Differences Between Tripple And One Step

Learn the differences between two of our most popular car compounds...

For super-quick paint correction and enhancement Tripple All-in-One Car Polish and One Step Single-Stage Compound simply can't be beaten on performance and usability. In fact, they're two of our all time most popular detailing products.

One of the big questions our customer service team are always asked though is: what's the difference between the two? It's a good question too, because while they are very alike, they're also extremely different. So, allow us to explain…

How Are They Alike?

Technically speaking both products are polishing compounds that contain diminishing abrasives. Like all abrasive paint correction and refinement products, these are designed to work away a tiny layer of the top surface of your paintwork to cut away defects.

The advanced diminishing abrasives our products contain are also designed to break down as the formulas are worked through. Basically, the abrasive particles are smashed together and fractured into smaller particles, making them less and less abrasive along the way. This gives more refinement from the finer particles at the finish than you got from the coarser particles at the start. One key difference between Tripple and One Step is the coarseness of these abrasives straight out of the bottle, and how much they break down as they're worked through on the paintwork.

For the full lowdown on how abrasive compounds refine different types of paintwork, and how they break down along the way, can check out or guide: Car Polishes And Compounds Explained.

The Differences

The other key differences between Tripple All I One Car Polish and One Step Single-Stage Compound include where, when and how you'd use them, the ingredients found in each, and the kind of results that can be achieved. Let's take a look at each product in detail…

Tripple All-in-One Polish

The king of enhancement details, Tripple All-in-One Polish is a hugely versatile, car polish designed to clean, refine and protect paintwork at the same time, with a single application.

This triple-action (Tripple - get it?) comes from the unique combination of ingredients. This blend of advanced diminishing abrasives and deep-cleaning solvents is capable of eradicating light swirl marks, oxidation (where paint and clearcoat reacts with oxygen in the air, causing fading) and water spots through both mechanical abrasion and chemical removal, making it extremely effective for cleansing.

As the start of the polishing stage the abrasives in Tripple are extremely fine, just like those in a fine compound you'd use for the last refining stage when machine polishing. But because these abrasive particles are so small this makes them easier to break down and fully work through, even when polishing by hand. This is what gives Tripple a distinct ‘easy-on, easy-off’ formula.So, although you can use Tripple with your machine polisher, it's not a 'machine only' compound.

This attribute also makes Tripple extremely versatile and ideal for a number of tasks in and around your car. You can polish full panels by hand or with a polishing machine, but Tripple is also suited to detailing plenty of smaller, more awkward areas such as door jambs, carbon fibre parts and gloss plastics.

When tackling these areas Tripple can be worked through effectively using a number of different accessories. From microfibre Work Cloths, to foam machine polishing pads, Microfibre Spot Pads and hand Polish Pads, Tripple is easy to use anywhere around your car.

Some of the other key ingredients in Tripple allows it to enhance and to add up to 4-weeks of surface protection - the other reason this advanced polish is denoted as an all-in-one.

First Tripple is capable of filling and obscuring minor scratches and swirls with a blend of next-generation glazing agents. These help enhance the look of your paintwork by leveling the optical finish. This is when a smoother surface bounces light back to the eye more uniformly, giving the appearance of increased gloss and depth.

Another ingredient that Tripple leaves behind has a similar effect, but it also physically bonds to the surface to offer protection from the elements. This is an infusion of T1 Grade Brazilian Carnauba Wax and something that makes Tripple ideal for adding stand-alone protection, or as a base for the most durable wax protection products such as our Signature Hard Waxes. These will bond on top of the wax layer for even more gloss and protection.

Tripple should only be used in conjunction with other waxes or protection products which contain wax. If you’re looking to add ceramic protection products, the hardy carnauba layer will block the chemical bonding needed to fully install the ceramic coating. In these cases you’ll need a compound which leaves nothing behind on the surface – a compound just like One Step single-stage car polish...

One Step Compound

Specifically developed for use with our DPX Dual Action Machine Polisher and MPX Dual Action Machine Polisher, One Step Compound is a single stage machine polish and the only product of its kind capable of starting as a coarse/medium cutting compound and breaking down to a refining polish as it's worked through.

This offers a wider range of cut than traditional compounds and means it's capable of removing heavy swirl marks and defects, while breaking down to reveal a near flawless finish. With One Step of course, all this can be achieved without the need to change pads or products along the way.

Technically, given enough time, One Step could be used by hand but, because these heavy abrasives need a lot of working to break all the way down through the cutting, polishing and refining stages, One Step is designed chiefly as a machine polishing compound.

Unlike Tripple, which is designed to fill and obscure defects, One Step is purely for correction and has been developed to give a true finish. It contains no glazes or waxes, and leaves behind nothing but the bare, refined paintwork, making it the perfect base for the chemical bonding involved when using a ceramic coating, like our Caramics Paintwork Protection Kit.

That's not to say that wax protection can't be used over the top of One Step, too. It also creates the perfect base for wax bonding. What's more, a great 2-stage enhancement can be achieved by applying this product first, followed by Tripple for further paint refinement and glazing, adding extra deep gloss and a little car wax protection. Tripple after One Step, but never the other way around… or you'd just be using the One Step to strip away the Tripple.

In Summary - Tripple vs One Step

Learn Even More...

So that's the key differences between Tripple All-in-One Polish and One Step Compound. For more on how to get the best from these products, and all the places you can use them you can check out our articles: Push Your Detail To The Next Level With Tripple, and Getting The Most From One Step.

For more top how-to guides and product spotlights, see the Guides Section Of Our Blog.