just purchased a new-to-me, 2017 full buffalo Voltaire Palm Beach!
This is my first time having a super high-quality saddle, and I am curious about silicone breeches!
I’ve seen posts here and there online about not using silicone knee patch breeches as they are bad for your saddles, so i wanted to see what everyone’s experiences have been!
I notice my silicone full seats sometimes leave a print on my saddle (buffalo and calf being more noticeable), but it wipes away easily. You can pry my sticky breeches out of my cold, dead hands.
I’m sure lots of people will report no issues with using silicon breeches with their buffalo leather, but my saddle fitter says they are very damaging to French leather saddles. If you use them with the new saddle, you probably want to clean/wipe down after every ride and condition regularly.
I have no experience with Voltaire saddles, but I’ve ridden in a buffalo leather (Balance) saddle for years. Over the past 5 years or so, I’ve ridden almost exclusively in silicone-grip full-seats, and I’ve never noticed any impact on the saddle at all.
It might be that calfskin seats would be damaged; I don’t know. But buffalo leather is pretty rugged stuff.
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