Sounds like he may have just gotten a bad one. I've had nothing but good experiences with Clam. My dad has run a two-man Clam Voyageur for almost 8 years now and it's still going strong with no tears or other issues. I myself have been running the Legend for going on four years now and absolutely love it. Full thermal covering, very comfy seat, loads of room to move around. No issues for me either. What features are you looking for in a flip-over?