Gerry,
Much stiffer? If he saw what I saw, I don't think Allen would want to be held to the exact wording in your post.
I've only worked on a few stock fiberglass fairings but even with the limited experience I do have, none ever exhibited the consistent gap along its length that this Anti Splat fairing does. There is no way this fairing is going to seal itself shut without some help. Sure, using Velcro as an alternative to aluminum hinge is a more economical alternative but in this particular application I choose to use a material I have never had any trouble with and am most comfortable using. Velcro? Not for me. Call me a traditionalist. Good thing I happen to have some spare hinge on hand.