Help! What type of fabric is good for hot weather?

[Ayin McFye]

I live out here in Arizona and it can get pretty hot sometimes. I own 4 kilts, but all 4 of them are wool, which coming soon, will get pretty warm to wear around. I'm most likely going to get the MacPhee tartan as my next tartan, and I would like to know what might be a good alternate to wool. It still has to be able to hold the pleats in, for example I know that cotton doesn't work from experience. (it was 8 years ago, but call it R&D or Trial and error, either way, it was a bad idea, I know better now) Thanks!

[turpin]

You could try 10 or 13-oz wool. they breath pretty well. You could get a contemporary kilt in cotton or cotton-poly from a place like Freedom Kilts or CCK. You could try USA kilts for a casual or semi-trad in poly-viscose, but I'm not sure they carry your preferred tartan. There are a lot of options. There are also a lot of kilties on this forum from AZ, so look for their posts which I'm sure you'll see on this thread soon.

[JimB]

Poly-Viscose works well. It it lightweight and washable.
I'm wearing one now and I love it. I wouldn't want to wear in here in January though

[Fearnest]

The PV is great! Of course a lighter weight wool would be OK for breathability, but you have to be careful that you don't get too light - you don't want your kilt flipping around willy-nilly!

I've had no problems with cotton blends - but then my pleats are sewn in.

[Tattoo Bradley]

A lot of the fellows here will disagree with me. But, I think an 11 oz. worsted wool tartan suits a warm weather climate. I have a 5 yarder made from Henderson (ancient shade) and even in this desert (Southeastern New Mexico) which is notorious for the wind, I manage to keep "the mystery."

And, as some of the others mentioned, Poly Viscose is GREAT. I have three casual models from USA Kilts, and adore them.

[O'Neille]

It was 98 F / 36 C in Tucson today at the Zoo. I wore my 16 oz Buchanan 8 yd wool and only started to get hot in direct sunlight when not moving. Otherwise it was downright comfortable. People wearing jeans were sweltering. I also recommend PV or PV blends in 5 yd kilts when the temperature tops 100. O'Neille

[Sunflash]

Though it is not as hot here in Alaskan summers (95 degrees or so here in the interior) allmost all of mine are made from heavy cotton duck canvas with sewn in pleats and they are great. I know several other kilt makers besides myself sell similar so you can check with UK, USA Kilts, or many of the others or send me a PM and we can talk options. If you are like me and willing to step out on a limb I wear two tone kilts that use the heavy over pleat and a lighter under pleat that are amazing in the summer. Let me know if you are interested or contact one of the other kilt makers on this forum and they should be able to take good care of you.

Zack

[escherblacksmith]

I'd have to agree with the wool. I've worn my greatkilt in 95F 60F dewpoint, no problem.

it will breathe better then most fabrics and will serve as an insulator against the heat as well . . .

[Nick]

PV is all right, but is an inferior material in comparison to worsted wool. Not that it doesn't have its advantages (like price), but it won't hold up as well. A lighter wool is a good idea, as is the "casual" kilt, which use less material (4 yds as compared to 8).

[Raphael]

PV is great. It is washable and very easy to take care off. I have a 3 year old PV kilt and it still looks and feel great. I don't pamper that kilt at all. The price is right as well.