Stan’s Sealant Gains Traction In Outdoor Equipment Industry

While Stan’s Sealant has long been regarded as the number one tire sealant in the bike industry, it was only a few years ago that it was introduced within the outdoor equipment industry. Yes, we’re talking about lawn mowers, farm tractors, construction equipment, and golf carts. We caught up with Brett Beard, an avid gravel rider and Stan’s Product Manager of Outdoor Equipment, to find out how the adoption of Stan’s Sealant has been going among outdoor equipment users.

Read our original interview with Brett from May 2021.

Stan’s No Tubes: When we last spoke, you told us that you were having conversations every week with people who didn’t know about Stan’s Sealant as a flat tire preventative option or solution. Is that still the case?

Brett Beard: Yes, I still meet new people every day who haven’t tried our tire sealant because they either haven’t heard about it yet or because they have had a bad experience with other sealants. However, I do also talk to people who have tried Stan’s in their mower or ATV tires, and they often reach back out to me and say it worked so well that they need another bottle!

SNT: How long until Stan’s Sealant becomes as mainstream in the outdoor equipment world as it is in cycling?

BB: We’re growing slowly, but have been picking up steam. I expect growth to continue in a slower, word-of-mouth kind of way. We have to walk before we run. We’re finding that to gain traction, we’re having to be the solution that helps someone fix something or makes their day when it comes to dealing with a flat tire.

SNT: Stan’s Sealant is ideal for outdoor equipment markets like lawn and garden; agriculture and turf; construction; and golf course and municipality equipment. What segments have been adopting Stan’s Sealant the most/fastest, and why?

BB: Definitely the lawn and garden space is the fastest. There are a lot of those machines out there, and there are a lot of issues encountered with them. Everyone has them or knows someone who has them.

Notably, there’s also been some significant new adoption of Stan’s Sealant in the electric scooter and Onewheel community. Both have smaller, more fragile tires, so they are more prone to punctures, especially from glass or shards and metal that are on the streets. That market segment has been looking for some preventative solutions for flats, and Stan’s high flowing, low viscosity sealant works very well for those machines.

SNT: Will you please give us an example of what’s been happening among scooter companies?

BB: Yes, we’ve been working with Lyft to put sealant in many of their scooters across the U.S. They did some pilot tests with us and determined that the sheer amount of reduced flats and other tire issues made it worth deploying in their bigger scooter shares across the nation. It saves them money and time as it keeps their fleet more operational. And their customers have a better experience.

SNT: Let’s flip that around for a moment. Which outdoor equipment segments have been slower to adopt sealant and why?

BB: I’ve had some construction crews, staff at municipalities, and parks and rec crews that are so hesitant to put anything in their tires because they’ve had bad previous experiences that created a mess and made more work for them. Then there are some people that are just more stuck in their ways than others.

SNT: Sounds a bit like how it was in the bike industry back in the early days of tire sealant. How do you get through to those people?

BB: What has been key is getting to the right person. Often it’s the person who doesn’t have the time to wait for a service call. They will just put Stan’s Sealant in and be able to keep working. The proof is in people experiencing Stan’s as solving their issue or preventing their issue altogether. It’s about making believers out of actual users.

SNT: How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect the outdoor equipment industry’s adoption of sealant?

BB: There was a time period where there was hesitancy to try something new or purchase anything than what was actually needed. I think it was due to a fear of the unknown future, so no one wanted to splurge. But then, there were supply chain issues like trouble getting tires or tires becoming more expensive. So, more recently, we’re seeing people starting to really look at how to make their tires work longer.

SNT: Anything we can look forward to sealant-wise in the outdoor equipment world?

BB: We continue to find more applications or use cases for our sealant. Six-wheel amphibious buggies are the latest. We’re always finding ways for Stan’s sealant to save the day.

SNT: What do people need to know about the similarities and differences in using sealants used in outdoor equipment vs bike tires?

BB: There are three key differences:

1. The first one is pretty simple. Outdoor equipment tires exclusively use Schrader valves whereas bike tires mostly have presta valves.
2. Setting up tires is also a little different. In an application like a garden tractor tire, you will use more sealant initially. It all comes down to covering the interior surface of the tire and still having the correct size puddle in the tire. For more surface area, you need more sealant for the initial coverage and the puddle. It’s just like how and why you need more sealant in your 29er mountain bike tire than in your skinny, lower volume road tires.
3. Finally, there are differences in sealant life. Sealant lasts longer in outdoor equipment tires than in bike tires. It’s because outdoor equipment tire carcasses have more rubber to them and don’t leach air as quickly as thinner bike tires.

Otherwise, they are pretty similar in that a few ounces can save your day whether it’s for a bicycle or piece of outdoor equipment.

SNT: Ok, let’s talk a little more about bikes. When we last spoke, you were doing lots of gravel racing and even getting ready for the Unbound 200. How’s that been going?

BB: I am still riding and racing a little bit, but much less than what I was. I did three races this year and plan to do one more. Some life changes have made me shift priorities, but I’m excited to get back on the bike in a higher capacity again in the coming year. My focus will still be gravel.

SNT: What Stan’s wheels are you riding these days?

BB: I’m riding the Crest MK4s. Well, those are the only ones I can talk about right now...

SNT: Before we go, if there was one last thing you could say to people who are still just thinking about trying Stan’s Sealant, whether it be for use in their bike or outdoor equipment tires, what would it be?

BB: Don’t be afraid to try something new. It’s easier than you think to use sealant. Put it in to take care of an existing issue or to prevent future issues; it’s only a few minutes to repair or protect your tire with the sealant.

It’s simple: Pull out the valve core, fill up the tire sealant, put the valve core back in, pump your tire up, and you’re good to go! Usually the hardest part for people is actually finding their valve core tool. But, of course, we can also help you with that if you don’t have one.

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