Ariat close contact chap zips - grrr!

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DiamondSR

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Having treated myself to a pair of these after 12 years service from my trusty Tredsteps, I have discovered a major design fault in that the zips keep coming undone! They zip from the bottom up, so gravity seems to take over. They were quite tight when I first bought them and I thought they might improve as they moulded to my leg, but if anything they are getting worse.

I am gutted as they are really comfy and give great grip. Anyone else had this problem and managed to overcome it? Or do I have to return my lovely new chaps to the shop
frown.gif
 
I'd return them. The Ariat stuff just isn't as good as it used to be - there have been lots of complaints about the boots falling apart within a few months. Maybe you could get a new pair of tredsteps instead, they are nice chaps and obviously last well.
 
I just got a pair of ariat boots where the zip in one did this and I returned them for a replacement. Sometimes when you zipped it you could feel the zip had not knitted together properly. If you ran the pad of the finger down the zip it felt rough in places rather than completely smooth so it was possible to know when it was going to do it. However I was not prepared to have to faff on with it every time so returned for replacement pair which you can tell zip properly (so far!!)
 
I bought a pair in June last year, I have had no problems with mine, maybe they just don't suit the shape of your leg ?
 
It's a problem with these chaps I'm afraid- I have a pair (which I don't use anymore) and I sent them back originally as the zips kept flying open, the replacement pair was also faulty so sent them back. Send them back directly to the Returns Dept at The SMD group who are Ariats Uk Agent, and hopefully they will be able to do something!-

http://www.smdgroup.co.uk/contact.html

Ariat do seem to have a problem with their zips and quality sometimes!

Gd Luck
 
Have had a couple of pairs with no problem, I only replaced them once because the dog chewed them and once because someone with wider legs than me borrowed them and stretched them.
 
Thanks everyone - think I'm going to have to take them back. The problem isn't that the zip is coming apart, but it won't stay up! It needs something to secure the zip at the top of the chap to shop it coming undone, or for the zip to be the other way around.
 
Think I was told that the tab you pull the zip up with should lock when done up and laid flat, but mine don't and I should have taken them back but didn't. I fold the piece of 'elastic' attached to the tab around the popper flap that does up over the top of the zip. This seems to stop the problem but a fiddley nuisance I could without but too expensive to replace.

Not sure my description is very clear!
 
Mine do this as well- they are a firm fit but not overly tight (they would move if they were looser. I sent my first pair back and had them replaced - now the replacement pair is doing the same.

Problem is they are really nice to wear as they are not bulky and are nice and soft once worn in - but i think i may invest in some chaps which do up top-bottom or to the side of the leg as i dont see how they would ever stay done up that way.
 
Tie a little piece of string or elastic onto the zipper pull, when you've pulled the zip up and fastened the press stud then wrap the elastic around the leather tab at the top.

Honestly its worth it - they're nice chaps.

Fiona
 
DiamondSR- that was exactly the same problem I had with my chaps- not that the zip was broken, but that they kept unzipping and flying open- it is a fault with them, so def send them back! gd luck!
 
Mine did this too. I have really skinny calves so the zip decided to wriggle its way undone and up my leg and consequently spent more time flapping around as opposed to remaining zipped up! Initially I thought it was just the shape of my legs and the material just not having a great deal to stay secured around but talking to other people this seems a fairly common problem.

I returned them, assuming it was a design fault and they refunded me. I had only had them for a little less than a month though but they were worn most days.
 
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