Product Review: Toklat T3 Classics III Custom Color Pad

Mia models the T3 Classics III Pad in a cross country cut with a Pro-Impact insert. Our custom pad is navy with navy binding and white piping. Photo by Jenni Autry. Mia models the T3 Classics III Pad in a cross country cut with a Pro-Impact insert. Our custom pad is navy with navy binding and white piping. Photo by Jenni Autry.

Have you been dreaming of a customized pad in your personal cross country colors? Or how about a new dressage pad with binding and piping that coordinate with your helmet or jacket? Look no further! Toklat has rolled out a customizable version of its popular T3 Classics III Pad, and the color combinations are virtually endless.

While the fact that you can customize the colors of the pad is so much fun, another major virtue of this product is the high standard Toklat uses in making the pads. The top of the pad is made from a high-quality quilted polycotton that washes up beautifully, and the underside is made from a soft quilted cotton that is super comfortable for the horse.

From the moment you pick up this pad, you can tell it’s high quality. It’s thick enough to ensure comfort for your horse’s back as well as durability for many years to come, whether you’re in the dressage ring or cruising around a cross country course. I also love that the pad is cut high in the front to provide maximum wither clearance.

So many colors, so little time! Photo courtesy of Toklat.

So many colors, so little time! Photo courtesy of Toklat.

Literally every part of this pad is customizable. It’s available in a cross country, all purpose, close contact, dressage and Euro dressage cut, with the cross country, all purpose and dressage cuts available in different sizes so you can find the right fit for your saddle and your horse.

You can order the pad without any inserts, or you can opt to add one of Toklat’s three inserts, which are made from Poron XRD, a breathable, shock-absorbing material that offers extreme impact protection, so much so that it’s used in many big-name athletic and footwear brands. Poron XRD can absorb 90 percent of the shock on your horse’s back during rides.

The real question is whether you can stop yourself from ordering more than one pad. Photo courtesy of Toklat.

The real question is whether you can stop yourself from ordering more than one pad. Photo courtesy of Toklat.

The Extreme Pro-Impact insert is made from a thick 13 millimeter layer of Poron XRD that gives maximum musculoskeletal protection for the horse while minimizing the shock felt by the rider. That gives back relief to both horse and rider and gives you a more secure seat in the saddle. (Click here for a photo of the insert)

The Ortho Impact insert combines a 5 millimeter layer of Poron XRD with a 12 millimeter layer of medium density viscoelastic foam, which provides excellent musculoskeletal cushioning. This insert is a great option to compensate for saddle fit issues and uneven muscle development. (Click here for a photo of the insert)

The Pro-Impact insert is a thinner 5 millimeter layer of Poron XRD that still provides the same musculoskeletal protection and shock absorption in a more compact insert, which is ideal if you want protection for your horse’s back with less bulk. (Click here for a photo of this insert)

Color combination examples. Photo courtesy of Toklat.

Color combination examples. Photo courtesy of Toklat.

If you choose to order a pad with an insert, the part of the pad that houses the insert is made from non-slip ETC fabric, which keeps the saddle in place without creating friction. And, of course, that part of the pad is color customizable too. You can choose colors for the base of the pad, the binding, the piping and the ETC top if it has an insert. Color overload!

The insert is removable via a Velcro seam that runs along the bottom of it, which is less bulky than having a Velcro seam along the spine. The pads are best washed in a front-load machine, though I have washed mine in a top-load machine with no problems. You can also brush the pad off, hose it down and hang it to dry if your husband is like mine and onto your game of washing pads at home.

Depending on where you order your pad, prices range from about $70 for a pad with no insert to up to $270 depending on the insert. I’ve personally been using the pad in a cross country cut with a Pro-Impact insert, which is my favorite Toklat insert and discussed more in depth in my review of the Matrix Competition Pad.

Because these pads are custom made to order, they take between two and six weeks to ship from the manufacturer. You can check the Toklat store locator to find a tack shop that offers these pads with custom colors. There are also websites online that are now offering the pads in custom colors, like Bit of Britain and Adams Horse Supplies.

Do you love this pad as much as me? Let me know which color combination you’d love to order in the comments below. Then click here to find a Toklat retail partner near you. Go Toklat. Go Eventing.