A Review: Tredstep Ireland; Deluxe Half Chap (brown leather)

When I started riding, I did as most parents do with their kids and didn't spend a lot of money on most of the equipment needed. I wasn't sure how long I'd be riding and wanted to be certain I was fully committed to a rather expensive sport. I did splurge a bit with my first pair of half chaps because they were on sale, hoping that they would last a long time... and got the leather half chaps from Greenhawk. I used these for ~3 years before they finally gave way. +Laura does a thorough review of the same half chaps in 2012 and we both ended up with the same issue where the zipper gave out before the actual body of the half chap.

I have brown paddock boots and interestingly, while I was looking for them, it seems like brown is out now so I had difficulty locating brown half chaps. I settled on Tredstep.

Mine are in brown but brown is apparently out of style!??

What drew me to these ones were that they are a soft durable full-grain leather that is easy to clean. I only school so I have no need to get fancy but I do want to look presentable during lessons and an easy clean means that I can do that without different cremes or whatnot. I wipe clean with a damp cloth and then I'm on my way.

While shopping for these, I found that Tredstep carries a very wide range of sizing as you need to size the widest part of your calf as well as the length of your lower leg--I am short and wide-ish. In addition to the range of sizing available, the back panel of the chap is stretchy and conforms to the leg comfortably and quickly. This meant minimum break in time after I bought them as tight as humanly possible while still being able to zip them. The two snaps: top and bottom also meant that the chaps stay in place snugly while I'm moving.

And of course, the best feature is the zipper. It's practically industrial grade and I don't worry about the zipper coming apart or the tag breaking. Though, in time, I'll be able to make the best assessment of that! For now, this chap has exceeded my expectations and they also look great. They are expensive, relative to what I had, but when compared to the other brands I checked out, a full-grain leather half chap is around this price range.

I'd say that these are great for adult riders like myself who are serious about riding long term (aren't showing) and are looking for a sleek looking half chap that is built to last.

Disclaimer: I wasn't solicited by either the tack store or Tredstep to review this half chap. I bought it after reviewing some of the others out there and decided upon this pair and this post is simply my opinion based on experience.