I have not used the new RUPES wool pads yet.
I looked at them at the RUPES booth at SEMA and they looked to be the "normal" high quality product you expect from RUPES. Jason Rose told me they are just a "me-too" product and they are BUT - I like a GOOD traditional wool pad for heavy cutting with a rotary buffer.
There's a lot of improved wool and microfiber pads for use with orbitals and rotary buffers that cut well and finish better than this traditional type of wool pad but I look at the buffing process differently than most enthusiasts and I'd even say most pros.
What I see now days is a LOT of pros thinking they need a hi-tech pad to cut "good" and finish out great. Nothing wrong with this but here's how I look at it. If I NEED to really CUT - then I want to get in and do it fast and get it over with. AND afterwards - I'M GOING TO DO A FOLLOW-UP STEP ANYWAYS so I don't care if the fibers of a traditional wool pad don't finish out as nice as the fibers of some hi-tech fiber pad because,
A: I only cut with great abrasive technology. This means the depth of the holograms I'm putting into the paint is more from the fibers and my downward pressure (and pad angle), than it is from the abrasives I'm using and these holograms in context are going to be shallow and easily removed.
B: Because I'm going to do a second polishing step also with great abrasive technology and some form and brand of FOAM pad - with it's uniform surface texture - I'm going to remove any holograms from the first step so I care less about the finish I leave in the first step as I tend to care more about speed and effectiveness.
And for anyone reading this that has NOT done a log of heavy cutting over the decades using wool pads on rotary buffers, I'm here to tell you, there is a benefit to a traditional wool pad on a rotary buffer to not only buff out the easy-to-buff flat panes but for pushing into the tight areas and more complex areas to simply get the job over.
And of course, it kind of goes without saying, skillful use with a rotary buffer and a traditional wool pad takes experience and you only get this kind of experience by doing it a LOT.
So yeah- get the new RUPES pads. I'm looking forward to the smaller 6.5" pad for my Cordless FLEX PE14 and the medium size 7" pad for the corded version of the PE14