FITS breeches review: The shopper's high continues

Can you stand to hear more about the FITS (fun in the saddle) breeches?

Awesome breeches, to be sure...
When I was at Rolex, I visited the Gallop Saddlery booth. The custom boots with rhinestones (featured in the trade show video) drew me into the store, but no one had to twist my arm to try on several pairs of FITS breeches. The staff were super-nice, not pushy at all, and they really seemed to understand what women want (as far as breeches go). The fabric was soft as silk but strong as denim, and I could not stop stroking it. I ignored the price tags as long as I could, but finally I peeked. Alas, the total was $265 for the breeches and shirt. With a heavy heart, I signed up for their mailing list, returned the items to the sales lady, and left the store without my dreamy outfit.

A shopping miracle
After leaving the shop, I walked forlornly down the aisle, passing booths on either side of me. The crowds were distracting me from my sulking. Looking up to avoid a cluster of teens, I glimpsed a familiar color palette in the corner of my eye--Navy, Black, Earth, Espresso and Sahara. There, in a nearby booth, radiating light and flanked by seraphim, was a rack of FITS breeches and tops -- on sale. The sign said:

Buy a pair of breeches for $169
and get the top of your choice free.

Lo and behold, a bona fide shopping miracle! As far as I could tell these were the same FITS breeches and top I'd tried on earlier. Riffling through the rack I found my size and sprinted to the dressing room. Yes, they fit! The breeches and top seemed identical to the ones I left. The cashier assured me that the price was correct. I snapped 'em up.

Anyhoo, now a review!
The earth tone breeches and top I bought are pictured above. And if you read my earlier post, you know Gallop Saddlery called me a few days after I returned home to inform me I'd won a pair of FITS breeches (the mailing list was also a drawing). That pair, which I'm getting in black, is en route. I've ridden in the earth tones three times, once in 90 degree weather and twice in 60 degree weather. The verdict:

• The waistband does not roll -- hallelujiah! That's two breech-related miracles!
• The waist hits at just the right place, not embarrassingly low-rise or up to the armpits, but right around the old belly button.
  
• Front seams that slant inward (see image at right) accentuate curves, or give the illusion of curves for girls like me
  
• Fabric with a lot of body/structure (for coverage) but also a lot of stretch (for comfort)
• A layer of wicking fabric inside. On 90 degree days I normally wear my Tropical Riders, and sweat down the center of my back, leaving an embarrassing dark line down my posterior. Not so with the FITS fabric -- enough thickness to absorb and wick away moisture, and they dry amazingly fast.
• Sheds dust, hay, straw--brushes off easily. A damp cloth returned my breeches to their pristine state.
• Deerskin is naturally sticky, and sometimes too sticky! The perforations in FITS deerskin seems to soften the feel a bit, so that my seat and thighs move more freely and my weight can slide down into the saddle for a deeper feel.
• I got the pull-ons but front zips are available. Pull-ons are comfy but the belt loops and structured design make it suitable for shows (white of course). Pull-ons normally aren't show-worthy in my opinion.
  

Suggestions?
I'd love to see the breeches in more colors -- a slate blue/gray, a darker taupe, and maybe contrasting color deerskin? Perhaps an extended patch version of the same breech. But if you can swing it financially, they are worth the money, and they have more to offer than the deerskin breech competitors. If it's too much for your budget, keep your eye's peeled on Ebay, Ultimatedressage.com, Craigslist, or other online tack sites.