Product Review: Hampshire Breeches by Irideon

The Hampshire Breeches from Irideon feature a flattering cut that looks great in and out of the saddle. Photo by Josh Autry.

The Hampshire Breeches from Irideon feature a flattering cut that looks great in and out of the saddle. Photo by Josh Autry.

I am a creature of habit when it comes to buying breeches. Once I find a pair I like, I usually end up buying them in every color and then wearing them until they inevitably fall apart. I conveniently had the chance to try a pair of Irideon’s new Hampshire Breeches when my last go-to breeches bit the dust, and they’ve quickly become my new favorites.

This is actually the first time I’d ever tried breeches from Irideon, one of Toklat’s flagship brands, and I’ve clearly been missing out. The Hampshire Breeches have proven to be extremely comfortable, extremely durable and look great in the tack. Did I mention they’re super affordable at a retail price of just $119.95? Let’s break down the key features.

The Hampshire breeches feature a tailored Euro design and technical fabrics to marry fashion and function. The materials used are breathable, stretchy and feel extremely comfortable against your skin. Usually I ditch my breeches as soon as I get home from the barn, but I’ve found myself sitting down at my laptop to catch up on emails after riding. You forget you’re wearing breeches!

No sagging, gapping or bulging in the tack — just a great fit that's super comfortable. Photo by Josh Autry.

No sagging or gapping in the tack — just a great fit that’s super comfortable. Photo by Josh Autry.

The cut is also really flattering and seems to fit correctly in all the right places. I hate the way some breeches slip down and don’t fit right in the crotch once you swing your leg into the saddle, but that’s not an issue at all with the Hampshires. These also don’t gap in the back and fit very smoothly at the waistband. I’m wearing a belt in the photos, but I wear them without a belt, too, and have had no issues with gapping.

The breeches have a front zipper with a hook-and-loop closure, which I personally prefer to a side zipper. The knee patches are made of Chamisoft, which is just grippy enough and doesn’t get bogged down in the summer after a long, sweaty ride. (The seat on the full seat Hampshires is also made of Chamisoft.)

There are two angled pockets on the front, which give a flattering look but are too shallow to hold something like a cell phone. I use a cell phone holder when I wear these, or I shove my phone in the pocket and pray it doesn’t fall out. If a Hampshire II model is ever released, I’d love to see deeper front pockets — just a humble request, Irideon!

I only wear breeches with ventilated calves nowadays, both for breathability but also because I find that to be much more comfortable under tall boots. The Hampshires feature a great ventilated calf with elastic around the ankles that’s tight enough to hold the breeches in place but not too tight to dig in to your ankles.

Denver the barn cat gives two paws up to Irideon's Hampshire Breeches. Photo by Josh Autry.

Denver the barn cat gives two paws up to Irideon’s Hampshire Breeches. Photo by Josh Autry.

And now we come to my favorite feature: These breeches are SO easy to keep clean. Every stain that I think will surely still be there once I take them out of the washing machine disappears with just a few spritzes of stain remover before I toss them in. And if I find myself covered in dirt at the barn, I can just wipe the breeches down with a damp cloth, and they look perfectly clean again.

The Hampshire breeches are made of 79% nylon, 16% polyester and 5% spandex, but I’m pretty positive there’s 1% magic thrown in there, too. No matter what I do to these breeches, they still look brand new after every wash. I even spilled Neatsfoot oil on them once, and the stain came out in the washing machine.

I’ve worn the Hampshire Breeches countless times since I started testing them this spring, and I definitely give them two thumbs up. They’re high quality enough for shows, breathable enough for cross country (I especially love the graphite color for XC!) and affordable enough for everyday riding.

The Hampshire Breeches from Irideon are available in white, black, graphite and classic tan. The knee patch breeches retail at $119.95, and the full seats retail at $139.95. Click here to view the sizing chart. (I am wearing a 28 in graphite in the photos and found them to be very true to size). Click here for more information on the Hampshire Breeches and to order your own pair. Go Irideon!