What Happened To Flated Car And Truck Storage From Shark Tank Season 14?

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Coming up with new and innovative products is usually a path to success, though it certainly isn't guaranteed. This is because even the best ideas and products sometimes have trouble getting off of the ground, but luckily the popular reality television show "Shark Tank" is there to hear pitches from would-be business partners as they look for outside investment. In episode 16 of season 14, "Shark Tank" featured a company called Flated, which creates inflatable car and truck storage accessories.

Whereas most trucks and cars usually either come with a rigid container for storage or a hard case, Flated offers a wide assortment of seals and containers that are easy to store and utilize due to the fact that Flated's products are just that — inflated. Inflated objects usually address both size and storage constraints, which is probably best highlighted by an inflatable World War II plane. 

When three of the founders of Flated — Monique Keefer, Ryan Guay, and Ken Hoeve — appeared on "Shark Tank," they hoped to score an investment of $350,000 in exchange for 5% of Flated. The investors were immediately taken by Flated's unique product, though many of them weren't exactly keen on the buy-in. The Flated trio noted that the company had already generated  $277,000 in sales in the summer of 2022, and they had projected that Flated would create an additional $600,000 in sales the following year.

The Flated team showed off many of their products, including how several of them could be stored in backpacks, putting them among the more unique exterior accessories for trucks. During their presentation, they also mentioned how they had previously worked for a paddle-board company in 2009 that focused mainly on inflatables. Although many of their contemporaries scoffed at the idea of an inflatable paddle-board, the Flated founders explained that 90% of the paddle-board market is now inflatable. Attempting to capitalize on this trend, Flated fully embraced air-filled accessories.

During the episode, the trio revealed that Flated's truck bed product Air-Topper was their bestseller, accounting for 80% of the company's sales at that point in time. As a point of reference, rigid fiberglass truck toppers often retail for upwards of $3,500, while Flated's version ranged from $1,000 to $2,000, depending on the model. While many of the "Shark Tank" investors enjoyed Flated's presentation, most of them bowed out for different reasons — Lori Greiner didn't think Flated was worth as much as they claimed, while Kevin O'Leary also felt like there was a disconnect when it came to Flated's valuation. Mark Cuban likewise declined the opportunity to invest.

Contrary to the other investors, Daymond John offered $350,000 for 8% of the sales, and once he recuperated his investment, 5% in perpetuity. This caused Flated's founders to counter-offer 7% of the sales, and then 4% after John made his money back, though this caused John to withdraw his offer. However, Flated's creators then discussed among themselves their options, and eventually relented and accepted John's proposal.

In the immediate aftermath of the "Shark Tank" episode, which aired in March 2023, Daymond John tweeted about his enthusiasm to work with Flated and his eagerness to see how the company would grow in coming years. Fast-forward to April 2023, and at the time, Flated was worth an estimated $7 million, also earning a special mention on Time's Best Inventions list for that year. While it wasn't the first portable automotive accessory to appear on "Shark Tank," Flated did enjoy more success than some other products on the show, such as the Invis-a-Rack that appeared in season 3.

In a podcast interview in 2024, one of Flated's founders and CEO Ryan Guay revealed that "Shark Tank" caused a massive spike in traffic to the company's website after the episode aired, and that over the next three days, they sold out of nearly all of their inventory. As of June 2024, Guay said the company's monthly revenue had exceeded the spike in sales that had immediately followed their "Shark Tank" appearance, and that they enjoyed occasional surges in interest following reruns of their episode. In addition to selling products on its website, it offers them through select retailers, including its Amazon storefront.

Luckily, Flated's appearance on "Shark Tank" uplifted the company and its products, and several websites and publications have since praised its innovative automobile storage solutions. In other words, it seems as if "Shark Tank" has certainly helped to put Flated in the view of the public, with Gear Patrol saying that Flated's patented Air-Topper was rugged enough for everyday use and that it is exceptionally easy to set up and store.

RV Geeks were also big fans of Flated's Air-Topper, noting that many who use the product often consider it the best thing since sliced bread. Over on REI, one user review said of Flated's offerings, "I like simple and innovative products. Especially when I can blow it up, throw it on my Tacoma long bed and secure it using efficient cam straps from the bed tie-downs. The goal is to camp and keep it classy with this lightweight option, which also has a solid roof to carry my boards." They added, "It's probably your next purchase, so make it happen before you drop money on a heavy fiberglass or metal box topper that eats away at your payload."

On Flated's website, founder Ryan Guay explained how happy he had been to work with a "Shark Tank" investor, stating at the time, "We've always been fans of 'Shark Tank,' so when the opportunity came to apply to be on the show, we jumped on it. We're extremely proud of our product and brand vision, and we've spent the last year trying to keep up with demand."

As Guay later explained in his interview a year after appearing on "Shark Tank," the inflatables company is viable and the team is enjoying the fruits of their labor. Flated's product line expanded after "Shark Tank," and at the time of writing, includes a series called Air-Exec comprised of an inflatable, portable chair for comfortable lounging regardless of location. That collection joins its Air-Deck, Air-Carrier, and Air-Topper product lines, as well as smaller items like storage totes, pumps, and racks.

Flated likewise began working on expanding its business to an international customer base in 2024, and on bolstering its wholesale distribution abilities. The company has a research and development location in Missoula, Montana, and is based out of Carlsbad, California. While the Air-Exec Collection chair is a break from the company's usual offerings, as of late 2024, Flated said its primary focus — at least for the foreseeable future, and despite some fun ideas it was entertaining — would remain on automotive products. You can watch Flated's "Shark Tank" episode, and others like it, on Amazon Prime.