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Silicone vs suede/ regular full seats?

Seen a lot of saddle damage from the silicone seats. It depends on how much sitting you do.

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Another “no” to silicone. Too sticky and just not a fan.

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I am very tentative about silicone but it is getting harder to find regular suede in some of the “cheaper” brands. I tried these since they were so inexpensive (they were an additional 30% off I think). Hardly sticky at all but they do leave marks on my County saddle for a little while immediately after riding. No marks the next time I go to ride.

These are very light weight breeches - perfect for summer. I quite like these breeches.

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Well it definitely seems like the majority prefer the regular suede!
It’s frustrating that the manufacturers aren’t catering to that.

I always prefer to buy/ try my breeches in-person, but it seems like no one around me sells the old style anymore!

Thanks for the tip, theresak, on those cheap breeches. I’ll try them. I’m new to Florida and have learned that what was appropriate summer wear in Colorado is NOT gonna fly down here!

Anything lightweight and breathable is my friend!

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I have come to prefer the silicone. I agree that some are stickier than others, and I get that this is very much a personal preference. You probably will have to buy a trial pair and see what you think.

The silicone seats are lighter, better in the heat, easier to wash and faster to hang dry, and they do provide a bit more stick than either leather or suede or pseudo-suede.

I have not noticed any appreciable wear on my saddles, but my saddles are not calfskin and that might make a difference.

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I’ve ridden in suede and fake suede for decades. Have ridden in knee patch breeches regularly. I love my recently purchased silicone breeches.

First, they are more flexible than suede and the breeches better move with my body. Second, my horse can have a strong spook and I don’t move in the saddle (I like that). I’ve come off in knee patch breeches at times I don’t think I would have in silicone breeches.

They can be very sticky but if I lift my legs off slightly, I easily “unstick”. I still have my suede full seats but so far I’ve really liked the silicone ones for the flexibility. I’ve never ridden in FITS. They are super pricey.

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FOr me, the key is finding the breech with the right amount of “stick”. SOme silicon seats are far too sticky for me; others (like the Kerritts), are like having nothing at all. Currently, I am liking Horze Grand Prix (for show and clinics; a bit heavy for me in Ocala in June…), and especially the Esprit breeches (besides, they are under $90!! ) Really comfy for every day, and smartly placed pockets for phones etc!

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Try the Esprit. This OCala gal likes them… https://espritequestrian.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwhqaVBhCxARIsAHK1tiMAMlgNBnF2PZ2vh8_RGeXkosQcknVpP7EcDX1Jdem9STnp0X4DlTcaAqMgEALw_wcB

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Maybe the majority on this thread, and not so much in real life? I’m inclined to think they follow the market unless there is a compelling reason like a shortage of specific goods. I can understand it in less expensive breeches because printing that pattern on had to be more cost effective than stitching real/fake suede. But high end breeches probably follow the market demand.

That said, I took the vast majority of my suede full seats to the used tack shop a few weeks ago, they were never getting used. Part of that is because I generally ride more in the summer and drive less, while I tend to drive more, ride less in the winter when it’s driving competition season. So anything that’s lighter is better, but in general I prefer the stickiness of silicone.

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I live in Florida and am Team Silicone! Suede, faux suede, etc are too darn heavy in this swamp.

I have several Kerrits ice file, a Dover breeches, and Ovation breech, and my new favorite Correct Connect.

Neither my dressage saddle nor my jumping saddle show any damage from silicone- I am baffled by these reports!

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I only ride in Pikeur Candelas so I can’t comment on any other brand or model. I do NOT find them too sticky and I prefer them for the summer here as they are actually cooler. I prefer the fake suede for the winter and I buy the winter weight Candela’s with the fake suede. I do not riding in real leather anymore–they are a pain to wash and stretch!

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I had a pair of the FITS perforated deer skin full seat breeches. I thought they were the most wonderful breeches in the world. (I also got a pair of the Fits summer weight “ink dot” tights and I was not impressed at all, they were too hot for me in the summer heat.)

Until I tried the silicon full seat tights (Kerrrits) that is.

After a few rides in my Kerrits silicon tights I realized that they were SO MUCH more secure, there was no comparison. With the FITS deerskin breeches I was still sliding around in my saddle.

After several rides I looked at my no longer used FITS riding pants wondering what to do with them. I guess I could have consigned them but then I thought of my wonderful riding teacher who never would have spent so much money on her breeches, plus we are somewhat the same size.

I gave the FITS breeches and tights to my riding teacher. She likes them just fine.

I am on my second pair of the Kerrits summer weight silicon full seat tights and I am still on my first pair of my Kerrits winter silicon full seat fleece lined breeches. These are my favorite breeches/tights from over 50 years of riding horses. We have HOT and HUMID summers here, and we are now getting really cold Polar vortexes during the winter. With my two pairs of Kerrits I am pretty well covered for all weathers down here. (I am in the central part of the southern part of NC, Stanly Co.)

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Another vote for the silicone breeches and tights.

I always felt “constricted” by the suede, and like I was wearing a diaper. There is a lack of movement in many of the fullseats (FITS tackled that issue with the segmented patches), and I never felt like I could “drop down around the horse”, loosen my hips, and feel my individual seatbones. Also - especially after repeated wearings - the stickiness seemed lacking for those times when you need it: jumping a horse with a thrusty jump, hacking out near deer and turkey vultures who pop out of nowhere, etc.

The thinner the fabric the better - unless in the middle of winter! Being on the shorter side, I want to be able to drape my leg down around the horse and keep my hips loose and mobile; my one quibble with the silicone breeches and tights is the compressive fabric - it makes me feel like I’ve been shrink wrapped. I have a couple of pairs that are not particularly compressive, have the right amount of stick, allow me to move in the saddle, and are as comfortable as yoga pants; the perfect combo IMO.

I’ve never seen any impact on my saddles from the silicone, so that’s a puzzler!

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Oh hey Neighbor! I’m in Orange county and my horse is in Chatham!

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My BO is a western rider and she purchased English silicone breeches mainly for yoga (she’s a yoga teacher on the side of her MBA job).

I recently purchased the paisley silicone breeches from Dover and they are not tight and have room. I could probably wear them to work.

ETA: Not shrink wrap tight! :rofl:

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I dont like my silicones - they are hot and unconfortablele. I love my suedes, def no to leather or deer skin.

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I’m definitely a silicone wearer. I only wore knee patches before I started getting silicone, because full seats are never as…ahem…round… as my backside and don’t stretch. I was interested in FITS thinking they seemed a good compromise, but the ones I tries reached almost to my armpits and folded at the bottom where they were about 6" too long, but bagged out in the waist and squeezed my hips. So they were not-fits. I don’t have a local tack store, so just haven’t tried other variations they may have.
I’ve had a few pairs of silicone which were more sticky than I wanted my first few rides. In general, though, they hold up really well and aren’t too sticky for me. I’m the type to grip and hold on, and their stick actually encourages me to let go and not grip to avoid them sticking too much. Other than some pairs needing a few washes, they don’t limit my movement at all, and no damage to my saddles.

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Oh, you enabler, you! I just ordered one pair in large and one in medium – to see which one fits better. Not crazy about logos all over, but oh well, These would be for schooling anyway…

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Thanks @J-Lu!

Do you have a link? I have a local Dover, but a lot of the stuff on their website is not in the store. Very frustrating at times, because I would love to be able to try things on to see if I like them before committing; I really hate sending stuff back. :confused: