Struck Apparel — Canadian Performance Breeches Now in Australia

If you've watched the warm-up ring at almost any EA-affiliated show over the last few seasons, you've probably clocked a pair of Struck Apparel breeches before you clocked the logo — that slightly sculpted seat, the tonal colourways, fabric that moves like actual sportswear instead of stretched-out cotton drill. Struck is a Canadian equestrian activewear label built around one idea: riders are athletes, so their kit should be designed like sports apparel, not repurposed workwear. iRide EQ carries a solid slice of the range here in Australia — women's, men's and junior breeches, show jackets, show shirts, gloves and a handful of everyday pieces — all shipped locally rather than waiting on a Canadian or US warehouse.

What makes Struck different from a lot of the breeches crossing our desk isn't a single feature — it's that the whole range is built by people who were competing themselves when they got frustrated enough to start making their own gear. That origin story matters more than marketing copy usually deserves credit for, so it's worth understanding before you decide which series actually suits how you ride.

Struck builds its range around sport-specific cuts rather than traditional breeches tailoring.

Built by Riders Who Got Tired of Traditional Breeches

Struck Apparel was founded in 2014 by Kevin Maxie and Ashley Maxie (née Glanc) out of Erin, Ontario, with the company now based nearby in Rockwood. Kevin is a former Grand Prix show jumper who backs his design decisions with engineering and MBA training — the kind of background that shows up in how deliberately the brand talks about fabric behaviour and construction rather than just colour drops. Ashley competes in both eventing and show jumping and brings the design and fit perspective, pushing the range toward what she describes as a more sport-oriented, performance-first category instead of traditional equestrian tailoring.

That founding pitch — "riding is a sport, dress like it" — shows up in small, practical ways rather than gimmicks. Struck leans on four-way stretch fabrics, seat treatments designed for actual saddle contact rather than just a look, and cuts that are meant to survive a five-day training week, not just a photo at the in-gate. It's a different design brief to a brand built primarily around show-ring aesthetics, and it's why Struck tends to get recommended by riders who are in the saddle more often than they're in a show jacket.

Here's a snapshot of what's currently available through the iRide EQ Struck Apparel collection, pulled directly from live stock so you know what you're actually choosing between rather than what's listed on Struck's global site (the naming doesn't always match between regions):

Prices and stock are a live snapshot at time of writing — always confirm current sizing, colour and availability on the product page before ordering.

Choosing Between the 50, 55, 60 and 80 Series

Don't pick by number — the series names don't map to a simple "good, better, best" ladder, they map to different fit and finish priorities. The 50 Series is the most straightforward everyday option: a stable waistband, four-way stretch through the seat and leg, and a finish that holds up to daily schooling without feeling like a compromise garment. If you ride most days and want one reliable pair, start there.

The 55 and 60 Series lean slightly more toward a competition-ready finish — cleaner lines, a slightly higher-end fabric feel, and colourways that read better under arena lighting. The 80 Series sits at a different price point again, generally with more refined detailing through the waistband and pocket construction. None of this is marketing fluff you need to take on faith: read the individual product description for the exact fabric blend, seat treatment (full-seat versus knee-patch) and pocket layout, because those details vary by colourway even within the same series.

If you're between sizes, my rule of thumb with Struck specifically is to size according to how you want the breeches to feel after three hours in the saddle, not how they feel standing in a fitting room. A softer, more forgiving fit is more forgiving on a long training day; a firmer fit holds its shape better for a short, sharp competition round. There's no universally "correct" answer — it depends on what you're actually doing in them.

Building a full kit? Pair your breeches with a show shirt from our competition wear range, or start with a casual layer if you're just testing the brand before committing to a full competition wardrobe.

What Men's and Junior Riders Get

The men's range is smaller than the women's line-up but built on the same logic: the 50 Series is currently the standing option, priced from $359.99 to $403.20 AUD depending on colourway, with the same stretch-fabric approach as the women's equivalent. If you're comparing it against other men's breeches in the Australian market, the fit runs closer to an athletic cut than a traditional tailored breech — worth trying before you buy if you're used to a looser leg.

Junior riders currently have the Girl's 25 Series available through iRide EQ at $196.00 AUD. Struck's global range includes boy's junior sizing too, but stock varies by season and region, so check the live kids' riding wear collection for exactly what's available before promising your junior rider a specific colour. Junior breeches from any performance brand are worth buying slightly ahead of growth rather than exactly to current measurement — kids outgrow a snug waistband faster than the fabric wears out.

Building a Full Struck Kit Beyond Breeches

Breeches get the attention, but the rest of the range is where Struck's sport-first thinking becomes more obvious. The show jacket line-up runs from the Shacket styles at $504.00 AUD through to the men's MJ10 at $644.00 AUD, all built with the same heat-management thinking Struck applies to breeches — useful if you've ever sweated through a traditional wool-blend jacket in a Sydney summer warm-up ring. The Series 1 long-sleeve show shirt at $112.00 AUD is a solid entry point if you want to trial the brand's fabric feel without committing to jacket money.

On the accessories side, the Pro Ride Glove ($78.40 AUD) is a genuinely useful everyday glove rather than a competition-only accessory — worth adding if your current gloves are past their grip life. The Struck baseball cap and knitted competition tie (both $56.00 AUD) round out the range for riders who want the branding without buying a full outfit.

Ready to compare the full range? Browse every current Struck Apparel style at iRide EQ, or see how it stacks up against our other competition breeches options if you're still deciding between brands.

Struck's sport-first design brief is aimed squarely at riders who compete as well as train.

Is Struck Apparel Worth It for Australian Riders?

If you're the kind of rider who's in the saddle five or six days a week and wants gear that behaves like sportswear rather than costume, yes — the 50 Series is a sensible, well-priced entry point and the brand's founding logic (built by competitors, for competitors) shows up in the details rather than just the marketing. If you're buying one pair a year for the occasional show, the price difference between Struck and a mainstream tailored breech is harder to justify purely on frequency of wear.

My honest take: start with one pair in whichever series matches your budget, wear it through a normal training week before you judge it against a show-day standard, and check the size guide carefully since the fit doesn't always translate directly from other brands you've worn.