比正常的皮裤要短。指遮盖腿的坚固的皮革饰物。套裤为上宽下窄，上端正面有一皮带子，可当裤腰带系紧，下端用皮带系紧脚脖子。套裤前侧为动物的皮革。皮套裤，一般有去毛和翻毛的两种，样式上也有上端齐口和上端斜口两种。穿皮套裤便于在寒冷地带的原始森林里生产生活。牛仔和牧场工作人员穿皮套裤做日常作业，一方面御寒，另一方面可以防止作业时来自驯养动物（如牛和马）的伤害以及防止利刺仙人掌和其他荆棘植被的扎伤和其他诸如此类的环境危害。皮套裤还有另一个用途，兽医用来包裹动物受伤的腿，处理容易受伤的马蹄等。冬天穿套裤出猎既抗寒又耐磨，春秋季节穿也可防寒护膝。
引用原英文定义释：Chaps(pronounced 'shaps', and short for chaparajos) are sturdy
leathercoverings for the legs. They hang from one's belt, but unlike trousers they are not joined at the crotch. The most sturdy kind are made from single pieces of leather that wrap around to protect the fronts and sides of each leg. Since they need not be joined at the back of the leg they are considerably cooler than one might imagine. Their purpose is to protect the legs of cowboys and other people who work with cattle and horses from contact with daily environmental hazards. They help to protect riders from the thorns of cacti and other thorny vegetation on the open range, the horns of cattle being herded or rounded up, and other such environmental hazards. They protect the legs of farriers from getting scratched or cut up in the process of shoeing or otherwise treating the hooves of horses.
鄂温克族使鹿支系皮套裤。驯鹿皮制。鹿鄂温克人自古以来就跟随野生驯鹿游猎于兴安林当中，也是目前我国境内唯一饲养驯鹿的族群。他们的生活处处离不开驯鹿，驯鹿文化是其核心文化。