i was also under the impression that optiguard was the name for the professional version of opti-coat.

Opti-Guard is the pro only product in the US. I can't speak for any other country. Optimum has assigned territories for their detailers and Opti-Coat is the consumer version that dryies slower allowing for more correction and being sligtly thinner.
Optimum has there own detailing forum run by Chris Thomas and the creator of Opti-Coat David Ghodoussi (Dr. G ). There you can get the straight skinney from the guy that created the company and products and the mod that was in on most of the testing and development.There are sooo many rumors and bs out there it's crazy.Got a question then go to the source. optimumforums.org

I'm pretty sure it was always called Opticoat, but then they started using the term Optiguard (which conflicted with the name of an interior product Opti were developing) to make it easier for customers to differentiate between the professional product (Opticoat/guard) and the consumer version (Opticoat 2.0).

Either way it's not the miracle product many people make out that will protect your paint from stone chips, scratches, and make washing your car effortless. You still need to wash and maintain your paint as you normally would, I just like to think of it as a good backup coating to have on the paint. When my wax or sealant wears off I know I have the Opticoat there for protection and not just bare paint.

Correct, also a good point I love to tell my customers, there is no miracle product for neglect, routine washing is essential no matter what product you use for protection.

Goggle 22ple glass coatings offered by Todd Cooprider of Esoteric detailing. I have been considering this product. It has a great wet look and a life of about 2yrs. Might be just the ticket for a weekend garage queen/crusier.Long lasting I think OC is still a great choice.

I didn't/won't opti-coat.

I like to come to my own conclusions about things but this forum does seem like a big infomercial for Opti-coat, that's for sure.

Would it be better if a member asked about opti-coat and nobody answered ? Coatings in the automobile industry are advancing at a very rapid rate and Optimum just happens to be one of the leaders in that area. Are they for everyone-no. But there must be a large demand or there wouldn't be so many producers out there.JMO.

Has anyone tried opticoat or a similar product in addition to wax on top?

Wax won't bond to opticoat for an extended period, not to mention it will mess with the coatings sheeting ability. If your looking for added slickness, use a quick detailer like optimums instant detailer, it will add gloss and slickness.

Combination I think. It's hard to find bad press on the stuff so I it appears to be worth its praise but I think between it being a very good product and some folks fervently pushing it the combination of events just made it seem like the Cosmetic Maintenance forum was the "Opti-Coat Forum".

That's not a judgement, just an observation.

Forget my opinion and test......

Just consider all the professionals that have and continue to use and test this product and claim identical claims. Nobody says anything bad about the durability/performance of this coating. It's tried and true and is the real deal for those who know....

It comes down to can you and/or your car benefit for Opti-Coat/Guard??

One thing that I have noticed is that the few that knock opti-coat/guard are those that are pushing another coating they are involved with . JMO.

I have it done by CU2MIKE and I have to say I'm impressed by how its been holding up my abuse and the car cover's abuse