Cheap Durable Kilts

[Robinhood]

I was following the thread about durable kilts with great
interest when it was unfairly deleted. Since it was obviously
about kilts, and how to make them last longer, I'm bringing
the topic up again.

How about the leather kilts? The cost is pretty extreme,
but if it could be made from cheaper suede, it seems that
it might be both durable and affordable.

I've never seen a leather one. Are they absurdly heavy
and cumbersome? Too much for work wear?

[Kilted KT]

I was following the thread about durable kilts with great
interest when it was unfairly deleted. Since it was obviously
about kilts, and how to make them last longer, I'm bringing
the topic up again.

How about the leather kilts? The cost is pretty extreme,
but if it could be made from cheaper suede, it seems that
it might be both durable and affordable.

I've never seen a leather one. Are they absurdly heavy
and cumbersome? Too much for work wear?

while the odds of the leather ripping, I don't see any issues there. The huge problem with leather is heat management. Wool breathes very well, and is cool in the summer and warm in the winter..while leather will be hot no matter what is going on...and in the southern states, I am sure it will be unbearable..

Overall I feel leather is a poor choice for kilt material. The most durable fabric I've seen is still wool. It wears very well, can take a beating, breathes well, and is very easy to work with. There are a few on ebay for $50 or so. check the threads for the Ebay Kilt tartan hiker and myself both have.

[Canuck]

while the odds of the leather ripping, I don't see any issues there. The huge problem with leather is heat management. Wool breathes very well, and is cool in the summer and warm in the winter..while leather will be hot no matter what is going on...and in the southern states, I am sure it will be unbearable..

Overall I feel leather is a poor choice for kilt material. The most durable fabric I've seen is still wool. It wears very well, can take a beating, breathes well, and is very easy to work with. There are a few on ebay for $50 or so. check the threads for the Ebay Kilt tartan hiker and myself both have.

Well I'm going to disagree with you on the leather front. Leather does breath and I find that it behaves rather well for a kilt. When I'm doing the highland games out in a field under the blazing sun, the leather kilt is cool, in fact it is cooler than the textile kilts I have. They do take a beating and don't wrinkle. Easy to care for and they rarely need ironing.
The pleats move the air around just like a regular kilt.
As for cheap...no...it's comparable to the cost of a 8yd 16 oz kilt. It will last a long long time

[Kilted KT]

Well I'm going to disagree with you on the leather front. Leather does breath and I find that it behaves rather well for a kilt. When I'm doing the highland games out in a field under the blazing sun, the leather kilt is cool, in fact it is cooler than the textile kilts I have. They do take a beating and don't wrinkle. Easy to care for and they rarely need ironing.
The pleats move the air around just like a regular kilt.
As for cheap...no...it's comparable to the cost of a 8yd 16 oz kilt. It will last a long long time

then I stand corrected...last time I wore anything leather I thought I was in a furnace of hell...then again, it was very hot out anyway.

[Canuck]

then I stand corrected...last time I wore anything leather I thought I was in a furnace of hell...then again, it was very hot out anyway.

Was the garment that you wore lined? Most leather kilts are not. The lining does make a difference. So what you experienced, is of course most valid. Especially if it's a leather jacket. Given my motorcycle experience riding in the summer in a leather jacket can be super uncomfortable....so would a long sleeve wool sweater or shirt. The kilt is just a different beast. I would suspect leather pants or leder-hosen also would be too hot for the same reason of no air and they being lined.

[Riverkilt]

A couple thoughts on this thread from this kilt junkie.

I have two leather kilts. One of Robert's (RKilts) saffron leather, and a UK Brown leather (pre front pockets).

Have worn both in the heat of Arizona. Not a problem for me. When things are warm the leather at the waist sort of molds to me and I like that. Besides, leather kilts are such a trip, and the leather smell so intoxicating, I don't notice the heat.

I imagine a leather jacket, leather pants, or even a leather baseball glove would be hot in the summer, but they're not open like a kilt. I know in the winter the kilts trap the heat, but I think its so hot in the summer the heat is always spilling out as other heat rises. I'm no physicist, but know they're not as hot as people fear.

And, in addition to SWK and SportKilts don't over look USAKilts casuals which are less expensive than SportKilt and better made. At least they can pleat to the sett or stripe instead of "pleating to the random." I posted a SportKilt - USAKilt Casual comparison somewhere a few months ago.

Ron

[Colin]

I was following the thread about durable kilts with great
interest when it was unfairly deleted. Since it was obviously
about kilts, and how to make them last longer, I'm bringing
the topic up again.

That thread was about women's lacrosse skirts and one man's quest to get a similar version made for men under the guise of a kilt. It was also turning into a discussion that was not appropriate for the mandate of Xmarks.

If you want to have a thread about the durability of kilts, and how to make them last longer, than good luck with the thread, I am sure there are a lot of good suggestions.

[Robinhood]

I had another thought. How about cordouroy.
I don't know if it is made the same as it was
when I was a kid, because it seemed like a
plowed field then, compared to what I see in
stores now, but the cords I had back then
seemed to never wear out.

I doubt you could make one from a full
8 yards due to thickness, but a 4 yard
one should be possible.

[arrogcow]

I had another thought. How about cordouroy.
I don't know if it is made the same as it was
when I was a kid, because it seemed like a
plowed field then, compared to what I see in
stores now, but the cords I had back then
seemed to never wear out.

I doubt you could make one from a full
8 yards due to thickness, but a 4 yard
one should be possible.

I recently got one of the UK cordouroy kilts. My first thought was that it would be one of my colder day kilts. Instead to my surprise, it is probably the coolest (temp wise) UK I own (except for the spartan). Very comfortable on hot days. I bought it used (it was one of the dark brown prototypes) so it is about a year old now. It is holding up as well as all my UK's.

Adam

[Panache]

Robinhood,

Two suggestions to look in to

(1) The Stillwater Economy Kilts

(2) Sport Kilt

I got a Sport kilt for my son. It isn't fancy by any means, but it does seem durable and excellent for athletic use (at the Highland games last weekend in Campbell I saw a lot of sport kilts on the competitors.

Does anyone out there have a Sportkilt or Stillwater Economy review for our man Robinhood?

Cheers