Motorcycle Chaps - Buying Guides
Posted by Team Motorcycle on May 3rd 2016
| Wearing special motorcycle pants is a good idea for safety reasons, but not always practical nor fun. Many riders prefer to ride with their jeans or normal trousers, but they offer no protection at all from accidents or the elements. |
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| That's where chaps come in. Chaps are, usually leather, a protective layer that you wrap around your trousers. Since the chaps are made out of thick material, by wrapping them around your trousers, you will protect your legs from road-rash in case you go off your motorcycle unexpected, and they will protect you from the elements (rain, sun) or bugs. | ||
| Chaps are made from different materials: | ||
| - Leather | ||
| - Denim | ||
| - Nylon | ||
| By far the best choice is leather. Leather by nature protects you, while giving you flexibility. | ||
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Differences in Chaps |
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| Chaps do not really come in gender specific versions, for obvious reasons, but apart from the materials used, there can be differences. | ||
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| Chaps do not really come in gender specific versions, for obvious reasons, but apart from the materials used, there can be differences. | ||
| The biggest differences you may want to note, depending on your preferences are: | ||
| - Pockets, zipped or velcro'd (deep pockets are a plus) | ||
| - Braids & fringes | ||
| - Lined (if you plan to use it in the cold weather, lined is a good idea), preferably removable | ||
| - Weather proof | ||
| Measuring for Chaps | ||
| If you plan to buy chaps on-line, you will need to do some homework first. | ||
| 1. Put on a typical trouser you would want to wear on a motorcycle ride, often jeans. Make sure the jeans are not too tight. | ||
| 2. Using a measuring tape, preferably a fabric or tailor one, measure your waist. Write the width down on a piece of paper. | ||
| 3. Now measure the biggest part of your thigh and write that down. If you want to be comfortable in your chap, you might want to add an inch or two to your measure. | ||
| 4. For the next part, you light need some help. Measure the inside seam, from crotch to your ankle, while standing straight. Write that down. | ||
| 5. When comparing your measures with the store's sizing tables, never use store sizes that are smaller. | ||
| Click here for a list of chaps | ||
