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We are in the home stretch of this hair tie experiment. Last time, I put two coil hair ties head to head. It was a closer call than I expected regarding which one earned a gold star from me. Now, as I organize my final thoughts about Gimme hair ties and Burlybands, I’m curious to see which one has a Seabiscuit moment and pulls ahead in the Blonde Asian universe.
I took the time to figure out which hair ties actually worked for my hair situation. I’m Asian, and my hair is long and bleached blonde. It has been this way for over a decade. So, putting these hair ties head to head, I’m using these criteria to objectively see which one comes out ahead. The criteria are pretty obvious, with a touch of obviously.
Hold: How well does this hair tie hold my hair?
Thick Hair: How well does this hair tie cope with thick hair?
Wrist Wear: Does this feel comfortable on my wrist?
Which One Annoyed Me Less: This is more of a vibe-based category.
The One I’d Actually Reach For: If I had to pick one, which one am I grabbing?
At the end of the day, one coil hair tie does reign supreme.
Hold
Both Gimme hair ties and Burlybands held my hair. But at this point, they better.
However, Burlybands have a serious hold. I felt like I had an instant facelift when I got one into my hair. If I were helping a friend move, I’d wear a Burlyband because I wouldn’t have to fuss with my ponytail. It would just become one less thing to think about.
Both fulfill the brief when it comes to holding my hair in a ponytail. The difference is that the Gimme hair tie can slide and stretch a little after extended wear. I’m talking five or more hours. I like knowing what I’m getting, so the winner was easy to pick.
Winner: Burlybands
Thick Hair
My thick hair is the reason I started looking into better hair ties. I didn’t realize my hair type was affecting how well traditional hair ties worked, or didn’t work, for me.
I wanted to find something that would not just work but actively support thick hair.
Through extended wear, both hair ties gave me a very mild hair ache. This is why I kept wearing everything I was writing about for a few months. I knew my opinions could change.
I mentioned earlier that Burlybands gave me an instant facelift. This hair tie barely fit all of my hair into a ponytail with three loops. Two loops wouldn’t have held for very long. Gimme hair ties also took three loops, but they have a little more stretch.
I’d rather be able to throw my hair up quickly instead of having to think about it.
Winner: Gimme
Wrist Wear
After I turned 33, I decided I wanted to be as comfortable as possible. I almost always have a hair tie on my wrist, so it better not leave a mark.
When I first started writing this, I thought, “Well, if it leaves a mark but does its job, maybe it’s worth it.” By the end of this series, I can confidently say it isn’t. I had taken for granted how easy it is to carry a hair tie on my wrist without thinking about it.
Both hair ties are comfortable, but they hug my wrist a little more than I like. Apparently I prefer things to be just a little looser.
The thing that stayed on my mind was getting them wet. I’d wash my hands and accidentally soak them, then immediately wonder if they were eventually going to get moldy or start smelling. They’re machine washable, but that’s not what I’m thinking about when I’m standing at a public sink.
So this really came down to preference. I like that Burlybands don’t have a reflective logo, but Gimme ended up feeling a little softer on my wrist.
Winner: Gimme
Which One Annoyed Me Less
Part of being medium maintenance is limiting what annoys me in the easiest ways possible. I know I’m talking about hair ties, but still. I’m doing all of this lived-in work so you don’t have to think as hard. This category gives me a little room to make a judgment call when there isn’t a clearly right or wrong answer.
Both Gimme hair ties and Burlybands are fine. I hate to say it. They’re a bit forgettable, which is actually a compliment when it comes to something like a hair tie. I have a lot of things to think about on the daily. A hair tie should be a part of your flow. Both hair ties seem geared toward more sporty people, and I probably wouldn’t wear either one on a date or anything like that.
It’s interesting looking back at this comparison because these two hair ties kept moving in tandem. One would barely inch ahead, then the other would do the same in the next category.
In the end, I’m giving this one to Burlybands because they’re made of silk and hold my ponytail exceptionally well.
Winner: Burlybands
The One I’d Actually Reach For
The one I can see myself reaching for is Burlybands, but only in specific situations. When I make my big move over to the house, for example, I want something that will hold my hair back and stay there without me thinking about it.
I like using things when I know exactly what I’m getting.
Conclusion
Burlybands wins this head-to-head for me because I like knowing what I’m dealing with. The Gimme hair ties are similar in shape and function, but they have more stretch than I personally want, and the visible logo still bothers me.
For my hair, Burlybands feel more predictable. They give me a firmer hold, they don’t feel like they’re slowly loosening throughout the day, and they look cleaner on my wrist and in my hair. Gimme isn’t bad. It just doesn’t solve the specific problems I was trying to fix as well as Burlybands does.
So between the two, I’d reach for Burlybands first. But as we all know there can only be one true winner.
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