spinfire pro 2 also, but as anyone who has owned different ball machines, the biggest issue is ergonomics and weight getting it out of the house, into the car, out of the car, with your basket of balls and your racket bag. Right now my fav is the lobster but yes the spinfire is better with internal oscil. but the lobster weight and size actually makes me not dread lifting it.

I found if the ergonomics/weight of the machine made me hate carrying it, I'd never use it.

I'm thinking of some how putting in lithium battery or making a bunch of 18650 batteries into 12v battery and routing a special charger, it would reduce the weight a lot as a big 18ah lead acid battery in most machines is very heavy on the back when putting it and out the car.

 

[myke232]

I vote for the Spinfire Pro 2. I came close to buying a Lobster until I heard about them. The big problem with the Lobster is that it warns you which way to run while the Spinfire does not move at all.

I have a machine with external oscillation and it's really not that big of a deal, it's hard to know when the ball is coming exactly so you are on your toes. Yeah you can follow it but you're still running around like crazy and hitting on the run. And when you play a real person you can read them a bit based on where you hit your ball and their body motions.

Mine also does not have 2 line drills and that is something I could see as being a very nice feature to have.

 

[TorontoTennis]

I like the spinfire pro 2 also, but as anyone who has owned different ball machines, the biggest issue is ergonomics and weight getting it out of the house, into the car, out of the car, with your basket of balls and your racket bag. Right now my fav is the lobster but yes the spinfire is better with internal oscil. but the lobster weight and size actually makes me not dread lifting it.

I found if the ergonomics/weight of the machine made me hate carrying it, I'd never use it.

I'm thinking of some how putting in lithium battery or making a bunch of 18650 batteries into 12v battery and routing a special charger, it would reduce the weight a lot as a big 18ah lead acid battery in most machines is very heavy on the back when putting it and out the car.

Actually the Spinfire Pro 2 with external battery weighs the same as the Lobster. It's the internal battery version that's heavier.

 

[2ndServe]

Actually the Spinfire Pro 2 with external battery weighs the same as the Lobster. It's the internal battery version that's heavier.

Yes but I'm comparing internal battery model to internal battery model. The difference is about 10lbs which doesn't seem much but when it's 40lbs vs 50lbs it's a lot especially if you have a tender back or kids/women have trouble moving 50lbs

 

[TorontoTennis]

Ah, ok. Then it's better to buy the Spinfire Pro 2 external battery model as it's only 40 lbs and then the weight is the same.

Also, what I don't get is that if you are so (understandably) concerned about weight why you would even want an internal battery model. The 13 lb battery I carry into my house while I leave my 40 lb machine in the car is much less strain than you lifting a 44 lb internal battery Lobster an extra 2 times (in and out of the car) every single time you head to the court. I would think being so concerned about weight that would be more of an issue. What am I missing here?

 

[FightMeAtTheNet]

Ah, ok. Then it's better to buy the Spinfire Pro 2 external battery model as it's only 40 lbs and then the weight is the same.

Also, what I don't get is that if you are so (understandably) concerned about weight why you would even want an internal battery model. The 13 lb battery I carry into my house while I leave my 40 lb machine in the car is much less strain than you lifting a 44 lb internal battery Lobster an extra 2 times (in and out of the car) every single time you head to the court. I would think being so concerned about weight that would be more of an issue. What am I missing here?

I personally don't like the idea of leaving an extra 40lbs in my car if driving to the courts accounts for like 5% of my car use. This is why I'm hoping the Proton works out because total 17 lbs is a drastic weight difference (yet also still something I'd not leave in my car even if the lithium ion battery could be removed and charged independently).

 

[JEDI MASTER]

Ah, ok. Then it's better to buy the Spinfire Pro 2 external battery model as it's only 40 lbs and then the weight is the same.

Also, what I don't get is that if you are so (understandably) concerned about weight why you would even want an internal battery model. The 13 lb battery I carry into my house while I leave my 40 lb machine in the car is much less strain than you lifting a 44 lb internal battery Lobster an extra 2 times (in and out of the car) every single time you head to the court. I would think being so concerned about weight that would be more of an issue. What am I missing here?

I've personally seen this machine in-action and was able to hold it.. even for a prototype... it was very light and under 20lbs.

 

[R1FF]

Having said all that, the Proton looks promising. The problem is that you cannot get one and also new products always have growing pains and issues. It's promised for Summer 2020 but Slingerbag, another ball machine, was promised in Oct 2018 but still hasn't shipped. Now they are promising delivery in early 2020. I bought a Slingerbag for my 10yo as it was so cheap but am not holding my breath because of the constant delays and missed promises, not to mention the final product looks nothing like what was promised and the top speed only about half of what was advertised.

I ordered my Proton. But yeah, this is my concern also. I hope they hit their release date.

These "pre release" sales are a form of crowd funding no doubt. Which is fine if the product gets released.

I wonder what the statute of limitations is on my credit card with regards to challenging the charges and getting a refund if this company goes belly up.

 

[bertrevert]

if this company goes belly up.

dunno but think anyone-Apple generally will have learnt some business lessons beforehand

 

[R1FF]

dunno but think anyone-Apple generally will have learnt some business lessons beforehand

Apple on their resume means little to me. It may help them raise capital but it has little bearing on if this venture will work. What other reason would they be taking deposits than if to raise more capital?

The fact that they are taking deposits so far out in advance has me nervous. I just checked, at best I have 6 months to dispute a credit card charge and get my money back. We're longer than 6 months away from the release date of this product. Once that 6 months expire everyone that put down a deposit is SOL, including me.

I dont think there are any laws protecting the investors of a crowdfunding endeavor. Which makes sense, it's a investment, there is inherent risk. But the Proton isnt being advertised as a crowdfunding exercise. It's simply a early bird deposit. But we'd be dumb to not know what they were really doing, which was raising more needed capital. This whole thing is ripe for fraud and VC executives are no strangers to wasting investor money.

So color me skeptical until they prove me wrong.

 

[myke232]

I am awaiting version 2.0, bought another machine to tie me over until then

 

[bobleenov1963]

Apple on their resume means little to me. It may help them raise capital but it has little bearing on if this venture will work. What other reason would they be taking deposits than if to raise more capital?

The fact that they are taking deposits so far out in advance has me nervous. I just checked, at best I have 6 months to dispute a credit card charge and get my money back. We're longer than 6 months away from the release date of this product. Once that 6 months expire everyone that put down a deposit is SOL, including me.

I dont think there are any laws protecting the investors of a crowdfunding endeavor. Which makes sense, it's a investment, there is inherent risk. But the Proton isnt being advertised as a crowdfunding exercise. It's simply a early bird deposit. But we'd be dumb to not know what they were really doing, which was raising more needed capital. This whole thing is ripe for fraud and VC executives are no strangers to wasting investor money.

So color me skeptical until they prove me wrong.

There is always a risk. The risk is that you "might" lose the deposit. The reward is that you will get a nice machine at a much better price than anyone who are not early adopters. To me, it seems like a "reasonable" risk because I can afford to lose $300. I don't like losing money but losing $300 will not dent my overall lifestyle.

 

[TorontoTennis]

I personally don't like the idea of leaving an extra 40lbs in my car if driving to the courts accounts for like 5% of my car use. This is why I'm hoping the Proton works out because total 17 lbs is a drastic weight difference (yet also still something I'd not leave in my car even if the lithium ion battery could be removed and charged independently).

You are so worried about, I guess, the extra fuel cost due to the fact that the car weighs 1-2% more with the ball machine in it such that you'd rather drag 35 lbs of machine (and likely 20lbs of balls etc) back and forth to your house or apt all the time? Really? Wow!

 

[FightMeAtTheNet]

You are so worried about, I guess, the extra fuel cost due to the fact that the car weighs 1-2% more with the ball machine in it such that you'd rather drag 35 lbs of machine (and likely 20lbs of balls etc) back and forth to your house or apt all the time? Really? Wow!

I'm not so concerned with the financial impact of fuel costs. I'm just the type of person who likes to keep a clean car. I don't like to leave my tennis bag in the car either and it only adds like 0.01% of weight to my car. Granted, I probably over-extended my budget on having a nicer than average car so that plays into the decision somewhat.

But even if I were okay with a messy car, always leaving a ball machine and a full ball hopper in my trunk is going to cause issues when I need to go shopping for groceries, etc... I actually don't even know anyone who consistently leave their racquets in their car for fear of cold temperatures on their string tension.

 

[JEDI MASTER]

Apple on their resume means little to me. It may help them raise capital but it has little bearing on if this venture will work. What other reason would they be taking deposits than if to raise more capital?

The fact that they are taking deposits so far out in advance has me nervous. I just checked, at best I have 6 months to dispute a credit card charge and get my money back. We're longer than 6 months away from the release date of this product. Once that 6 months expire everyone that put down a deposit is SOL, including me.

I dont think there are any laws protecting the investors of a crowdfunding endeavor. Which makes sense, it's a investment, there is inherent risk. But the Proton isnt being advertised as a crowdfunding exercise. It's simply a early bird deposit. But we'd be dumb to not know what they were really doing, which was raising more needed capital. This whole thing is ripe for fraud and VC executives are no strangers to wasting investor money.

So color me skeptical until they prove me wrong.

if you read the refund policy.. you can get a refund at any time..even pass your 6month period.

 

[TorontoTennis]

I'm not so concerned with the financial impact of fuel costs. I'm just the type of person who likes to keep a clean car. I don't like to leave my tennis bag in the car either and it only adds like 0.01% of weight to my car. Granted, I probably over-extended my budget on having a nicer than average car so that plays into the decision somewhat.

But even if I were okay with a messy car, always leaving a ball machine and a full ball hopper in my trunk is going to cause issues when I need to go shopping for groceries, etc... I actually don't even know anyone who consistently leave their racquets in their car for fear of cold temperatures on their string tension.

Before you were complaining that weight is the issue. Now it's that you want to keep your car empty. Seems like weight isn't really the issue then.

 

[TorontoTennis]

if you read the refund policy.. you can get a refund at any time..even pass your 6month period.

Here's the thing: It's a brand new start-up that has never done this before and it is also a limited liability company. They needed to pre-sell their machines and at a huge discount through crowdfunding in order to fund the operation and don't expect to deliver until summer 2020 (if that). That's high risk for the purchasers. If the thing flops you aren't getting your $ back. This is not apple.

Look at Slinger Bag. They have already had to borrow a million dollars in order to keep going and they still haven't even delivered a single machine. This after they already raised $1,700,000 on Kickstarter & Indiegogo 2 years ago! They promoted their prototype as being ready for production when they launched their crowdfunding, but then did a bait and switch and the specs are half of what they promised and their design looks nothing like the prototype. 18 mos later after numerous broken record promises they still haven't shipped them. Purchasers are irate and demanding refunds but the company is not even responding. See this link: Kickstarter Backer Forum - Irate Comments due to lack of communciation and lack of refunds

 

[FightMeAtTheNet]

Before you were complaining that weight is the issue. Now it's that you want to keep your car empty. Seems like weight isn't really the issue then.

Unless you're carrying hundreds of ball bearings or bags of coins, weight is going to be highly correlated with mass, and 40lbs is taking up a lot of space in the trunk regardless of equipment type!

 

[bobleenov1963]

Unless you're carrying hundreds of ball bearings or bags of coins, weight is going to be highly correlated with mass, and 40lbs is taking up a lot of space in the trunk regardless of equipment type!

Agreed. I have a lobster V grandslam Elite and it is a PITA to take to tennis court and back, to a point now that it is just sitting in my basement. I am waiting for the Proton to be ready, already put deposit my $300.

 

[louis netman]

Finally, as you say, the engineering part is not impossible, so given the competition in the market, I could assume that if it was possible to make them cheaper, someone would have done and offer it.
Or perhaps someone will be doing so in future.

One of those preorder units will eventually end up on the operating table somewhere overseas.

 

[myke232]

So is this proton a fail or what?!

 

[JEDI MASTER]

So is this proton a fail or what?!

How has it Failed?

due to Covid delays.. most likely on track for a fall 2020 release from the updates we get.

 

[R1FF]

So is this proton a fail or what?!

They gave me my refund. Communication was very good. Seemed honest.

They’ve hit many production delays. Covid just being one of them.

I do know someone that got their Slingr Bag. $200 crowd fund. Awesome price.

Im still interested in the Proton. But since Slingr is in full production, I might have to get one. Tired of waiting.

 

[JEDI MASTER]

They gave me my refund. Communication was very good. Seemed honest.

They’ve hit many production delays. Covid just being one of them.

I do know someone that got their Slingr Bag. $200 crowd fund. Awesome price.

Im still interested in the Proton. But since Slingr is in full production, I might have to get one. Tired of waiting.

I did have the Slingerbag.. having only 1 roller..it's top-spin heavy.....waited 2 years for it.. after 4hrs of use.. sold it for 3x what I paid..

 

[R1FF]

Saw a Slinger in use, seemed like a fairly weak ball and not fast enough to be that entertaining. Never used a ball machine so I don’t know if it’s slow compared to the competition or not but it seemed slower than a tennis tutor I saw in use a couple of weeks earlier. Am hoping the Proton has a faster ball - good size for the boot/trunk of the car.

Same. Very weak ball. I tried asking the owner questions but the guy was evasive with answers.

It’s more of a “feeder” than anything. That said, at $200 I was intrigued. I can do a lotta work with a feeder.

But they’re like $800 now. Not worth what I saw in person tbh.

 

[R1FF]

I did have the Slingerbag.. having only 1 roller..it's top-spin heavy.....waited 2 years for it.. after 4hrs of use.. sold it for 3x what I paid..

You weren’t happy I take it?

Feel free to give your full review of it. Im interested.

 

[TorontoTennis]

Slingerbag is a joke. Their latest press release states:

'The Slinger Bag is the first truly portable ball launcher for tennis players of all abilities, providing a 24/7 training partner and enabling players to play tennis more often.'

'First truly portable ball launcher?' Huh? At more than 2x the size, almost the same weight as a Lobster or Spinfire and 3x the size of a Tennis Tutor and half the speed of those machines and with a cheap fabric body this hardly meets their claim. I can't believe they say that with a straight face. It's the least portable and largest ball machine on the market by far. It's even bigger than the Playmate Volley, one of the largest portable ball machines out there. . They tout how they pre-sold over 3,000 machines. Yes, by claiming it would be 1/3rd of the weight (carried like a backpack) and double the speed of what they ended up delivering 2 years after it was promised, not to mention it ended up looking nothing like the prototype the kept hyping. It's known to have been one of the biggest bait and switch Kickstarter/Indiegogo crowdfundings ever. Also, none of these other machines have permanent topspin and all have remote control that do more than just pause the feed motor. And that's only the start of why its nothing close to what is claimed.

One thing they do have going for is that it's cheap, but as with everything you get what you pay for. Proton looks like the real deal, if they deliver.

 

[Crisp]

I am super keen to get a proton here in Australia. Has anyone got one in USA yet?

 

[serveandvolE]

I have a Slinger Bag. I bought it from a GoFundMe investor who used it once and sold it. I got it for a good price with the set of Triniti balls. I've used it about a handful of times and it's almost perfect for why I bought it- to groove my strokes. Yes, it doesn't throw a fast ball and it does have pretty heavy topspin. Heavy topspin is exactly the type of balls that I want to groove on. However, I like it. I had a Silent Partner machine that launched faster balls and had better oscillation but I sold it awhile back. Even though it was smaller than the Slinger, the Slinger is way more portable. I keep about 100 balls in the Slinger even when storing the machine. I can put my rackets in the Slinger (it has a pouch for them) and it is so much easier wheeling the Slinger and making only one trip to the court than the Silent Partner. I just wheel it on the court, place it, then turn on with the remote- ready to go. The Slinger, with all of its pouches and its design makes it basically a self-contained unit unlike any machine out there. Again, it is limited. If you're looking for something to launch 70mph balls this is not the machine. This is also not the machine that allows you to program a sequence of shots. However, if you're looking for a basic machine at a reasonable price point that you just want to hit balls with this may be it.

 

[bertrevert]

I am super keen to get a proton here in Australia. Has anyone got one in USA yet?

Got a reply from them the time, and unfortunately there was none to come to Aus in the first round, but would look into it later he said (they advise to be able to ship to Aus they need have arrangements for international servicing if repairs are needed not to mention customs, other consumer safety requirements etc. )

 

[JEDI MASTER]

I am super keen to get a proton here in Australia. Has anyone got one in USA yet?

waiting patiently.. I have one pre-ordered and hoping to get one this fall..

 

[JEDI MASTER]

You weren’t happy I take it?

Feel free to give your full review of it. Im interested.

for the price I was happy with it... for $230 and a case of Trinity Balls.. it was a bargain.
there's a thread already on the Slingerbag.

the only reason I sold it was someone offered me $900 for it... I said..ok it's yours..

Plus I already had a Silent Partner machine.. I din't need two.

 

[bobleenov1963]

I have a Slinger Bag. I bought it from a GoFundMe investor who used it once and sold it. I got it for a good price with the set of Triniti balls. I've used it about a handful of times and it's almost perfect for why I bought it- to groove my strokes. Yes, it doesn't throw a fast ball and it does have pretty heavy topspin. However, I like it. I had a Silent Partner machine that launched faster balls and had better oscillation but I sold it awhile back. Even though it was smaller than the Slinger, the Slinger is way more portable. I keep about 100 balls in the Slinger even when storing the machine. I can put my rackets in the Slinger (it has a pouch for them) and it is so much easier wheeling the Slinger and making only one trip to the court than the Silent Partner. I just wheel it on the court, place it, then turn on with the remote. The Slinger, with all of it's pouches and its design makes it basically a self-contained unit unlike any machine out there. Again, it is limited. If you're looking for something to launch 70mph balls this is not the machine. This is also not the machine that allows you to program a sequence of shots. However, if you're looking for a basic machine at a reasonable price point that you just want to hit balls with this may be it.

I also got myself a slinger bag machine as an early buyer and the machine is a piece of sh_t. It is bulky with no advance function. I used it once and gave it away. Fortunately, it didn't cost me much but the machine is an embarrassment. I am waiting for the Proton to arrive, don't know when.

 

[TorontoTennis]

It doesn't throw a fast ball. It does have pretty heavy topspin. I had a Silent Partner machine that launched faster balls and had better oscillation but I sold it awhile back. Even though it was smaller than the Slinger, the Slinger is way more portable.

Actually you are wrong. The Slingerbag is the same width as the Silent Partner, almost twice as tall and the same weight when full of balls and racquet etc. How is that 'more' portable? Just as portable as the Silent Partner, one of the largest machines out there other than the Playmate is more like it. No one at my court with a Silent Partner makes 2 trips. They sling a duffle bag of balls over their shoulder and pull the Silent Partner just like you pull your massive Slingerbag. It is an embarrassment just like the guy said above. If you want a huge ball machine with a fabric exterior and bunch of zippers that are eventually going to break as all zippers do and does nothing but shoots a slow and extremely topspin heavy ball and does nothing else, yes it's perfect! I'm now seeing a bunch of them for sale on resale sites.

 

[myke232]

How has it Failed?

due to Covid delays.. most likely on track for a fall 2020 release from the updates we get.

Well, a fail in the sense that it's not available yet. I understand the covid delays, they are legit, although something tells me covid or no covid it would be delayed. Has there ever been a kickstarter campaign that actually delivered on time?! lol

 

[bobleenov1963]

Well, a fail in the sense that it's not available yet. I understand the covid delays, they are legit, although something tells me covid or no covid it would be delayed. Has there ever been a kickstarter campaign that actually delivered on time?! lol

I actually don't mind waiting for the proton than getting a piece of sh_t Slingerbag. did me no good.

 

[serveandvolE]

(

Actually you are wrong. The Slingerbag is the same width as the Silent Partner, almost twice as tall and the same weight when full of balls and racquet etc. How is that 'more' portable? Just as portable as the Silent Partner, one of the largest machines out there other than the Playmate is more like it. No one at my court with a Silent Partner makes 2 trips. They sling a duffle bag of balls over their shoulder and pull the Silent Partner just like you pull your massive Slingerbag. It is an embarrassment just like the guy said above. If you want a huge ball machine with a fabric exterior and bunch of zippers that are eventually going to break as all zippers do and does nothing but shoots a slow and extremely topspin heavy ball and does nothing else, yes it's perfect! I'm now seeing a bunch of them for sale on resale sites.

Actually I am right. Do you have both? I did (do) and by experience with both I found that just because something is a bit smaller or larger doesn't make it more or less portable. Both the Slinger and SP don't fit into my trunk so both travel in my back seat. The Slinger is much easier to move in and out of the car having handles. To me saving time and effort in setup is how I define portability in this context. Having to pull a ball machine and to carry 2 separate bags is what I did with my SP and it was honestly a PITA. Having the balls contained in the Slinger is really convenient and saves the step of offloading them into another bag to carry back. Regarding fabric and zippers- we have yet to see how it holds up but right now it's fine. My SP was not immune to structural issues as any other machine would be. Bottom line, the Slinger, to me, isn't going to compete with $1500+ machines and I'm not saying that it is a better machine than say the Proton will be or various SP machines in areas of funtionality, but like I said, it's perfect for what I need in it's price range. I thought that this may be helpful for those looking for something who are in the same situation as I am. From your comments it obviously sounds like it's not for you.

 

[bobleenov1963]

(

Actually I am right. Do you have both? I did (do) and by experience with both I found that just because something is a bit smaller or larger doesn't make it more or less portable. Both the Slinger and SO don't fit into my trunk so both travel in my back seat. The Slinger is much easier to move in and out of the car having handles. To me saving time and effort in setup is how I define portability in this context. Having to pull a ball machine and to carry 2 separate bags is what I did with my SP and it was honestly a PITA. Having the balls contained in the Slinger is really convenient and saves the step of offloading them into another bag to carry back. Regarding fabric and zippers- we have yet to see how it holds up but right now it's fine. My SP was not immune to structural issues as any other machine would be. Bottom line, the Slinger, to me, isn't going to compete with $1500+ machines and I'm not saying that it is a better machine than say the Proton will be or various SP machines in areas of funtionality, but like I said, it's perfect for what I need in it's price range. I thought that this may be helpful for those looking for something who are in the same situation as I am. From your comments it obviously sounds like it's not for you.

I think I am qualified to comment because I did both the Slinger and the Lobster Elite Grandslam V. The Slinger is like a cheap Yugo while the Lobster Grandslam V is like a Lexus. Like I've said before, I used the Slinger once and gave it away to someone else. You get what you pay for.

The only thing I don't like about the Lobster is that it is kinda heavy and does not fit my Lexus IS-350. Other than that, Lobster Elite V is among the best one on the market. I like the proton because it is much lighter than the lobster and it will fit in the trunk of my Lexus IS-350. If I need to take the lobster around, I have to drive around with a 4-runner.

 

[R1FF]

Well, a fail in the sense that it's not available yet. I understand the covid delays, they are legit, although something tells me covid or no covid it would be delayed. Has there ever been a kickstarter campaign that actually delivered on time?! lol

Covid has been a very convenient excuse for many companies. Proton included. They were having all sorts of R&D and production issues prior to covid.

They’re polite and seem honest, so I dont feel the need to badmouth them. Im certain tho that this oroduct is still a longs ways off due to functionality issues.

Cool product. I really want one. But it needs to work and I don’t expect it this year.

 

[TorontoTennis]

Proton promised summer delivery, which has been delayed until late September. That's just a couple of months. Whatever R&D and production issues they might have had has nothing to do with the delay. Those were already factored in. The delay is entirely due to covid. Given a lot of their parts are from China that is to be expected. Also, I don't expect them to pull a Slinger and bait and switch into a product that does a fraction of what was promised and is 2 years late.

 

[R1FF]

Proton promised summer delivery, which has been delayed until late September.

Proton has missed multiple promised delivery dates. Before this summer, it was promised this past spring. Etc.

The frustrating thing is the excuses keep changing.

The delay is entirely due to covid.

False.

This thing had & still has development issues.

We’ll be lucky if it’s ready by Fall. I hope it is. But Im betting it wont be ready.