Since the flairs are fiber glass, then tend to snap instead of bend. I believe what your friend told you, but he probably didn't bend them as much as a stock flair, or as much as a bushwacker could bend. Trust me, I've seen chunks of flairs missing just cuz the person hit an oddly placed branch/rock. The flairs aren't worth the money, so just bushwackers, tj flares, or relocate your own.