Product Review: ECOGOLD Flip Half Pad

 

 

ECOGOLD Flip Half Pad

Pros:
• Two-sides
• Adjustable thickness
• Non-slip
• Breathable
• Customizable*

Cons:
• ??

 

 

 

 

Summary: The Ecogold half pad is one of many, many options out there for people who are looking for a little more support, shock absorption, or help adjusting the fit of non-custom saddles. I’ve been through a LOT of different types of half pads and I have to say the Ecogold Flip Half Pad is probably my favorite! So much so, that I really just had to give it 5/5 stars because I honestly couldn’t think of anything that I dislike about it or that I wish was different!

I have the dressage flip half pad (though now I also want a second, jumper half pad) and so far I’ve found the size of the half pad pretty much perfect for all the saddles I use (which are all relatively average sizes, from 17″-18″). I really love that I have two sides I can switch between, the silver side for pretty much every day use and the white side which I use at shows! Having two useable sides makes the half pad very versatile, it’s like having two half pads in one!

Thicker high-resilience foam

Another awesome feature is the easily adjustable thickness of the half pad! This rolls under the “customizable” upside as well because if you need a more specific kind of thickness (say, shimmed thicker in the front of the pad) that’s totally an option! You just have to email ECOGOLD and they’re always very happy to discuss with their customers how best they can help you make the pad perfect for you and your horse! I have three different thicknesses and currently am using the medium thickness (about 1/2″) with the option of a slightly thicker fill and also a much thinner, honeycomb foam I can use.

Honeycomb foam

What I love the most is how easy it is to change out the foam. There is just a velcro opening on either side of the half pad that you open up, pull out the current foam and replace it with the thickness of your choice! Simple, fast, and so nice if you need to use the half pad on multiple horses!

It’s also really important to me that any half pad (or saddle pad for that matter) that I use is breathable. The great thing about the ECOGOLD flip pad is the venting along the spine and the breathable textiles they make all of their pads out of. Living in Texas, it gets really hot in the summer and I really like knowing that my horses can keep as cool as possible while I’m riding them! Not only are the half-pads breathable, but they’re also non-slip! Pads that slip and slide are one of my pet peeves and I’m always looking for great non-slip options.

Lastly, if you want to really have some fun with the flip half-pad, you can get more customizable colors than is listed on the website! ECOGOLD offers a range of other limited edition colors that you can use to really personalize your new flip half-pad by just emailing them!

All the limited edition colors! Photo via @ECOGOLD on Twitter

Overall, I’m absolutely THRILLED with not only my flip half-pad but also the great customer service and cutting edge technology that ECOGOLD offers. They’re constantly testing their products (videos can be found across all of their social media and on their website) to make sure it performs for both horse and rider and they always welcome input from customers! A great company to support! You can find them on Twitter, Facebook, & Instagram or check out their website, www.ecogold.ca!

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Product Review: RWR Hairnets

I really like the packaging for these hairnets. It’s super cute!

Rating: 5/5 Stars

My first impressions of the RWR Hairnet are quite good. I love the packaging and think it’s very aesthetically pleasing and I love that you can still clearly see the hairnet and see the color of it. The RWR Hairnets come in a large variety of colors (Blonde, Light Brown, Med. Brown, Dk. Brown, Black, Auburn, Grey) so you have a great chance of finding a good match for your hair. While I do have blonde hair, I found the blonde hair net to be a touch too light for me and went with the light brown and I think it was a good choice.

The hairnet itself is quite different from what’s out on the market. It’s a tube with a thick, flat seam on one end. The band is what lays against your hairline and I love that it’s wider and doesn’t dig into my hair. Also, NO KNOTS! I cannot stress how awesome it feels because there’s nothing digging into my hairline. At first I was a little confused as to how exactly to put it on but honestly I was way over-thinking it. It literally takes like 20-30 seconds and is really simple. You just slide it on over your head so its around your neck, pull your hair out from under it (you’re basically wearing it like a necklace at first), then you pull it up so the seam is at your hairline, take the bottom of the net that’s under your hair and it pull it up over so all your hair is piled up on top of your head. Helmet on (I slide it on back-to-front) and go! They have a super video linked from their website that shows you how easy it is, in case you’re a more visual learner! You can find that video by clicking here.

I wear my helmet and hairnet for hours at work. The thick seam is comfortable across my ears and hairline with no knots digging into my head under the helmet.

Again, putting it on is so much easier than any other hairnet and it’s SO comfortable. At shows I’ll put it on in the morning for the first horses of the day and just leave my helmet/hairnet on almost all day depending on how many we need to ride and it never pinches my ears or my head and stays in place very well. I have longer hair but it’s not super thick, so I can’t attest to how it’ll hold a lot of thick hair, but other reviews I’ve seen have given it the thumbs up for people with thick hair too! I never have to use bobby pins or anything to help hold it in place, which is another plus because before I would have to use pins sometimes and those can get uncomfortable under a helmet.

I really feel like this hairnet is more durable than others I’ve used in the past. Before, I had issues with my hairnets snagging and getting holes in them. So far I’ve been using the same RWR Hairnet for about a month both at shows and at home and it’s still holding up. They are a bit pricier than other hairnets at about $10 each, but in my opinion the comfort and longevity of these hairnets makes them totally worth the price.