Advantages/disadvantages of a slip tip

[TangoMike]

I imagine this has been talked about before on this forum but what are the advantages/disadvantages of a slip tip. I know the folks in Calf like them for rocky areas. I bought my first one last week and it didn't penetrate the flounder well. One wing went through and the other stayed on the wrong side.

The body of the tip is pretty light weight compared to a standard chisel tip and may not have the knock down or "stoning" power.

[Bill McIntyre]

The main advantage is that they hold better. With just a cable or piece of Spectra through the fish, the shaft isn't being used as a lever to tear a big hole. And since the shaft is pulled back out of the fish, its not nearly as likely to get bent.

A big disadvantage is cost- a threaded shaft and slip tip cost a lot more than a Hawaiian shaft.

I'm not sure where you got the idea that guys in California like them for rocky areas, but its not true. It can be very expensive shooting slip tips into rocks, so most people shooting around rocks prefer Hawaiian shafts or double barb tips.

Another disadvantage is that you have to make sure the slip tip stays on the adaptor, either buy tucking the cable or Spectra under the bands or using something like an Alexander cable keeper. And if you are tucking under the bands, then you have to wait until the gun is cocked before putting the tip on, and that is one more step to get ready to shoot.

The comment you made about one wing not getting on the other side of he fish makes me wonder if we are talking about the same thing. Slip tips don't usually have "wings." The attached photo shows examples of some slip tips popular in California.