We've had discussions like this before, but maybe it's time to consider it again.

What makes the perfect sporran? Does the perfect sporran exist? These are two questions, which have been occupying my mind for a few weeks.

Let's start with the attributes that I consider make a perfect sporran.
1. Large enough to hold everything that I normally carry.
2. Carry everything that I normally carry securely.
3. Allow easy, rapid access to all items. For me, this means compartments.
4. Constructed of good quality material, in my mind this means good quality leather.
5. Allow one-handed extraction of all contents.
6. Be appropriate for the activity.

Let's back up and think about why I consider the kilt and sporran superior to pants and pockets. A typical pair of pants has two back pockets, and two front pockets, sometimes a watch pocket. In these pockets the average western male carries:
Rear pocket #1 - Wallet
Rear pocket #2 - Handkerchief and comb
Front pocket #1 - Paper money
Front pocket #2 - Pocketknife, keys and coins
Watch pocket - Watch
Some extra items that might also be carried include: ball point pen, cell phone, lighter, gun, coin purse, paperback book, notebook, flask and camera. Some people carry their cell phones and keys on the belt, and ball point pen in shirt pocket.

When you wore pants, you probably did something like the following: If you are right handed, you probably carried your wallet in the right rear pocket, and the handkerchief and comb in the left rear pocket. Pocketknife and coins might go in the right front pocket and paper money and keys in the left front pocket.

Let's say you have a large, heavy object in your right hand and you need a quarter for the meter from your right front pants pocket. Can you reach it with your left hand? - No. With a sporran, you can probably open and retrieve every item with one hand (closing the sporran might require two hands, but I'll go into that later.)

So I consider the kilt and sporran to be superior to pants and pockets!

Over the years, I have amassed quite a few sporrans. I have fancy fur dress sporrans, leather semi-dress sporrans, and leather and cloth casual sporrans. I also still have several really cheapo cardboard quality leather sporrans that I loan out (I don't use them!)

The dress sporrans generally have smaller pouches and don't hold much, but the pockets in your jacket or coat offset this.

Some dress sporrans

The semi-dress sporrans, which I wear with a coat and tie or jacket are good quality leather, have inside pockets and are large enough to hold everything, plus.

Some semi-dress sporrans

The casual sporrans are also large enough to hold everything and have inside pockets or compartments.

Some casual sporrans

Like the wives, I pick the appropriate sporran for the style of dress, color and/or activity.

Not one of my sporrans has all the qualities that I would like. Some come very close.

The Stillwater night stalker (either nylon or leather) comes the closest, but I don't really consider them very dressy. They can be opened and closed with one hand. All contents can be reached with one hand. It has enough compartments for all my stuff.

My Semi-dress sporrans are great, good quality leather, inside pockets or dividers but some require two hands to open, and all require two hands to close. The dress sporrans are just for dress.

Does the perfect sporran exist? No, I don't think it does yet.

What do you think?