Chaps or Pants

[mrtlc]

I'm looking into buying a set of chaps, or leather pants with a zipper on the side. I've never ridden with anything but jeans. Is one better than the other? Looking for a little experience.  Thank

[Mr Whiskey]

Chaps, so you can take 'em off & stuff 'em in a saddle bag to go walkin' around when it's 92°

[rocketray]

my riding buddy had a bad get off clipping a curb and went some 50 feet in the air last weekend-he never wears a helmet and had a some 6 inch scalp laceration requiring 12 staples-and some anti-seizure meds for 2 weeks before they repeat his CT of his head--lots of facial abrasions to forehead/nose/cheeks/chin---his leather patch vest didn't help his huge abrasions to both shoulders/arm/hands -his jeans were shredded resulting huge abrasions to his legs--his cowboy boots certainly helped a little but he had severe abrasions thru the boots and very significant bruising of both feet as the sole wasn't very stiff--he had no insurance and called me to pick him up from the ICU after 2 days there--5 days at my house getting wet nursed before my wife kicked him out... Iwill continue to wear the most/best protection I can at all times I can...full racing leathers on any trip over 1/2 -1 hour and more touring/lighter  leathers  on the shorter runs with motorcycle specific boots/gauntlet gloves and more

[Jess from VA]

The beauty of leather chaps or OVERpants is they can be worn with pants when cold/wet, but removed IN PUBLIC when hot/dry.  Both can be left on but unsnapped/unzipped up the legs as it gets hotter.

Leather overpants can be worn with no pants (just underbritches, or maybe long johns), but then can't be removed in public.  Chaps should never be worn this way (unless you play with The Village People and enjoy attention).

Both can be worn with shorts, and removed in public.

Chaps allow the seated area of your body to breathe when riding more than overpants, and you can stay pretty dry there in rain so long as you keep moving.  But when it pours down your body long enough, your crotch is wet.  When geared up for cold with chaps, I have never once felt my crotchal area was still cold.  Overpants are a bit warmer than chaps in cold, but cause more restriction of the family jewels when bunched up with underbritches, pants and overpants on your bike seat.

I carry rain gear for rain (never leaves the bike), and rain gear is great in dry weather when it suddenly gets damn cold unexpectedly.  A good 2-peice rain suit packs tighter than one pair of chaps (or overpants).  I don't use chaps for rain, only cold (but I've used them in cold, then it rained).

The cheapest chaps are from thin steer hide from Pakistan.  You want better quality soft and thicker cow hide.  Most chaps have a seam above the knee from being pieced together.  Best quality use one piece legs with no seam in the front (only the back).  

When getting either chaps or overpants, try to get them only a bit longer than your jeans (they pull up when seated on the bike) (about two inches longer than your normal inseam).   If too long, most can be cut off with scissors (like one snap), and the edge remains unfinished.  But it's nice if you don't have to cut them off.

Finally as we age and get larger in the waist over time (or right after lunch), chaps have an adjustable belt waist to give you some more room when needed.  A pair of overpants does not have this feature (although it's possible some overpants have elastic inserts/panels in the waist).  This is a good thing, since my chaps were bought sometime in the mid 1980s when I was a smaller less round-shaped person.      

[jim@98valkyrie.com]

Jess, thanks for the great overview of the differences between the two. I am thinking about a pair of chaps, and your write makes the decision a lot easier.

[hubcapsc]

If you're after protection, won't you get severe abrasions
in a sensitive area if you slide down the pavement on your
rear end?

I wear a helmet and gloves and boots and Joe Rocket, but I
only wear thick jeans as pants, I guess I'll hate sliding down
the pavement too...

-Mike

[Jess from VA]

Mike, I suppose I should have added the obvious that overpants offer more protection in a git-off than chaps.  But I don't think of chaps or overpants so much for protection from a tumble as for warmth from cold and/or rain.  I try to wear good gear, but in hot weather I cannot be an ATGATT guy, I just cannot take the heat.  And I cannot fathom wearing both heavy jeans AND leather chaps or overpants in temps much over 70 degrees in direct sunlight, let alone 90 degrees.

If I was going to talk (mainly) protection, just like in the recent leather vrs textile jacket discussion, I would recommend textile armored/vented/mesh pants over either leather chaps or overpants.  They get hot too, but can be worn without pants and without the thermal liner, with vents open (and mesh working).  Although my experience with textile pants is that vents don't hardly breathe at all, unlike vented jackets.  And black textile pants (about 95% are black) suck up sunlight and heat badly.

I have non mesh textile pants, and with long johns (never pants, too tight and bulky) and thermal liner they offer good protection, are the warmest pants I have, are fully waterproof (unlike leather), and much more comfortable and less than half the weight of pants and chaps together, but I cannot take them off in public.  Once summer is here, they never get worn (neither do my chaps, except maybe on trips in mountain mornings).

You are one of the the best ATTGAT guys I've ever ridden with, and if I'm not mistaken, your jeans are the fancy Kevlar ones with extra layers in the seat and knees.  Great for the slide, but maybe not so great for the impact.  That is about the only type of riding gear I don't have, because they are also hot in hot weather.

My aversion to high heat has only worsened with age.  On several long rides in hot weather in the last few years, I've gotten so hot I've approached dizziness and nausea and had to pull off and sit in the shade and drink water before safely continuing.  So I perceive more risk from heat than falling off, but I'm sure if I do fall off, I'm going to regret the light clothes I'm wearing in hot weather.  

I've also stuck my helmet in 7/11 ice freezers (during the stop), but the employees probably think that sweaty thing isn't exactly sanitary.

[Fazer]

I have chaps for cold mornings, but for protection I have a pair of Slider khaki pants that can be worn under the chaps with no problem.  I also have a pair of armored riding pants with hard shell protectors at the knees, but since they are mesh, not very good for cold weather.  

Just bought a pair of goretex Sidi riding boots.  A little stiff and hard to get the tow under shift lever, mostly because I can't feel it as easy.  Hopefully they will soften up.  If not, I can swap out the stock shift pad for a larger one that came with my heel/tow shifter.  Might have to raise it a notch as well.

I also wear a Transitions 3 jacket with armor and a helmet--ALWAYS.  Especially after reading Rocketray's post above.  I have decent gloves, but am thinking next to get some that have good knuckle protection, but you have to buy two pair--one for hot and one for cold.

[Chrisj CMA]

I'm looking into buying a set of chaps, or leather pants with a zipper on the side. I've never ridden with anything but jeans. Is one better than the other? Looking for a little experience.  Thank

Leather pants with side zippers sounds amazing for the ladies  . I'll stick to my Levi 501 jeans and chapps when needed

[Hooter]

What Jess said says it all.

[Harryc]

I do use chaps in the cold here in the NE, but just thought I'd mention you don't have to get chaps with a belt. They have belt less chaps and they're great IMHO. One advantage is if your middle section expands over time it doesn't matter. They do tug down on your regular belt a bit but you get used to it. As an example - https://www.legendaryusa.com/Legendary-Chaperones-Beltless-Leather-Chaps.html?gclid=CMaUyurb7NICFRNYDQodyIUN3g#tab-4

[hubcapsc]

your jeans are the fancy Kevlar ones with extra layers in the seat and knees.

Sadly, I tried the Aerostich jeans that have pockets for knee pads and stuff.

I found that, without the pads, they're so comfortable that I wear them all the time, not
just riding. Gone are my 501s when off the bike, and gone is my kevlar when on the bike...

-Mike

[DenverDave]

Beltless textile chaps, available with mesh on the back of the chaps for warmer weather. Custom made to your specs.

https://www.coloradochaps.com/motorcycle_chaps.html



Dave

[Gryphon Rider]

I use chaps over jeans for my in-city riding.  For "rides" I wear Kevlar reinforced jeans with armour in the knees and high-density foam in the hips, and chaps over that.  If the chaps get too hot, I take them off.  I have a pair of leather/fabric pants that shrunk when the rest of my pants did (mysterious, eh?) that I used to really like; protective, comfy, and looked good.

[Jess from VA]

I may as well throw in my experience with pure mesh pants.

I was trying for more safety in hot weather than just 501s.

Like nearly all textile pants, they were solid black, and hot even with pure mesh.  The mesh did not make up for the black heat, except at freeway speeds. The liner was full length nylon and perforated, and caused them to be hot as hell.  So I cut the liner out, right up to short shorts.  Well that exposed all the sharp unfinished cordura seams on the inside that abraded and nearly cut my bare skin.  So I took them to a dry cleaner and had them sew cotton over just the seams on the inside.  Then I discovered that the heat off the engine just cooked my legs as it went right through the mesh pants.  But if I took off on a chilly morning (against a 90 day), I froze my nuts off, like wearing no pants at all.

501s, especially baggy loose ones that fill up with air on the Hwy pegs were much cooler, and still protected me from engine heat. 

Last time I talked about them, I offered them to the first taker, and someone took them.  (freebies)

Good riddance.  

[Pappy!]

Diamond Gusset Defender jean.....

https://www.gusset.com/defender/

[Oss]

was wearing my Draggin Jeans back in 2002 when I went down at highway speed on an oil slick and altho the jeans ripped a bit in the knee the kevlar held,  and I STILL wear those jeans sometimes    Was not wearing chaps but had the knee armor in and had no bad bruising to me knees !

Got me some of the Diamond Gusset Jeans in blue and also black and just got a pair of the black docker style kevlar lined pants from the other company.

IMHO wearing any of those under chaps is the way to go (with or without the knee or hip armor) if you are worried about protection to the max   I dont usually wear chaps but admit on long trips and commuting in nyc I wear them

Never cared for the textile pants, but that is just me

Oss

Y'all know I wear the hit-air jacket.

[mrtlc]

Thanks for ALL the replies. Like so many things, it sounds like this is more of a personal thing . Sounds like I should buy all three, including the riding jeans and try them all.  Thanks Terry 

[Alien]

Another thing that nobody mentioned:  Chaps can be worn with no pants for "after hours" activities.   

Ride Safe,

Alien

[Black Pearl's Captain]

If you value your ass wear textile pants or mesh pants. I wear mesh pants and jacket almost year round and put the rain pants on over or under when I get cold. Heated vest goes under the mesh jacket, good down to 40 for me.

[cookiedough]

personal choice, but I will never buy nor wear leather chaps, but might invest in a 120 pair of kevlar jeans and use only for cycle riding vs. wearing my shorts and t-shirt and tennis shoes for 90% of my summer riding attire..   

[pais]

   Read about these on MSN. I had never heard of the company or there product(s). Went to the web site to check them out. See what you think?

     http://www.saint.cc/

[woofred1832]

                I also have chaps, usually only for those cold weather start outs then take them off when it warms up.  I also have a pair of lined jeans that work well for those days when it stays only in the low 60s.  I do take the chaps on cross country rides they work well for those days in the rain as I have treated them with never wet spray so it helps keep me drier. But I also have a good set of rain gear also, and can wear just the pants when that is all you need. All part of what works for you. I have 5 different leather jackets for different types of weather from light to lined to heavy and one to wear just to look good. It's all up to what you want to have, wear, or carry with you.

[fudgie]

Another thing that nobody mentioned:  Chaps can be worn with no pants for "after hours" activities.   

Ride Safe,

Alien

Ive seen my share of chicks in thongs and chaps....

[Varmintmist]

When it gets cold out, above Mason Dixon line cold, and you are wearing chaps, you will be wishing you had a fur cup.

However, for any reasonable temps, they are good.