Hello fellow XMTS members! As someone relatively new to the wonderful world of kilting, I want to contribute something to the forum which welcomed me to it all.

Today, I'm contributing a review of my first (and relatively new) sporran. I think it will be a good contribution because I haven't found any detailed reviews of L&M hunting sporrans, and none of this particular one. Aside from that, it should provide useful information to fellow newbies beyond the obvious "it's a pouch suspended by a chain/strap". This will actually be more aimed at those new to kilting, as most of the more experienced kilties will already know most of this stuff. But, regardless of prior experience, I hope everyone can enjoy this all the same!

(LOTS of pictures ahead!)

Why Black Paired With Brass?



Why not? Usually, we see black paired with chrome, or brown paired with brass. There are no real rules on this, it's just a matter of personal preference. I personally find the combination of black and brass/gold to be very appealing; it has a sort of robust richness to it. Like what you like and wear what you like with pride - that's the key to enjoying your kilt.

"Hunting" Sporran?



Some people may be wondering what exactly defines a sporran as a "hunting" sporran. You can get various answers from various people. As far as I can tell, the only trait which defines a "hunting" sporran is that it has 5 flat, oblong tassels which are either rounded or pointed on the outer tips, and are secured against a hard, flat sporran body by stitching, riveting, adhesive, or any combination of those three things. The tops of these tassels are connected by a robust piece of leather or other material in a "W" kind of pattern. That's pretty much it; they may or may not have a cantle; they may or may not have a targe (the round design seen in the center of this one); they may open from the top, or have a flap.

The Jonesing And My Initial Thoughts

I ordered my sporran from the Scottish Trading Company website (http://www.Scottishtradingcompany.com). They offered a great price and their customer service is top notch. I did have to wait 4 weeks due to both the STC and L&M being out of stock of that particular sporran, which resulted in L&M having to make one. But finally.....it arrived!



As I opened the box, I was welcomed by the wonderful fragrance of the leather and the brilliant shine of the brass cantle. Along with the sporran came the leather straps w/ chain, and a slip with information about L&M. I examined the sporran and was immediately impressed with the amount of craftsmanship and attention to detail put into its construction.

The Details

The brass cantle is just beautiful. It has Celtic designs incorporated into the front, with a solid smooth surface on top. All of the cantle has a mirror finish shine. There is also a stationary knob on the top, which actually does serve a convenient function (I'll explain that a little later in this review). An interesting sidenote is that the cantle says 'Made In Scotland', although L&M is located in Nova Scotia. This indicates that the cantles are not made by L&M; this is not a bad thing, but if anyone was wondering if they make their own, this should answer that question.



I must say, L&M made a good choice with the targe pattern and its execution; the knotwork design is highlighted in the leather with a sheen, as opposed to the rest of the matte black colour. They had some options here - they could have made the pattern solid brass, they could have added more rivets on each of the points, or maybe used a textured leather. I like the smooth higher-sheen black though because it is noticeable at first glance without being loud and announcing its presence, or giving the rest of the sporran a cluttered appearance. Kudos to you, L&M. I also find the perforated leather accents surrounding the cantle and targe a tasteful touch.

The body of the sporran is composed of very soft and smooth leather bound to a hard, flat base to give it its shape. The stitching detail is good for the most part; my only complaint is that it looks like the person who was sewing let it go off track a bit on the side of the center tassel. Its not really noticeable unless you look closely, so I'm not really too worried about it. It shouldn't affect the life of the sporran and does not affect its functionality, but it's there. This is my one and only complaint about the entire sporran.