They are what they are. I'm sure you can get a similar effect with Mole skin. You know, the stuff you buy to cover a blister on your foot. These things (the patch) are specifically made for drum heads and beaters and they do the job they're supposed to do at a reasonable price. Anyway, the talent and any nuance is in your foot, not the patch. You get different sounds from your snare and toms with different strokes, and same applies with your foot and the kick drum.