Below are a few questions/answers which customers ask about Instride equestrian apparel.

Are your garments mass-produced?
All the items we manufacture are hand cut and sewn. We pride ourselves in excellent quality workmanship.  A lot of our customers will be wearing our tights/breeches 10 or more hours a day, so they need be comfortable. We feel good fit is not only important, but also necessary, and we strive to fit everyone perfectly.

What type of custom work do you offer, for the tights/breeches?
Custom sizing: Adult- size 22 to 36 or larger.  Childrens - toddler to extra-large.

Custom colors: We offer 20 colors & (combinations). Will do team colors, barn colors, and special designs.

What weight fabrics do you offer?
We offer a lightweight Hot Zone-Summer Wear fabric, perfect for those hot summer days of 80 to 100+ weather.
The Warm Zone-Tactel is great for spring and fall weather, though we have had reports of customers wearing them all year round.
Our Cool Zone-medium weight-Lined fabric is great for the milder summers of the northern states, or the mild winters of the South.
The Cold Zone-Powerstretch Polartec is smooth on the outside and fuzzy on the inside, to prevent catching hay and shavings. An excellent fabric for colder winters in both North and South.
The Extreme Zone-Powerstretch Polartec-Lined fabric, has been field tested to 10°F, by customers in Alaska, and passed with flying colors. It is for serious cold winter conditions. The lining has perfect wicking properties, so you stay warm and dry.

What is the fiber content of the fabrics?
The fiber content varies from fabric to fabric. All our fabrics have natural wicking properties.
The Hot Zone - Summer Wear & Cool Zone medium weight fabrics: Cotton/Lycra or Cotton/Poly/Lycra.
The Tactel: Supplex Nylon/Poly/Lycra
The Cold Zone- Powerstretch Polartec: Nylon/Poly/Lycra. .

What about the durability of the fabrics?
We buy only first run / top quality fabric. All our fabrics have been field tested for durability, and will last several seasons of riding, with proper fitting & care of the garment. (See question below on amount of stretch recommended.) We have reports that many of our customers are still wearing the pairs they purchased from us 5 years ago.

How much Lycra does the fabric contain?
All fabrics of Instride riding apparel contain at least 10% Lycra, with four way stretch. This insures a comfortable fit without binding, yet maintains its shape wearing after wearing.

Washing and drying instructions:

All fabrics, & the solid color ultrasuede®, may be machine washed in cool water, and placed in a cool dryer. For BEST results, turn the clothing item "inside out" before washing and drying. Wash like colors together and NEVER use bleach directly on the fabric. A small amount of bleach-mixed with water, may be used in a bleach dispenser when washing the show whites for an ultimate clean. Fabric softener sheets may be used in the dryer.

-- The Animal Print Ultrasuede® must be washed in COLD water. Hang-up, or lay flat to dry.

-- The Deer Skin must be washed in COLD water, with Woolite®. Lay flat to dry.

How much shrinkage do you get after washing and drying?
The Hot Zone- Summer wear, & Cool Zone- medium weight-lined fabrics will shrink about 2%, primarily in the length, especially if washed in warm water, and placed in a warm dryer. This shrinkage may occur over a period of time.

MUCH MORE shrinkage will occur if the garment is washed in HOT water and dried in a hot dryer.

The polartec and tactel fabric has very little shrinkage EXCEPT when washed in hot water and placed in a hot dryer- which we do not recommend.

How much stretch should the garment have?
The fabrics have a maximum stretch of about 6-7". However, the recommended fit allows only about a 2-3" stretch, both in the length and width.

Why is only a 2-3" stretch recommended?
If the fabric is over-stretched for a long period of time, the fibers will begin to break down, causing the fabric to thin and lose its shape. Additionally, too much stress placed on the garment through over-stretching causes the seam thread to begin to give way or for holes to form next to the suede. All of these problems can be eliminated with PROPER FIT. It is recommended that the garments NOT be fitted TOO snug.

What brand of suede do you use?
We use top quality Ultrasuede®. Both are extremely durable, and machine washable/dryable. We also offer: "Animal Print Ultrasuede®"- a fashionable accent to the tights/breeches. It comes in 4 different prints: Snow Leopard; African Leopard; Cheetah; & Zebra.
Deer Skin: Colors avail: Black; Cream; Brown; Gold; and chamois. We hand pick the deer skin, to insure excellent continuity, & quality.

Will the suede soften up after washing?
Yes, the Ultrasuede® will soften and conform better to a rider's leg after washing the garment. The suede on a few select fabrics is applied by using an adhesive, causing the suede to feel stiffer. The adhesive washes out with the first washing.

Will the elastic waist band keep its shape wearing after wearing?
The elastic is a woven elastic, instead of knitted, which helps it to maintain its shape. It does shrink some after washing. No problems have ever been reported concerning the elastic. In fact, I placed some on a tree that was splitting about 4 years ago. It is still there, and holding the tree well.

Does the Instride style leg bands stay in place?
Yes, the leg bands will stay in place and not ride up. We feel the design is better than narrow knitted elastic, since leg elastic sometimes has a tendency to either cut into ones leg, or after much washing, loose it's shape. The leg bands are perfect for those customers that want to wear either traditional tall riding boots, or paddock boots. Our tights/breeches are longer in the inseam, to allow for the leg bottoms to be tucked into paddock boots, and stay there. Both the leg band design and the stirrup foot design, are recommended to be worn INSIDE a pair of socks, for better comfort. We recommend the leg band design over the stirrup foot design, because it will comfortably fit more riders of varying heights.
 

JODS?
We also offer a jodhpur leg bottom-with or without cuffs, and a flared style breech

Do you make a traditional breech with a zipper?
We make a breech that looks traditional. It has a fake fly- that looks like a real zipper. It comes with belt loops and a sewn on waist band.

What is the "single lower leg" option?
On our Cool Zone-Winter Wear-Lined, & Extreme Zone- Lined Polartec, we offer a single layer of summer wear fabric from just below the knee to the ankle.

What are "Binary Tights"?
Each leg of the tight is a different color. The eventing/endurance/pony club riders love it. We offer over 20 color combinations…both traditional & bright/fun colors.

What about pilling on the fabric?
A few saddle leathers or non-leathers may rough up the fabric and cause pilling, where the fabric comes in contact with the saddle. This does not effect the durability of the fabric, and usually not noticed. If the rider moves a lot in the saddle, the best solution is to buy the Action/Thigh Patch, or the Fullseat, so the suede, not the fabric will be in contact with the saddle. And if a rider prefers to ride without tall boots or half chaps, then the "extended suede to the ankle" is a recommended option.

Fitting:

For the best fit, please check the Instride Size Chart, against the customer's actual measurements. Remember to consider the longs and shorts that we offer. Let us know what type of fit you prefer…. either looser, regular, or more snug.

The Instride tights and breeches, with a more snug fit, are made to go on similar to hose or dance leotards. One can pull them on, re-positioning them for the best fit. The fabric and seams are durable, so don't be afraid to pull on them, for proper fit.

The suede is designed to cover the whole inside of the knee. Some riders have to get accustomed to this placement. This design prevents extra wear on the fabric, since this area comes in contact with the saddle/knee roll.

The garment should stay in place, after properly putting it on, walking around, and bending at the knees and hips, etc. If it noticeably does not fit, it may be too small or too large -either in overall fit, or just certain areas. Or it may be too short, or too long. A different size should be tired, or measurements taken for a custom size.

If the waist is too large, then the next smaller size should be tried, either in a regular length, or a long. If the waist is too small, then the next larger size should be tired, either in a regular or a shorten length.

If the rise / crotch seam hangs too low, the inseam/leg of the garment is too short. If the garment fits everywhere else, then a long-2" or x-long-4" or xx-long-6" inseam will be needed.

If the waist comes up too high, or the rise / crotch seam is too long, the next smaller size can be tried, either in a regular length or a long length. If the garment fits well everywhere else, then a custom pair can be made with a shorten rise. Since this is the only change in the sizing, no extra fee will be charged to the customer.

Instride riding apparel is designed to ride in. With that in mind, our garments have a higher waist, so that when sitting in a saddle it will not pull down. We do offer a "hip hugger" style- please state the style you like.

If you are unsure as to which size to buy, just email/mail/fax us your measurements, using the "Custom Size Chart", and we will let you know exactly what size would fit best. This service is offered free of charge.

Are we perfect?
No, but we strive for that elusive condition everyday. Our inspection/quality control is top in the industry. And we are constantly grading our products, to insure excellent quality. If we find a fabric/material/product does not live up to our high standards, then we either discontinue it, and/or change the design, etc. But, we are only human, and occasionally will make a mistake, that slips past us. If you ever have problems with any product we sell, please let us know, and we will make it right.