I'll be the one to say the unpopular opinion here.
You always get advice to use oil that has the certifications your engine requires. HPL doesn't have any certifications my engine requires. I don't see an API Starburst on any of their bottles. Saying it "meets or exceeds" means nothing without an actual certification. Same goes for Amsoil signature series. I'm sure they are both probably good oils but I'll personally stick with what carries real certifications.
A very strange thing I've found about the HPL oils is it seems mainly staff members and a couple of longtime members here are using the oil. I don't know the history of the HPL company, maybe staff members here created it. Or maybe they're being given the oil for free or almost free as publicity. Almost $90 shipped for 6 quarts of their "cheap" oil and well over $100 for their expensive oil pushes this into unobtanium territory for most people here considering the push for short OCIs with the influx of GDI and TGDI engines.
I know this is going to be met with some sort of hostility but I'm fine with it because it is my opinion and I feel my reason is viable. Everyone has their own reason to use or not to use a specific oil and that's perfectly fine.
Their chief chemist (Leslie Rudnick) is a world renowned expert on lubrication. You'll see his name on tons of material referenced and provided by ExxonMobil. I made a thread on him a while back:
Rudnick was one of the key players behind the development of novel base oil blends, such as integrating AN's with PAO and POE. This approach was developed to overcome the issues with poor solubility and seal swell inherent with the use of PAO while also working to reduce the surface competition...
bobistheoilguy.com
Personally, that's a big vote of confidence in the quality of product they are producing. If that isn't for you? That's fine!
I've always been a stickler for certifications and approvals, that's why I'm running a Euro 0w-40 instead of the SRT 0w-40 for example. For their 0w-40 (Supercar) product, HPL starts with an approved Euro additive package (VW, Porsche...etc), blends it with a selection of premium base oils (PAO, POE, AN's) and then manipulates it to meet their own performance targets, which may involve increasing some additive concentrations like moly for example.
So yes, you are quite right, their products sold are not formally approved. While they start with a selection of fully approved additive packages, modifications made to those would likely preclude them from obtaining an API license, though perhaps not some of the full-SAPS Euro approvals, if pursued.
One of the big ice breakers for me was that David, who participates on here under the company's account,
@High Performance Lubricants is incredibly approachable and personable and will directly answer any questions you might have. I've spoken to him at some length multiple times on the phone. They are also very upfront about how their oils are blended, which is something we also seem to obsess about on here. Put those things together and well, why not support them?
On the money thing, Ravenol isn't cheap. In fact oil here in Canada isn't cheap unless you get it on sale at Canadian Tire/Partsource and that's still expensive compared to what you guys pay. I already have to order the Ravenol from the USA. The folks picking up PYB on clearance aren't the target audience with HPL, it's folks like myself who are already spending significant sums. Does that help?