# Good half chaps?



## Jillianrose (Apr 29, 2017)

Does anybody have these? Are they any good? What do the sizes run like? 
I'm looking to buy a good half chap for weekly lessons. Thanks!

Ovation Precision Fit Half Chaps

What Dover says:
Ovation® Precision Fit Half Chaps come in 30 sizing combinations for a perfect fit. Premium top grain leather with stretch leather panel provides a custom-like fit. Stretch leather skirt over the instep. Snap tabs at top and bottom of the dirt-resistant YKK® zipper.


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## PaisleysMom (Feb 22, 2017)

I'm not a huge fan of Ovation products. I've had some of their boots that lasted me only a few months.

I love love my Ariat half chaps. They were around $100 but lasted for years. I got a pair for my birthday many years ago and they lasted around 4 years before I broke the zipper when I slammed it in the car door on accident! I was so sad when I got rid of them - I still used a safety pin to zip them up for a long time! I have a new pair now after buying a few pairs of less expensive chaps which all fell apart within a year. Decided to just go for the investment and paid I think $120 for my most recent pair, and that was more than two years ago.


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## Jan1975 (Sep 7, 2015)

I have Ariat as well...I actually found them used on Ebay for $20 but I've worn them over a year and they're still perfect! They have a suede inside (like inner leg I mean), and I love that close contact feeling. The outer leg is leather and the zippers are nice and sturdy. I've even thrown them in the washing machine.


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## Kriva (Dec 11, 2015)

Ditto on the Ariat. I have the Ariat Breeze half chap. I have large calves and getting something to fit and be comfortable is difficult. These have a quarter panel of elastic on them. The leather is really soft! They are super comfortable and after two years now they hardly show any wear. The information on them says they are washable but I've never tried. Why wash off the dust when they're just going to get dusty again  The only thing that's odd about them is that to zip them "up" you start from the top and run the zipper down towards your foot. I thought that would be awkward when I purchased them but I've gotten used to it now. 

If you have the money to spend, and you plan on riding for a long time, get the good stuff! In the long run it will last longer because you won't have to replace it for a very long time.


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

They have good reviews, but don't know anyone personally who wears them. All the sizing options are a positive feature. 

I gave up on half chaps when the zippers were in back, couldn't keep one closed as soon as I mounted. Side zippers should be an improvement.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

Just bought a pair of Ariat Breezes to replace the Tredsteps I wore out in 18 months of light use. I was surprised at how much more solid and well-made they were compared to the flimsy Tredsteps. I expect to get a lot more use out of them.


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## Jillianrose (Apr 29, 2017)

Is Ariat brand better in general, or is there a specific style? Also wouldn't zippers on the side hurt? Unless they were on the outside, and that isn't very pretty, so I would imagine that not many people make those.


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## AnitaAnne (Oct 31, 2010)

Jillianrose said:


> Is Ariat brand better in general, or is there a specific style? Also wouldn't zippers on the side hurt? Unless they were on the outside, and that isn't very pretty, so I would imagine that not many people make those.


In the picture posted the zipper is on the outside of the leg.

Love my trail half chaps. They are inexpensive medium-thick suede with Velcro tabs on the side. They work fabulously!


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## PoptartShop (Jul 25, 2010)

AnitaAnne said:


> In the picture posted the zipper is on the outside of the leg.
> 
> Love my trail half chaps. They are inexpensive medium-thick suede with Velcro tabs on the side. They work fabulously!



I also have the ones that are suede/velcro. No zipper. I've had mine for like 6 years & some change. LOL


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## Kriva (Dec 11, 2015)

Jillianrose said:


> Is Ariat brand better in general, or is there a specific style? Also wouldn't zippers on the side hurt? Unless they were on the outside, and that isn't very pretty, so I would imagine that not many people make those.



Ariat is a big name and therefore more expensive that a lot of others. However, in the equine world they are probably mid-range in price since there are some extremely expensive brands on the market. I didn't want to buy Ariat when I got mine because I'm not really a "brand" person and thought they were just so expensive because of their name. I can't speak for all of their half chaps or boots, but the Breeze that I have are worth their cost. 

The one's I have do have the zipper on the outside and it shows. I can't feel it at all and it doesn't bother me. If looks were an issue I could always put them on the opposite legs and you would just see leather and not the zipper. I do think I figured out that the zipper going from top to bottom (instead of a regular zipper, bottom to top) means that the zipper grip thingy is at the bottom of the boot. It doesn't poke me in the side of the leg like it might if it ended up on the top. It does jingle a little if I don't tuck it into the velcro tab, but it's not enough to bother me.

If you can go try some on somewhere I would recommend it. Even good half chaps will possibly fit weird with different boots. I have the Breeze boots that go with the half chaps but did try on other half chaps with those boots. A few of them (same brand) looked and felt nice but didn't "mold" to the top of the boot the way they should have. Not all half chaps will hit your boot the same way. Some might be good quality - even at a lower price - but not fit quite like they should due to the boots you have.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

I got Ariats not because they are a "brand" but because I was looking for something suitable for trail riding, the Breeze is pretty ubiquitous among serious trail riders/endurance riders, and they were available in Short Small, which is rather hard to find, and they came in at my price point (I think they were around $75, which is a discount from list, but I shopped them). My Tredsteps were much cheaper but they wore out fast. They were made with suede on the saddle side and a stretchy material kind of ruched with stitching on the other side. The suede of course got polished smooth but the fabric just wore through, unrepairable. The Ariats look to be much sturdier.


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

I was in error, I didn't get the Breeze. I got the Terrain II. They look like this, except imagine that in my case they are much stubbier:

I also have the boots shown. The Breeze is much more dressy looking.


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## Jillianrose (Apr 29, 2017)

AnitaAnne said:


> In the picture posted the zipper is on the outside of the leg.


Oh my goodness! Your right, I totally missed that lol! It actually does look pretty good, so I take back what I said.


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## egrogan (Jun 1, 2011)

I think it depends as much on YOUR confirmation as the brand. I have short stubby legs and man calves. My only option is Dublin.


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## seabiscuit91 (Mar 30, 2017)

I don't follow brands either, but I must say, Ariats whether it boots/chaps, English or western seem to get rave reviews and are known for being long lasting. Which in the long run, will save you money!
I'm in Aus and am so jealous of you guys in the states, because anything Ariat here costs about 3 times what it does over there!

Having said that, I have Dublin, partly because they were cheaper/had decent reviews. 
I really like them comfort wise, the quality feels good mostly, but on the inner leg, around the lining the leather has already worn and I've only had them a few weeks (riding everyday, so say 20 rides?)
You can't see the inner leg so they still look great, but I think I should have opted for better quality or something with a suede inner may have not had this issue. 
They felt snug and I needed help doing the zipper as I just bought my standard size, but after the first break in the fit perfectly and the leather is really soft and now is easy to do up while still very fitted if that makes sense.


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