Carpro Cool Pad Hybrid

• Product: Cool Pad Hybrid.
• Manufacturer: CARPRO.
• Packaging: Individual unit (5" or 3").

CARPRO launches a brand new type of pad, quite unprecedented: Cool Pad Hybrid. Indeed, this pad is made of two different types of materials: natural wool and synthetic microfiber. This pad is dedicated to heavy correction on hard clear coats in particular.
Does it differ much from classic microfiber pads? We test it for you.


Description:

Cool Pad Hybrid is available in two sizes (5 inches and 3 inches) if you wish to use it on standard-size or smaller backing plates for tight spaces.

The very structure of this pad is unprecedented. It features a nylon fibrous structure as an interface, allowing on one hand better heat dissipation and above all a good conforming to shapes.



The wool and synthetic surface base therefore allows very heavy cutting, particularly with a rotary, although Cool Pad Hybrid can also be used with a random orbital or rotary orbital.
You can clearly see in the photo below the two types of fibers present, one beige in color, the other white.



Also, one can notice that this pad is not excessively thick, unlike some other microfiber pads such as that of FLEXIPADS in particular. The fibers are also much shorter. All these attributes make Cool Pad Hybrid a very aggressive pad.




Usage:

The base chosen is a Porsche Cayman in original black gloss paint (non-metallic). The clear coat is heavily marked with various defects. It is a test vehicle with typical defects, some of them deeper than others. We will thus be able to assess the correction capability of Cool Pad Hybrid but also the finish left behind, with CARPRO claiming a "good finish".




You can use Hybrid Cool Pad either with a rotary machine, a random orbital, or even a rotary orbital. For this test I chose a random orbital machine (the DAS-Pro mk2).

As a polish, and given the significant defects to be corrected on the test vehicle, I opted for a compound (AngelWax Resurrection).



Work your pass with Cool Pad Hybrid on a small section as in the example. Start by applying 4 generous pea-sized amounts of product onto the new pad.

Begin by spreading your polish at low speed with no pressure (speed 3-4 on the orbital).
Then, increase to working speed (speed 5). Cool Pad Hybrid is a microfiber-type pad that will not appreciate very high speeds or very high pressures.

Work in crossed straight-line passes.





Cool Pad Hybrid allows you to address level differences on the bodywork quite easily (ridges and other features) thanks to the airy structure underneath. This is appreciated. Above all, be very careful not to force on edges in particular! This pad proves to be extremely aggressive, especially when paired with a compound like Resurrection.

I did not, however, notice a decrease in working temperature thanks to this airy interface.

The polish breaks down quickly. With hindsight, you can deliberately overload the pad with polish on the first use to be able to work it more.

That said, once your pass is complete, the aggressive nature of the pad is immediately apparent. The area looks as if it has been sanded (haze everywhere) but this is perfectly logical, especially on a color like this one where the abrasiveness of the polishes and the aggressiveness of the pads is immediately visible. Indeed, Cool Pad Hybrid is better compared to a Wool Pad mounted on a rotary than a microfiber pad on an orbital, in terms of finish. It is hard to believe that Carpro could claim a good finish with this type of pad...





On the other hand, Cool Pad Hybrid does the job perfectly, removing all defects very easily, including fairly pronounced ones. That is ultimately what we ask of it.

In the following image, I deliberately divided the corrected area into two again, with the right side then refined with an intensive polish (finer grade) and a finishing polish.



Finally, in the next image, you can observe the three zones: at the bottom the original state of the clear coat with no correction, the upper part with correction using Cool Pad Hybrid but without finishing, and on the left a corrected and then finished zone.



As with any microfiber pad in particular, after each pass you will need to brush the fibers of Cool Pad Hybrid with a dedicated pad brush (the Chemical Guys one is perfect with its stiff bristles). This operation is necessary in order to straighten the fibers so that their action is effective again.



Conclusion:

Cool Pad Hybrid is clearly not a pad to put in just anyone's hands. It cuts hard, very hard indeed. Be absolutely sure of your paint thickness and your technique as well.
The nylon structure does indeed allow you to address level differences effectively and that is an advantage. On the other hand, it is difficult to notice any benefit in terms of reduced temperature build-up during work (probably more noticeable on a rotary otherwise).
Cool Pad Hybrid loads up with polish quickly like any fiber pad and will require regular maintenance.

Ultimately, this pad should be compared more to a classic Wool Pad than to a microfiber pad, as the finish it leaves is clearly not its strong point, contrary to what Carpro claims. A decreasing grit pass with an intensive polish followed by a finishing polish will be essential, especially on non-metallic gloss colors.

In summary, a pad to prioritize if you want fast heavy correction, while knowing that you will need to refine your grit level afterward.


Advantages

+ Innovative design.
+ Interface allowing level differences to be addressed.
+ Fast correction.

Disadvantages

- Terrible finish.
- Price.
- Quick loading.