The major difference between Freesole and Aquaseal is that Freesole is designed especially for repairing shoes while Aquaseal is designed for repairing wet gear.
Both are manufactured by the same company, Gear Aid Inc.
Freesole is designed with the same materials you find in most shoe soles. So when you use it to repair your shoe, it is as though you are using another sole to repair your shoe’s sole, so to speak.
Freesole is a member of a comprehensive line of care and repair products. Aquaseal belongs among these products as well.
In summary, while Freesole is used for repairing shoe soles, Aquaseal is designed for any material that normally gets wet like swimsuits, tarps, and other fabrics. And of course, shoes.
Aquaseal
This product is produced by Gear Aid, a wet gear solution manufacturing giant. They make a wide range of glues and adhesives.
They make products that you can use to maintain outdoor gear like camping, fishing, paddling, and hunting tools. Gear Aid is based in the US.
It was formerly known as McNett Corp and has been producing solutions to outdoor gear since 1981. They have nearly 100 products and Aquaseal is one of these products.
Freesole
This product is made by Gear Aid too, the company that makes Aquaseal. Interestingly, Aquaseal used to be Freesole. The other product is an upgrade of Freesole.
Freesole was specifically made for rebonding and repairing shoe soles. It could be used to rebuild worn heels, seal seams, waterproofing, or making a toe cap.
It is a flexible and very durable formula that doesn’t crack after it dries or with the passage of time.
It works on all types of footwear from leather to synthetic.
Why the comparison?
This comparison is important because here we have two almost similar adhesives from the same company, Gear Aid.
Both are urethane-based adhesives even though Aquaseal is formulated for a wider range of materials.
This comparison allows you to:
- Make a distinction between the two glue
- Know which one is appropriate for your needs
With this comparison, you are better able to distinguish between Aquaseal and Freesole based on their composition and specific application.
It also allows you to make a better choice of glue for your needs. If you need to repair your shoe, for example, this comparison helps you choose the best glue out of the two for that purpose. Thus, you save cost and time.
Difference between Aquaseal and Freesole
The design application
This is the main difference between Aquaseal and Freesole. Aquaseal is designed for a wider range of applications than shoes.
Most of which include neoprene waders, booties, gloves, wetsuits, tears on tents, tarps, awnings, and so much more. Aquaseal adheres to neoprene, vinyl, fiberglass, latex, plastics, and foam composites.
Freesole is designed for shoes. All types of shoes from leather to rubber. They are formulated for use in leather boots, climbing shoes, sandals, toe shoes, rollerblades, and any type of footwear you can imagine
Freesole can also rebond soles, seam sealing, and for making toe caps. Aquaseal can also be used to add abrasion and create durable toe caps.
Aquaseal can do everything Freesole does, and more.
The similarities between Aquaseal and Freesole
The two adhesives are alike in the following areas:
- They are both shoe adhesives
- Same company makes them
- Both are flexible and waterproof
- Both take long to cure
- Both come with colorants for dark leather shoes
Both shoe adhesives
Aquaseal and Freesole are both shoe adhesives, urethane-based. Urethane is a sealer and many companies use it in the manufacture of adhesives.
It is this urethane that gives the adhesives the proof materials against heat, moisture and extreme cold.
Hence you can actually buy either of the two products and get the urethane benefits from it.
Same company makes them
Here we have two products from the same company known for providing care products for wet gear.
Freesole is one of the products specifically manufactured for indoor use. As mentioned earlier, Aquaseal is an upgrade of Freesole. The company no longer makes the product as Freesole anymore.
Both are flexible and waterproof
If you find Freesole on the shelf and bought it, go ahead and use it. It provides the same flexibility and waterproofing properties as Aquaseal.
Aquaseal is an adhesive that doesn’t cake and break, it stretches with the seams and sole you use it on. So does Freesole.
Both take long to cure
This similarity happens to be pros and cons for these two products. On one hand, they are extremely effective adhesives, but they’re so because they take time to cure. Once Aquaseal and Freesole cure, the repair is permanent.
Aquaseal takes 8 to 12 hours to cure, longer if you live in low humidity areas. The full cure time can be reduced to 2 hours or less if you mix Aquaseal adhesive with Aquaseal+FD Cure Accelerator.
Freesole can take from overnight to 24-48 hours to cure depending on how thin or thick you apply the adhesive on the surface of the leather.
It can take longer if the humidity is low. Mixing the adhesive with McNett Aquaseal Repair Adhesive and Cotol-240 Sealant reduces dry time to 2 to 4 hours.
Which is better?
Aquaseal is better. And for the obvious reason that it is formulated to allow for more applications than Freesole.
This means Aquaseal will repair everyday materials indoors like shoes – all types of shoes. It will also repair plastic materials and a whole lot more in the home.
Aquaseal transcends indoor applications. It can be used to repair all major gear you use outside the home like wetsuits and tarps.
One Aquaseal equals two types of adhesives. This makes it a better adhesive than Freesole.
Conclusion
The world of adhesives is a broad one. Gear Aid is one of the giants making some of the best adhesives.
And with the manufacture of Aquaseal, a replacement for Freesole, they showed that even their customers should not settle for less.
If you are making a search for your next adhesive, make it one of these adhesives. Or better still, make it Aquaseal.
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