Some infomercials are so outrageous, you can't help but remember the product they're pitching. If you've seen the ads for FlexSeal, you know what we're talking about.
The FlexSeal pitchman Phil Swift does some pretty crazy stuff with the product. We want to warn you, in comparison, our tests are going to seem kind of lame.
"We made this entire airboat out of screen and covered it in FlexSeal liquid," shouted an excited Swift in one FlexSeal commercial. He then launches the boat into alligator-infested water to show that the airboat stays dry inside.
When we considered the practical uses for FlexSeal, we were underwhelmed.
Channel 2 audio engineer Eugene Smith did our tests. He tried to use the product for three things, a crack in his concrete patio, sealing a hole in a plastic container and coating a plastic patio chair.
He found FlexSeal not well suited for repairing the crack in his concrete. It left a mound of messy rubber over the crack. He said the FlexSeal would probably seal the small hole he made in the container, but it would likely take the entire can. And when he sprayed the plastic chair with FlexSeal, it left an uneven, rubbery mess.
"I just couldn't recommend it to a friend or even a non-friend," Smith said.
He wanted to give the company one more shot, so Smith bought FlexShot to caulk his bathroom shower. The product did go on easy, but at $12.88 a can, Eugene said caulk would work just as well for about $4.
"No, I wouldn't buy it," Eugene said, referring to both FlexSeal and FlexShot. "It's too expensive."
