Athletic/compression tights for riding?

[the_phantom]

I’m finishing college soon and want to get into regular riding again - I hope to try out endurance with a friend who does it. So, I’m going to need some more riding pants soon. I used to ride in jeans, but now I prefer to wear half chaps and my old bootcut jeans don’t fit under them well.

Being broke, I was thinking of getting some cheaper regular athletic tights, like these (Danskin). Has anyone tried riding in something like these? Do they hold up reasonably to riding wear & tear? Do you end up sitting on uncomfortable seams? I’d rather save money, but if reg. tights are likely to be uncomfortable or to wear through quickly then I’ll save up for some more “real” riding tights, since I don’t wear tights for anything else.

[billiebob]

I do it all the time. Downsides include lack of pockets and the inner thigh/crotch tends to wear through a little faster. I don’t notice much of a difference re: seams. The shiny ones are rather slippery, but the cottony ones are just fine.

This is with my English saddle–for a western saddle I prefer jeans or thicker breeches.

ETA get thee to a TJ Maxx/Marshall’s type place and they can be found for crazy cheap, like $10-$15.

[the_phantom]

Cool. I should have mentioned I typically ride in English saddles. I hate going into those huge department stores, but I was planning to check the athletic section of super Target.

Any clever tricks for carrying things like chapstick or keys w/o pant pockets?

[Snowdenfarm]

Not really tricks, but I use either the armband pack or extra thin fanny pack – both for runners/cyclers. Also, many of the technical fabric running/cycling shirts have key pockets.

[gymangel812]

i’ve been using leggings/yoga pants (lululemon to be exact) for 2+ years since i started riding. i have a few pairs of riding pants, don’t find much of a difference, just make sure whatever you get aren’t super slick.

[independentlyawesome]

Unless you need to buy new, there are some great deals to be found on used riding tights. I never spend more than $10-20 on barely used riding tights, and they hold up much better than the non-dedicated tights.

[the_phantom]

[QUOTE=independentlyawesome;7695665]
Unless you need to buy new, there are some great deals to be found on used riding tights. I never spend more than $10-20 on barely used riding tights, and they hold up much better than the non-dedicated tights.[/QUOTE]

Good call - I’ll keep my eyes on craigslist for used tights.

Any other thoughts on regular tights?

[csaper58]

What you wear under the tights will make a difference as to how comfortable you are.

[chebeau]

Ebay and the tack sales groups on Facebook are probably the best bets for lightly used tights. Kerrits tights really hold up well.

Happy riding,
Jessie

[sbwinde]

Saddlebags. Also if you have English tall boots, I stick my phone in my boot in case my horse and I become separated unplanned. Be careful at the start up, its not uncommon for the excitement among the horses to cause people to have unplanned dismounts.

[ChocoMare]

Yes, they’re a bit pricey BUT: You cannot beat Saddlebums for toughness and longevity of wear. Ride after ride, year after year, wash after wash, they stay the same. And once your personal sizing is on file, it stays there. Just call and say “Send me another The_Phantom pair”

[Lindax3]

I wore tights from thrift store until I bought my Arabian mare. I have been riding in full seat Kerrits but am interested if Saddlebums really help with achiness of muscles/joints. Thanks for any feedback you may have.

[tabula_rashah]

I really like my Irideons. They have lasted years of almost everyday wearing and have held up to things like river crossings and thorn bushes. I do have a couple of pair of Under Armour compression tights that I wear to ride in sometimes too- they’re quite comfy but not really any cheaper than riding tights.

[lauren38026]

FITS actually uses compression material for their breeches and they’re incredibly comfortable. The “Megan” knee patch and “Duet” full seat are both awesome! I used to ride in mainly Kerrits, but have totally switched over to FITS after I found myself only wearing those. They fit really great too, and I’ve had friends tell me that they usually have a hard time finding breeches (esp full seat) that fit them but they loved FITS too. I would give them a try!

[the_phantom]

Update - tried tights

Thanks for all the feedback above. I just rode in a pair of tights so I thought I would share what I thought of them.

Bought a pair of <$20 black running tights (not compression tights, mostly because I was being cheap).

-These are very stretchy, and I liked the freedom of movement - I don’t like when I have kneepatch breeches and half chaps on and feel like my knees are constricted when walking around.

-There’s a flat seam down the inside, but absolutely no rubbing or discomfort from it.

-They didn’t seem to get as damp inside my boots and at the crotch as cotton breeches do on hot days.

-The material is very thin. I wore spandex shorts underneath so my underwear wouldn’t be on display any time I bent over. I think I need to invest in some black boyshort undies.

-The tights weren’t at all unduly slippery - more so than standard cotton breeches, but certainly no worse than riding tights (I do have a pair of Irideons).

I wouldn’t wear them to a lesson, but they were very comfy for trail riding.

[californianinkansas]

[QUOTE=ChocoMare;7713260]
Yes, they’re a bit pricey BUT: You cannot beat Saddlebums for toughness and longevity of wear. Ride after ride, year after year, wash after wash, they stay the same. And once your personal sizing is on file, it stays there. Just call and say “Send me another The_Phantom pair” ;)[/QUOTE]

I just received my first order from Saddlebums. I placed the order last Saturday with standard shipping, and my 2 pairs of breeches arrived on Wednesday. I am thrilled with the fit and the quality!

[Toonika]

[QUOTE=csaper58;7698968]
What you wear under the tights will make a difference as to how comfortable you are.[/QUOTE]

Has anyone tried these; http://motoskiveez.com/shop-page/cruiser-skiveez/
Designed for motorcycles but the technology of this style looks like it would be a perfect fit for horses.