Ebay Blackwatch Field Test review

[Kilted KT]

Before I get to my field test results, here are links to the previous threads regarding these kilts so no one gets lost.

the original post by Tartan Hiker, who discovered these beauties.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=16801

Tartan Hiker's Review of the kilt

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=16975

My review of the kilt when I purchased four of them.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...ad.php?t=17435

I'll start a new post for the reviews.

[Kilted KT]

and now for the review...

This past weekend I attended a Mom and Me Cub Scout Campout. One of my fraternity brothers is a leader in the pack, and his wife is part of the council staff. I was approached to teach the scouts how to make shelters. I figured it would be an excellent way to get into the woods and test my new kilts, so I jumped at the opportunity.

and here is what happened...

Friday night:

After thoroughly thumping another indoor soccer team ( I was keeper), I ran home to change into my kilt and camping gear. I donned the E-bay Black Watch kilt ( EBK ), my black oakley boots and a t-shirt. It was warm and nice outside, should be great for camping.

Once I had everything loaded into my truck, I headed to Wal-mart to get the necessary camping items ( junk food) and a few tent stakes. Roughly $80 later, I remembered why you need to eat before going shopping. Anyway, I headed for the ranch at about 9:15 pm. Clouds were starting to roll in, so I upped the pace a bit.

I found the entrance to the ranch some 25 miles later, and it started raining. As I entered the ranch, I asked a few men who were at the gate ( Camp rangers, I figured) where the cub scout campout was. The man said "over the hill, then take a left". I thought to myself "that should be a short ride". 30 minutes and 10 miles later, I was there. This was the biggest damn ranch I had ever seen. Of course when I got there, I took a wrong turn and went the long way to the camp kitchen. And, as expected, the rain had turned this wrong way into something out of an Indiana Jones movie. It was pretty bad, to say the least.

I finally reached the kitchen at 10:45pm, and the place went dead silent when I walked in. There were 30-odd adults there, the staff for the weekend. I walked in, found my fraternity brother and figured out what had to be done. Of course I got plenty of stares, but they seemed innocent enough. During the meeting, I volunteered to help with breakfast. One of the guys there ( who I found I would be working with later ) said "I'll be skipping breakfast if he's cooking in that skirt!". EVeryone had a good laugh, and we moved on. it was 2:30am before we hit the sac after getting the camp set up in the rain.

5am came all too soon. I rolled off the couch ( I managed to score a spot in the camp director's cabin with my brother and his wife...very sweet) donned my kilt and other clothes ( I decided that regimental would be a pushing it with all the kids and people who didn't know me, so I opted for Padagonia's Capeline line of boxerbriefs...highly recommended if you can't go regimental) and headed for the kitchen.

I stumbled in with an hour or hours sleep ( a raccoon decided the couch was also a good idea, and tried to get in at about 4am). Chrissy was there as expected to help with breakfast. She is another coucil staff member with my brother's wife. She looked at the kilt, look at me, look at the kilt...and did this for a good five minutes. I guess she was as tired as I was. We got to making breakfast ( backed breakfast burritos...an abomination if you ask me) and made sure the coffee was double strong. That was a very good idea.

[Kilted KT]

The staff members started rolling in at around 6am, all of them looking very tired. After a great many pots of coffee, we started getting things ready for the kids to show up at 9am. Being that the entire camp was a quagmire of mud, ruts and rocks, I was designated the one who could get places ( the tacoma 4x4 is a godsend!) and shuffled people and gear to all points of the camp. Once the scouts started showing up, I added their gear to the list of things that needed to be transported. The entire time I heard not a word from the kids or the mothers about my kilt.

Once all the gear was moved and the kids were set up and moving to their first sessions, I retreated to the survival area to teach kids how to make shelters. I decided that it would be best to include a bit about the kilt, so I explained how scots of old would use their great kilt for just about anything ( bedroll, tent, etc) if they needed it. The kids thought it was really cool. Not sure what the mom's thought, but their eyes said it all. And they all obviously had the question on their minds.

When we broke for lunch, it really started to rain hard. I was forced to don my oilskin duster and gaitors to stay dry. The kilt performed it's job wonderfully. I was very warm, and the kilt didn't soak through...even with the driving rain. At that point I decided that a kilt was the only way to go in the woods, hadns down.

after lunch, many of the moms got fed up with the rain, and even though their kids were having the time of their lives stomping around the mud and puddles, they collected their things and tried to leave. I had to tow several of them out of the mud that they got their cars stuck in. Where some people learned how to drive I'll never know.

Once the rain really started falling ( visibility was down to about 100 feet or so) I left my survival teaching station and proceeded to patch tents with holes, close open tents and attempt to fix as many of the inexperienced camper's mistakes. I think I counted about 15 olympic swimming pools that were once tents. Still, the kilt held up, without any problems at all.

several hours of tent patching, re-pitching and truck-driving later, I had dinner. I checked the kilt quick to see how the pleats were holding up. Even with hours of rain and mud on them, they looked great. All in place, and hanging as if they had just been loosed from their pleat thread. ( see my initial review for an example).

After a long day of crazed running around and such, we had our campfire ( nad to be inside due to the rain) and one of the staff members did a slideshow of the kids, and what they did. Groups would cheer when a pic of someone they knew was shown. I was a bit worried, as I had no idea what kind of devilish photoshopping he had done to any pic of me ( he had been chiding me about the kilt all day..out of fun I later found). When they did show a pic of me in my kilt, the entire place cheered. I had no idea that the kilt would be that popular. It was a great campfire as the kids sang, danced and did all the crazy things cub scouts like to do.

After all that, we cleaned up and hit the sac for some much-needed rest.

[Kilted KT]

Sunday morning came as that same raccoon wanted in to the couch. He had managed to rip the screen off the window, but that was about as far as he got. When it was finally time to get up, I donned my class A uniform for closing ceremonies. A quick look over my kilt showed that aside from a wee spot of mud on the pleats ( from hooking up tow-cable to silly people's cars ) the kilt was in great condition. Pleats all even, sharp and in place. The apron flat and as it should be. Overall it looked as if someone had splotched some mud on a clean kilt.

I finished putting on my Class A's, and headed for breakfast. I'm sure Hamish with point out that I'm wearing brown boots with black sporran and belt. My great-looking oakley boots were not anywhere near as waterprood as advertised, so I put on my real boots ( Asolo...as indestructible as this kilt) to stay dry. I made my way to the kitchen and walked in.

The room was abuzz with kids and their mom's mowing through a vat of pancakes-on-a-stick and juice. I walked in, grabbed some brakfast and sat with my brother and his wife. One of the other male staffers stated that "he had never seen Class A's with a kilt. It looks good" I commented that the kilt was both casual and formal, depending on the occasion and accessories. I went for seconds, and the inevitable finally happened. I got some more food, passing a table of moms on the way. I got all kinds of stares as I walked by. On the way out, one stopped me as asked " So, are you a true scotsman?" I paused for a second, thinking of the best way to answer. I said "Were this not a cub scout event, the answer would be yes." The entire table blushed at the same time, looking like a patch of ripe tomatoes. I continued to my seat and finished breakfast.

After breakfast, I helped the last few scouts pack up their gear, and close up the camp. I overheard countless moms telling their kids that this was a kilt and not a skirt, and they told the young boys how men in Scotland wear kilts instead of pants. One of the kids, being a prankster, walked up many times and said "nice skirt", to which I replied "yes, pants-boy". He laughed every time. It was hilarious.

Once everything was put away, the thanks were given and camp closed down, I was asked by my brother if I would like to help with his pack. Of course I replied yes. After that another staffer approached and said the pics of the kilt will look great on the district web site. I'll post a link when I find it.

As for the kilt, I can't speak highly enough about it. It may not be a scottish hadn-sewn tank, but it acted like one. Once I get the leathers replaces, I am certain this will be my kilt of choice for outdoor activities.

only problem is, it has me jonseing for a MacTavish 16oz tank!

[Kilted KT]

and here are the pics everyone wants..


My daytime gear....yes, I was exhausted. If you look closely you can see the raindrops in the pic...they were huge.


My Class A Scout uniform...


...and the dangers I faced (yes, it is a tarantula we found outside the kitchen)

[flairball]

That's a great story, and a great review. I've been thinking of getting one of those EBKs, and now that I know they will stand up the decision will be even easier.

[Southern Breeze]

Excellant review, story and pics. Thanks for posting it all.

[mkmound]

Excellant review, story and pics. Thanks for posting it all.

What he said!!! Thanks!

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Kilted KT, all I can say is Good on Ya! for wearing the kilt, supporting scouting, expanding out kilt options, braving the elements, and all your great posts.

Slainte, mate!

[mbhandy]

Sounds like you had a great time and I'm tired after reading all that


MrBill