Leather Chaps Guide
What Is the Purpose of Motorcycle Chaps?
Chaps add a leather layer over jeans: they block wind and cold, take road grit and engine heat, and come off at stops. They aren't armor or rated gear.
The purpose of motorcycle chaps is to add a layer of leather over your jeans. They block wind and cold, take scuffs from road grit and the heat of the bike, and come off when you get where you're going. They are not armor: Leather Collection says its chaps have none, and none of the chaps we checked lists a protective rating.
This answer is part of our guide to motorcycle leather chaps.
Why riders wear chaps
That last point is why chaps and pants differ. Chaps cover the front and sides of your legs and leave the seat open; your jeans stay on underneath. See what to wear under chaps for what works.
| Reason | What it means on the bike |
|---|---|
| Wind and cold | Cowhide blocks wind and cold on long rides |
| Road grit | The leather takes scuffs from grit thrown up by the road |
| Engine heat | The leather guards against the heat of the bike |
| Easy on and off | A side zip lets you put them on and take them off with your boots on |
| Off the bike | Many riders wear them for long or cold rides, then pack them away for the walk into town |
| Cooler than full pants | The back of the leg stays open, so chaps run cooler than full pants |
What chaps don't do
Chaps are a leather layer, not rated protective gear. Leather Collection says its chaps carry no armor and suggests adding knee protection if you need it. Several of its product pages add that chaps do not replace armored riding pants.
Wikipedia describes motorcycle chaps as giving partial protection from cuts and scrapes in a fall. Wikipedia's own citation for that is an old retailer page, and no chaps we checked state a test result. Treat crash protection as unknown for any pair that doesn't publish one.
If protection in a crash is your main reason, read about armor and protection ratings for riding pants before you choose.
Where the idea came from
Chaps started as working gear for horse riders. The word comes from Mexican Spanish chaparreras, most likely linked to chaparral, the thorny low brush they rode through. They shielded riders' legs from brush and the thorns of cacti, sagebrush and mesquite.
The basic design is still two seatless leather legs on a belt, worn over trousers. Bikers adopted the snug shotgun style with side zippers. Whether that makes them pants is covered in are chaps considered pants. Gaiter-style half chaps cover only the lower leg.
To compare styles, browse the Leather Collection leather chaps, hand-stitched in 1.1-1.3 mm (0.04-0.05 in) cowhide.
Motorcycle Leather Pant Editorial Team
Motorcycle Leather Pant articles are researched from published sources, cited in the text, and reviewed before publication.