edit: after trying the pro ones, i actually do think they stay colder a bit longer, and are a bit thicker.
i liked them in every way except, they seem to be a larger size… they dont stay tight during sleep like the originals did. still work in every other respect, just a different (larger) size. how disappointing ;{ i dont notice any smell personally. still iike these a lot but wish they were the same size, or even smaller than the original.

1st review: got one of these last year, was tired of holding stuff on my face for hours, freezing little bottles of water, dripping into my eyes, and having to literally hold it there… i loved the first one so much i got another one, then two more, so there would always be one ready. i was using them for hours and sleeping in them. ultimately ended up with four. they really, really really helped, fit well, stayed cold, didnt fall off, were comfortable, lasted a long time, and really helped.

things went wrong because i dont read directions and tried to hand wash them. please, do not do this. even just a gentle hand wash in cold water, for just a few minutes, no soap, even that was enough to make the gel shrivel up and be unusable. it was very sad, but it did say that in the directions.. i took off one star for ‘ease of use’ because after wearing them that much they can get to where surface cleaning doesnt seem enough. it would be nice if they could be just hand washed.

other than that, here i am getting more, and trying the eye mask too. did try a less expensive brand in between, and honestly, did not like them as well. this may be personal preference, they covered the top of the head too, but i personally didnt like them as much. i prefer these because of the coverage areas and fit. trying the ‘pro’ ones this time and i hope they are the same but maybe better. (maybe i’ll come back and say) i wouldnt be getting three at a time if i didnt really like them, and i have some serious injuries/pain/headaches there.

There is a reason they sell 2 of these together is because they don’t last a super long time, but I just swap it out for the fresh one and I’m ready to go…love it

The hat has a smooth sleek fabric texture, a comfortable gel filling, and a slight snugness around the head when worn (that I found really enjoyable). It blocked out light well. When stored in the freezer and then placed on the head it was extremely cold. Even at room temperature it always feels a little cool to the touch, which I enjoyed. I slept like a baby with it on.

Two important things: 1. If you’re going to put it in a fridge or freezer make sure it is in a sealed bag. 2. It cannot be washed (other than spot treatment). The manufacturer does disclose this information, so I did not deduct rating points for this.

I made the mistake of putting my hat in the freezer without a bag and even though my freezer is fairly clean every odor in the freezer leeched into the hat. It stinks. I tried to wear it anyways and the weird stale freezer smell then got onto my sheets as I napped on them. It was at this time I realized the hat is advertised as only being wipe-clean. You are not supposed to submerge it. I wiped it and the smell remained, so I then decided to risk hand-washing it in a wash basin. The hat seemed to be in good condition afterwards, but the smell remained. At this point I decided that the smell was too unbearable and distracting so I had nothing to lose by putting it in the washing machine (with cold water). The washing machine made the fabric lose it’s tightness and made the gel filling become lumpy. And if that’s not enough, I can still somehow smell the faintest note of the freezer. I’m not sure that it’ll be usable in its current condition, but I will try.

I liked the product in theory. It was very comfortable and it did help with headaches. For my own preferences though I would have preferred a product that was more durable and washable, especially something that’s being placed against your skin that might collect oils, makeup remnants, and other dirt over time that you’d want to wash off.