Whether you only wear a hairnet during competitions or you love to have your hair up every time you ride, hairnets are an essential part of your riding gear. They make putting your hair in your helmet so much easier, especially if your haircut has bangs or layers.

One thing that I can’t stand is the pressure point that some hairnets and hair elastics can cause. The last thing I want is to have an annoying pressure against my head while I’m trying to focus on my riding. And those red marks on my forehead aren’t great either.

As someone with really thick hair, having it up in a helmet can sometimes feel uncomfortable. It can also feel like my helmet is floating above my head. Riding with my hair up quickly became a hassle that I wanted to avoid. But, while I was at a local tack store many years ago, I came across the Real Women Ride no knot hairnet.

It was a game changer.

What’s great about this company other than the fact that there aren’t any knots (which means no pressure points!) is just how quick and easy they are to put on. It’s just as simple as putting on one of those elastic exercise headbands.

The first thing that you want to do is separate the hairnet so that you have a hole for your head to go through. Ideally, you’d like to have both ends of the hairnet on opposite sides. In other words, have the thicker elasticated end away from you and the other end without the band closer to you as you separate the hairnet down the middle. Don’t worry about this too much as it will only make the second step a bit easier, but it’s not the end of the world if it’s a bit twisted.

The next step is to put on the hairnet as if it were an exercise headband. So, put it over your head so that it is around your neck.

Next, take the front part of the hairnet (the part closest to your chin), pull it out and over your face until you reach your hairline. Leave the back of the hairnet resting against the nape of your neck.

This is when the first step can make things a bit easier as this is the point where you’ll want to separate the two ends. The elasticated band will stay against your head (close to your hairline) from this point on. Find the other end and start to separate the hairnet.

You’ll want to collect all of your hair up within the net. I find this step easier if I tilt my head down and have all of my hair falling forward. While holding the end of the hairnet, start to pull it through as you follow your hair to collect it. I have found that the tighter and quicker you do this step, the cleaner it will look once you have your helmet on. If you find that you have a bunch of hair looping under the hairnet next to your ear or at the back of your head, just take it off and start again.

It’s much easier to just restart than it is to try to fix it. Once you get the hang of it though, this will take you seconds to complete. And trust me, it doesn’t take that long before you’ll become a pro. Just a few attempts and you’re good to go!

Finally, all you have to do now is put on your helmet and you are all set to enter the ring. If you have particularly long hair and the hairnet can’t collect it all, simply flip the remaining hair back away from your face before you put on the helmet. If you would like, you could always pin the remainder down on the top of your head. If you’d like to feel more secure, but I don’t think this is really necessary.

Like I have said before, I have very thick and layered hair. I have never needed to use bobby pins or any hair elastics with this particular hairnet. It has made the whole experience so much more enjoyable. I have never experienced any pressure points while using this hairnet either. Another plus, is that I feel like my hair doesn’t look as terrible after I’ve taken my helmet off. Don’t get me wrong, I do still have helmet hair, just not as bad as what it would be normally.

When you’re finished with your ride, you can put the hairnet in the little carrying bag that it comes with. That way, you’re not just throwing it into a tack trunk or a grooming bag to get lost and dirty. Making them so easy to find the next time you need it. They’ll also be less likely to snag on something and get torn apart while lying with your other supplies.

Another bonus with these hairnets is that they are washable. Though I have never personally washed them, it’s quite a nice feature if you got quite sweaty during your last ride or if your hairnet fell into a muddy puddle that you were walking by. I will mention that they don’t last forever. They will stretch and wear out over time. So, you will have to repurchase at some point.

They come in many different colours so they will suit many people. You won’t have to settle for a black or brown hair net if you’re a blonde. They’re also kind to your wallet as they seem to cost around $10 to $12 USD. Paying anything higher than that for a hairnet seems a bit unreasonable.

If you’re interested in trying this hairnet out, you can buy it here.

disclaimer: this link is an affiliate link. To read more about my affiliate links disclosure, click here.

I hope you all have a wonderful week. I’d love to know if you have tried the Real Women Ride no knot hairnet before. What did you think of it? Do you have another brand that you prefer using? Share it in the comments below. I’d love to hear what you think!

Until next time, happy riding!