Deal or Dud: Flex Tape

Patch, bond, seal and repair! – That's the promise from the makers of Flex Tape, a product so strong that it's shown to work even underwater.

Consumer Reporter Steve Noviello put it to the Deal or Dud test.

Flex Tape is a super strong rubberized waterproof tape. From pipes and pools to buckets and bumpers, the slap-on solution is advertised to work instantly.

To properly duplicate the tests you see on TV, we asked the manufacturer to map out each method.

First up was the weight test. In the ad, the product can pick up a 45-pound plate. We cut, peeled and stuck it on, being careful to work out any air bubbles. And just like on TV, we added a block of wood for a better grip. It worked almost instantaneously.

Next, we simulated the same leaky pipe test that was on the TV ad and worked just as well.

Flex Tape is advertised to be so strong that it's even a solution when submerged. So Gordon Carlson got the same simulation setup and locked to the leak without a problem.

“I'm shocked,” he said. “To use something under water, a tape, and have it bond to the plastic surface, I’m amazed.”

In real life applications, the manufacturer suggests a second piece of flex tape on the dry side.

And finally, the tape seemed to easily tackle rushing water on the TV ad. With our hole plugged and our bucket full, we got the same result too.

“I'm gonna say without a doubt, deal!” Carlson said.

Flex Tape is meant to be a temporary fix until a more permanent solution can be found. Prices start at about $20.