Skito vs. Toklat Pad

Toklat vs. Skito Pad



Toklat pads come in the following styles for endurance riders:

Woolback benefits include being made fron natural wool pile fabric, shaped in a variety of styles for the english type, western, and endurance saddles. The Woolback is also available in a high profile style that is shaped to the natural contours of your horse’s back. The big bonus on these pads is the easy care, as they are machine washable, air dry. The Woolback pad is available in a natural shade of the wool. Wool is known for its orthopedic properties, absorption of sweat, and longevity of wear.

Coolback pads are made from a 100% polyester (synthetic) pile fabric. These pads are known for their durability, protection, and easy care. Again the pad is machine washable, and this one will go into the dryer. Toklat claims the more you wash it, the better it performs. This is a relatively affordable pad at an average cost of $46.95 each in a rainbow of colors including: Teal, Navy, Green, Brown, Red, Turquoise, Black, Gray, Blue, White, Natural, Burgandy, and Purple.

Both pads come in shapes for most any saddle including: General Purpose, Child’s General Purpose, General Purpose Endurance, High Profile, Event, Cross Country, Close Contact, Pessoa Close Contact and High Profile, Dressage, Wintec, and custom cut to your own saddle with a tracing! Custom made pads can be purchased. You simply make a tracing of your saddle, and the pad is made to fit!
Toklat also makes a line of what I’d call fun pads meant to go under an english saddle. These I don’t feel would offer the protection necessary for distance riding, so I’m leaving that information out.
I’ll be personally testing the Coolback pad. I have two of them ordered, and I’m awaiting shipment. These pads usually take three to four weeks for delivery, as they care considered a custom made item.
Skito Pad
Available choices are the Skito Insert Pad, and the Skito Dryback Pad. These pads will run you from about $150-$230 dollars on average depending on the materials selected, the thickness of the inserts, and the backing chosen (wool or synthetic).
The Skito Pads come in a wide array of colors to suit just about anyone’s taste. From patterns, and solids, and in fabrics including cotton, duck, tapestry, and codura.
The Skito Pad is best known for impact absorption over the long miles, you can hardly beat it. The covers are washable, and can be air dried. Once dry, roll a lint brush over it to take up the stray hair, or fleece fibers, put the inserts back in and you are ready to ride again.
The Skito Pad is an excellent choice for distance riding. I can attest to having all A’s on the condition of my horse’s back on her first CTR using a Skito with the half inch foam inserts. This pad had the polyfleece bottom, and has about a thousand trail miles on it at this time.
Having used the Skito Pad, I can’t really fault it, as I love mine. Just wish they weren’t so cost inhibitive. I actually sold my almost new spare one with the wool backing, so I can try out a couple of Toklats on Phebes. I have my original Skito on hand should I not really care for the Toklat Coolback Pad.

Where to order your Skito Pad?
http://www.treelesssaddle.com/skitopad.htm
http://www.loristack.com/skitopad.htm
Where to order your Toklat Pad?
http://www.saddleuptack.com/webcat/subcat111.htm
http://www.actionridertack.com

I'll let you all know how I feel about the Toklat Coolbacks after I've put some miles on them. ~Endurance Granny