The short story version is simply the Gyeon Evo Coatings are GOOD.  Gyeon provides a good variety of coating options.  But none of the coatings qualify as great with the options available in 2024.  None of the options are good enough for you to not find personal preferences with other coatings.  But I can make a solid for each coating which is all somewhat unique.

I will provide a detailed (long story) and valid reasons why you may enjoy each of the four coating options in the Gyeon range.  The question of what coating should we use!  We often put a lot of thought into some of these decisions.  The answer includes but goes beyond the actual coating.

I have used the Gyeon coating products often between my periods of being certified installer of other ceramic brands.  I have also been asked a few times about the numerous options and responded to the critiques of there being too many options with my own perspective.  I have encountered many people who are experienced and others who are very new to ceramic coating applications.  A couple of conversations in, I could imagine recommending to four different people one of the 4 different coatings from the Gyeon lineup.  I will try to explain this as best as I can.  I reached out to Gyeon in the interest of getting clarity and affirming what I believed to be the advantages of each coating.  The quotes in this article are from a Gyeon representative.

I am not currently am not a regular user of their coatings being currently accredited with multiple companies, and offering multiple professional only options.  Gyeon Pure EVO, out of the 4, is what I most commonly used.   I believe it is the most aesthetically pleasing (coupled with polished paint) and best overall protection of the four options.  I have received positive feedback from my clients about the performance.

Historically and currently, my favorite part of the Gyeon brand has not been the coatings, but the maintenance and prep products.  If there was a brand that you were going to stay consistent with, I would stay within the Gyeon ecosystem of products.  This is especially the case if you are into coatings.  But I do believe other companies may have caught up (with their coatings), but not necessarily exceeded in the combination of ease of use and quality of performance.  That makes my assessment more difficult than it would have been two years ago shortly after the EVO lineup was introduced.  These are not bad consumer coatings in 2024, I just can’t call them a leader.

In there defense the primary reason why I even used their coatings professionally or many others is that they undersell durability and generally over deliver if the car is maintained in the right circumstances.  There are minimal if any checks and balances when it comes making claims that a coating qualifies as a 10 year option that may not be noticeable in 5.  I believe the company deserves some credit for being reasonable.

My first coating with the Gyeon lineup involved the use of Gyeon One, from their old legacy (before EVO) lineup.

It was one of the more arduous coatings to apply properly.  It did perform as advertised.  Even my client watching me struggle said, “this can not be profitable.”  I could accept the work (at that time) needed for a successful application of One if it was more than a one year coating.  The fact that Pure, the two year option at the time was only slightly more work led to lack of interest in this product and brand for a while.

But the EVO lineup up was introduced.  A big selling point was an easier application process and moderate increase in durability.  “One EVO is also for people who want to gather all the benefits of a traditional ceramic coating without being frightened by the 3, 4, or even 5-year durability that some of them carry.”  Gyeon One EVO I do believe is a good first coating.  Also overspray concerns with Cancoat are eliminated by a standard coating application.

If someone was thinking about getting a true multi-year coating but it was their first experience with coatings, I may recommend One EVO prior to trying Pure EVO.   It is a little more forgiving but comparable application experience.  You have a good idea how to apply Pure EVO in the future.

“One EVO is designed to be the direct replacement for those who are familiar with installing traditional waxes or paint sealants, but are looking to either take the protection a step further or are just looking to stay the most up to date with modern paint protection technology.  The difference here is that while CanCoat can be applied rather sporadically with it’s towel ‘wipe on, wipe off’ chemistry, One EVO requires a much more traditional, methodical, and focused approach with installation.  One EVO is also for people who want to gather all the benefits of a traditional ceramic coating without being frightened by the 3, 4, or even 5-year durability that some of them carry.”

This may surprise some people but Gyeon One EVO is a thicker coating than Gyeon MOHS EVO.  “CanCoat & MOHS are going to be the two thinnest coating layers we offer, making them the lowest in water spot resistance.”  It also may stir some emotions for those when coatings are discussed with respect to water spot resistance.  But chemical resistance in general with coatings is very misunderstood by a majority of people.

When we look at water spots in general there is a difference between topical water spots and what has burned through or penetrated a material.  Those crazy water beads that we enjoy looking at are going to carry consequences if they stay on the surface.  But on a harder surface (non porous) you have a chance for a longer period of time to address them with a slightly acidic ceramic detail spray or water spot remover while they are just a topical presence.  Many people do not realize this when they are washing their cars when they see mineral deposits remaining.  In addition where chemical resistance comes into play even when they may etch a coating, the penetration may not reach the clear coat painted surface.

CanCoat and Gyeon CanCoat EVO from my perspective has always been what you make of it.  If you prep the surface properly and give it time to set on the surface, treating it like you are applying a coating you do not want to ‘mess up’, it will act like a coating.  If you treat the detail like a wash and wax outdoors it will behave in terms of performance like a very good spray sealant.    I have seen on my clients vehicles the original formulation go over a year.  I have also received feedback that its performance dropped off as early as 3 months.  The latter being a situation which there were no expectations of using a light coating.  I applied it in not so ideal circumstances without high expectations.  It was in the early evening, the car was outdoor, it was going to be stored outdoor, and a brief rain shower immediately after application as well.

The value proposition in cost of all 4 coating options, especially for CanCoat, is very good.  But the cost is slightly misleading due to the use of more product needed for ease of application.  Even with CanCoat, I have treated the sprayers immediately after use an had an occasional clogging of the sprayer.  It is also an extra step.

Why has MOHS been so popular over the years?

Especially before the EVO lineup, MOHS was considered easier to use than the other Gyeon coatings.  With it now being a single layer product, it is a faster and easier application than Pure in my opinion.  You can also use this product on wheels and exhaust pipes like CanCoat.  In a shop environment, that does more production work, this can be a good coating to use.  The coating is ideal for daily driven vehicles, which the owner’s priority is for an easier to clean vehicle for multiple years.  You have a product that employees can easily learn how to use.

I have said this before many times and I will mention it again.  Detailer over product!  I have evolved in my offerings for my clients.  I am very selective with the products I use.  If I was learning to detail my own car or looking for a detailer.  The quality of detailing and detailer’s mastery of selected products is more important than the answer to the question, ‘what’s the best coating?’