What about the history of the slingshot?
Why does Russia get credit for inventing the slingshot? When and where did it start getting popular again? How did it get so big in China? What will it take to grow this amazing hobby and sport?
A brief history of the slingshot as we know it today:
All slingshots today simply use a frame to hold latex. This did not exist before the invention of vulcanized rubber. Prior to that there was not a slingshot in the sense that we know slingshots today. Before there was vulcanized rubber, there was not rubber that could retract fast enough to launch a projectile. Latex sap without being vulcanized is simply not retractable enough to really provide any power as needed with a slingshot.
Why does Russia get credit for the slingshot? It seems to have originated from a Wikipedia article (it is no longer there). We believe, here at SimpleShot, that no one really has claimed to inventing the slingshot. It is unclear where the slingshot as we know it today truly originated.
Lots of countries would like to claim the title of inventor of the slingshot. We are just glad that it happened somewhere!
When and where did slingshots get popular again? That's an interesting question. We give credit to a potentially surprising source. The accessibility of exercise bands such as Theraband may be the number one factor to creating the resurgence in the popularity of slingshot shooting. Interestingly, Theraband gold is no longer the king of slingshot bands by far, but no one can deny the profound effect that it had on slingshot shooting.
And finally, how did slingshot she didn't get so big in China? Let's say it right up front: slingshot shooting is huge in China, and you would be hard pressed to find any country in the world doing more for the sport than China. The worlds top shooters are often from China, innovation and slingshots is pouring out of China, and some slingshot products coming from China today are geared toward true slingshot enthusiasts.
This is true despite the fact that our patented and trademarked products have been copied brazenly by some disreputable Chinese manufacturers.
Slingshots are wildly popular in China where most shooting implements are not allowed and the sheer population of China means that there are simply more shooters in China than anywhere else.
We are constantly looking for ways to strengthen the bonds between slingshot shooters worldwide. China has more to offer to the world of slingshots than likely any other country. China is on the front lines of making slingshot shooting a world wide sport, and China is leading the way to getting slingshot shooting into the Olympics!
We look forward to strengthening the worldwide slingshot scene among all countries supporting slingshots.
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