The type of wood you are sanding will determine the type of sandpaper to use. if you are sanding western red cedar or redwood, non-gummy softwoods then get the heavy duty paper it will last just about forever. If you are sanding a resinous wood or a surface tht clogs but does not wear out the paper, then get the stearate paper. I keep some of each kind on hand to meet my needs at the time. The five count packs are very convenient as well as the combo packs. Either way it is some of the best sand paper around, IMHO