Reported to be twice as soft as some conventional gaskets, Multi-Swell is easy to cut and readily conformable even to irregular flanges, ensuring tight seals with lower loads.

An elastomeric gasket will seal at very low loads. However Garlock says that many flanges create a little too much load for an elastomer, but not enough load for a standard gasket material. In other situations, the internal pressure may be too high for rubber gaskets. Many users will use fabric inserted rubber gaskets in higher pressure applications, but find that the media weeps through the fabric and causes leakage.

Garlock says Multi-Swell does not weep, handles higher flange loads compared to elastomeric gaskets and can operate at higher internal pressures when compared to elastomeric or cloth inserted gaskets.