Who doesn’t love cheap breeches? Well ok usually I don’t, because most of the super cheap ones are that awful clingy fuzzy-looking cotton blend that makes me want to throw up in my mouth a little bit. But these are definitely NOT like that, so have no fear.

When I saw people in a facebook group talking about these $40 BALEAF breeches from Amazon, I was intrigued. Mostly because I saw that they aren’t cotton (85% Nylon, 15% Elastane), and also because I had some Amazon gift cards burning a hole in my pocket. They were also running a promotion (still are as of this moment!) where if you bought two or more pairs they were 10% off, making them $39 a pop. I ordered two pair, the black and the blue. I figured hey, worst case scenario I hate them and I’ll just return them. Not a big deal.

I did read in all of the discussion that they run big, which I’m glad I saw, because if I’d gone according to the size chart I would have ordered medium. Instead based on their advice I got the Smalls and they’re even a tiny bit on the looser side. They also are cut a bit more generous through the hip and thigh compared to the waist, which is great for me, but maybe not so much if you have a larger waist and smaller thighs. I laid them out comparatively with all of my breeches and fit/cut/sizing wise they’re most similar to my size 28 mid-rise Montar’s. Judging from what I’ve seen everyone else say, the sizing seems to go roughly something like XS – 26, S – 28, M – 30, L – 32, XL – 34, XXL – 36.

The fabric is on the thinner side, which makes them great for summer or for those of us who live in the south. This is the weight fabric I prefer for most of the year, it’s not hot or bulky or restrictive. I can’t quite figure out exactly what breeches the fabric reminds me of… it’s sorta similar to the Ovation Aqua-X or a couple models of the Kerrits or For Horses. It’s that slicker feeling fabric that dirt doesn’t stick to as well, if that makes sense?

These do have a silicone “full seat” which was a bit of a deterrent for me, but I’ve learned by now that as long as they aren’t super grippy I really don’t notice it. These didn’t look particularly grippy or siliconey from the photos, and I can attest to the fact that I don’t feel or notice the seat at all. A negative if you’re looking for a lot of grip, but a positive in my eyes since there’s nothing worse to me than breeches that make me feel stuck.

Overall they fit me pretty well. If I was being super picky I’d love it if the rise was maybe a half inch higher in the back and if they were all around like a half inch smaller, but really…. for $40 I can’t complain at all. I’ve had $200 breeches that weren’t this comfortable and didn’t fit this well. The general feel I get from them is that this is kind of the breech I would expect from closer to the $100 price point. Are they the best thing I’ve ever put on my butt? No. Are they really freaking impressive for the price point? Definitely. FORTY BUCKS? Show me other breeches that are this nice for $40. I’ll wait.

They have two pockets in the front and two zippered fully functional pockets in the back, and they’re big enough to where I can fit my iPhone in any of the pockets. There’s a stretchy mesh panel on the inside of the bottom of the leg so they’re nice and tapered and sit well under your boots. For me the length is pretty spot on perfect, but I’m also the most average size human in the world (5’6″) so I tend to not have issues with that usually anyway.

Their “blue” color is more of what I’d call a deep teal. It’s definitely NOT navy by any stretch of the imagination, but it’s still a pretty nice color. From what I’ve seen the whites are a bit see-through so I haven’t ordered any of those. I have yet to see anyone with the tan so I can’t attest to what that color looks like in person… their colors do seem a bit darker online though than they are in real life.

If you’re looking for more breeches, I think it’s definitely worth a try to see if these will fit you. I mean, you really can’t beat the price, and since it’s Amazon (for however evil that may be) at least it’s pretty simple and easy to return them if you don’t like them or they don’t fit. I have no real complaints, and I’d definitely buy more if they make them in more colors!