aquinnell - 2014-03-03 11:38 PM

I really like the way  my Saddleright pads work under all of my saddles.  I have had a lot more luck with them than with the 5stars.  I too have found the older ones better quality.  I just recently purchased a used 5star and used Slone pad package, and I like them both equally as back up pads.  The Saddlerights are always my go to pads.  I was using Wades for awhile, and while they are gorgeous pads, they are very stiff and sored up my horses 

wyoming barrel racer - 2014-03-04 8:23 AM

a used 5 Star 

aquinnell - 2014-03-03 10:38 PM

I really like the way  my Saddleright pads work under all of my saddles.  I have had a lot more luck with them than with the 5stars.  I too have found the older ones better quality.  I just recently purchased a used 5star and used Slone pad package, and I like them both equally as back up pads.  The Saddlerights are always my go to pads.  I was using Wades for awhile, and while they are gorgeous pads, they are very stiff and sored up my horses 

cheryl makofka - 2014-03-04 3:25 PM From what Ed Wright said his pads and 5 stars to wool is processed at the same plant, his pads the will comes from Texas, whereas 5 star comes from china, talking raw form, not sure about this. From my understanding the Wright and 5 star are the only pads that are felted together, and with this the more heat and pressure, the pad will continue to felt, never tried an Ed Wright pad. I do have a 5 star and have had it for 10 years, I used to use it a lot haven't in the past 5 years, and no it is not as soft as when I first got it. I have looked at other 5 stars since then and the quality is not as good as it was when they first started IMO. For 200 dollars you aren't going to find a good quality saddle pad, you get what you pay for. If you want a true wool pad, you can get ones custom made where raw wool is used a gunnea sack and the wool is pulled through the sack. In my area I believe they are 180 new. It takes some time to decompress the wool when riding for the saddle not to roll, but they are soft and pliable. If you want a picture pm me and I can show you what they look like

cheryl makofka - 2014-03-04 3:25 PM

From what Ed Wright said his pads and 5 stars to wool is processed at the same plant, his pads the will comes from Texas, whereas 5 star comes from china, talking raw form, not sure about this.
From my understanding the Wright and 5 star are the only pads that are felted together, and with this the more heat and pressure, the pad will continue to felt, never tried an Ed Wright pad.

I do have a 5 star and have had it for 10 years, I used to use it a lot haven't in the past 5 years, and no it is not as soft as when I first got it. I have looked at other 5 stars since then and the quality is not as good as it was when they first started IMO.

For 200 dollars you aren't going to find a good quality saddle pad, you get what you pay for.

If you want a true wool pad, you can get ones custom made where raw wool is used a gunnea sack and the wool is pulled through the sack. In my area I believe they are 180 new. It takes some time to decompress the wool when riding for the saddle not to roll, but they are soft and pliable.

If you want a picture pm me and I can show you what they look like

MNcanchaser7 - 2014-03-04 3:01 PM I guess I'm comparing apples to Oranges with a 5 year old Ed pad and a 3 year old 5 star. I have certainly taken better care of my 5 star than I did the ed Wright pad. I guess my concern is, I remember the Ed pad being rather stiff when I first bought it. I have a 5 star with less than 5 rides on it and I swear I could sleep on it, it is so soft.. does anyone have a newer Ed pad? Is it fairly soft or stiffer than a 5 star?

Rockyroad - 2014-03-04 7:43 PM  The simple answer is you won't find a wool pad that is softer than the 5 Stars.  The reason is the amount of virgin wool in them.  Many wool pads advertise they are 100% wool, but it's kind of a "play on words."   First, some people refer to a "felt pad" or a "wool pad".  There is no such fiber as "felt" - it is a process.  There are 2 types - needled & pressed industrial felt(ing).  A great article that explains this is http://www.5starequineproducts.com/research-articles/saddle-pad-research/  .  Wool pads are first made with virgin wool & the amount varies among the different brands.  They have a % of virgin wool, then usually a % of "reworked" or reused wool, & then the balance is reworked other fibers - can be wool, cotton, polyester, etc - of course, the ones w/the higher amounts of poly, rayon, etc are the cheaper brands.  5 Star used to be 92% virgin wool in their natural (the heather gray ones) and 98% in the colored ones, but a couple yrs ago, they went to 100% virgin wool & they are the ONLY ones that are.  Yes, their felted sheets are felted at the same Canadian place as Slones, Wrights, etc - but ALL of the wool comes from the same place.  Each brand has their own "recipe" of how much virgin wool are in their pads.  They have in the range of 55-60% virgin.  The pressed industrial felt is also rated according to their amount of virgin wool & 5 Stars used to be F10 & F11 but are now closer to F9 due to using only the virgin wool.  What this also means, besides the 5 Stars being the softest, most conforming wool pad, they also have the highest compression/concussion rating of any of them.

I am tired - it has been a long day, so hopefully I am explaining well enough.    I know that article explains the differences between all kinds of pads - it is lengthy, but a good, informative read.

just4fun - 2014-03-04 11:11 PM  I have a 5-Star, but I'm not crazy about the "softness" that everyone else seems to love. To me, it's too floppy. However, I still use it every ride after 6+ years.

I love Slone pads, but couldn't afford a new one. So, I recently purchased a Smith Bros. 100% wool pad for about $50 on clearance and am loving it! It's not as soft as the 5-Star and the contour isn't as deep. Definitely worth the price though!

 

just4fun - 2014-03-04 11:11 PM

 I have a 5-Star, but I'm not crazy about the "softness" that everyone else seems to love. To me, it's too floppy. However, I still use it every ride after 6+ years.
I love Slone pads, but couldn't afford a new one. So, I recently purchased a Smith Bros. 100% wool pad for about $50 on clearance and am loving it! It's not as soft as the 5-Star and the contour isn't as deep. Definitely worth the price though!
 

Rockyroad - 2014-03-04 8:43 PM


 The simple answer is you won't find a wool pad that is softer than the 5 Stars.  The reason is the amount of virgin wool in them.  Many wool pads advertise they are 100% wool, but it's kind of a "play on words."   First, some people refer to a "felt pad" or a "wool pad".  There is no such fiber as "felt" - it is a process.  There are 2 types - needled & pressed industrial felt(ing).  A great article that explains this is http://www.5starequineproducts.com/research-articles/saddle-pad-research/  .  Wool pads are first made with virgin wool & the amount varies among the different brands.  They have a % of virgin wool, then usually a % of "reworked" or reused wool, & then the balance is reworked other fibers - can be wool, cotton, polyester, etc - of course, the ones w/the higher amounts of poly, rayon, etc are the cheaper brands.  5 Star used to be 92% virgin wool in their natural (the heather gray ones) and 98% in the colored ones, but a couple yrs ago, they went to 100% virgin wool & they are the ONLY ones that are.  Yes, their felted sheets are felted at the same Canadian place as Slones, Wrights, etc - but ALL of the wool comes from the same place.  Each brand has their own "recipe" of how much virgin wool are in their pads.  They have in the range of 55-60% virgin.  The pressed industrial felt is also rated according to their amount of virgin wool & 5 Stars used to be F10 & F11 but are now closer to F9 due to using only the virgin wool.  What this also means, besides the 5 Stars being the softest, most conforming wool pad, they also have the highest compression/concussion rating of any of them.
I am tired - it has been a long day, so hopefully I am explaining well enough.    I know that article explains the differences between all kinds of pads - it is lengthy, but a good, informative read.

cheryl makofka - 2014-03-05 11:33 AM


So you are telling me when I bought mine 10 years ago and 5 star guaranteed me it was 100 percent wool, they were lying, that is fraud.

Mine has no color so I got less wool then a coloured one. That just ****es me off, I bought my 5 star because it was 100 percent wool, and I designed mine myself and it cost me over 300.

So 10 years from now are we going to learn that the product they claimed was all wool in fact wasn't as they have already lied once and got away with it.

barrelracr131 - 2014-03-05 10:44 AM I think you misread what she wrote... there is a small percentage of reused wool, but it is all wool as I understood it. The %'s are for virgin wool I could be wrong but that is how I took it. I think she said the "cheaper" brands have the polyester, rayon, etc

wyoming barrel racer - 2014-03-04 7:54 PM Well done

I have several, all different thicknesses and they are so so soft. 

Rockyroad - 2014-03-06 11:26 AM


 Thank you 131.  (My internet has been down off & on - have a new service being installed on Mon, in the meantime, I have to suffer w/sporatic service, so not been on here previously).
Cheryl, theirs WERE 100% wool, just not 100% VIRGIN but now are.  Theirs were 92-98% virgin & next closest was 55% - so if you feel yours is so inferior, by all means, sell it.  But if you've had that 5 Star pad for 10 yrs, & it's still in good shape, doesn't sound like poor quality to me.  I'm not understanding why you are coming off like that - at least they were HONEST, unlike Wright saying the wool comes from different countries OR other pad mfg'ers who "say" theirs are 100% wool & they are NOT.  Please reread what I said OR read the article, and maybe it will make more sense.

cheryl makofka - 2014-03-06 11:12 AM I wouldn't get even half of what I paid for my pad, and I haven't really used it in the past 5 years, it just sits there collecting dust. Also in your own words you say that e felting process is f9 because they only use virgin wool, but it is only 91 percent virgin wool so there is 9 percent of reworked fibres is also your own words and these reworked fibres can be reused wool, polyester, cotton. Etc. I cannot highlight but in your own words you generalize the entire process you do not separate 5 star from the others in the process, you only separate 5 star when you speak about virgin wool therefore they must all use the same process except when it comes to how much virgin wool they use. I have also emailed 5 star yesterday and have not heard back from them. Also I would have to say that csi pads with the merino wool would be the only pad that is 100 percent virgin wool, it is very pricey but the sheepskin is still attached to the wool so there are no additives.

Rockyroad - 2014-03-06 3:54 PM


 Cheryl, please quote me in ACTUALS, not in your words.  I NEVER said 5 STars were 91% ... NEVER said F9 is 91% ... and I NEVER said 5 Stars' reworked are any other fibers.  Please go back & reread what I posted.  Also, I know Terry (owner of 5 Star) was replying to your email to him, so that should answer your questions.

cheryl makofka - 2014-03-06 5:48 PM She did email me, and my understanding is that the people who have the pads 10 years old are not the same pad as now. 10 years ago it was wells five star, this was the one judy Millimacki used to endorse, then somewhere along the way the name 5 star was sold not the corporation the new 5 star is not the same as the wells five star. Now it makes sense why the creases in the pads suddenly appeared, as I did buy a 5 star pad tried to customize it the same as my first (this was about 6-7 years ago) and it was not the same pad, and it had creases throughout the pad. This one I sold as soon as I received it as it wasn't what I ordered.

Rockyroad - 2014-03-06 9:58 PM  ok, ONE more attempt ...

Terry is not a "she".  I have a copy of the email HE sent you & you are not stating what it actually said, but you've twisted so many things on this that it doesn't surprise me.

Wells 5 Star was started by the Wells - Laurel & her husband.  He was the one who designed the contour pad for Slones.  Then he started his own company & went farther w/the pads, including improving the contour & adding MUCH more virgin wool.  He passed away many years ago & Laurel eventually married Mike.  Laurel & Mike sold the company alittle over a YEAR ago - NOTHING has changed since Terry's family has bought it & they did NOT just buy the name - they bought the whole deal, shop, inventory, machines, EVERYTHING & even kept the same employees.  PLEASE stop making things up & twisting the truth.

oh & Judy Millimacki STILL uses & sells them