PV versus Wool

[Drillagent]

After all the searching the web, talking to friends, and all around wondering, is there anyone who can give me the pros and cons between a kilt made of PV material, and one made of traditional wool. The PV kilts are so much less expensive, but do they look and hang the same? I've had a friend tell me that a PV is good to wear to the local highland games, but not to wear to the Holiday Ball with my uniform. Can anyone help? I want a good kilt in the US Army tartan, but I don't have the hundreds of dollars it takes to get it. Thanks.

[TheKiltedWonder]

Now this won't answer how it hangs, looks, etc, but on the kiltmakers part of the forum I believe someone posted a chart comparing PV to wool on stuff like warmth, ability to hold a pleat, etc. Try searching there and if I find the link I'll post it here.

[Colin]

PV is not the same as wool, but for a kilt it is, in my opinion, the next best thing. Nothing beats a heavy weight wool kilt for feel, hang, appearance, but the PV (particularly the PV from Marton Mills) looks much better than many of the other fabrics out there these days. A PV kilt made in a formal or semi-formal way will look great and has the added bonus of being machine washable.

Wool is more expensive than PV and PV is more expensive that alot of other materials, but people seem to forget that you get what you pay for. Personally I would save up for the wool kilt, but a PV kilt (I believe Rocky at USAkilts has access to the US Army tartan) really is the next best thing.

[The Wizard of BC]

Rocky at USA Kilts is the expert when it comes to P/V.

But from someone who has made kilts from both, owns both and wears both on a regular basis, let me put it this way.

The hang and swish of a Wool kilt cannot be beat by any other fabric. That is why kilts have been made from it all these years. It's not us being snobby and wanting something just because it costs more. It really is better so we are willing to pay what ever it takes.

P/V is the next best thing available today. However, Current productions of P/V are only in a relatively light weight of 10.5 oz./linear yard. It hangs and swishes ok but is prone to flyaway. P/V is the perfect fabric for kilts that are going to be dirtied, splashed on, have beer spilled on them or otherwise trashed. This is because P/V is a man-made fiber and resists stains fairly well. It also holds a pleat forever. If pressed correctly with the perfect temperature the pleats are set permanently.

I like the feel of Wool over P/V. Especially on a cool day. P/V always has a "cool" feel to me. If I lived in the southern US that would be a plus.

As to the appearance, well that all depends on the kiltmaker. If you want a P/V kilt that could go from casual to dressy Rocky will make you one that most people can't tell from a full Traditional Wool kilt. But even $90.00 a yard
Wool will look like s**t when make into a kilt by someone with no pride in their workmanship.

I hope this helped.

[Jennifer D]

I appreciate the info. I just ordered my husband a PV for everyday wear. He has a traditional wool kilt but I thought that would be better for dressier outings. this way a less expensive garment can take the brunt of the wear and tear. Not that I don't love to see him walking the dog in his kilt.

[Moosedog]

Welcome to X marks!

My opinion:

Nothing beats wool for looks, breathability, durability, "swish factor." Its resilience makes for a better feel and fit. I love wool. I might have to repeat that. I love wool.

But I wear P-V whever I anticipate getting my kilt dirty (read: daily in the summer, many days in the winter.) P-V seems the closest to wool one could find. Its hard, twill finish makes it look more like wool and wrinkle less than the alternatives. The drawback is it is only available in a lighter weight, so it looks like 10-11 ounce wool, instead of 13 or 16 ounce. But boy, is it nice to be able to wash it! I throw mine in a mesh bag, wash it on gentle (I have a front-loader with no agitator fins) then hang dry. No basting or pressing...it allows me to live kilted.

Like Steve said, the kiltmaker makes all the difference. I'm confident Rocky could make you a kilt out of PV that will be suitable for formal events. A search of this forum will net you lots of pictures and reviews of high-quality kilts made of P-V that might help you decide if it will suit you.

Moosedog

P.S. There may even be some X-markers near you who would be willing to model their P-V kilts...

[BozemanboB]

I wore my PV USAK to a formal dance about two weeks ago, and I must say I looked mighty da*n sharp! I'm biased, of course.

Now it's true that no one there could tell the difference between a wool kilt and a PV kilt, but by no means does the PV kilt look like it's "cheap" based solely on the appearance of the fabric. Well, not in my opinion, anyway.

I do prefer the feel of wool, but for the price I think a PV is a terrific value and I'm pleased and proud to wear a well-made PV kilt (especially one made by USAK). I will buy more PV kilts.

boB

[beloitpiper]

I've always tried to stay away from PV kilts. I have one, but I don't wear it often, only when doing hard labor or grunt work. Wool just looks and feels better, and to seasoned kilt wearers, the difference is noticeable.

[Colin]

I've always tried to stay away from PV kilts. I have one, but I don't wear it often, only when doing hard labor or grunt work. Wool just looks and feels better, and to seasoned kilt wearers, the difference is noticeable.

Where did you get the PV kilt from though? Ionly ask, as a few companies have been said to seel kilt sin PV, but I only know of 3 that sell the Marton Mills PV right now. That's USA Kilts, Canadian Casual Kilts, and Tartanweb (and Bear, but he's not taking orders right now).

[auld argonian]

I'm definitely coveting a semi-trad from USAK in the PV. I have a casual from them and it's just a darn fine kilt. The material is fer sure lighter weight than wool but it still looks very good and is very comfortable. It's THE next best thing to wool. If your budget allowed a semi-trad in PV in the Army Tartan, I'd think that you'd find it versatile enough to wear for dress and casual.

Best

AA