Biker Chaps: Why Are They So Popular?

[Huxley]

Riding down those dusty roads, hearing your hog roar down the pavement, there is almost a calm and tranquility that takes over your mind. You tune out the "Kevlar hoodie " horns, the bank accounts and appointments your supposed to be at. You have the time to think and reminisce back to the important things happening in your life. You have time to think about yourself. You look at your eye-catching leather jacket, love your great looking shades and feel the comfort of your helmet. Looking down, you see your bland weathered jeans that cover your hardcore riding boots. Your image is missing something, your missing that minor, yet important article of clothing. Chaps, but how did chaps become such an important part of a rider's persona? How did chaps become part of the underground subculture that defines the cruising nation? Lets take a look at where they came from and how they have become a staple to any biker wardrobe.

Chaps were first introduced in Spain and Mexico. They were called armas, which meant "shields". The major difference between armas and modern-day chaps were how they were worn. They were really just two pieces of leather attached to the rider's stock saddle and spread across the horses chest and over the riders legs. Much like a BBQ apron. Chaps were mostly used to protect riders from thorny bushes and cacti. Did this design work? Sure, but who wants to wear a leather blanket in Mexico and who wants to have their horses overheat? They soon designed protective gear for just the rider, the full length leather chap.

Cowboys from the south moved north with the design, but the riders down south decided to minimize the design. The new design were called Chinks. They were half-length chaps to the bottom of the knee, with fringes running along the bottom and sides. The fringe would go to about the ankle, which gave the protection, but also gave airflow for those hot days.

Chinks are not to be confused with half chaps, or Gaiters. Mostly worn by equestrian riders, these chaps go from the knee to the ankle, and give protection as well as giving the appearance of a tall riding boot. These are not traditional cowboy gear.

Those cowboys that went north were wearing a different style that went all the way down the leg. The straight and narrow style are called Shotgun chaps. The design is compared to a double barrel shotgun. These are most popular among Texas cowboys, with the chap being snug and a zipper running all the way down the leg. They are sometimes fringed and a bit of a flare at the bottom to make sure your boot fits. Shotguns are great for trapping heat and blocking wind, a must for northern riders.

The shotgun was soon customized, for those active riders. They needed something that was a bit more flexible when riding at high speeds or even bull riding. These chaps were called Batwing chaps. They would have only a few fasteners and only around the thigh, leaving the lower leg open. This gave riders a significant advantage in agility and offered more airflow for really hot climates. Most bucking stock riders will wear the batwing chaps to give them balance and protection at the same time.

In the far north, they had to prepare for winter while riding. To protect from the harsh wind and snow, they came up with Woolies. These chaps are a variation of shotgun chaps, and the difference being they still had the hair on the outside of the leather. They were mostly made of fleece or hair-on cowhide.

Motorcycle chaps are essentially shotgun chaps. They fit fairly snugly to the leg, and go all the way to the ankle. Motorcycle chaps often have snaps or buttons at the ankle for a snug fit around the boot, and are made of a premium cowhide. Usually chaps have their own belt to go over your pants, but some modern chap manufacturers have designed them more as leggings. Each chap will fit to a leg and attach to your belt. These however are less popular, as the design is a little less secure to the rider.

If you look at it, chaps have evolved since the 1800's. They have become an essential part of the cowboy culture, protecting them from branches, thorns, rocks, wind and snow. We have brought chaps from horses to the metal ponies. They are just as important, if not more important to us now than in the past. They protect from wind, flying debris, and if we bail, leaving our skin on the asphalt. Leather chaps protect so much better than jeans, and any biker knows that protection can mean life or death.