better by far but the cost reflected it. After three coats I was having a hard time cutting deep enough to get through the varnish but not into the gel coat and ended up always lifting it in a few spots. I would use it again for build up coats where you might lift some but pick up that spot on the next several coats but the last few coats I would only tape it each time. But then my wife call me nuts but she's the same way.