Pad thickness and 5 Star or Best Ever pads?

[Draftmare]

An online dealer of these brands that I follow on Facebook is having a sale, so I am thinking of FINALLY pulling the trigger on getting one of these pads. I have been wanting a 5 Star for a while now, but just checked out the Best Ever pads and they look very similar. How do these two brands compare?

And, if I do go with 5 Star I have no idea what thickness I should get. The options are 3/4 inch, 7/8 inch, and 1 inch. I think for sure the 1 inch is going to be too thick. My current pad is the Toklat Matrix, but I am not 100% sure how thick it would be considered as the memory foam filler does squish down when the saddle is on it. Saddle fits fairly well, is maybe just a hair too wide. We don’t do any heavy ranch work or anything like that, just western dressage and occasional trail rides.

[beau159]

If your saddle fits really well, I would do a 1/2" 5 Star. If it might be a smidge wide, then I’d do a 3/4" The 5 Star isn’t going to squish at all. It’s going to hold it’s form.

I personally don’t have any experience with the Best Ever pads, but I do know people who like them.

I can’t give a single complaint about my 5 Star pads. They’ve been fantastic.

[Draftmare]

Okay, the 3/4" is what the tack shop recommended.

[cloudy18]

I have the. 3/4", which is plenty thick. I love mine, but it’s fairly new and it keeps slipping back. I hope it breaks in and stays put. The old Impact Gel I use doesn’t move.

[Aces_N_Eights]

I have the 1/2" 5 Star. I can use a Navajo with it on my narrower horses or not on the bigger flat backed horses.