Welcome to EN’s Product Review series! Who doesn’t love shopping, especially when the object of your search is new gear for yourself or your horse? As an enthusiast of all products equine, I LOVE trying out new gear. Please join me as I narrate my personal journey of trying out all of the products featured. While I will make no recommendations, I hope you have fun reading about my many adventures of trying new products, and that hearing about my personal experiences helps you on your own quest for new gear. Go Shopping.
Tredstep logo buttons on the Nero breeches. Photo by Lorraine Peachey.
Of all the days in the week, Fridays are my favorite. While that is probably a true statement for most people for obvious reasons, I love the fact that it means a casual day in the office. A day when I can finally arrive for my workday in jeans, which is a nice change to my everyday routine of business casual wear. Jeans speak more to my own slightly more relaxed personal style — plus, I also find them much more comfortable.
I feel similarly when thinking about my show attire versus my schooling attire. Sure, it is definitely a great feeling to get all dressed up to go to a show. And I always feel like I look my best, even if I am a little more formal looking than other days. But don’t we all try to put our best foot forward on competition days?
As a contrast, I usually feel more at ease in my everyday riding attire. I hold my schooling tops and breeches in special regard, as I feel like I’ve been through the war (and back) with them. I like my schooling attire to have a clean, but slightly more relaxed appearance. When choosing my everyday riding attire though, the most important factors to me are comfort and fit.
The Nero breeches are crafted of Tredstep’s own ExCell fabric that brings together both cotton and Lycra. Photo by Lorraine Peachey.
I may have mentioned in the past that I sometimes feel like I have a difficult time find breeches that really fit me well. So when I do find that “just right” fit, I grab onto said breeches and hold onto them with crazy eyes and a kung-fu grip. Just saying.
One of the pairs of breeches that I’ve been doing a lot of riding in this summer have been the Nero Knee Patch breeches from Tredstep Ireland. Now, I first learned about the Nero breeches shortly before their official debut earlier this year. After hearing about a pair of breeches from Tredstep Ireland that retail for under $100, my first reaction was that I should go running down the street, shouting the news out for all to hear.
But I didn’t go running down the road — I’m pretty sure that I would have gotten some strange looks if I had. Instead I simply looked forward to the release of the Nero breeches with excitement. After all, I started riding in a pair of the Tredstep Rosa Knee Patch breeches last year and have liked them immensely.
The Nero breeches feature a Euro seat design, along with the knee patch. Photo by Lorraine Peachey.
When I opened up the packaging and pulled out the Nero breeches, I found that I really liked the material. The breeches are crafted of Tredstep’s own ExCell fabric that brings together both cotton and Lycra. The result is a fabric that feels soft, yet stretchy to the touch — and in fact, the ExCell fabric does offer a four-way stretch.
After examining the Nero breeches for the first time, I had to try them on to see how they fit, even though I had already finished up at the barn for the evening. After pulling the breeches on, I simply did not want to take them off — they fit well, and the fabric felt soft and smooth against my skin. So I found myself making dinner in the breeches, and then settling down on the couch to do some writing, still sporting the Nero breeches.
I’ve found that the definition waistband of the breeches curves nicely around my back without gapping. Photo by Lorraine Peachey.
The Motion Fit Design incorporated into the Nero breeches includes three elements — a definition waistband, an articulated knee patch and an integrated cuff. I found that the wide waistband of the breeches curves nicely all the way around my back and hugs to my waist, which is often an area where I’ve had issues with breeches gapping and not fitting properly in the past. The waist is actually cut from a circular pattern in order to help provide a fit that works, since a person’s waistline curves by nature.
I feel like the articulated knee patch bends nicely along with my own leg. And I really like the way that integrated cuff fits — combined with the stretchy fabric, it allows the breeches to mold nicely around my legs.
The Nero’s articulated knee patches bend nicely along with my own leg. Photo by Lorraine Peachey
The Nero breeches feature a Euro seat design, along with the knee patch. I personally like the way that the Euro seat fits me. A different color button represents each of Tredstep’s different breeches. And it just so happens that the two buttons on the front of the breeches are silver in color, as that is the color that represents the Nero.
The features do not stop there though — the Nero breeches feature two front pockets that are slanted. The breeches also include belt loops. I like the wider belt loop on the back side of the waistline that included a Tredstep logo. And I also like that there are two belt loops that are placed close together at one area in the front — this provides a little extra style, in my opinion.
When pulling my tall boots over the Nero breeches, they zip up nicely, thanks to the integrated cuffs and the close fit that they help to provide. I’ve found that the breeches stretch nicely when I do swing up into the saddle. I like the fact that the waistband fits me well enough that I do not need to wear a belt while riding, as I prefer to go schooling without one. (Don’t tell George Morris.)
The integrated cuff of the Nero combined with the stretchy ExCell fabric allows the breeches to mold nicely around my legs. Photo by Lorraine Peachey
Riding in the Nero breeches has also been a comfortable experience. During the warmer days of summer, I tend to “glisten” a little as a result of riding (girls don’t sweat … we “glisten”, OK?). Even on those warm days, though, I don’t feel totally gross after riding. I’ve noticed that the Nero breeches have wicking properties, and they do help to pull moisture away from me. So I can stay comfortable, even on icky days.
Tredstep Ireland offers the Nero breeches in four different colors — white, tan, grey and blue. I’ve personally enjoyed wearing the breeches in blue — not only because it is one of my own favorite colors, but because it is also a refreshingly different shade for breeches to be available in.
With all of the great features of the Nero breeches, I am pleasantly surprised to see that they retail for $89.95. I feel like they offer me a great option for comfortable, well fitting breeches for under $100, which makes me want to add more colors to my own collection of breeches.
You can buy the breeches on SmartPak’s website by clicking here.
Go Budget-Friendly Breeches that FIT. Go Tredstep Ireland. Go Eventing.
