FK vs UK

[Sean_the_Kilted]

I'm thinking about getting either a Freedom Kilt with some of the pockets or a Utilikilt Workman. For those of you who own both, how do they compare and which one would you recommend? I would most likely be wearing it hiking and around the house/yard. Which pleat style do you prefer Fk knife or UK reverse Kinsquise (sp?) and why? Which is more durable? Which has the better apron width? More durable? anything else to compare them?

[Riverkilt]

I have both. They are COMPLETELY different birds...really hard to compare.

One comes in premade sizes from the sewing room floor, produced en masse down a production line. (Utilikilts of course). Freedom kilt is sewn up to your measurements by a kiltmaker. Certainly not on a production line.

Utilikilts offers a few styles. You buy one of their styles or colors.

Freedom Kilts will pretty much customize the kilt to what you want including fabric, color, pockets/accessories.

Order from Utilikilts and you'll talk to a friendly ordertaker who will do their best to match you to what they have available or what's coming down the line.

Order from Freedom Kilts and you'll be talking to Steve who'll help figure out how best to build your kilt.

No right or wrong for either. Just different. Its you that have to decide what you want.

The appearances are certainly different as you can see on the websites.

Like I say, I have both, because they are different birds. Rosed and Orchids. Both very lovely.

Just saw that Freedom Kilts new website is up. Time there and time on the UK website - particularly in the galleries - should help you decide which you want to buy first.

Then go buy one of the other. Then you'll know where to go from there.



Maroon Dress Model Freedom Kilt with the traditional wide apron and straps.



Narrow apron olive Utilikilts Mocker at the office. Snaps.



Freedom Kilts wide apron desert camo cargo model.



Basil Utilikilt Survival II with narrow apron.

Ron

[Raphael]

I prefer Utilikilts over Freedom Kilt. It is only a personal preference and nothing more than that.

[Big Mikey]

As Ron has so eloquently stated, it is a hard comparison because of the differences. I also own a UK and two FKs.

UK is according to their own literature a "MUG", thus the styling is more "kilt like". Their garments have pleats and an apron although they are very different from a kilt. I would liken them to buying a pair of Dockers at Walmart.

An FK is tailor made in the style of traditional kilts. They have a fully pleated rear and wide aprons. I would say an FK is like having a pair of dress slacks made-to-measure.

The durability issue depends on your choice of material, activities, laundering methods, etc.

Your options are greater with an FK (pockets, material, colours) and having Steve make your kilt GUARANTEES that you will get what you want.

I may be somewhat biased but I will say that my first "kilt" was a UK and it still gets lots of wear but my tastes have matured and I now go with custom made.

Having said that, all of the above and $1.95 will get you a cup of coffee.

[Rex_Tremende]

I'm thinking about getting either a Freedom Kilt with some of the pockets or a Utilikilt Workman. For those of you who own both, how do they compare and which one would you recommend?

I have both, 4 UKs and 1 FK.

I would most likely be wearing it hiking and around the house/yard.

For casual wear around the house, a UK may suit your purposes better. For me, my FK is the equivalent of the better Dockers in my closet. I would do and have done yard work and house work in my UKs.

Which pleat style do you prefer Fk knife or UK reverse Kinsquise (sp?) and why?

The FK pleats are more kilt-like and have better swing. There are more of them, too. The UK pleats are sort of floppy and sway more than they swing, and, having less fabric, feel less substantial. I think they wrinkle more easliy, and tend to curl outward (though Riverkilt Ron has more or less solved this problem with the way he hangs them with weights to dry, he has reported). Steve has mostly solved this problem with the FK. I think I prefer the performance and appearance of the FK pleats. On the other hand, with fewer pleats, a UK weighs less than a FK, and I think I could wear a UK longer doing chores than I would a FK. (I have worn the FK all day when I had no commitments without any problem, however.)

Which is more durable?

I've seen some pretty shabby UKs, but I think people tend to abuse them more than they would a custom FK. The cotton twill of my FK feels more substantial than the twill of the UKs.

Which has the better apron width?

Depends on what you are looking for. Again, the FK apron is more kilt-like, but the UK apron flops right down between your legs without any fuss when you sit.

anything else to compare them?

See Ron's comparison above. The FK is a better garment than the UK, but there's a lot I do that I don't want to do in my better garments. I can dress up my FK (with no cargo pockets) and my UK Mockers, but a UK Workman's, Survival, or "Original" is never going to be terribly dressy.

Regards,
Rex.

A note on terminology - I see Big Mikey is using "kilt-like" to mean "sort of but not so much like a kilt". I am using the expression to mean "more like a 'tank' than not."

[The Wizard of BC]

Sean, I hope you are getting your questions answered satisfactorily. It would be unfair for me to get into this thread because Steven from UK does not post here.
But, if you have a specific question I can answer, I won't be far away.

Thank you to those who have spoken up to help an X Marker with an honest question.

[IndianaGentry]

I love, love, love my Utilikilts. I have nothing against any of the rest- it is just my preference. Like most clothing, you tend to wear what feels right on you. For me, that is UK.

I like UK's because they are so durable- they are pretty much made to be abused. They are, quite literally, "casual kilts for everyday wear." You just throw them in the washer, and hang them up to dry. You can't treat most kilts this way... but then again, that's what makes a Utilikilt different. It isn't a traditional kilt, and can't be compared to one. To do so wouldn't be fair.

When I first wore a UK, one of the things I liked the most was the fact that I could get solid colors. If I was going to start wearing kilts often, I didn't want to have to wear the same "plaid" color every day... after all, I'm not even a golfer. However, I could get a black Utilikilt and match it to a lot of shirts I owned, unlike a tartan, which might only match a handful of colors. Then I found the Survival Utilikilt with its insane number of pockets, and I knew I had found the kilt that was right for me.

I don't intend for this to sound like a Utilikilt commercial, but if you are wondering what would make a specific kilt "the right one for you," then maybe my experience will make you ask some questions that you might not have thought about yet. Maybe the things I wanted are NOT what you want in a kilt.

Utilikilts are great, but it depends on what you really want out of your kilt. If you want the classic Scottish look, UK is not the kilt for you. I've even had the occasional "kilt snob" tell me that I'm not wearing a kilt when I have on a UK- to which I reply, "Good thing I didn't ask for your opinion of my clothing." On the other hand, I met one of my best friends at the F1 US Grand Prix because I was wearing a Utilikilt and he was wearing a full "proper" kilt outfit (jacket, ghillies, etc). He is from Falkirk Scotland, and had never seen a UK before. The power of the kilt started our conversation, and we've been great friends ever since. But I digress...

Whatever you decide, you've read my 2 cents worth regarding Utilikilts. Hope it helps you.

[Riverkilt]

Which sort of highlights the point that Utilikilts sells "their" ideas to their clients and Freedom Kilts turns client's ideas into kilts. Again neither business philosophy is better, just different.

And, to follow up. For sure I'd wear my Utilikilts Mockers and Freedom Kilts dress model in similar settings - indoors, the office - "clean" venues.

I've worn my Freedom Kilts cargo models everywhere I've worn my Utilikilts Workman's and Survival II's...hiking, rafting, grubbing around the yard.

Ron

[James MacMillan]

Which sort of highlights the point that Utilikilts sells "their" ideas to their clients and Freedom Kilts turns client's ideas into kilts. Again neither business philosophy is better, just different.

And, to follow up. For sure I'd wear my Utilikilts Mockers and Freedom Kilts dress model in similar settings - indoors, the office - "clean" venues.

I've worn my Freedom Kilts cargo models everywhere I've worn my Utilikilts Workman's and Survival II's...hiking, rafting, grubbing around the yard.

Ron

It's wet enough that you can find grubbs???

[Riverkilt]

Sean, if you'd like to read an old "dust up" on the pros and cons of the way Utilikilts does things and the way Freedom Kilts - and some other kiltmakers - do things, check out this old thread from summer of 2005. It got pretty nitty gritty.

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/l...ht=drill+holes

Ron