UKC

Bought a pair of Rohan striders today. These are trousers but I had some Rohan super striders in the 90's that were breeches.
Why did they go out of fashion? The super striders were a fantastic bit of kit, stretchy, warm and comfortable. Must dig them out. Coupled with gaiters and long socks they were very versatile. Does anyone still wear them?

In reply to Skol:

Me!! I bought some black 'super striders' in the 1980's and still have them and use them. Like you say - brilliant in winter . I think they cost me around £60 which was a lot at the time but I was working on the rigs at the time.

However, they seem a little 'old fashioned' now , I know it might sound strange but I feel self conscious coming off the hill, removing my winter boots/gaiters and wearing comfortable shoes/trainers around the shops in them. So this year I've bought myself a pair of soft shell trousers. But if they don't cut the mustard I'll still have my Super striders.

Incidently are your new Rohan striders made of the same type of material Skol??

In reply to Dave Perry:

No. They are much thinner and ' fashionable' and £90!
My super striders were navy and the pockets were cavernous. I stopped wearing them due to the fashion and being a bit conscious at the time. I'm going to dig mine out tomorrow. Might get a few looks but don't care anymore. They were the best leg wear I have had for all but the summer. If you got too hot you could roll your long socks down and unzip the gaiters.

In reply to Skol:

God I miss my super striders. I have a pair of moleskin breeches I bought from John Norris for tweedy rambles but they are not as comfortable as my rohans. I had a pair of hairy wool craghoppers breeches back in the early 80s as well.

In reply to Skol:

I worked for Rohan years ago and received a healthy kit allowance. The Super Sriders were outstanding and I wore them on all things winter for years. My mate still has his and others in the group were slagging him off last winter suggesting he gets with the times.'Retro but wrong' or words to that effect.

In reply to Skol:
Still wear breeches and long socks on the hill/mountain now , " fashion " has never bothered me , why fix something when it's not broken !?

In reply to Skol:

I had a pair of the 'Ra' Rohan knock-offs. They were oustanding and even had darts in the waistband that gave years of extra wear as I acquired a slighly fuller figure than my earlier student self.

Properly windproof, snow sheddding, stretchy, really fast drying, tough as old boots - way better than contemporary softshell

I still often wear tweed breeches, from the hunting and shooting shops. When you can score long socks they are very good - warm and comfy.

1980s Striders were better, as good as legwear gets.

In reply to Skol:

Can I just mention to you all that I think chaps wearing breeches look great! I fear that dates me...

In reply to Skol:

I thought it was just me who still wanted to buy breeches. In an ideal world I would be in the market for a very lightweight pair and something more water/snow shedding and wind proof.

These last few summers something akin to old fashioned breeches seem to have been fashionable, except on moors and mountains, made largely of cotton so useless when wet.

Wasn't there a photographer in the post war years who famously took to the hills in make-up,breeches and long red socks?

I know all the arguments as to why they are no longer widely available, but I also liked the mid thigh length waterproof jacket,ideal for full on british rain.

In reply to armchairclimberX:




Walter Poucher?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01hf12x/The_Perfumed_Mountaineer/

In reply to Skol:

Still have my pair of navy blue Rohan britches which were my regular winter climbing clobber under Marmot shell pants till Paramo came along. Also got a pair of their salopette style britches which were even more comfortable. I think I will give them a re-run and dig them out for walling and hedgelaying. Bombproof gear.

In reply to Skol:

There were two types/styles of Rohan striders if I recall

Both were breeches/sallopette design.

The lighter model were a pale blue and the thicker model was in black material.

I've just looked at the label in mine and note they were made by Craghoppers, a company still on the go.

In reply to Dave Perry:
Fairly sure Rohan made their own stuff, but other companies made similar trousers/breeches/salopettes. Had a pair of Rohan breeches which were dark green & black but I think blue was more common (some of my friends are still wearing Rohan blue salopettes & I now wish I'd bought a pair)

In reply to Skol:

I have some grey, indestructible, Rohan breeches that I have not used for 20 odd years. I used them a lot in the UK and then for my first couple of Alpine seasons and then ditched them in favour of ME Ultrafleece salopettes, which I still have. Breeches do seem a bit old fashioned but with long socks and gaitors nobody would ever know. Perhaps should get them out and give them a go.

In reply to Doug:

I checked carefully. Rohan label on the outside. "Made by Craghoppers"on the inside. Perhaps it is an early case of pirate goods?

In reply to Skol:
Just found this thread - I love breeches and have just bought a pair on Ebay. Haven't received them yet so I don't know how well they will turn out. Seem to be a very logical thing to wear to me. Currently I use thick leggings intended for cycling or running, because I hate flapping round my shins, but I'd rather wear breeches if I could find them. Quite a lot of people saying this on the net but I suppose sadly we wouldn't be numerous enough to make manufacturing them worthwhile. Can get shooting-style ones but the check patterned cloth puts me off and they're too baggy. I used to have slightly stretch cord ones.

In reply to Dandelion:

Yeah. They're great. I'm after some 36'' super striders . Mine are too small now.i might contact rohan. There must be some somewhere

In reply to the weegy:

Super striders are the ones without the bib, but you are correct about the retro but wrong comment from mr I'd buy anything with a north face logo they may be 20 years old, but there are several reasons why I still wear them and none of those reasons are bad.

In reply to Skol:

Perhaps breeched became less fashionable due to the rise in popularity in ticks/lyme's disease

In reply to The Big Man:

I was so into breeches that even when Ron Hills became de-rigeur I used to always push mine up over my calves to just below the knees.

In reply to Al Evans:

Likewise Al, wore my in that style for years with Hitec Silvershadow. Thought I looked the dogs testes and looking a that pick of you there I wasn't far wrong.

In reply to Al Evans:

Is that Sid you're climbing with there? First time I met him was at Tremadog in the mid 80's - I think he'd just done Mongoose? He held my ropes on Vector, and was very patient and encouraging while I thrashed around gripped silly. A proper Gent

In reply to adam11:

Yes that is Sid in the corner of the picture but I didn't know he had ever done Mongoose, on the first ascent Pete Gomersall was accompanied by myself and Jim Moran, I don't ever remember Sid doing it?