Originally posted by Zep Tepi:

Maybe it's the squeaky leather pants. "They squeak a little when you walk." It does seem easier to sneak up behind one when I'm first starting out than when I get geared up. That might be a patience issue though. I don't know if that really does make a difference or not.

Nah, that's just flavor text. They don't decrease your sneak value and certainly don't make you louder.