Usually the macho skin will be thin and the hembra skin thicker. After finding a thickness you like, hold the skin up to a light and look for a uniformity of light showing through the skin. This also gives you an opportunity to inspect the skin for blemishes. If you are not able to select your own skin, LP has simplified the problem by having their experts hand pick the skins for tucking. If you prefer a premounted skin they offer both natural and synthetic heads, either way you will get a good skin.
Many players prefer to use premounted heads for some obvious reasons.
First, you do not have to spend your time tucking the head and second, replacing the heads is immediate because you don't need to wait for the heads to dry. Even if you prefer tucking your own heads, it is a good idea to carry premounted skins just in case a skin breaks at the inopportune moment. More and more players are opting for the new synthetic heads. One major advantage is that the weather has little effect on tuning or the sound of the bongo. Although you can leave the synthetic heads tuned, it is not advisable to do this due to the stress that is put on the drum shell and the wear and tear on the tuning lugs.