Riding in Jeans?

Hey All!

I’m getting ready to do my 3rd/4th LD (two 25’s in a row) and am still trying to figure out what I am most comfortable in. I’ve been riding in Kerrits tights but weirdly don’t feel as comfortable in them as I do when I go out for a ride in jeans and my Fat Baby Ariats. However, I’m still dealing with chafing (with tights or with jeans) and figuring out what works best for me. I have been preferring a more relaxed western look than your typical endurance attire. I feel I need to mention I ride in a Tucker Gen II Endurance saddle which is all leather, so I feel like I slide around a lot in tights. I’ve also looked at trail riding jeans like Native Trail Riders but they look like they fit really dorky.

  1. What riding jeans actually don’t end up chafing?
  2. Has anyone tried riding in jeans with full chaps?
  3. Any other recommendations?

I ride in Wrangler Auras but I don’t ride long distance. When I did a six day horse riding vacation 15 years ago and rode 8 hours a day I rode in Horse Woman Spirit Jeans without chafing but I don’t even know if they make them anymore.

  1. What riding jeans actually don’t end up chafing? I find the pull up type of Jean works best for me. Lee brand has a “Dream Jean” that I really like for riding. Flat leg seams, totally comfortable to bend and stretch in. Material has some type of stretch in it.

  2. Has anyone tried riding in jeans with full chaps? I don’t own a pair of full chaps but said Jean work great with half chaps.

  3. Any other recommendations? I have the Jeans made for riding, which might be the ones mentioned above. I wore them twice, HATED them. They are in a tub somewhere upstairs if someone wants to buy them from me. I think they are a size six.
    I rarely ride more than 15 miles or so at a time, but I do ride multiple days in a row, so no chafing is important to me too.

I find plain cotton pants are the worst to ride in.

The only jeans I’ve ever been able to tolerate riding in are Old Navy Rockstar skinny jeans. I can’t comment much on the chafing, though. For long cattle drives I wore my (sadly discontinued) Horze cotton breeches or Smartpak Pipers. This was riding western in an old Hereford saddle with a suede seat.

Jeans with full chaps tend to cause chafing issues for me where all that stiff material wrinkles. I normally wear running tights or knee patch riding tights under mine.

I like the Lee Riders jeans for riding, but I don’t do LD or ride much more than 2 hours at a time.

What about full seat breeches? Might help with the slipping. I have a pair, but hate them because the seam across the back of my butt feels like my underwear is falling down.

Jeggings from Costco were recommended on these boards a while back, so I decided to give them a try. I like them a lot for riding and find them very comfortable. So much that I bought another pair. I’ve worn them with both tall boots and half chaps, and full chaps once on a dry cold day last winter. I’ve even done short rides in paddock boots only. I am not a LD rider but regularly wore them for up to 3 hour rides and recently for a couple of 15-20 mile days in a row. This is in English saddles btw.

If you find your saddle too slippy in tights could you try some product designed to make the leather feel a bit more tacky?

I bought a pair of these a while ago and really like them.

http://www.smoothstride.com/

They have NO inside seam at all. However, I haven’t yet put enough miles on them to give them an unqualified endorsement.

Caveat: if you are short-waisted, these may be too long-waited for you, especially if you wear a larger size. That’s my only complaint - the waistband is up under my boobs. But I’m one of those people for whom hip hugger breeches actually fit at my natural waistline, so I’m a bit of a freak, I guess. :slight_smile:

Ick- I can’t stand riding in jeans and there’s no way I’d do an LD in them. I really like Irideon tights- much better than Kerrits tights.

I’ve been looking for the Ariat REAL Riding Jeans. So when I test them out I will be sure to let everyone know. I’ve considered wearing panty hose under my jeans for doing an LD. Thanks everyone for your input!

I rode in jeans as a kid almost daily except when in riding lessons (english). Ride in what you like to wear as long as it is appropriate for the event.

I used to ride in jeans. Then I discovered old time military riding breeches. Now that’s all I wear.

I don’t ride endurance but I do some trail riding and have never suffered chaffing or other problems.

Here is a source of reasonably priced breeches:

http://onlinemilitaria.net/products/5935-US-1902-Pattern-Khaki-Cotton-Breeches/

http://onlinemilitaria.net/products/714-US-Breeches-Khaki-Cotton/

I just listed the U.S. versions in cotton. There are other styles in other fabrics.

G.

I’ve ridden that far a number of times in Wrangler jeans and western boots. I’m not generally prone to chafing, but the two areas I’ve had it are from the tops of my boots rubbing bare skin and the times my jeans have bunched funny at the knee. That second one is why I would absolutely avoid full chaps or anything else that adds bulk at the knee.

Have you considered Kentucky Jodhpurs? They are quite comfortable and with suede knee patches have some grip. ModJods is one that has fun colors and such.

I’d be really concerned they’d chafe on that long of a ride and I’d bring some monkey butt powder/ chafe stick and a pair of tights if you really want to try jeans.

[QUOTE=Guilherme;8690635]
I used to ride in jeans. Then I discovered old time military riding breeches. Now that’s all I wear.

I don’t ride endurance but I do some trail riding and have never suffered chaffing or other problems.

Here is a source of reasonably priced breeches:

http://onlinemilitaria.net/products/5935-US-1902-Pattern-Khaki-Cotton-Breeches/

http://onlinemilitaria.net/products/714-US-Breeches-Khaki-Cotton/

I just listed the U.S. versions in cotton. There are other styles in other fabrics.

G.[/QUOTE]

:eek:

I don’t ride endurance, but I do have a gen eq II with english rigging/stirrups and rode in it for years in jeans/full chaps and jeans/ariat volants. For whatever reason, jeans and riding just isn’t a problem for me. It also apparently isn’t a problem in general since my other saddle is a butet and I finally replaced the seat after 15 years of riding in jeans (it wasn’t even torn yet, but the billets and under side leather needed replacing as well as flocking, so I added that to the list). The conventional wisdom is french leather + jeans = torn saddle, so take that for what it is worth.

But if you ARE going to ride in jeans+chaps, the chaps have to be custom or really well fitting or the jeans will tear your legs up. Also, I can only ride in volants+jeans if I am not really working, like a nice walk hack/trail ride with very little trot canter work or there will be severe rubs. I never have that problem with my custom chaps.

I ride in jeans a lot. I look for the ones that have some elastane or spandex (like 2-4%) in them. I ride in jeans for for polo lessons, hacking, and half day cattle moving. I wear leather half chaps for lessons and hacking. However I always eventually wind up blowing up the butt seam. They just don’t do well getting on and off the horse over time :smiley:

I also have some irideon winter tights which I really like, and don’t like the fit of the Kerrits either (as someone mentioned above).

I rode in some new Wrangler Cool Vantage Riding Jeans. They did better, but was still prone to chafing. I think I’m just going to have to plan on if I plan to do a lot of trotting I’ll have to wear at least knee patch (I chafe at the knee) breeches, and if I’m planning on more walking I can get away with riding jeans.

I am also not an endurance rider but the thread title caught my eye. I do ride in jeans sometimes. My favourites are an unfortunately-expensive pair of Hudson jeans (why must the expensive ones be better!?!?) but Old Navy also has good affordable jeans that work for riding. In my experience the better the fit of the jeans the more comfortable they are. So, stay away from super-skinnies but also stay away from loose work jeans.

I don’t like riding in jeans during the summer unless it’s just for a short time, but in the winter they’re amazing. Especially jeans + full chaps. No sweat = less chafing issues, plus you get a lot of extra insulation against the cold!

If- I would hate doing 10+ miles riding in jeans. I chafe something terrible. Bleeding. Screaming. So much pain.

Full chaps are HOT.

I LOVE FITS. Or other segmented full seats- like Kerrits flex tights. I like full seats for the extra stick on my VERY brave Arabs who occasionally have a sense of humor.