Traveling with kilts

**Plastic Paddy** · 19th March 04, 02:20 PM

I am going on a trip and would like to pack several kilts for the trip and I don't want to have to get them cleaned at my destination. What is the best way to pack them... are they rolled, folded or hung in a garment bag.... the garment bag may not be an option, but all advice is welcome.

Slainte

**Blu (Ontario)** · 19th March 04, 07:04 PM

How are you travelling? car, air?

**Plastic Paddy** · 19th March 04, 08:02 PM

Air and train.

**highlandtide** · 20th March 04, 05:34 PM

I am also intersted in responses to this question...

**Hamish** · 20th March 04, 07:04 PM

Originally Posted by Plastic Paddy

Air and train.

Roll them, every time, with the pleats on the outside of the roll. Then slide the roll into the leg of an old pair of tights/pantyhose! Or you can just roll them and lays the rolls side by side in the bottom of your suitcase. Do not be tempted to put rubber bands around each to keep the roll together, though!

When I travelled around the USA last summer, I took three kilts, a breacan and three Utilikilts (including a solid leather one). The kilts and breacan were rolled, but the Utilikilts were folded lengthways and laid flat on top of the rolled kilts.
No pressing was required in the 17 days I was away from home, but be sure to hang those kilts overnight at every opportunity.

**Blu (Ontario)** · 21st March 04, 06:55 PM

I have successfully rolled mine by quarter-folding first. Roll with the pleats and buckles to the outside and wrap in a piece of linen or a towel. Unlike Ham, I've only travelled with one kilt at a time. Good advice to hang them whenever possible.

**Rhino** · 22nd March 04, 02:52 AM

I normally roll them and as has been said hang them whenever possible.

A further question from me is, due to the increased awareness of airport security I recently packed all my kilt pins in my suitcase even the one from the kilt I was wearing. This was fine on the outward flight, and I did the same on the way home, when I unpacked all my kilt pins had gone. Are they confiscating them or have they just been knicked?
Cheers Rhino

**Hamish** · 22nd March 04, 04:27 PM

Originally Posted by Rhino

I normally roll them and as has been said hang them whenever possible.

A further question from me is, due to the increased awareness of airport security I recently packed all my kilt pins in my suitcase even the one from the kilt I was wearing. This was fine on the outward flight, and I did the same on the way home, when I unpacked all my kilt pins had gone. Are they confiscating them or have they just been knicked?
Cheers Rhino

Rhino,

The kilt pins would almost certainly have been confiscated if you were wearing one or if you had them in your cabin bag. However, if they were in the luggage that travels in 'the hold' (or whatever they call that area in aircraft!), there would be no reason for them to have been removed officially.

Last summer I flew to and from the USA, and on internal flights within the States, and always packed my kilt pins, Sgian Dubh, etc. in my large bags that did not enter the aircraft cabin.

My bags and cases were locked. Did you lock yours and had the locks been tampered with?

**Rhino** · 22nd March 04, 04:35 PM

The suitcases I used had no locks on them so I can only assume that the pins showed up on xray and the airport crew opened the case out of curiosity and just kept them? Either way it's a costly job to replace them. Thanks for the information, I'd better start looking for an alternative.
Cheers Rhino

**phil h** · 23rd March 04, 05:35 PM

I'll post some photos of how I packed mine.
I'll have to wait till the afternoon when the sun is out.(crap camera flash) I rolled mine (UK too)
with the apron down, pleats in, better to keep control of em that way.
I put a small towel on top of the pleats first to keep em down. will have pix posted by wed march 24 5PM at the latest.