Fun In The Saddle
Knee Patch Breeches
English Casual Apparel
Manufacturer: Fun In The Saddle
Model: Knee Patch Breeches
Category: English Casual Apparel
Purchase: I purchased a pair of F.I.T.S. breeches online from Fun In The Saddle (F.I.T.S.) for $160.00.
Likes: I researched Fun In The Saddle (F.I.T.S.) both online and by talking to friends who had tried them and was really impressed with the overwhelmingly positive reactions to the product. One comment (from my instructor) really gave me the confidence I needed to get a pair: she said, “I used to buy cheap breeches, early on, but I found that they just disintegrated, and now I never buy anything but quality.” I’d been worried about spending hundreds of dollars on a pair of pants, but that made sense to me---because my own “cheap” schooling tights had also pretty much disintegrated after a summer of riding three to four times a week. I made the decision to try a pair of F.I.T.S. breeches.
Then, I received my first pair of knee patch F.I.T.S. breeches as a birthday present from my husband. They were the "Earth" color (dark green), and I immediately liked the feel of the fabric and the deep color. When I put them on, the feeling of support and quality was amazing: my immediate reaction was, "I don't EVER want to wear anything else EVER AGAIN!" They were even long enough in the inseam!! I was “sort of” joking---but honestly, if I could wear the breeches to work and everywhere else, they really are so comfortable that I would probably do it!
I've seen lots of reviews of the full-seat F.I.T.S. breeches, but when I purchased my second pair, I went for the knee patch version again. Partly this is a “sticker shock” issue: I’d never purchased anything more expensive than a pair of $65 on-sale polartech winter tights, and $160 felt like I was really spending a LOT of money! But I also felt that it was a wise decision for me: as a recreational rider who is only able to get out to the barn three or four times a week, and who isn't riding "difficult" horses or jumping fences, I didn’t feel that I truly need the extra “stickiness” of the full-seat model. (That said, I do plan on eventually purchasing a pair of the full-seat model, because I think I will eventually want that level of equipment as my riding improves. But for now, my knee patch breeches are working just fine for riding lessons, trail rides, and the schooling I do.)
Another thing I wanted to mention is that I am actually pushing the size boundary. I am, like many of the wear-testers and reviewers, a "50-plus model" rider, but I have gained more weight than I like to admit over the years since I was in my 30's. While I probably “should” be wearing at least a size 18 breech, I am very comfortable in the XL. And it really makes me LOOK better than I should be able to look in a pair of skin-tight breeches! My husband, who is extremely supportive and polite as I (extremely slowly) attack The Weight Loss Issue, was watching me get dressed one day, and he shook his head and began, “HOW do they do it?” He stopped talking at that point, but I know what he was thinking because I think it myself, all the time: HOW do the F.I.T.S. breeches manage to reduce my many bulges to the point that I am not embarrassed to be seen in public in them?? (The cheap riding tights I bought before I had F.I.T.S. emphasize my figure faults. “Thunder Thighs” is not an exaggeration…but F.I.T.S. look like I actually DO wear a size smaller! Even though I worry sometimes that I am over-stressing the breeches, they keep right on washing beautifully and are not showing "wear" at the seams---which is also not the case with the other schooling tights I purchased.
And then there is the customer service aspect of the company. I recently asked, via the F.I.T.S. "Contact Us" form, whether it was true that they were considering making an XXL size. I was told (to my disappointment but not to my surprise, given how popular they are) that they are NOT contemplating increases to their sizes at this point. The thing that amazes me is that I received my answer about sixty seconds after I had clicked “submit” on the Web commenting form. From Sheryl Rudolph. (Or at least from someone who is authorized to sign her name.) And another time when I submitted a question about washing instructions, I received the same quick turnaround. I’m impressed by this: to me, it shows a real interest in and concern for the impression her customers receive.
It doesn’t seem to matter at what level someone interacts with Fun In The Saddle. If you order something online, it arrives: correct size, correct color, and within the time promised for delivery. If you have a question, and you use the online form, an answer arrives pretty much immediately, and if the answer isn’t what you might have hoped for, an alternative is suggested that you might think about (in the case of my size question, the answer included a suggestion to consider the new zip-front breeches, which I just might---they could be my first full-seat pair, perhaps). The quality of the product is truly beyond excellent: like most people whose testimonials appear on the F.I.T.S. web site, I doubt that I will ever purchase another brand of breeches.
Dislikes: Can't really think of ANYTHING I don't like.
Quality: The breeches are constructed of PerforMax fabric and show excellent quality, both in their design and in the fabric, stitching, and "feel". Seams are flat and feel nonexistent. The fabric stretches and moves with you, never binding or restricting, but always supporting your movement. The knee patches are comfortable and don't "bind" at the knee bend, and the length is LONG---down to my ankles (not the case with other breeches I've seen, which are too short for my inseam (to allow additional room in tall boots??)---always an uncomfortable feeling to me! Whether I'm riding, or grooming, or cleaning a stall, they seem to disappear from my consciousness.
They have also delivered on the promise that the fabric traps air to keep you warm! We have had a colder winter this year than we have had in several years, and the F.I.T.S. breeches were comfortable to ride in (an unheated indoor arena) even when outside temperatures dipped below zero! I only needed my Polartec tights about twice.
Summary: Sheryl Rudolph was (and is) successful at building a "better mousetrap", and I thought it might be helpful for someone to sing the praises of the knee patch breeches. I think that, for many of us, they make a lot of sense. They give the same benefits in terms of fit, comfort, style, and quality, and are a bit less expensive than the full-seat model. I’m excited to see the company adding new items (one of these days, when I’m ready to show, maybe I’ll try the “Champagne” series) and I think that Sheryl Rudolph deserves every bit of success for making riding even more of a joy, because F.I.T.S. breeches let you forget what you’re wearing and concentrate on your horse and your riding.
I know that if I win the prize for the best review, I’ll be spending it on a pair of F.I.T.S. breeches!!
Rating: 5
Author: Peggy, from Minnesota
Date: 0000-00-00
Usefulness Rating: 5 out of 5.
3 reader(s) voted.
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