I remember fondly my childhood blue suede chaps that, when I wore them with my shorts, they turned my legs blue. I looked like my parents beat me daily on my legs. 
Barnstable is fine at the low end, Journeyman is exquisite at the high end.
But for the middle level, I highly recommend http://larocquechaps.com/stockchaps.html. She makes both stock and full custom. I have a pair of semi-custom (which also “shrank” horribly in the past 10 years…) and they’re really nice for the price point.
I’m one of the lone full chap hold outs (especially here in the South!) but I love mine and I really am not a fan of how breeches fit, so jeans+chaps mostly makes me a happy camper.
I bought my last pair in 2007…ish, I think. From Tenney’s in Florida. I pretty much went all out this last time and did maximum bling. They are smooth grain, base chap color is buckskin, black yoke in faux alligator/black side trim w/metallic bronze piping, a double layer of extra long fringe - top fringe is black, bottom is metallic bronze. Instead of needlepoint initials, I did a bronze metallic inset w/black leather initials. Yep, that set me back about $900.
If you google full chaps, a pic of them still shows up (along with some, um, more interesting images!)
[QUOTE=ybiaw;7865861]
I have custom Journeymans very similar to Nick’s - chocolate smooth leather, chocolate trim, cream piping, cream and chocolate fringe, monogrammed belt, snap front. I want to say they were around the same price point, maybe a little less because I don’t have the Lizard. Mine have also suffered inexplicable shrinkage in the bottom of my tack trunk. 
[/QUOTE]
TWINSIES!
[QUOTE=Nickelodian;7866437]
TWINSIES![/QUOTE]
EEEEEEEEE!!! #twinning
[QUOTE=DMK;7866403]
I’m one of the lone full chap hold outs (especially here in the South!) but I love mine and I really am not a fan of how breeches fit, so jeans+chaps mostly makes me a happy camper.
I bought my last pair in 2007…ish, I think. From Tenney’s in Florida. I pretty much went all out this last time and did maximum bling. They are smooth grain, base chap color is buckskin, black yoke in faux alligator/black side trim w/metallic bronze piping, a double layer of extra long fringe - top fringe is black, bottom is metallic bronze. Instead of needlepoint initials, I did a bronze metallic inset w/black leather initials. Yep, that set me back about $900.
If you google full chaps, a pic of them still shows up (along with some, um, more interesting images!)[/QUOTE]
These are gorgeous.
http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2200/3302146/10616695/241482202.jpg
I Considered doing bronze instead of purple. How has it held up? I actually only ride in mine in the winter these days, and keep them stored at home to make them last. They still look brand new.
Bringing the full chap back.
[QUOTE=Nickelodian;7865827]
My fulls made by journeyman:
[QUOTE=Nickelodian;7866449]These are gorgeous.
http://pic90.picturetrail.com/VOL2200/3302146/10616695/241482202.jpg[/QUOTE]
WHAT. Things like these are why I need to win the lottery.
the bronze has held up fantastically - and it is so awesome with the double fringe - looks like black fringe, but you get just a hint of metallic when they move. The inside of the chaps… sigh… already had a full inner patch and even that has worn through in a spot (with chaps it is not hard to figure out your weaknesses as a rider, is it? Wear and tear spots tell it all). But I am not buying another pair until they are 10 years old (@$90/year amortization schedule, I deem them a bahgin, LOL).
This is the first summer I didn’t wear them - I bought a pair of the older style volant boots and they actually fit over jeans quite nicely, so if I’m just trail riding or doing just about any riding except a serious jump school, volants+jeans works fine and again, I’m a happy camper and I can plan for breeches+boots days. But now that it is cold again? Oh yeah, chaps. Full chaps.
eta - here’s what they look like in action… when you biff the distance to the downhill jump on a long gallop
I have two pair - one fitted, english style - kind of a weird green. Nothing fancy, but they work. And a brown pair with fringe - they fit a bit looser and work better with my winter paddock boots. I don’t care if they are in “style” or not - I love them in the cold weather.
I still have my Journeyman chaps from 1997. They are a gorgeous pale tan that thankfully broke in nicely since they were very light and bright to start! I was a junior buying them for myself so I limited myself to hunter green piping, a brass snap up front and the needlepoint name belt. They were around $500. I wore them a ton and when I moved to Boston, I would leave them on for the entire day at the barn. I think that is why one of the knees got a hole - all of the bending over to do wraps etc. They are still beautiful and come out for truly frigid weather.
Ask around your area, too. Mine were made locally by a western saddle maker and leatherworker. They are not as exquisite as Pinnells, but they were also 1/3 the price. I love them and my goal is to fit back into them this winter.
Tan with brown piping and Loooonnng fringe with conchos at the belt.
I got mine around age 14 I think from a local person. They were great, but they somehow shrunk while I was in college. I’ve been debating rescuing them from the storage locker and seeing if I can get them to fit again if put over breeches instead of jeans. No stirrup November would be much easier with them vs half chaps. And, I could use a little extra warmth these days.
Thanks so much everyone! I really appreciate it! I think I’m going to go for the Larocque chaps, thanks so much!
I have/had a really nice pair of full chaps that I bought natural and had them custom fit with piping and my initials put on them. They were fine in the beginning but they started to leave rubs on my legs (even with jeans on). I tried everything to stop the rubs to no avail. I switched over to half chaps and never had a problem. I guess full chaps are just not for me.:no:
I too have (2) pairs of FULL chaps by Journeyman’s, can’t say enough about them. Love them. Great workmanship. and design. and wear them a lot especially NOW with the cold. LOL…
Good Luck
At risk of sounding silly… did anyone wear their full chaps over breeches or was is only jeans? I would love to jump on the full chap band wagon but I’m worried that jeans would wear on the seat of my calfskin saddle and I’m not sure how full chaps would work over breeches…
One day I will splurge on the Journeymen’s. But right now both my custom half chaps and full chaps are by Larocque. They are nice. I wear both my half chaps and full chaps over breeches. I don’ t find riding in jeans very comfortable.
My advice to anyone considering buying full chaps is to ride in some a lot before you buy. Some people love riding in them while others buy them and then…they end up collecting dust.
I was a teen in the 70s who desperately wanted a pair…was sure I would love them. I still remember the pair I got for Christmas: they were rust suede. 
I wore them a few times and then kept finding excuses not to wear them. I don’t remember why I didn’t like them, but they were distracting and uncomfortable.
On the other hand, my trainer (about my age), has a gorgeous custom pair and loves hers.
[QUOTE=Secret Dove;7866712]
I have/had a really nice pair of full chaps that I bought natural and had them custom fit with piping and my initials put on them. They were fine in the beginning but they started to leave rubs on my legs (even with jeans on). I tried everything to stop the rubs to no avail. I switched over to half chaps and never had a problem. I guess full chaps are just not for me.:no:[/QUOTE]
That’s just the calf stretching out. You can have them taken in!
[QUOTE=BeccaFaulkner;7867371]
At risk of sounding silly… did anyone wear their full chaps over breeches or was is only jeans? I would love to jump on the full chap band wagon but I’m worried that jeans would wear on the seat of my calfskin saddle and I’m not sure how full chaps would work over breeches…[/QUOTE]
I do it all the time. Don’t want to rip up my saddle/ruin my jeans.
