Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Last month, I asked for suggestions of a good bareback pad to use. I had a few criteria, including being able to use a regular girth, breast collar and crupper. I also did not want a strap of any kind next to my legs as is seen in most cheap and surprisingly many expensive bareback pads.

After a good bit of research, I chose the Skito bareback pad. While not cheap, it had everything I wanted and with the hope that it would live up to that, I ordered the $250 pad from Naomi Preston at TTeamForEndurance (http://tteamforendurance.com/skitosaddlepads.aspx).

I received my bareback pad in good order and have used it several times now.

It looks to be well-constructed, with crupper and breast collar rings and a nice grip seat. I ordered the high profile pad in petra brown, which is a soft upholestry fabric. Serts doesn't have high withers, but I figured I might as well get the high profile as who knows who I'll put this on in the future.

The first thing I did was remove the inserts. I wanted to try out the pad without those first.

I decided I didn't need to use a crupper with Serts, but I did use the breastcollar, because it keeps the pad from slipping too far back on a hill and if something untoward happened, it should keep the pad from slipping completely underneath Serts.

I rode in shorts and was very pleased with the softness of the fabric against my legs. The grippy seat on the pad is a nice touch. 

The inserts were still out of the pad, so after the 75 minute ride in 95 degree heat, Serts' sweat did manage to seep through to my legs. But without the pad, I'd have been sliding around in sweat after 5 minutes, so I was plenty pleased! The wet part was immediately under my thighs and probably some of that came from me. Also, there was no sliding in slippery sweat as it wasn't that bad.

Later on, I put the inserts back in and went for more rides. The inserts really do make a difference. It was very nice. I could still feel Serts, but I didn't have to feel his backbone. I gave lessons to my nieces in this pad and they didn't have a single complaint, where without the pad, they were complaining Serts' back bone was hurting them. One of my nieces rode in shorts and she didn't have a single complaint.

The not so good. Everything has down sides, right?

The handle on the pad is pretty useless on Serts. There is just nothing to grip against. It is a handy carrying handle, though! One can grab mane or the breast collar strap if it's need, so no big deal.

Not a big downside!

I've washed the pad a few times in my front loader washing machine and it cleans up well. Of course, I take out the inserts to wash it. Now to watch it and see how well it holds up to repeated washings.

Verdict so far is that I really like this pad and am very happy with it.

Pictures on my blog (http://endurancerider.blogspot.com/2009/07/skito-bareback-pad-review.html).

April
Nashville, TN
http://endurancerider.blogspot.com