Has anyone noticed that the recent trend in silicon grippy stuff on breeches has resulted in wear on their saddles?
Yes. Well, I’ve seen it on other saddles, I don’t wear them. Quite a few saddle manufacturers advise against it.
Yes, I hate most silicone breeches for that reason. They can damage your saddle.
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Wow. I have not seen the warnings, and my saddle is used so I’d not really kept up. Silicon is a cheaper option for breeches, and kerrits, Horze, and major manufacturers sell them.
Thanks!
My saddle was great until my previous trainer started riding in it; with silicon breeches. Now I have 2 rips in the seams 
That is strange. I ride in exclusively silicone breeches and none of my saddles have any strange wear patterns. No ripped stitching or abrasions. I have an Albion, a Patrick and a Ryder. I’ll have to look at my coaches saddles - she also wears only silicone full-seats.
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Hmm I haven’t noticed any odd wear either. Although for reference, my breeches aren’t exclusively silicone; 4 pairs have silicone full seat and 2 pairs have suede full seat. Occasionally I’ll see a couple imprints of the silicone in the rides after I put conditioner on my saddle but nothing on the actual leather.
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i’ve never even tried to use silicone padded buttocks breeches, so my saddles are safe. But i don’t have expensive saddles, so it would be no big loss even if i did i guess.
I ride in a variety of full seat options, and my saddle has not been damaged. Sometimes when I hop off the silicon pattern is stamped in dust on the seat, but nothing weird with the leather. It probably has to do with the soft calfskin seats that a lot of saddles have now. My saddles are relatively old.
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You make a good point, I can’t see my flat pancake saddle casting at all about silicone. Or anything short of cat claws, for that matter.
I wonder if the sticky from pants and the sticky from saddle, rather than meeting in the middle, have blown past each other…
Same - I have a Patrick and Black Country and no problems. I’ve only had the Patrick 10 months, but I’ve been riding in silicone breeches only (SmartPak Piper knits) in the BC for over four years now, 4-5 days a week usually.
