The history of Xpel Paint Protection Film starts in the military, which is the case for many daily things we use.
During the 1950s, in the Vietnam War, the military sought ways to protect the helicopter blades. The helicopter blades were damaged by flying debris when landing and taking off. The solution was a thermoplastic urethane – helicopter tape – that could be applied to rotor blades for protection without causing performance difficulties.
The frequent use of helicopter tape for protecting military vehicles and equipment quickly caught the eyes of auto enthusiasts, especially after being sold as a “Ski Saver” during the 1980s to protect the tops of downhill racing skis. Professional racing teams used the transparent protective film to cover the front end of their race cars for protection against track rubber and debris when driving in close contact.
During the 1960s, the first “car bra” was invented by three German engineers after asking an upholstery shop to create a protective cover for their Porsches. For years, the classic black vinyl car bras were the only option for protecting vehicle paint – particularly on the car’s front end – from rock chips and road debris.
The “Car Bra” wasn’t the first choice for many car owners, as a frequent complaint was that it took away from the look and feel of the cars. Many felt it damaged the vehicle’s paint by the movement of the vinyl fabric.
Once the helicopter tape caught the eye of auto enthusiasts, the auto industry had the perfect solution – known today as the Clear Bra – marrying the best of both worlds—clear Paint Protection Film used in the same areas that received the most damage from road debris.
The clear Bra – also known as paint protection film – is designed to stretch and contour over the vehicle’s curvature to protect against road debris, scratches and nicks, harmful UV rays, and many other elements that may damage the car.
The first helicopter tape, “ski saver,” and the original clear Bra were difficult to manipulate because it was made of thermoplastic urethane. It has evolved into a thinner, easier-to-apply, self-healing paint protection film. Today’s paint protection film comes with customized templates for the vehicles to make installing it on the car as seamless as possible.
It has changed dramatically since the introduction of XPEL Paint Protection Film in the mid-2000s. XPEL Ultimate Plus Paint Protection Film is a virtually invisible urethane layer, making installation easy when installed by a PPF professional and creating a hidden layer of protection.
With the history of PPF in mind, there’s no better time to keep a clean, flawless look of a new paint job by installing paint protection film on your car. Guarantee your car’s long-term protection with the professional XPEL paint protection film installation.