Pictures of Kilts4Less Ex-Hires?

[KennethSime]

I've heard from quite a few people on Facebook forums that the ex-hire kilts from Kilts4Less are a great way to acquire 8-yard kilts on a PV-kilt budget. I'm wondering if you have ordered an ex-hire, would you be able to post some pictures?

Especially curious to see the pleating in the back, and to hear any other thoughts you have about them.

[WalesLax]

You can see some pictures here, though these arrived new and with tags:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f110/selling-carnegie-ancient-black-stewart-8-yard-clan-alba-kilts-96610/

[OC Richard]

Speaking only of their Ebay offerings, I've found that some of their ex-hire kilts are quality UK-made kilts which are indeed ex-hire.

Here, on Ebay now, is what looks to me like a high-quality UK-made kilt of quality kilting fabric being sold ex-hire by kilts4less

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Ex-Hire-Kid...QAAOSwiMRa-wNO

However the vast majority of the "ex-hire" kilts they sell on Ebay are new Pakistani-made kilts. I know, I bought one, and the way it's made is absolutely distinctive of a specific Pakistani maker, there's no way to mistake them for a UK-made kilt.

The fabric on these particular Pakistani kilts has an odd distinctive feel and could never be mistaken for the high-quality PV fabric from UK mills.

Here, currently being sold on Ebay, is the exact kilt I got from them. It was obviously new and obviously Pakistani made. In fact at all our local Highland Games there are multiple booths selling these exact kilts. (BTW you can tell when the buckles on a kilt have never been buckled other than to put the kilt together for display.)

[KennethSime]

Speaking only of their Ebay offerings, I've found that some of their ex-hire kilts are quality UK-made kilts which are indeed ex-hire...

However the vast majority of the "ex-hire" kilts they sell on Ebay are new Pakistani-made kilts. I know, I bought one, and the way it's made is absolutely distinctive of a specific Pakistani maker, there's no way to mistake them for a UK-made kilt.

The fabric on these particular Pakistani kilts has an odd distinctive feel and could never be mistaken for the high-quality PV fabric from UK mills.

Hey Richard, thanks for the details!

I've done a bit more reading here on the forum since posting this, and it does seem like quite a few people ended up with Pakistani-made kilts that aren't wool. It also seems like the owner of Kilts4Less may be a bit of a schemer.

I would love to get an ex-hire 8-yard wool kilt for $100, but I think that Kilts4Less is probably not going to be for me. I'm afraid I'm not ready to take the gamble. I will take a look at the eBay listings, perhaps because of the eBay guarantee I would feel a bit safer.

[Tomo]

I would love to get an ex-hire 8-yard wool kilt for $100

$100 might be a tad on the low side.

2 places I would recommend for quality ex-hire kilts are Slanj (https://slanjkilts.com) and McCalls (https://www.mccalls.co.uk). Not always a wide range of ex-hire stock - but worth keeping an eye on.

In the last year or so I have bought a Scotland Rugby Tartan Kilt from Slanj for £99 and a Hunting Pride Kilt from McCalls for £150.

In terms of Kilts4less, they appear to something of a mixed bag. Largely a discount warehouse. I have not bought kilts from them, but have bought a couple of jackets. The last was Harris Tweed, a few months back, which I am very pleased with. I have also found both their customer services and speed of delivery to be excellent.

[bodhran4me]

Hey Richard, thanks for the details!

I've done a bit more reading here on the forum since posting this, and it does seem like quite a few people ended up with Pakistani-made kilts that aren't wool. It also seems like the owner of Kilts4Less may be a bit of a schemer.

I would love to get an ex-hire 8-yard wool kilt for $100, but I think that Kilts4Less is probably not going to be for me. I'm afraid I'm not ready to take the gamble. I will take a look at the eBay listings, perhaps because of the eBay guarantee I would feel a bit safer.

I have heard when called on the sub par quality he is very accommodating . I think it is one of those things where enough are sold to people who don't know better or don't care because they got a kilt for a cheap price that he is able to make no nonsense refunds. Upshot is, if you are going in expecting a $100 new kilt then you may well be happy with your purchase. But yes the tactics used to be in that position are rather shady.

[WalesLax]

$100 might be a tad on the low side.

2 places I would recommend for quality ex-hire kilts are Slanj (https://slanjkilts.com) and McCalls (https://www.mccalls.co.uk). Not always a wide range of ex-hire stock - but worth keeping an eye on.

In the last year or so I have bought a Scotland Rugby Tartan Kilt from Slanj for £99 and a Hunting Pride Kilt from McCalls for £150.

In terms of Kilts4less, they appear to something of a mixed bag. Largely a discount warehouse. I have not bought kilts from them, but have bought a couple of jackets. The last was Harris Tweed, a few months back, which I am very pleased with. I have also found both their customer services and speed of delivery to be excellent.

Out of curiosity and self interest, how and when did you get the SRU kilt for £99 from Slanj? I have been tracking them for quite a while, and I have yet to see the adult sizes drop below £249.

While even £249 is a pretty good price, I don’t *need* another kilt, but for £99, I am sure I all of a sudden would.

Again, I’m just asking to see if I can replicate the deal you got.

Thank you!

Rob

[WalesLax]

I have heard when called on the sub par quality he is very accommodating . I think it is one of those things where enough are sold to people who don't know better or don't care because they got a kilt for a cheap price that he is able to make no nonsense refunds. Upshot is, if you are going in expecting a $100 new kilt then you may well be happy with your purchase. But yes the tactics used to be in that position are rather shady.

Kilt4Less is a mixed bag. As a piper, I have a number of band-issued kilts, as well as others I have picked up from various places. One of my ones from Kilts4Less is incredible, and an absolute steal. The other two were good, and well worth it for £99 or so, but like you said, I went in expecting that they were not going to be a top of the line kilt, and have been very happy with them. Actually, the only reason I am selling the one is because it simply never makes it into my rotation any more due to having so many - a blessing and a curse.

Rob

[WalesLax]

I've heard from quite a few people on Facebook forums that the ex-hire kilts from Kilts4Less are a great way to acquire 8-yard kilts on a PV-kilt budget. I'm wondering if you have ordered an ex-hire, would you be able to post some pictures?

Especially curious to see the pleating in the back, and to hear any other thoughts you have about them.

Out of curiosity, were the pictures in my link of any help to you? I am happy to help if there is another picture you are looking for.

Rob

[Tomo]

Out of curiosity and self interest, how and when did you get the SRU kilt for £99 from Slanj? I have been tracking them for quite a while, and I have yet to see the adult sizes drop below £249.

While even £249 is a pretty good price, I don’t *need* another kilt, but for £99, I am sure I all of a sudden would.

Again, I’m just asking to see if I can replicate the deal you got.

Thank you!

Rob

Hi Rob - I got it at the end of last summer when they lost the SRU licence to Kinloch Anderson. Jumped on it pretty quick, when they made the announcement on Facebook. Secured my order PDQ - Kilt No. 9 in their list. Had to wait about a month until the end of their hire period though to get my hands on it.

Although you have got me thinking and I might need to double-check what I paid - I may have got it mixed up with a MacFarlane kilt I bought around the same time, although pretty sure it was nowhere near £250 (the £150 I paid for the McCall's kilt is about top end for me on ex-hires).