PV vs Wool

[David in Maryland]

I already have a nice heavy custom made wool kilt in a MacLeod of Harris, also have a SWK Heavyweight Blackwatch that was sold before the HW went to all wool. I would get another SWK HW but the only tartan I have seen them in is Blackwatch and the "shadow" tartans. I love my wool kilt, wear it during all seasons even during Summer. Everybody around me with kilts all have wool kilts. I have not been able to see a PV kilt in person. So I have been thinking about a USA Kilt semi-traditional. For those that have both a wool and a PV kilt, do you find yourself wearing the wool ones more often, or all with about the equal amount of wear? I am not looking for another dress up for the Burns Supper, Kirkin', formal kilt, but I still want one that looks and acts the way a kilt is supposed to. Would I be satisfied with a PV semi-traditional?

[Riverkilt]

Well David,

I have a lot of both wool and PV kilts. Wear them both all the time. Plenty of pics of my PV kilts in my gallery if that helps any.

You won't be disappointed with USA Kilts semi-traditional.

I'm one of those guys that was leary about PV too. I had a lot of kilts before I "risked" ordering my first PV kilt. I thought all the talk about USA Kilts was hoopla from shills.

Since getting my first PV USA Kilt I now own 11 PV casuals and 3 Semi-trads with two more semi-trads on order.

I sit for a living, which makes kilts a very comfy choice. PV doesn't hardly wrinkle up at all on the pleats. I do get wrinkles from my belly overlap, but they don't show. At the end of the day when I hang the kilt up I use a Black and Decker Gizmo to steam out wrinkles. They drop out right away, no problem.

I can wash a PV kilt in the washing machine and let it hang dry. No problem. I've always been a sloppy eater. The teflon coating makes my food and beverage dribbles not a problem.

The look of the semi-trad is the closest to a hand sewn of any non-handsewn kilt I've seen. I can't see any way you'd be disappointed with a semi-trad. More than likely you'll wear it proudly.

Don't know if this means anything, I hang my semi-trads intermixed with my wool hand sewn kilts.

In fairness, have never seen a SWK offering. And, that's only due to my standard length being much different than their standard length.

Of course, my advice is to buy one of each. You know you're gonna eventually anyway.

Ron

[Tartan Hiker]

In addition to Ron's excellent observations, PV won't "pill up" nearly as badly as the acrylic fabrics. I love PV, and just wish it was produced in weights heavier than 11 oz.
This discussion has been had here many times. Search this forum and the traditional forum and you'll get lots of applicable threads.

Bill

[pdcorlis]

So you know, I own only tartan kilts - no contemporaries. That being said, I like my PV kilts - but I love my wool kilts. If money is no object (yeah - right) then nothing matches wool - the swish is amazing and any wrinkles seem to fall out all by themselves. A wool kilt is a lifetime investment. I think PV kilts are the best lower cost alternative to wool. Easy fabric washing and a teflon coating (at least on Rocky's PV's) make PV kilts a very smart buy indeed. But for this kilt wearer - I think I'll be buying wool from now on.

[Macman]

David, I wore only wool traditional kilts for over 30 years. Then I "branched out" after discovering X Marks. I now have a USAK semi-traditional, and I love it. No, it isn't the same as wool, but I find that I wear my USAK (and my other non-trad. kilts) far more often than my tank. Anyway, that's my experience; I am totally happy with my USAK.

[MacHummel]

I agree with pdcorlis, if money isn't an object than for sure go with the wool , but for me I love the PV it comes in lots of tartans (especially Maple Leaf soon), easy to take care of and best of all if you have an allergy to wool this solves the problem and cost effective. The kilt will have a nice hang to it and still have a swish when you walk. Most importantly you will be noticed.

[Colin]

I agree, pdcorlis summed it up perfectly. Since getting my wool kilt, I very rarely wear any of my PV kilts. I ususally only wear the PV in the heat of summer. Nothing against PV kilts (the semi traditionals look real nice) but since ordering wool, I am not likely going back to PV. I just prefer wool.

[Tattoo Bradley]

I have two of USAK's PV casual models (and fighting the urge to order the newly offered Welsh National tartan in casual!) I love them to death and wear them quite often. Heck, I even wore my Gunn casual with a tweedie argyll to a wedding over the weekend. I also have two wool kilts, with one on order. No, PV is certainly not the same as wool. If I were a rich man, I would have nothing but 13 and 16 oz wool. But, I'm not. So, I buy the next best thing to help fill my closet.

[GMan]

I prefer wool, just seems sturdier. Yet I do like wearing PV and really it is hard for the masses to notice the difference. Go for what you feel comfortable with, that includes the wallet.

[Alan H]

Different horses for different courses.

I have three wool kilts, all of which I have made myself, and wear. The third one is nearing completion on my sewing pile, so I haven't worn it yet, of course..

Wool kilt #1 is not worsted, and it's a very bright red and black tartan. It's heavy saxony and very warm. I'm wearing it a lot this winter. The X-Marks kilt is my nicest kilt and I'm kind of saving it for "dress up". I just finished it a few weeks ago. I'm planning on wearing the 16 ounce box-pleat California Tartan one "just around" in cooler weather as well. If it looks really sharp I'll pair it up with a jacket and tie now and then.

I have two wool blend kilts. One is a 10 ounce that I made myself, a 6 yarder. The other is a 5 yard from Caledonia kilts in Scotland. These are lighter weight and I wear them "just around" and any time it's not too cold. They're seeing less wear in December and January, but I bet they'll go back on a lot come March. They are good in the summer. The two PV kilts are rather different from one another. The USA Kilts Casual is my lightest kilt and it's great when it's hot. I will wear it for Highland Games competition. It's easy-on, easy-off, and dumb-dumb easy to care for. The other, in my clan tartan in PV, and it's a 5-yard. I wear that "just around", to beer and kilts nights and to Games when I'm at the clan tent.

I also have one Stillwater Acrylic Standard and one kilt that I don't know what it is, but it's short-ish on me but the synthetic material is fairly robust. The Stillwater is a very warm kilt, but it's getting a bit tired-looking after two years and a couple of washings. It's not bad, but it's not as crisp as it once was and the reverse pleat gapes.. (It's a 2004 model, standard). The knockoff is a 4-5 yard and I wear it for general knockin' around, and for throwing workouts and stuff when it's not really cold..

And there you have it....my collection, what they're made out of, and how I wear them. I figure it's nice to have 1-2 "Really Nice" kilts for dress-up,a nd the rest can be more affordable ones for "around town" and whatnot.