Half Chap Recommendation?

[Sunday Best]

I am in the market for new half chaps... Off the rack, good quality leather. I would like them to match my ariat paddock boots at least somewhat. I have looked at the Ariat Close Contact half chaps, but I'm not sure how good the quality seems.. The chaps would be just for schooling, but they should still look classy and they have to hold up to lots of unforgiving use.. Also, they need to have a variety of sizes, as I think I will need a small/short. Any recommendations?

[flogarty]

I school in the Ariat Close Contact half chaps. I have had them for just over 3 yeas and they are still in pretty good shape. I needed to have both of the zippers replaced once, but I am indelibly hard on these poor half chaps- I wear them every day, usually riding between 3-7 horses per day.

Another women (who rides only her horse) at my trainer's barn has had these half chaps for 5+ years without needing new zippers or having any other problems.

I've also heard that the Treadsteps are very nice.

[JustJumpIt111]

I LOVE my Tredsteps, and almost everyone I have known who has them swears by them. I think they are some of the best off the rack half chaps.

[Lucassb]

If you want a really close match, I'd recommend the Ariats. I have the Crowne Pro half chaps which from a distance basically look like a pair of regular tall boots. I bought them one year during a monsoon at winter circuit when I refused to wear/ruin my nice Vogels. With a pair of spurs on (and in the pouring rain, LOL) you could not tell the difference.

I wore them for schooling and lessons afterward for quite a while and they held up beautifully.

I now use a pair of Rectilignes, but only because I lost some weight and needed a snugger fit than the Ariats offered, even in the small/talls.

I also have a pair of Tredstep deluxe's and they are very nice but definitely more casual in appearance. There is also an issue with their snaps - you can do a quick search as that came up a few days ago on here and quite a few people posted that they had the same problem.

[Green Acres]

I just bought my second pair of Ariat classic half chaps. My first pair lasted over 6 years without any problems. I still wear them but they are have holes in them right above were the spur goes on my boots. So far, so good with my second pair. I have had more trouble wearing my new pair as I need them to stretch just a little so I can get them on easily. (they fit in the mornings but my calves swell in the afternoon so I sometimes can't get them on....too many sodas)!!!:no: Anyways, the Ariat Classic half chaps match my Ariat paddock boots very well.

[Elementgrl2]

Grand Prix makes a few style of 1/2 chaps. They hold up well to. You can get a better fit too, compared to Ariat. If your not looking at spending a lot you could try the Elite 1/2 chaps made by Grand Prix.

[watson16]

I love my Grand Prix half chaps that I wear with my ariat paddock boots. They are very, very nice.
These are them: http://www.tackroominc.com/grand-prix-all-leather-half-chaps-p-1056.html
I like that they do not have a lot of elastic because that seems to stretch out too much so then the half chaps no longer fit. These will always be snug around your leg.

[EAY]

I had the Ariat Close Contact half chaps and they did not hold up well. Though I liked the way they looked and they matched my Ariat paddock boots very well, they basically fell apart along the inside seam and I only ride one horse about five days a week.

I've now got Treadsteps and so far so good. They definitely have a more casual look than my Ariats did and are a different shade of brown from my boots, but they seem to be better made and I really haven't had any problems with the snaps (yet).

[horseandridertackshop]

TREDSTEP!!!!::))Portugese leather, made in Europe, sized to calf and height measurements ( as opposed to small.med.large) zippers do not break and snaps do not pop off

[WorthTheWait95]

TREDSTEP!!!!::))....and snaps do not pop off

Yes they do. Every pair od Treadsteps I've ever owned had MAJOR snap issues. They would be almost impossible to unsnap and when they finally did it pulled the entire snap off the half chap. Really annoying. I switched full time to tall boots after that happened on my 3rd pair...I know alot of people just cut the snaps off treadsteps so they don't have to deal with them at all.

[EmmyTheHemi]

I now have 2 sets of the Ariat Close Contacts, with paddocks to match: one the waxed brown (hot-weather cubbing okay with our hunt), one the oiled black, which matches the waterproof Devon cobalts... The brown ones I've had over a year, relatively light use. They look fabulous, and are indistinguishable from real boots from more than 20 feet away. The black ones are also about a year, with somewhat heavier use, also indistinguishable.

I went through 2 pairs of the old, old style Classics (zip on the outside, "quilted" suede on the inside) in 10 years. Replaced the elastic under the instep several times, and thought the 2nd pair wore out faster than the first. What finally did both pair in was the stiching coming apart along several seams. I like the feel on the new close contacts better. We'll see how they hold up.

[ohsareee]

I have been thru alot of half chaps and I tried alot of Ariat because I had Ariat boots, always have, always will.

But I owned the Ariat All-Around half chaps, two pairs..really nice for a while but after a few months they wouodnt zip all the way down and the snaps didnt work. I know of two people that Ive ever met that could keep them zipped all the way and snapped everytime they used them. I have a pair of tredstep, theyre the black leather ones(not suede), I love them when I got them but now my bottom snaps dont work...if I snap them, I cant get them off, it takes 2 people so I just never snap them and they jingle like crazy! I cant stand it! The zipper is very nice on them tho and Ive had them for 2 years and they look like ive had them for a few months. They hold up extremly well. But I had a pair of Ariat Terrain half chaps, theyre suede and really odd working, but the most comfortable half chaps ive ever worn! They fit me like a glove(im skinny and sorta tall, im not easy to fit) The zipper held up beautifully and the snap has elastic, so it stretches over any boots..its fantastic! The zipper even has a pull on it, super convenient! I had them for a year and a half and the only thing I noticed was the suede on the inside got worn really quickly..to a certain point and then it didnt get worn anymore, and it was wonderful, quick break in, but im not sure if it would wear thru? When I had them they were perfect. I believe theyre designed as summer half chaps tho, so theyre not that heavy? But, I wear tons and tons of under armour in the winter anyways so it wouldnt have made a difference. Ide strongly reccomend the Ariat Terrain half chaps, they come in 3 colors I believe.

[chawley]

I school in the Ariat Close Contact half chaps. I have had them for just over 3 yeas and they are still in pretty good shape. I needed to have both of the zippers replaced once, but I am indelibly hard on these poor half chaps- I wear them every day, usually riding between 3-7 horses per day.

Another women (who rides only her horse) at my trainer's barn has had these half chaps for 5+ years without needing new zippers or having any other problems.

I've also heard that the Treadsteps are very nice.

I also have these chaps and have been very happy with them. No problems with the zippers (going on two years now), and I love that they give me a similar feel to my tall boots.

[IsolaBella09]

Tredsteps. I hate my Ariat half chaps.

[Tabwrdd_ridge]

omg.. want champagne on a beer budget?? Grand Prix ( they make semi customs off the rack ) also makes another cheaper full grain leather half chap .. not suede called the elite.. they run about 80 bucks, best , longest wearing half chaps ever!! I got them at the farm house ( farmhousetack.com) omg. they come in reg and tall and if you know roughly what you need they can figure out what size you are..

they are the best.. ive had mine for 2 years and they broke inquickly and wear like iron! and still look great! they have the elastic accordain stretch pannel in the back too.. fit like a glove!!! =D

[MissintheSouth]

I got a pair of Ariat Monaco Half Chaps about 6 months ago and I LOVE THEM! I wanted something to use with breeches that matched the fit of my tall boots and they are fantastic! They were pricey but I figured with as much as I wear them they are worth it.

I got a size slightly smaller in the calf than I needed b/c they do stretch out a little bit (the back has a strip of elastic leather) and now they fit better than my custom tall boots.

I ride in them everyday and show in them at local shows and you can't even tell that they aren't tall boots.

[citydog]

ProChaps (http://www.prochaps.com)!!! Best quality I've seen, do not stretch out, no snaps to pop off, mine look brand new after a year of utter abuse, have a huge array of size combinations, and they are made in Canada (not China). Love 'em.

[mads.]

I have chocolate Ariat paddock boots also, and I had the brown Ariat Crowne Pro half chaps and loved them. However, I ride 1-5 horses a day, and they only lasted me a year.. I was pretty happy with them before they fell apart though - they're just a little stiff even with regular conditioning and whatnot.

Anyway, they seem to be discontinuing the brown Crownes, so I replaced mine with brown Tredsteps, and they seem really nice so far. The leather's muchhh more supple, and they feel really nice on the ground and in the tack. I'm happy with them so far :] Just wish they had more sizing options..

[buschkn]

I second the pro chaps. You'll never buy anything else once you try these... LOVE them!

[Jumper6252]

I love my tredsteps!!

[Valeureux]

I'd go for treadsteps. They are a bit more pricy, but are made with amazingly good strong leather and are super comfy. I love mine, and have never had anything wrong with them.

[superpony123]

LOVE my tredsteps. they have seen better days but i've literally been riding almost everyday with this one pair for the past five years, and the leather patches on the inner side of my calves are starting to fray on the stitching and come undone, but theyre still perfectly fine :) i'll wear these things until they fall apart!

[Finzean]

Just got Tredsteps for daughter after unsuccessfully trying to fit everything else - too big or too small or too short or too small. Her Tredsteps fit like my customs. We'll see how they hold up but in the fit dept. couldn't ask for better.

[LDavis104]

I have the Ariat Close Contact chaps and they have not hold up well. While they fit me PERFECTLY and are gorgeous at first, the "flexible leather" stuff (that I guess is supposed to be in the back but it's on my calf) gets holes in it really easy (the stitching on the inside of my calf comes apart). I ride 7 days a week and this is my 2nd pair in two years. Zippers broke on the 1st pair, but Ariat replaced them. I'll wear these until they die though. Whatever you get, do get them tight as they'll stretch.

[lynz]

I will not buy another pair of Ariat half chaps. When I first got mine, I couldn't even do them up they fit so nicely...now, not even a year later, they are ssoo stretched out that they fall down - they are now a good 3 inches too short because of them falling down (I had the 18.5" height). I can also fit my fist between the tops of my half chap and my leg...not good especially since I paid over $100 for them!! Also notice how they are measured...mine I believe are the Classic Chap II half chaps which have a slightly spanish top to them. The height is measured according to the spanish top on them...not the back.

I am now looking at getting a different pair of half chaps...a pair that fits correctly!

[SarahandSam]

I really like my Tredsteps so far, but I got them right before cold weather and now I'm in my winter boots... but the leather on them is so nice I sometimes just go and pet them, as they sit lonely on the shelf, waiting for nice dry weather...

[Sadie*Bear]

I LOVE my grand prix half chaps!

[midnightdream]

I have a pair of Mondega Airflow half chaps for the summer and they are fabulous. They keep my legs nice and cool because of the design. They aren't too bad for the winter either, but I opted to buy tall winter boots for the colder days since my toes froze in paddock boots, so I don't know how they hold up to extreme cold temperatures.

[veebug22]

I have a pair of M. Decimas that are probably about 5-6 yrs old and still in fantastic condition! They are not cheap, but I love the cut, they fit like a glove, and I can't believe how well they've held up (which makes me all the more peeved that a mouse nibbled on them, but it doesn't affect the function). Although I'm only riding my two now, for extended periods of that ownership they were being used on multiple horses a day. The zipper, snaps, elastic on the bottom, and leather on the calves are all in great shape. Big bang for your buck in my mind.