Silicon seat breeches and tights - should we be buying these?

[Bonnie Allie]

Silicon seated breeches have really trashed my beautiful jump saddle. I spoke to the manufacturer about it, (as a feedback not wanting them to do anything about it, just an FYI) and they said they are going to add into their warranty conditions that using silicon seat riding pants will void the warranty on wear and tear on the leather as they have had a few back and the common theme is silicon seated breeches.

Environmentally silicon is a nightmare as it does not readily breakdown. With our penchant for fast fashion as a society is it time to reconsider the silicon full seat riding attire?

 

[ThreeFurs]

I've worn silicone seat breeches in my Wow dressage saddle almost everyday for twelve years and there's no sign of damage.

I won't be giving them up anytime soon. My old wb dressage schoolmaster now retired had a spook/spin combo that if he was a jet, would break the sound barrier. ie. Fast. Many a time the combo of silicone and thigh block, kept me in the tack. So with all due respect I think this is one of those things that's a personal choice, its up to the individual, and shouldn't be proscribed.

 

[Tiddlypom]

Looking for decent quality non silicone breeches or tights can be interesting . Though Flexars do non silicone tights.

I was formerly in the non silicone camp, but I admit to having recently succumbed to wearing silicone breeches on trail rides and treks (not my saddles ). The extra grip when sitting on an unfamiliar horse is reassuring.

 

[Kaylum]

I don't like them. I hate the feeling of rising trot when wearing them. I wear flexars.

 

[Nudibranch]

My saddle has a suede type finish and haven't had any problems with silicone seated items.
Environmentally it's probably not ideal but in terms of equestrian products (and indeed everywhere) I don't think it's the biggest issue by a long chalk.
I'll continue with them as I wear them a very long time, like all my clothes tbh, and as I tend to buy youngsters they come in handy.

 

[cauda equina]

Yes compared with eg arena surfaces the environmental damage done by silicone seats is probably negligible

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

Yes compared with eg arena surfaces the environmental damage done by silicone seats is probably negligible

Just don't mix a silicone seat with arena surface as a friend did when she came off in a sj lesson, her saddle never recovered after!

 

[catkin]

Finding a well-fitting saddle is harder, more expensive, and more generally full of angst as a process than finding a pair of breeches.
I will always try to minimise any self-inflicted damage to such a saddle so no silicon here.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Can I just ask was the damage a slow process or sudden? It is one I am very aware of and am keeping a really close eye on my saddle

 

[YourValentine]

Yes compared with eg arena surfaces the environmental damage done by silicone seats is probably negligible

That is not a valid environmental argument. We should be doing everything possible to reduce our environmental impact. A single pair of silicone breeches might not have a large environmental footprint, but the cumulative effect of all the breeches sold globally / year is.

We HAVE to start questioning the sustainability of everything we buy & use.
As comsumers we can demand change, ask for a more sustainable option of sticky breeches.

 

[cauda equina]

That is not a valid environmental argument. We should be doing everything possible to reduce our environmental impact. A single pair of silicone breeches might not have a large environmental footprint, but the cumulative effect of all the breeches sold globally / year is.

We HAVE to start questioning the sustainability of everything we buy & use.
As comsumers we can demand change, ask for a more sustainable option of sticky breeches.

We probably shouldn't have horses then

 

[Bonnie Allie]

Can I just ask was the damage a slow process or sudden? It is one I am very aware of and am keeping a really close eye on my saddle

It’s been over about 3 years. Hubby and I both ride in the same saddles - by chance as we both like the design as do our horses. He rides in his 6 days a week without silicon breeches, I’m lucky to ride 3 days a week and had been using silicon breeches 50% of the time.

Putting the saddles side by side, mine is considerably more worn and is darker in the seat. Possibly I wouldn’t have even noticed if we didn’t have the same saddles but because we can compare. Saddler said this is due to the top layer of the leather being impacted in activities such as rising trot where you are sticking and pulling off 20-30 times per minute.

It’s nothing drastic - purely cosmetic and the seat can be replaced if need be down the track. However from here on in, it’s non-silicon daks for me.

 

[maya2008]

Or just invest in a seat saver?

 

[dottylottie]

i have a few pairs of silicone seat riding tights, and i’ll hold my hands up to giving no thought to environmental impact - i just prefer the look

no damage to my saddles tho, the covers don’t come off unless my saddle fitter is out!

 

[holeymoley]

Can’t stand them. It’s so difficult to find a nice pair without it though. I have some with very very minimal little silicone dots.

 

[MuddyMonster]

That is not a valid environmental argument. We should be doing everything possible to reduce our environmental impact. A single pair of silicone breeches might not have a large environmental footprint, but the cumulative effect of all the breeches sold globally / year is.

We HAVE to start questioning the sustainability of everything we buy & use.
As comsumers we can demand change, ask for a more sustainable option of sticky breeches.

I don't disagree with you but I think it's a trickier than silicone = bad and non silicone = good for the environment. Even environmentally friendly brands like DVR use silicone in their riding tights. A non-silicone pair made in a less environmentally friendly way are surely no better or worse?

Just as someone that buys one pair of silicone tights a year and wears them until they need to be replaced is surely having less of an impact than someone that buys multiple pairs of riding tights because a brand has bought out a new colour that season?

Edited: to cut of the waffle!

 

[Wishfilly]

I also have a suede type seat on my saddle, which I think isn't impacted by the silicone so much?

I will admit I also hadn't thought about the environmental impact much, but I do think it is not as simple as silicone = bad, anything else = good! FWIW I do keep pretty much all my clothes until they are falling apart, though!

 

[MrsMyope]

I marked the leather seats in my car with a cheap pair of silicone seat riding tights!

 

[millitiger]

I've never had an issue with silicone breeches damaging or marking any of my saddles.

I have got a issue with my actual seatbones wearing dents in the seat flocking of my saddles though...

 

[Red-1]

I have found there are 2 different types of silicone breeches. One is the cheaper (generally) ones with the harder dots. I believe they trash saddles.

The other type is a much softer silicone, and much thinner, flat profile. It isn't as sticky and is flat to the material.

I honestly wouldn't let someone sit in my saddles with the shiny, hard type. The soft, thin, flexible, matt type of silicone pattern is fine.

 

[Irish Sally]

I wear silicone full seat all the time. I never really have nice saddles though so I don't really care if they get damaged. Flexor and horzehoods do non silicone version if anyone is looking for them.

 

[silv]

I've worn silicone seat breeches in my Wow dressage saddle almost everyday for twelve years and there's no sign of damage.

I won't be giving them up anytime soon. My old wb dressage schoolmaster now retired had a spook/spin combo that if he was a jet, would break the sound barrier. ie. Fast. Many a time the combo of silicone and thigh block, kept me in the tack. So with all due respect I think this is one of those things that's a personal choice, its up to the individual, and shouldn't be proscribed.

This.

 

[LegOn]

I don't think silicon riding tights fall into the category of fast fashion though to be fair - even cheaper versions I've bought have lasted 18 months to even 2 or 3 years - fast fashion is more mass produced one wear disposable clothing which I don't think any of us aspire to when it comes to riding gear.

I have 4 expensive saddles and none have been adversely affected by silicon seats which I now wear exclusively for the last 3 or 4 years! I think @Redis correct though that there is some different grades - the harder silicon seems more like cheap plastic where the better silicon just seems softer and more appealing to wear even.

I also agree with others that it's not really a fashion statement either more like a technological advancement in our sports wear - all sports look for marginal gains now in either weight, durability or other applications of improvement in performance so I for one don't wear them for fashion but to help improve my stickability. If you don't need that, don't buy them.

Environmentally - if they are long wearing and good quality and offer longevity which alot of our gear does I don't think they offer more or less sustainability than anything else we wear which is going to end up on dump pile - alot of our gear has lycra which has the same issue of plastics that don't break down easily. It's up to larger industry to develop more sustainable fabrics for us to buy.

 

[ThreeFurs]

I don't disagree with you but I think it's a trickier than silicone = bad and non silicone = good for the environment. Even environmentally friendly brands like DVR use silicone in their riding tights. A non-silicone pair made in a less environmentally friendly way are surely no better or worse?

Just as someone that buys one pair of silicone tights a year and wears them until they need to be replaced is surely having less of an impact than someone that buys multiple pairs of riding tights because a brand has bought out a new colour that season?

Edited: to cut of the waffle!

Absolutely, from the viewpoint of landfill.

 

[sbloom]

Some saddles don't get panel damage from wire saddle racks but it's still best to warn against them. Most of these breeches and tights however have a large % synthetic fibres, from oil, so unless you're seeing out mainly natural fibres (only viscose and bamboo to my knowledge make better stretch fabric than cotton knit, of the natural fibres) then the whole garment is pretty environmentally unfriendly. Recycled good but as we know reduce and reuse comes higher up than recycle...

 

[Kat]

Back in the mists of time you could get full seat grippy fabric breeches that weren't silicone. I had some that were fake suede, and some that were a looped fabric sort of like a cross between velcro and terrycloth. The latter were very comfy.

Perhaps we should return to this type of sticky bum.

 

[Jenko109]

I have been wearing my current riding tights which have silicone for over three years now and they are still going strong.

I'll continue to wear them until a hole wears into them. No sign of that being anytime soon.

Given the longevity of the product, I would argue that the environmental impact is almost nil.

 

[cauda equina]

I have many holes in my tights and still wear them

 

[Sussexbythesea]

I don’t think the silicone seat is any worse for the environment than the rest of the garment. I don’t think many modern riding tights/ breeches etc. are made from wholly or even any natural materials so none of it is biodegradable. Faux suede on the old seats is made from synthetic materials such as polyurethane, polyester, and polyvinyl. Only really old ones had natural suede which was horrible.

I love my silicone seat tights and now feel less secure when I don’t wear them. Saddle hasn’t been damaged by them.

 

[McFluff]

I wore silicon breeches (expensive ones) once in my saddle and it left marks. Never again. It is a soft leather, so that’s maybe why.