Ariat Monaco Chap
3.6
5
5
5
Nice looking show chap
Bought these as a gift for a friend she was thrilled with them they look very polished and proffesional for a half chap and fit the bill for a high end show chap. The leather is soft so it will to mold to the leg which is lovely but I would recommend these as show chaps only since I don't think the calfskin would hold up to daily wear. They do run a tad small but are meant to be skin tight especially when first tried on they will stretch!
February 1, 2013
Great fit TERRIBLE quality
Thank goodness for smartpak, otherwise I would've wasted $250! These fit FANTASTICALLY, break in lovely and really look the part. However, my first pair lasted MAYBE 9 months with riding 1-2 horses 5-6 days/week before the zipper "dislocated" itself from the chap. SmartPak exchanged them (yay SMARTPAK!) and sent me a new pair...which, after only 5 months, are doing the same exact thing. I am sad b/c these are fantastic chaps but the zipper keeps bumming out on me. I wouldn't recommend them b/c of the HIGH price and the poor stitching on the zipper :(
May 10, 2012
I miss my Crowne Pros
I've worn Ariat Crowne Pro half chaps for years and love them. I'm very disappointed they have been discontinued. I was advised that the Monaco was more or less the replacement model, so my opinion is based on how they compare to the Crowne Pros.
1. Price: As I recall, Crowne Pros listed at about $160. Monacos are $250. That's 56% more.
2. Stiffness: The best feature of the Crowne Pros was the stiffness of the leather, making them like boots. The Monacos are noticeably softer.
3. Fit: I have always worn XSM, and they fit perfectly. The Monaco XSM is much tighter around and somewhat taller. It was a struggle to close the zipper over my ankle, and tricky all the way up. The good-news part of #2 above is that they have already stretched and sagged, so they probably will end up fitting okay. For the first 3 rides or so, I had to unsnap the top and unzip a half inch or so, but now I can ride with them snapped. And I haven't even tried wearing them over thicker breeches yet - let's hope we don't get a "cold" snap very soon here in Florida :)
4. Quality: They're very attractive, and the little strap with the snap at the top has been beefed up, but it makes for a little bump behind the knee.
So unless I fall in love with these the longer I wear them, the next time I shop for half chaps, I'm going to shop around and look for stiff ones like the good ol' Crowne Pros.
December 30, 2011
AMAZING BOOTS! Must get!
I just got these boots and I love them! I agree getting one size smaller in height. I am 5'9 and I usually have to get special made boots because they are always too short. In these chaps I didn't even get the tall, I got the medium, and the fit perfect, with room to grow! I have a size small calf and it fits good. I do recommend getting the matching Ariat Monaco paddock boot with it because it fits better, but I tried them on with my Heritage paddock boot and this fit as well. At the store when I tried them on, they didn't fit all Ariat paddock boots though. Over all they fit well, look amazing, and don't even look like a half chap, they look like tall boots!
November 30, 2011
Order a size up & shorter height
If you order the Monaco Half Chaps, please order one size up than you normally wear in Ariat. I always wear a medium, regular height in Ariat, so I ordered these in a med, reg height. Unfortunately, they didn’t fit at all! I ended up sending them back and getting a large, short. They are a little big, but not too bad. I’m 5'5 and even the short height is really tall. However, they don't have to be broken in and they are SUPER grippy! Just order a size up and a shorter height in these Ariats!
November 13, 2008