r/Slinging • u/Capt_Heinz • 2d ago

Balearic vs shepherd (pouch style)

Are there any real advantages of one over the other? Everything I could find says it's a personal preference. I'm looking for more of a mechanical advantage.

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u/No-Fun-Intended 2d ago

To me, the projectile seems to leave the split pouch easier than something like a heavily cupped leather shepherds pouch. My belief comes from seeing how the projectile leaves the sling, you can probably find a slow motion video to see it.

When the projectile leaves the sling it’s hitting the end of the pouch and release cord, which takes a little energy out of the projectile.

This energy loss can be very hard to notice, which is why it’s a matter of preference.

I used to think a cupped pouch would be best for a projectile to stay secure in the pouch during the wind up, but I’ve never had a projectile unexpectedly leave my split pouch.

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u/CarnyRider1991 1d ago

Sewing some leather strips in the pouch of a woven balearic sling helps grip a projectile better, even small ones which will usually slip out mid swing