Ariat classic, concord or close contact chaps?

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Jesstickle

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So I'm after a pair of ariats in waxed chocolate and these are the models I can choose between. Any reviews?

Any cheap offers online?

Even better do any of you have a pair that you never used in the now discontinued cardovan colour?
 
I have some of the close contact chaps for sale, waxed chocolate in size LS, only want £50 for them and have been used about 3 times
 
I've had both the close contact and the concorde. The close contact zip never stayed up to the point they were impossible to use, and then after 3 months the press stubs broke. Eventually I had to use electrical tape to hold them together every time I used them. I replaced them with the concorde. I've had them about 10 months and are certainly better than the close contact, namely because the zip is held up. They are now begining to split where the zip is sewn on. TBH although I much prefere the concorde i'm not particularly happy that neither pair will last a year (the close contact lasted less than 4 months!). I think for the price I expected better. I only use mine for riding 1 or 2 horses a day, so not ridiculous usage, and have never mucked out etc in them.
 
I have the old version of the classics for every day, I wouldnt compete in them (well apart from my unplanned round on william) mainly because the zips at the side and they can look a bit chunky-er and not as smart as my others. I compete in the close contact ones and really like them, they took a little wearing in mainly as they do fit very close but they look smart a year after I brought them and have been worn lots at home and competing. The other one you mentioned are then ones I saw ingatestone for you I think? if so they were nice and smart but a bit more mouldable to your leg than the close contact ones so more like a chap than gaiter but had the zip up the back so still looked smart.

Whoops I sound like a massive ariat geek I'm not honest I just got my competing ones as they were the only thing that would fit my little calfs and go over my boots and the other pair I picked up very very cheap as they were an akward size :D
 
I love my Concorde Chaps. :) Very comfortable, smart and they fit really well too. I have the grained leather ones, although I've heard they have discontinued the grained ones now and are just making the smooth leather ones.
 
charlimouse said:
I've had both the close contact and the concorde. The close contact zip never stayed up to the point they were impossible to use, and then after 3 months the press stubs broke. Eventually I had to use electrical tape to hold them together every time I used them. I replaced them with the concorde. I've had them about 10 months and are certainly better than the close contact, namely because the zip is held up. They are now begining to split where the zip is sewn on. TBH although I much prefere the concorde i'm not particularly happy that neither pair will last a year (the close contact lasted less than 4 months!). I think for the price I expected better. I only use mine for riding 1 or 2 horses a day, so not ridiculous usage, and have never mucked out etc in them.
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I'm suprised your zips never stayed up. At work everybody seems to have the close contact chaps and they never have any troubles and are warn all day every day
 
Hehe dh. You are a boot geek. It's official. I don't care if they're a bit chunky. As I'm sure you've noticed I have long boots for out (which I constantly have to undo the zips on because they are so tight, you might have noticed :o I am so elegant!) I'd rather they lasted than looked really smart as at home I look like such a mess that they'd be totally wasted.

Think perhaps I'll just go for classics. I've had a pair and they lasted really well and they work like a normal chap. I don't think I can be bothered to have a pair of everyday ones that I have to zip up rather than down, it's so much more fiddly!

At least I know what colour I need. O and thanks MicSarah, sadly I'm a bog standard S so no hope. Which is a blooming shame!
 
I have the Oxfords - and I love them (Ariat mended the popper for free - but it's gone again, probably 2 years old now so I won't ask again!) but I have been informed that they don't do them any more :(

I also have a new, unworn pair of Close Contact, black size M, which are just a smidgen too long for me if anyone wants them (or would swap for same in size MS) - make me an offer ;)
 
MiCsarah said:
I'm suprised your zips never stayed up. At work everybody seems to have the close contact chaps and they never have any troubles and are warn all day every day
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I know several people with the close contacts and they all have had problems with the zips coming down :eek:! On my Concorde's there is a bit of leather the zip goes through under the press stud which holds the zip up, but on the close contact there isn't :confused:. Hence the zips came straight down.
 
dafthoss said:
Hate to burst your bubble but they zip up to :p well my old style pair do I just checked as they are next to me :D
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Really? Bummer!

I actually wanted these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320774999...AX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_513wt_1185

but they don't make them anymore and I can't find them in my size anywhere. Not even on American ebay :( boo.

Will have to settle for the not quite so perfect, but pretty good, match with waxed chocolate instead. I even emailed Ariat to ask if they had any in this colour anywhere but they won't let me have them if they do! lol

If they all zip up then I don't know which ones to chose again. If close contact ones are more like gaitors I still think I'll skip them. I can live without having to break them in!
 
JT, I have some ariat oxford chaps that I bought at burghley, which are chocolate coloured - it's a lush shade. Let me know if you want to see them in the flesh. We could meet up at the weekend - you can come and meet the ponies if you want :)
 
My zips never came down :confused: they sort of sit in the bit above my calf muscle where my leg goes in so they wouldnt fall down. But they were very tight to start with so maybe thats why, the lady in the shop did say you should struggle to get them on at first.
 
jesstickle said:
Really? Bummer!

I actually wanted these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320774999...AX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_513wt_1185
Click to expand...

:D sorry dont want you to be dissaponited when you get them.
They are the ones I have :D but in the chocolate and rather more worn :o

The parents are coming down for a visit on wednesday, mums missing the yellow one :cool: and we are going to ingatestone for lunch (their suggestion :D) do you want me to look at the ones I showed you they had and see what sizes they have if you know what size you need then you coluld order them from their website?
 
dh, it's the colour of those ones I'm really after. I might hold hard for a few weeks and just check none appear on ebay, other wise I'll come down and say hello and we can go shopping :)

Puppy, I really like the chocolate ones but I already have these blasted boots I'm trying to match to and I know they won't. However, if the offer to see the ponies still stands I would love to come and meet them :)
 
Ok, I go there so often now to buy blimmin pony nuts for his treat ball :rolleyes: so if you ever want me to check I dont mind after all it would be a wast to not have a little nosey ;)

Are you off to your horse live or something similar they often have end of line bargins to be had in old colours. My friend got some in an old red colour a few years back.
 
I had planned to go to YHL but no one else seems to be going and I don't think I want to drive over on my own. I should have looked at Burghley but I was so poor I was sort of walking around with my eyes shut so I didn't have to see things I wanted!
 
I'm going on the saturday with a friend from down here so no help on the drive but dont mind meeting up when we are there if you want to go? last time I went it was bargin central :D
 
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