Anyone have the zippered show coats?

[kristineandtai]

At the tack shop they have zippered show coats now. Does anyone show in one? Arista is the make I tried on but it looks like Kerrits makes one as well. Have you seen anyone show in one?

[elizabeth_h]

I haven't shown in one, but I did try on the Grand Prix coat. It was comfortable, but I am not sure I like the soft shell coats. To me they still look like leisure suits or cardigans...just a bit slouchy. I know everyone wears them now but the look has not grown on me. I think it has to be a really good fit to pull it off. My plan is to wait a while before investing in one to make sure this is not a fad, or an awkward first generation of what will become a new look in the future. That said, if I do ever find one that is a fabulous fit, I would buy it because you can wash it and the fabric is supposedly cooler and more comfortable than regular wool coats.

[TeachU2Ride]

The zip coats are great if you have a long torso (which tends to show gaps in the softshell/tech fabrics when bending over a jump).

Of all the fabrics out now, the Grand Prix Tech Lite is my favorite. Totally different from the soft shells (no mesh lining, more refined construction). Very flattering, and pretty colors.

[Smay]

I like them too because my daughter is very messy with her show clothes, so a washable jacket would be terrific. She is skinny as a rail, so the fabric would have to be kind of stiff in order to not look like a sweatshirt hanging on a fencepost,... I did hear someone complaining about that zippered coat on COTH the other day, saying that the dressage judge commented that it wasn't correct or something? bleah. At least in eventing, most everything is semi-correct!

[ZenRider]

Does not sound like something that would be good for me. OK and I only show once in a blue moon, meaning the one show coat I have, is the only one I'll have for a long, long time.