Shivangi Sinha
Doing sports is exciting, but one problem many people with long hair face is the constant tangling and mess that comes with movement. Whether it is running, training, or playing a fast-paced game, hair can easily get caught, pulled, or tangled, making it uncomfortable and distracting. While there are some solutions like hair ties, braids, or headbands, many people feel that these options are often ineffective or do not hold well during intense activity. The struggle has been common for years, but in ABC’s ‘Shark Tank’ season 17, episode 13, Rip Tie Hair came up with a solution designed to make managing long hair during sports much easier.
Rip Tie Hair: Who Are They and What Do They Do?
Sarah Fox is the founder of Rip Tie Hair and has built the brand through her own persistence and creativity. Professionally, she has a background in social work and business development. She completed her Bachelor of Arts from Boston College and later earned a Master of Social Work from San Diego State University. After her studies, she worked in several roles that built her professional experience. In September 2019, she joined The Arc of San Diego as a Job Developer and worked there until September 2020. In March 2021, she became the Vice President of Business Development at The Sponsor Desk in California, a role she held until August 2022. In May 2022, she founded Rip Tie Hair and has been working full-time on the business since then, operating it from San Diego, California.
The idea for Rip Tie Hair came from Sarah’s own life experiences. She had grown up in Hawaii and later worked at a large dive shop in Guam. It was a dream job for her, but spending so much time in the water led to constant breakage, damage, and tangles in her long hair. She tried different products, hair ties, and solutions, but nothing seemed truly effective. Eventually, she began experimenting with different materials and designs on her own. Through trial and error, she created a hair tie that secured hair in one direction. She initially made a few for her friends, who immediately liked the design and found it useful. In 2022, while she was in graduate school and needed some extra income, Sarah decided to turn the idea into a business. Using the $2,000 she had in savings, she formed the LLC herself without any outside help.
In the early days, she promoted Rip Tie Hair in niche groups of female scuba divers and similar communities. Friends helped her create simple videos demonstrating how the product worked, and the brand slowly began gaining attention. At first, she ran the entire business from the second bedroom of her home. Over time, the business grew steadily. After getting married and welcoming a baby, Sarah eventually moved the operations into a warehouse. By 2024, she had hired a team to help run the growing company. The product was no longer used only by scuba divers; it was also being adopted by women in healthcare, horseback riders, firefighters, and many others with physically demanding jobs.
The Rip Tie Hair product itself is designed to keep hair secure and protected during intense activities, even when it is wet. Its patented design includes a larger hair tie at the top to secure the hair into a ponytail. Attached to it is a long braided section that can be wrapped around the hair to create loops about one inch apart, along with a small elastic end to secure everything in place. The design helps maintain grip, reduce tangling, and minimize hair breakage, while the durable materials are built to withstand intense activities and adventures.
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Rip Tie Hair: Where Are They Now?
As the company continued to expand in 2024, Rip Tie Hair also faced some challenges in 2025. The business was not able to sustain its rapid growth at the same pace, and the company had to make the difficult decision to cut down on its workforce. It was a tough period for the brand. However, appearing on the episode helped them secure funding, which allowed the company to stabilize operations, maintain a larger scale of production, and continue growing the business. Rip Tie Hair products are available in various options, sizes, and units. A simple Rip Tie Tangle Free Hair Tie – Basecamp is available for $12.95, while the Rip Tie Tangle Free Hair Tie – 3 Pack Mist is priced at $30. There are also several themed designs created for different environments and needs.
For example, the Salt Pack is designed for people who spend time in salty water, while other collections include Wild Elements, Hair Trail, Tropical Trio, Summer Trails, and Desert Solace. These are generally priced between $20 and $30 or more, depending on the pack size. For those who want larger bundles, options like the Rip Tie Tangle Free Hair Tie – 5 Pack Essentials are available for $45. The brand has also expanded its product line to include hair care accessories. One example is the Rip Tie Mini Detangler – Original Brush, which sells for $5. There are also gift sets, such as the Rip Tie Tangle Free Hair Tie – Mermaid Glow Gift Kit, priced at $40, which includes a hair tie, a brush, and a pouch. Similar gift packs are also available for customers.
These products can be purchased directly from the company’s website and are also available in different stores across California, Hawaii, Belize, Washington, and other parts of the US. The brand offers a store locator on its website to help customers find nearby retailers. Additionally, customers who sign up on the website can receive a 30% discount on their first purchase. Overall, Rip Tie Hair has become a popular hair accessory that has helped many women manage their hair more easily during active lifestyles and has earned strong appreciation from its growing customer base.
