The surge rating on the HS300 and KP303 are unclear as they do not use the standardized US method of surge protection.

Could someone translate them for us? Are they like UL 1449? What is Type 3? Why is one VPR 1200 and the other VPR 500? 

I heard that, again, they changed the rating so, a 500 is now considerably better than the old 330 gold standard. True? If so, where is the KP303 at 1200 fit into the spectrum?