Best Winter Gear?

After taking a 6-year hiatus from the hunters and jumpers, I decided I missed it. Of course, I decided to miss it just as we are coming into winter time and I am a giant wuss when it comes to cold weather.

What are your favorite winter breeches, boots, gloves etc?

TIA

pikeur winter breeches. Expensive…yes for sure. But they. are. amazing.

https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/pikeur-maxime-grip-corkshell-fullseat-breech-13450

I have yet to find a pair of gloves that actually make a difference.

It depends on, of course, how cold it gets. It gets solidly into the teens/20s here and even in an indoor, it’s quite cold.

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Yea $430 for a pair of schooling breeches is a bit outside my price range, I was thinking more in the $100 -$150 range.

Winters here depend on the year. Some years it is very cold, others not so much. We do have an indoor so that keeps the wind off of us, but if I can I like to ride out at least some in the winter. Maybe it’s time to get another pair of chaps.

Thanks for the reply

I quite like the kerrits winter breeches. However when it’s really cold no breech really helps that. I had a trainer who would wear pull on snow pants until she was about to get on the horse and then she would take them off.
Handwarmers are nice too.

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I don’t know how they compare to other brands’ winter breeches, but I really like my Irideon Wind Pros. I’d say they hold up to 30ish F on their own, and I bought mine a bit bigger than normal so I can put tights under them if it’s colder than that. They’re also pretty water resistant.

I have these (https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/fits-thermamax-techtread-winter-full-seat-tight-14771) by FITS and I love them! $150. I have another pair from FITS that are knee patch and super cute, but not quite as thick, so they’re more late fall/early spring, but I admit that I get cold easily. (Just checked and they don’t make any knee patch winter breeches anymore.)

I also have a pair of Pikeur winter breeches that I got from Calevo for around $150.

I’m not a fan of winter breeches, myself. I preferred to wear fleece leggings/tights under regular breeches basically the whole winter in Ohio, and I’ll ride with the quarter sheet over my thighs if it’s really cold.
Gloves, the ones I’ve liked the most are the SSG 10 Below ones.
Boots, I had these the last two years before I moved to Florida, they were amazing:
https://www.statelinetack.com/item/tuffrider-tundra-fleece-lined-field-boot/E007097/
Before them, I just had a pair of too-big paddocks boots and half chaps that I could wear multiple pairs of wool socks under.

For gloves, I wear the SSG All Weather winter lined ones - I can only wear them on really cold days or my hands sweat, so they do the job!

For breeches, I like my Kerrits Sit Tight N Warm tights. Otherwise, I have a merino wool baselayer that I wear under regular breeches.

I don’t have winter riding boots, so I wear my normal ones with merino wool socks. I used to have Mountain Horse ones that were nice and warm, but the zipper broke quickly.

All of this keeps me warm enough riding in Canada without a heated indoor!

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Kerrits winter breeches is always a must for me, they’re super comfy and warm. Some may call me crazy for the boot situation but I use the same boots I use in the summer, I just buy some of those heated pads that you can buy at your local tack shop, dollar store, grocery store, that stick on inside the boot and keep your feet SUPER warm. There are also ear muffs I get at my local tack shop that keep my ears warm as I find other than my feet are the first to freeze. I do this with no heated indoor and ride outside occasionally with my Canadian Winter Weather so I’m sure you can survive just as well! Hopefully this helps and welcome back to the equine world! :slight_smile:

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Just seeing this makes me cringe… I hate winter. But ‘winter is coming’ lol

Some of the winter gear that I get:
SP Piper Winter Breeches. Do wish these came in more colors then just black. Also it has to be below 40 for me to wear them, otherwise I’ll sweat. https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/piper-knit-breeches-by-smartpak-fleece-lined-knee-patch-14844

I also do a lot of wool base layers, mid layers, you get warmth without all the bulk and weight. They are not itchy, and breathe better then synthetic fabrics. They also do not need to be washed with every wear, and seem to hold their shape, as well as no sort of smell. I like Smart Wool and Icebreakers. You can usually find them for less at resellers like REI, Moose Jaw, or Back Country.

Vest from North Face, Patagonia or Jott work really well. I try and do layers, that way i can add/remove as needed. I also usually get jackets from them as well. I even saw Patagonia jackets/coats at Costco the last time I was there for $150!

Socks, are Smart Wool all the way! They are warm w/o the bulk and don’t seem to make my feet sweat.

Hope that helps & Stay Warm!

I love Tropical Riders Toasties breeches!!! I have Muck Co boots for chores (horses at home) and swap to Ariat H2O insulated paddocks to ride. Add Smartwool socks and I’m fine riding in or out for less than an hour. And I know it’s kind of ugly, but I can’t live without my winter helmet cover. It has fleece that velcros closed over my face. I like it better than sleeker balaclavas because if I get warm, I can undo it and strap it behind my helmet without issue. Still haven’t found perfect gloves - my old Good Hands are what I use to ride, but on the market. None of the riding gloves advertised as waterproof and tough enough for barn work last. Well, not if they actually allow me to feel my reins!

On top, I wear a SmartWool medium weight base layer with a polar fleece quarter zip over the top. I wear a Mountain Horse Windsor winter jacket, which is really warm. I take it off and put on a vest when I ride. On the bottom, I wear Irideon winter tights (not the WindPro variety), and I find them plenty warm for riding. When it’s below ~30 degrees, I usually wear sweat pants (Walmart) over the top and remove them before I head to the indoor arena.

I like the SSG Soft Touch Winter riding gloves for riding. They’re thin, but quite warm. I also have the SSG Training gloves. I wear them around the barn. For me, they’re too bulky and warm for riding. Mine are many years old, and they’re not as warm as they used to be. It’s time for me to invest in new ones.

I ride in the Ariat Bromont tall boots (not the show type boots). Mine are gray and are similar to the extreme tall H20 Insulated boots. I wear nylon knee highs and wool socks.

Good luck shopping and keep warm!

I have a pair of Mountain Horse so get breeches I like. Also I have an underlayer-type breech that I use with regular breeches. Works well. Similar to these…https://www.equestriancollections.com/ladies-riding-apparel/underwear/thermal-underwear/mountain-horse-vibe-tech-pants

As many layers as humanly possibly and I can’t live without the stick on toe warmers on my socks. Probably TMI but on really cold days I stick a pair on my bra too. Lol, I can’t be the only one whose girls get cold! Cheaper than a formal ‘core warmer’.

I wear the Kerrits Windpro breeches, smartwool socks with sheepskin insoles, wicking top, polar fleece, insulated vest and insulated coat with a home-made crocheted ear cover that protects my ears without impacting helmet fit. I have both the SSG 10 Below gloves and a pair of Heritage silk lined gloves. The SSG ones are too bulky for some work, but are good for the warming up phase or for trail riding. I also have a super thin balaclava that I can wear, but have decided if it is that cold, I’m probably not going to ride anyway :smiley:

Horze, Ovation, and TuffRider all make awesome fleece lined winter breeches that are under $60.00. I also like the Kerrits and Irideon winter breeches but the weight and quality isn’t much better than the first three I mentioned. If I need to be outside in the wind I’ll wear my old full chaps because I still haven’t found anything better.

For winter riding boots I have the Mountain Horse Stella Polaris and really love them. I’m going on 4 years with the same pair and they’re holding up really well. I just spray them down with a hose to keep them clean.

I have the SSG 10 below gloves but find they’re so warm they make my hands sweat when riding inside. They’re amazing for all around outdoor gloves though. I also have a pair of SSG winter pebble grip gloves that I love for the indoor arena. They’re cheap, light, and very warm but not good for barn chores because they soak up water like a sponge.

As for tops, I do lots of layers that consist of sweaters, vests, and fleece quarter zips from Goodwill because I always ruin them. I do love Under Armour cold gear as base layers.

The biggest thing that has saved me during the winter is changing into dry clothes after I ride. If I don’t that little bit of sweat will give me a chill for the whole day. Even something simple like taking off a cami under my top makes a huge difference.

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Get yourself a pair of running tights! They are like the under armour material and are much warmer layered under a pair of regular breeches than just winter breeches. I also have 3 under armour tops that I rotate as my base layer on top. The Ariat bromont tall boot has changed my life. Waterproof and insulated. No more freezing toes is the most amazing thing ever! For gloves I use heritage winter trail gloves. Its a fleece lined leather glove. I thought they’d be too thick to ride in (originally just got them for driving and general use) but wore them riding one day and they were great. I always wear a vest too. Its a great layer of warmth without adding extra arm bulk.

I live in Canada, and we see some crazy cold temperatures, and nasty wind. So I have quite a bit of experience riding in the cold. Absolutely layers, I have many different types of long underwear and wear them with breeches according to the temp. I keep on winter coveralls until I am ready to ride, then ride in breeches for the most part. On really cold days I have a pair of winter breeches that are more like ski pants, but you don’t get the same feel as with tall boots or half chaps.
I also wear the -40 muck boots to do my barn chores, and have a pair of winter ariat paddock boots that I wear for riding with half chap. ( I went one size bigger for winter half chaps to accommodate the bigger boots, and layers)

I find it interesting that everyone is saying the 10 below SSG gloves are the warmest. Have them don’t love them. But the SSG winter training glove https://www.smartpakequine.com/pt/ssg-winter-training-glove-2095. I would be lost with out them.
I also love the helly hansen base layer stuff, it is soooo warm! I have a coat that is fur lined with a fur hood. Its so old, and I have no idea where it comes from, but i have yet to be cold in it.
I use a headband under my helmet to keep my ears warm, and a neck warmer. I have a winter helmet cover that wraps under your chin, but I don’t find it as good.

Good luck

Thank you so much guys. My Christmas list is going to be big this year :slight_smile:

For gloves I wear the Ariat insulated Tek Grip gloves. I do barn chores before I ride and these are the only gloves that are warm and allow finger movement for things like girthing up or grabbing wheel barrows. They are not waterproof though.

The warmest winter breeches I have are the Kerrits Wind Pro. They are windproof and sort of waterproof. The other Kerrits or the Irideon are warm but not 20 degrees warm. I also wear a pair of loose exercise or yoga/lounge pants over my breeches, to add extra warmth and to keep them clean. Baggy so I don’t have to pull my insulated paddock boots off. When it’s really really cold I just ride with the yoga pants because I don’t really care what it looks like and it helps prevent pinching. I don’t wear half chaps in the winter at home, they don’t fit over my layers and the layers are thick enough to protect anyway.

I have these for tall boots, although they aren’t very tall they are very warm.

https://www.zappos.com/p/ariat-extreme-tall-h2o-insulated-black/product/8586057/color/3?ef_id=WLeGlAAAAKVsc9Gt%3A20171105214122%3As