Hi again friends!
As you know from my earlier posts, I got a pretty awesome saddle a few weeks ago and while it came with a fleece lined cover I wanted something that would give it a bit of extra protection on trips in the back of my car to and from the barn. I also have an affinity for green and was gifted with a helmet boot bag combo and matching halter made by
Kensington a little over five years ago. They both held up so well that I started to add to the collection.
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| Kensington Boot Carry All |
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| Kensington Roustabout Halter |
Next came the grooming tote. You've seen these around I'm sure. Super tough with a slightly open weave that allows your sponges and rags to dry without the bag getting all gross and moldy. If you do get hoof oil, fly spray, or other assorted horsey schmutz on it, just hose it off and you're all set.
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| Kensington Grooming Tote |
I couldn't stop there because it is my favorite shade of green. I'm also a mad for plaid dork and it didn't hurt that the quality of these items made them last much longer than I possibly could have expected. The garment bag and duffle bag hit my Dover Saddlery Christmas wish list and when I opened them up I was rediculously excited because I was so close to having all matching gear. I'm not typically a matchy matchy type person but for some reason these pieces were like Pokemon to me and I had to catch them all.
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| Roustabout Large Gear Bag |
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| Kensington Roustabout Garment Bag |
The garment bag is really fantastic. It has a smooth, silky, quilted lining with a very robust, heavy duty zipper. The gear bag has tons of zipper compartments and a strong, padded, highly adjustable shoulder strap. What really got my attention was how tough the outer materials were. This fabric is a bit more substantial than your typical nylon and i'm happy to say I've never had it snag or run. The zippers have plenty of clearance from the seams and I've never had one get stuck either. These are the types of details I look for that instantly reflect a higher quality product.
Enter, this awesome, cavernous, will hold everything saddle bag that I just received from my husband for my birthday. (He did really good!)
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| All Purpose Saddle Bag |
The
Kensington Roustabout All Purpose Saddle Bag actually has room for two all purpose saddles. I was also able to get a fitted hunter pad in there too (photo below). I've seen a few comments from product reviews that liken this saddle carrier to a sleeping bag and I find that to be pretty accurate. The same padding and silky lining used in the garment bag will protect against scratches on your saddle. There's a large zipper flap on top of the bag that is great for square saddle pads and half pads. The plaid zipper compartments on the bottom of each flap also have the woven mesh and have turned out to be great for packing up sweaty gloves, hair nets, or other items that could benefit from airing out after a day's ride. This bag features a large adjustable shoulder strap with padding that clips on to rings at the pommel and cantle. There's also a hefty nylon grab strap that clips the two flaps together using the rings under the the flap pockets. The outer shell is 600 Denier and waterproof so everything inside will stay protected from the elements and can withstand a dash from the car to the barn in the rain.
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| Two saddles, one 17" flat and one 17.5 with knee rolls & blocks. |
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| Bag with both saddles zipped up. It still has plenty of room to expand in the top compartment. |
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| Side view of full bag. |
The only negative I can find with this saddle bag is that it can hold much more than I can lift so I'll need to be a bit mindful when packing up my tack. I'm very glad that Kensington has kept this particular color plaid in production for as long as they have and I'm hoping to pick up the final piece I need, the bridle bag, before summer is over. If green plaid isn't your thing take a look at all of the great color options Kensington offers.
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| Mor Kensington color options |
Kensington also makes the SmartBlue and SmartPink items for
SmartPak so if you're considering one of those bags you'll be getting the same great quality I mentioned above.
Next week I'll be reviewing a total splurge item, my custom
Clever with Leather Figure 8 belt. If you're looking for a great gift I can't recommend their items highly enough, but more about that next week. Until then, happy riding!
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