Hilason vs Professional's Choice Fly Sheet: A Texas Horseman's Take

By Travis Colburn | AQHA-approved judge, third-generation Texas horseman, lead field tester for Hilason since 2018 | Last updated: June 16, 2026

Professional's Choice came up in the sports medicine world before they got into fly sheets, and you can see that heritage in the design. The belly surcingles are different. The chest construction is different. The withers are different. Whether those differences are worth a $20 to $40 premium over a Hilason depends on what kind of horse you have.

The Quick Verdict

If you have a performance horse with a big-bodied build (warmblood, draft cross, appendix with deep chest) and you want fit engineering that holds the sheet in place during work, Professional's Choice is the better sheet at $80 to $100. If you have a standard quarter horse or paint in 24/7 Texas turnout, Hilason ADFS at $60 is the better value with better UV protection.

Price and Value

Professional's Choice Standard Fly Sheet: $60 to $80. Professional's Choice Comfort-Fit Fly Sheet: $80 to $100. The Comfort-Fit has jersey mesh along the spine for breathability, which is the main difference.

Hilason ADFS: $59.95. ADFS-NF with neck cover: $72. ADFS-FB with fleece boot panels: $75.

On a straight price comparison, the Hilason ADFS is cheaper than even the Professional's Choice standard. The Comfort-Fit is $20 to $40 more than the Hilason ADFS. The question is whether the Comfort-Fit features (jersey mesh spine, fleece at withers, West Coast belly surcingles) are worth the premium.

Materials and Build

Professional's Choice uses a polyester ripstop construction. The mesh is breathable and UV-protective. The withers have fleece lining to prevent rub. The chest area has a nylon lining. The Comfort-Fit adds jersey mesh along the spine, which is a stretch material that moves with the horse.

Hilason ADFS uses a poly/nylon mesh with 1200D reinforced shoulder panels. The withers have a gusset system rather than fleece. The chest is a double-buckle closure.

The two sheets take different approaches to fit. Professional's Choice puts the engineering into the chest and withers, where rubs happen. Hilason puts the engineering into the shoulders and stress points, where 24/7 turnout causes failures. If your horse rubs at the withers, the Professional's Choice is the better answer. If your horse is in heavy turnout and tears sheets at the shoulders, the Hilason is the better answer.

The West Coast Belly Surcingle

This is the most distinctive Professional's Choice feature. The belly surcingles attach further up the sides than a traditional surcingle, which keeps the sheet from shifting during work. If you ride your horse in a fly sheet (some people do for trail riding in heavy fly pressure), the West Coast surcingle holds the sheet in place. The Hilason uses a more traditional lower-positioned surcingle.

If you ride in your fly sheet: Professional's Choice. If your fly sheet is for turnout only: the surcingle position does not matter much, and either works.

UV Protection

Professional's Choice: UV-protective mesh, but the specific UPF rating is not always published. Independent tests suggest it is in the 80-90% range.

Hilason ADFS: UPF 50+, 98% UV block.

For UV-sensitive horses (dark bays, horses with pink skin, appaloosas with pink skin under white patches), the Hilason is the better choice. For horses without UV sensitivity, either works.

Fit and Sizing

Professional's Choice: Standard sizes, with a cut designed for the big-bodied warmblood and appendix types. The Comfort-Fit has stretch panels that accommodate a wider range of builds.

Hilason: 7 sizes, cut for quarter horse. Gusset system for shoulder fit.

The Professional's Choice Comfort-Fit fits a wider range of horse builds than the Hilason ADFS. If you have a non-standard horse, the Professional's Choice is the better-fitting sheet. If you have a standard quarter horse, the Hilason fits out of the box.

Who Should Buy Which

Buy Professional's Choice if: You have a big-bodied warmblood or draft cross, you ride in your fly sheet, your horse rubs at the withers, you want jersey mesh along the spine for breathability.

Buy Hilason if: You have a quarter horse or paint, you are in 24/7 Texas turnout, you need UPF 50+ UV protection, you want the best price.

Buy both if: You have a barn with mixed builds. The big-bodied horses get Professional's Choice. The quarter horses get Hilason.

FAQ

Is the Professional's Choice Comfort-Fit worth the extra $20 over the Hilason? For a horse that needs the stretch spine and fleece withers, yes. For a standard quarter horse, no. The features that justify the premium do not matter on a horse that does not need them.

Can I ride in a Hilason ADFS? Yes, but the sheet will shift more than a Professional's Choice with the West Coast surcingle. If you regularly ride in a fly sheet, the Professional's Choice is the better-engineered option.

Does the Professional's Choice come with a neck cover? The standard and Comfort-Fit do not. You buy the neck cover separately. The Hilason ADFS-NF includes a neck cover for $72 total, which is less than the Professional's Choice standard plus a separate neck cover.

Which sheet holds up better in 24/7 turnout? The Hilason. The 1200D reinforced shoulder panels are designed for continuous wear. The Professional's Choice is a slightly lighter construction.

Travis Colburn is a third-generation Texas horseman and AQHA-approved judge with 22 years training western performance horses. He has been Hilason's lead field tester since 2018. Travis writes the gear guides for hilason.com and uhorse.com based on what he sees actually working on ranches from South Texas to Montana.

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