Speak to me of full chaps

[foursocks]

I struggle with this, because I only gave up my childhood chaps when they were about six inches too short and I had to use a pliers to get the zippers up. It was a sad day. I went to boots and breeches and never looked back for the exact reason some others have given- if you get used to chaps the b and bs feel like you are sitting on a greased pig.

But I really want some custom chaps- with fringe and a personalized waistband thingy, and piping, and the whole enchilada. The other bonus of chaps is that if you ride a lot of horses (or, in my case, two with the occasional add-on), you won’t be wearing through tall boots so quickly. I can run through a pair every 18 months or so, which gets expensive if you are picky and want moderately nice boots.

What to do…

[HappyTalk]

I used to wash my suede ones in the washing machine cold, gentle cycle. Came out looking great.

[eastendjumper]

This thread makes me smile. I love my full chaps and thought I was alone. Was shopping at the tack store with one of my students’ sister in law, who is an eventer (and I don’t know that I’ve seen many eventers wear full chaps, come to think of it) and I said something about wishing full chaps would come back into fashion and she thought that was a riot

I love that I can teach all day in more comfortable jeans and paddock boots, and when it’s time to ride, I can just zip up the chaps and be good to go, and then take them off and do the barn work, saving my good field boots. My barn in college required full chaps, with polos and hunter hair, and I thought it looks quite nice. That was ages ago, though

[billiebob]

I love my full chaps! I have some black western Barnstable ones that I’ve had for about 8 years now–Stateline Tack special at about $40 brand spanking new. They are my go-tos for bad weather riding. I’m going to be very sad if they ever die.

I would also like a pair of customs designed by DMK. I made the mistake of stopping in the Pinnell booth at Devon one year and was afraid I’d get in trouble for drooling over the merchandise :lol:.

[Sing_Mia_Song]

Okay, I went in search of DMK’s Google image and didn’t find it, but I did find these–they are half chaps, not full, but swooooon. I want 'em in black with a lilac piping and monogram. Or maybe black with a gray panel and an electric purple piping and monogram? I like to keep my trainer on her toes… :winkgrin:

[FineAlready]

I love the look of custom full chaps, and have had three pairs of custom Journeyman full chaps throughout my life. All of them have fit great (it’s all in the measurements!). That said, the few times I have ridden more recently in my remaining pair that fits, I haven’t loved the feel as much as I like breeches and boots or half chaps. The full chaps make my legs feel very stiff and immobile.

My first pair of custom chaps probably saved me from a more catastrophic injury when I broke my femur, though. They kept the broken bones from coming through my skin, and they provided compression while I waited for paramedics.

Oh, and I’ve had one pair of smooth out, and two with suede out. The suede out wear MUCH better than the smooth out and are not at all hard to care for (they require no care at all). The smooth out pair got holes in the calfs and knees within a year (I rode 3-7 a day at the time). The suede out never got any holes after years and years and years of the same riding schedule.

[gottagrey]

I have some “made to order” barnstable full chaps -= these I had to say it are about 20 years old and other than the color fading some (they started out “denim” colored now more grey) they are in good shape… I say made to order in that I picked out color, piping/trip and monogram… I’ve gained too much weight so they don’t fit me right now but after the cold snap we had last week, I’m inspired to get back into them. again…

mine are the suede too - wear like iron I’d get the ones from dover and if they’re too long don’t cut them off before wearing them some… or cut off a little at a time… a friend of mine cut hers too soon and too short - not a good look lol