Searching for a Good Ex-Hire Argyll Jacket - Opinions on Kilts-4-Less

**innisart** · 2nd February 16, 04:22 PM

I have been searching for an ex-hire Argyll jacket in black wool barathea. I am on a budget, but do not want to be reduced to purchasing one from Pakistan via eBay (I am afraid that I would get what I paid for, or perhaps even less). I was looking at www.exhirekilts.com (aka Kilts-4-Less) and was wondering if anyone else had purchased such a jacket from them, and what they thought of the quality, fit, etc.

My apologies in advance if this question or one like it has been answered in these forums hundreds of times. I am a newbie, and looking through the forums on ex-hire jackets, the threads I found were either already closed, or so specific that they did not seem to fit my question. Sorry if I am creating a new thread unnecessarily.

-Matt

**Blupiper** · 2nd February 16, 05:24 PM

I purchased a grey tweed jacket and vest combo from them last year. I recommend ordering up a size from what you consider your normal (if you're from the USA.) My size wasn't one they had in the ex-hire range, so they emailed me back straight away and offered me a set in my size -new- for a small extra charge. It arrived here in the States promptly, fits very nicely and the fit and finish are good. I have worn them at a number of occasions and they are well received. The coat and vest also come with a hanger and zippered coat bag. A good deal.

JMB

**Blupiper** · 2nd February 16, 05:27 PM

Follow-up post. For a photo of the combo, see the Stillwater Kilts discussion area below. Go to the thread marked Weathered MacKenzie Kilt and the pic is in the third message from the end of the queue.

JMB

**GrainReaper** · 2nd February 16, 05:57 PM

Check out kiltrentalUSA.com, I've dealt with them when I was out in Phoenix AZ, good stuff!

Here is the link to the argyll jackets:

http://www.kiltrentalusa.com/used-ge...le-jacket.html

**Mike S** · 2nd February 16, 06:43 PM

I have a black wool barathea Argyll/vest, Prince Charlie/vest, and Harris tweed Argyll/vest from Kilts-4-Less. All are very nicely tailored, and of very good quality at a reasonable price. The barathea Argyll was listed as an ex-hire, but it was obviously brand spanking new when it arrived. I rate that merchant very highly, and will continue to buy from, and recommend to others, Kilts-4-Less with full confidence.

I've also purchased a couple of sporrans from them, and am 100% satisfied with those.

I did a review of the tweed Argyll and vest elsewhere on the forum, complete with photos.

**Mike S** · 2nd February 16, 06:49 PM

To save you looking it up, here is Bluepiper's thread link:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...ckenzie-88045/

And my review thread link:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-review-88068/

**innisart** · 2nd February 16, 07:31 PM

Originally Posted by GrainReaper

Check out kiltrentalUSA.com, I've dealt with them when I was out in Phoenix AZ, good stuff!

Here is the link to the argyll jackets:

http://www.kiltrentalusa.com/used-ge...le-jacket.html

Thank you for the link. I took a look at their site too, but unfortunately, they don't currently have my size.

**innisart** · 3rd February 16, 11:49 AM

Originally Posted by GrainReaper

Check out kiltrentalUSA.com, I've dealt with them when I was out in Phoenix AZ, good stuff!

Here is the link to the argyll jackets:

http://www.kiltrentalusa.com/used-ge...le-jacket.html

I saw their jackets were made by Gaelic Themes in Scotland. That's a plus! They were good quality?

**innisart** · 2nd February 16, 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by Blupiper

I recommend ordering up a size from what you consider your normal (if you're from the USA.)

JMB

When you ordered up a size, was that just something you knew to do, or was that Craig's advice? It's a three bears thing: I've seen some people ordering up, others down, and others their US blazer size.

**OC Richard** · 3rd February 16, 06:34 AM

I clicked on the link exhirekilts.com AKA kilts4less AKA tartans4less and note that no-where does it say that the jackets were MADE IN SCOTLAND or MADE IN UK.

This means, in 99% of the cases with sellers like that, that the jackets were made in Pakistan or India.

Which is fine if that's what you're looking for. If you're looking for high quality UK-made items you'll have to keep looking.

I bought one of their supposed ex-hire Spirit Of Scotland kilts, and the fabric 1) wasn't the actual tartan but a knockoff and 2) had a strange feel to it and obviously was woven in Pakistan out of who-knows-what. The sewing of the kilt was typical Pakistani machine-sewn stuff. They're very careful about not openly telling lies, yet they have a crafty way of making things seem like more than they are. What I got was a new mystery-fabric machine-sewn casual kilt, the price being not so bad for that. However that's not how the kilt was described, and it's not what I was looking for.