Natural Leather Chamois

ultraromance_mach2This Italian wool and buckskin wresting singlet represents a massive leap ahead/behind as we work to reverse engineer cycling. Modern diaper chamois are designed for modern saddles. Outside of racing culture, there is no reason to uncomfortably squeeze into a plastic suit to straddle a padded plastic 2x4. This is chamois for the everyday cyclist. All day comfort, without the clam factor. Use em for 10 days straight without smelling like a through hiker. Do you need special shorts to ride a bike? Noooo, but if you are currently ridding a Brooks saddle with a diaper cham, this is for you! @teamdreamteam @pella_sportswear_cycling_wear

https://www.instagram.com/p/BWNqGL9FUFE/?taken-by=ultraromance_mach2

Seeing this ^ on Instagram made me think: When I started riding my Dad gave me his old leather chamois shorts. I rode them for 5 years before starting to get into modern technology cycling clothing.
I suffer from saddle sores in periods when I train a lot and on long days riding/touring I often get annoyed with my bib shorts as they feel clammy and hot. Sometimes it feels like wearing a plastic bag.
I don't feel I need the pad cushioning that much. If I can just avoid creases and unnecessary wet/sweaty bum region I'll be a happy camper.

1. Does anybody have experiences with this kind of bibs?

2. Is there any modern Sportwool/Merino wool bibs (with braces/suspenders not waist-type shorts) on the market with natural leather chamois? I don't want retro looking bibs. I just want my ass to breath. In the photo there is a pair of Pella shorts, but I can't find them online with leather chamois.

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http://www.kucharikclothing.com/we-replace-pads-leather-chamois-pad-6-p-343.html

Is there a place in the UK where you can get pads replaced?

I've never found a pair of bibs I've been comfortable in and far prefer waisted shorts.

On the right saddle, I don't need a lot of padding either. I've had two saddles which I didn't need any at all and the thick gel thing in my shorts actually makes it uncomfortable.

Have you tried triathlon shorts or a tri suit instead of bibs? The pad is much smaller and more like a couple of narrow layers of material. No gel, sponge or foam getting in the way. Far less sweaty in my experience.

The only thing that might put me off a chamois pad is it might get a bit like riding a wet Brooks. 100 miles on a wet Brooks will rub you raw.

I'd rather die than Tri

I can easily continue with normal bibs, I am not overly uncomfortable, but I'd like to try a bit more breathability

I'd rather die than Tri

T-shirt!

I canny do pads at all.

I need as little as possible between me and the saddle.

As I'm not a lycra type anyway this means cotton shorts (rather than denim) and thin cotton boxers. I've had to switch from ck boxers to much cheaper Lonsdale ones because ck were too much material.

Cannot understand people who can ride all day in a big squishy, sweaty nappy.

And chamois cream? Big tub of nope.

I found Ibex merino blend shorts (El Fito's) with their wool pad worked very well. Sadly, they appear to have stopped making them with the wool pad in favour of an off the shelf synthetic pad.

Ok. So no luck so far. I'll try a cheeky email to Pella.

I'm guessing you either don't ride very long distances, or your taint is calloused to solidity.

I don't do super long distances no but have covered a couple hundred miles in a weekend wearing only dickies shorts and thin boxers and I did a very wet/sweaty 8 hours of mtbing in cut off jeans and boxers recently.

lol at these recent bib shaming products/instagrammers :D

well atleast ultraromance sandal advert was somewhat fun

https://nalini.cc/products/nalini-classic-wool-cycling-bib-shorts

These are supposed to have a 'vintage' leather chamois. Not cheap, though.

I have some older 90's bib shorts which have leather chamois, they have a very different feel to modern pads.

Best bet yet. Thanks

Have to say, the Nalini website doesn't actually say it's leather but I saw a review a while back which claimed it was.

Edit: here it is: https://www.bikerumor.com/2013/11/21/tradeshow-roundup-sweet-cycling-jerseys-kits-apparel-for-all-ages/

Has a better picture of the chamois.