Leather Chaps Guide
The Complete Guide to Motorcycle Leather Chaps
What motorcycle leather chaps do (and don't), how they're sized on the pants chart, how the belt and back lacing adjust, and when half chaps are different.
Motorcycle leather chaps are two seatless leather legs held together by a belt, worn over your jeans. On a bike they block wind and cold and add a layer against road grit, but they carry no armor. A good fit comes from three numbers, waist, thigh and leg length, plus the belt and back lacing. Each section below links to a full guide for that step.
What motorcycle chaps are
Chaps are a leg cover, not a garment you wear on its own. Each leg is a separate piece of leather, joined only by the belt at the waist, and there is no seat. One store's product page puts it plainly: chaps go over jeans or trousers and are not pants on their own.
Motorcycle chaps are usually the shotgun style, as the Wikipedia entry on chaps describes. The legs are fairly close-fitting, smooth-side-out leather, with side zippers so they go on easily. They leave the seat open and cover the front and sides of your legs.
Are they pants, then? See are motorcycle chaps considered pants for the definition, the dictionary view and the brand-name mix-up.
What chaps do and don't do on a bike
Leather Collection lists the reasons riders wear them. Cowhide blocks wind and cold on long rides, and it guards against scuffs from road grit and the heat of the bike. Because the back of the leg stays open, chaps run cooler than full pants. Wikipedia adds partial protection from cuts and scrapes in a fall.
What they don't do matters as much. The store says its chaps carry no armor and do not replace armored riding pants. None of the chaps we checked lists a protective rating. If you want rated protection, read about riding pants protection, armor and ratings.
The full answer, with when chaps make sense, is in what is the purpose of motorcycle chaps.
Chaps or riding pants
Chaps use the same size chart as pants, so the motorcycle pants sizing and fit guide is a useful second read.
| Column 1 | Leather chaps | Leather riding pants |
|---|---|---|
| Worn | Over jeans or riding pants | Instead of jeans |
| Seat | Open | Closed |
| On and off | Side zip, boots can stay on | Some styles have ankle zips to go over boots |
| Armor | None stated | Varies by product; check the product page |
| Off the bike | Take them off and pack them away | Stay on |
Sizing and measuring
Leather Collection's size guide has one tab for "Pant / Chap", so chaps are sized on the pants chart: waist, hip, inseam and height. Men's sizes run US 32-50 (EU 42-60) and women's US 6-20 (EU 38-52). If you sit between sizes, or your legs are longer or shorter than most, every pair can be ordered in a custom size.
Two points trip people up:
- Over clothes or on skin? The store's chaps pages say to measure over the jeans you ride in. Its general measuring page says bare skin is better. The two pages disagree, so write on your order which way you measured.
- Which numbers? Custom orders ask for different sets on different pages. One asks for waist, hip, inseam and thigh; another for height, waist, hip, external leg length and crotch to ground. Use the list on the product you order.
Step-by-step instructions are in how to measure for leather chaps, and how to read a leather chaps size chart explains each column.
Half chaps are a different garment
"Half chaps" usually means something else. In horse riding they are gaiters that run from the ankle to just below the knee, worn over short paddock boots. Leather Collection sells full-length chaps only, no half chaps. If you ride in short boots and want lower-leg cover, see how to measure for half chaps.
Getting the fit right: waist, lacing and length
Most chaps close with a small buckle at the front and adjust their size with lacing at the back of the belt. On some Leather Collection styles, the back laces loosen or tighten the fit at the hips; two women's styles use thigh laces instead. Learn the method in how to lace the back of leather chaps.
Length is the last step. Most chaps are cut long, to fit over the boot and drape slightly over its top. Some pairs come with an unfinished bottom that you trim to sit where you like on your boots. One maker advises getting the waist and thigh right before you cut, and cutting twice rather than too much.
Wearing chaps day to day
Wear your pants first, then the chaps. Close the waist, zip each leg, then set any straps snug but not tight; you should still be able to bend your knee and sit down. The side zip means your boots can stay on. Full steps are in how to put on motorcycle chaps.
Jeans are the usual layer underneath; can you wear jeans with leather chaps covers what works. When the season ends, see how to fold leather chaps for storage.
Where to compare styles
The Leather Collection leather chaps range is hand-stitched from 1.1-1.3 mm (0.04-0.05 in) cowhide in black, brown or tan. Styles include braided, western, distressed and buckled, each in standard or custom size. Check each product page for back lacing and an unfinished hem, since not every style has them.
Related guides
- For full pants, compare the types of motorcycle pants.
- Chaps aren't pants; for the names of full riding pants see what motorcycle riding pants are called.
FAQ
Do motorcycle chaps have armor?
Not the ones we checked. Leather Collection says its chaps carry no armor and suggests adding knee protection if you need it. For armored options, see the protection guide linked above.
Should I order standard-size chaps or a custom size?
Pick standard if your waist and leg length match the chart. Pick custom if you are between sizes or your legs are long or short for the chart.
Motorcycle Leather Pant Editorial Team
Motorcycle Leather Pant articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.