The only failures I've seen were due to wet or dried out masking tape. They may not fail often, but when a seat failure does occur you can just about bet there's masking tape involved. I won't use it on heavy duty saltwater rods. Plus, winding masking tape just takes to long to suit me.

If the fit it close, don't use tape, just spiral a length of A or D thread under the seat.

I've been using the Pac Bay brick foam arbors for many years because you can buy them all the way to 30mm so they work well for mounting tuff butts and stuff. But I like the concept of the new Flex Coat arbors and only wish they would make them in larger diameters so I can bush the big Aftco seats and the Amtak slick butts. Are you listening Flex Coat?

I've been buying them from Anglers Workshop. They are so easy to use, I just wish they came in larger sizes. Another hint to Flex coat, 26, 28,30 MM sizes please.