Kilt Review: R-Kilts Hemp Kilt, Black w/ Brass Hardware

[Clockwork]

Forward

Well folks, it's been almost 3 months since I first received my hemp kilt made by our very own Robert Pel of Rkilts, and I think that has given me enough time to get a feel for my kilt in different situations and write up a review. Now before I begin, I do want to mention that this particular kilt is made from a 13oz (heavier and coarser weave) 100% hemp twill fabric as opposed to the standard hemp/cotton blend Robert normally uses for his dyed kilts. It was something I wanted and requested after much digging around to find a supplier for this kind of fabric, a search which turned out to be more difficult than I initially thought. I sent Robert some swatches upon his request so he could see if the fabric would be suitable for a kilt and after he approved, I ordered and began the Jonesing.

The Jonesing and My Initial Thoughts

Everything went well during the ordering process and Robert provided outstanding communication throughout. He has the patience and courtesy of a Saint, in my opinion, because anyone else would have been driven to the brink of insanity with all the questions I kept asking. But Robert didn't flinch, and helped me with selecting the best options for my kilt. A true gentleman indeed. He kept me updated on the progress of the kilt and when he told me it shipped, the real Jonesing began. But finally, it arrived....



Remember that infamous scene in 'A Christmas Story' with the leg lamp? I could have won an Academy Award for reenacting the excitement captured in that scene. When I opened the box, I finally understood why Ron (Riverkilt) lays claim to Robert including a sort of 'essence of leather' fragrance in his packages; the sweet scent now released into the air was enough to make PETA purist sweat. I reached in and as I pulled out my new kilt, I noticed how unexpectedly soft and pliable the fabric was. I had anticipated the fabric being more rigid, needing to be softened through a few washings, but it felt as if it already had been. Needless to say, this was a pleasant surprise. The leather bits were thick and malleable and the brass hardware glistened in the light. I felt a smile starting to overcome me, but I was able to hold it back and retain my composure.

(There would be a photo here of me pulling it out of the box, but my senses at this point had become overwhelmed and the resulting absence of a steady hand yielded nothing but blurry photos.)

But now came the big question (no....not that one); does it fit? As this was the first kilt I've ever ordered, I had no prior experience to refer to when it came to measuring, only what was provided on Robert's website. So, I strapped it on and the verdict was in - it fit! Woooo! I was helpless in trying to fight off the overwhelming smile this time. I was one seriously happy guy.

Testing, Testing...

So now that everything checks out, it's time to see how my new kilt performs. As it so happens, my first outing was with some friends for a birthday, which consisted of going to a restaurant, a club, and finally a bar. The kilt was very comfortable and the pockets carried everything I had (even some friend's stuff) effortlessly throughout the night. I've never had this much weight strapped to my waist before, but I didn't find it uncomfortable at any point. I did have a crash course with how far pleats can expand and learned to be aware of my surroundings, namely objects at kilt height. Coincidentally enough, I also learned how to pick stuff up from the floor whilst kilted.... Pleat sweeping came naturally and I managed to keep them fresh looking the entire night. I lucked out with the pliability of the fabric; when sitting or squatting, the apron readily folds down between the legs. The swish is excellent too. All-in-all, I found it to be a user-friendly kilt and everything just came naturally. Robert's kilt design is a very good one.

I also had opportunities to see how it handles other environments and situations. It kept me very comfortable while mowing a difficult lawn during the muggy August days. I haven't had much of an opportunity to test it in the colder weather, but I would imagine it's at least decent considering the weight and properties of hemp. It does well with challenging gusts of wind; it danced about, but made no attempts at answering 'the question'. It does become noticeably heavier during a downpour though. It absorbs water well and takes a while to fully dry. I have yet to master the art of pressing pleats to perfection. That will come with time and more practice.

Conclusion

Conclusion? You simply cannot go wrong with an RKilt. Robert is wiling to work with ideas and help make customers satisfied. While I cannot attest to the qualities of the fabric Robert normally uses (which I'm sure is just as excellent), I can speak on behalf of the quality of construction. Everything is reinforced by either rivets or leather. I would not recommend working near heavy machinery (like say....a wood chipper) while wearing one if his kilts, because if someone would have the misfortune of getting it caught in in a moving part, the kilt would be the only thing that would survive.

Seriously.

The next two posts contain gratuitous amounts of photos. Hopefully they will clear up any unanswered questions.

[Clockwork]

Photos Galore

A frontal view of the kilt. Shown also is the RKilts ranger belt I ordered.




And a rear view.




Spread shot of the inside.




Rivets, rivets, and more rivets. The leather piece seen at the top is the reinforcement for the under-apron strap.




The reverse side of the top apron. There's actually more fabric folded under what's visible in this photo; the added weight gives the kilt a nice balance between the front and back.




A closer view of the center reverse pleat, from the underside.




Spread shot of the outside.




The right-hand side details. The main pocket has two smaller pockets on the outside and an inner pocket ideal for a cell phone or maybe a money clip. The leather bit between the two buckles is a retractable tool strap. Like the pockets, there's one on each side.




The left-hand side details. The pocket and tool strap are both identical to the ones on the right-hand side. Note - there is a rivet missing in this photo on the corner of the pocket. That was not a result of faulty craftsmanship; it was a result of the heavier, thicker fabric interfering with the rivet itself. As stated before, this hemp fabric is not the standard fabric that Robert uses.




The inner pocket holding a cell phone. If you have a bigger phone, request a bigger pocket.



(Continued in next post)

[Clockwork]

The tool strap. There's a lot of things it can be used for, like holding a hammer or a flashlight.....




....or a beer. Notice how conveniently it sits atop the buckle. Not that it needs it; the strap just magically happens to retract to the perfect length to hold the bottle securely. What a convenient coincidence.




Front shot whilst being worn.




And a rear shot.




And finally, my kilt being worn with what I consider to be a semi-casual attire.



With it, I'm wearing black kilt hose and navy flashes purchased from USA Kilts and sgian dubh purchased from Sportkilt. The sporran is an L&M hunting sporran, and I have a review of that here:

http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...-cantle-75804/

If anyone has any questions, ask away

Cheers,
-Jake

[Balaamsass51]

Mines brown. Wears like iron. Great kilt maker. Thanks for posting, especially with the photos.
Matt H.

[Clockwork]

I'm hoping I'll be able to say the same; only time will tell if this particular fabric will wear as well as I anticipate. Glad you like yours; do you have any photos of it on here? My next kilt will be one of Robert's leather kilts in brown or tan, but that probably won't happen for another half a year. I'm glad you appreciate the photos, too.

Cheers,
-Jake

[seanachie]

Jake:
Robert's standard hemp does in fact wear quite well and is extremely comfortable. Just a thought, I don't wear a sporran with my RKilt, but Robert makes sporrans that use your RKilt hardware and they look sharp. Your comments on his service are right on the money.

[Clockwork]

So I've heard. I may at some point get another black hemp kilt, but in the standard fabric and keep it for nicer occasions. The one in this review I got with the intent of eventually having it as my main outdoor work/dirty work kilt, but until I can get a nice one of equal quality and construction for the nicer occasions, I'm going to try to keep this one in presentable condition.

I've seen Robert's sporrans and I find them not only quite nice looking, but also very reasonably priced. They've already made it onto my wish list. Maybe I'll order one with the leather kilt......

Cheers,
-Jake

[Llama]

I think the beer bottle pic is what sold me.

[Canuck]

Just to clarify the weight of the cloth. The 13 oz is determined from i square yard and is somewhat equivalent to cloth rated at 16 oz per yd 60" wide.
The 10 oz hemp that I prefer to use is equivalent to 13 oz cloth 1 yd by 60" wide. It can be confusing I know but that's the way the industry is.
Cheers
Robert

[Clockwork]

I think the beer bottle pic is what sold me.

Like I said, Robert's design is an excellent one. You can work and play without having to change.

Just to clarify the weight of the cloth. The 13 oz is determined from i square yard and is somewhat equivalent to cloth rated at 16 oz per yd 60" wide.
The 10 oz hemp that I prefer to use is equivalent to 13 oz cloth 1 yd by 60" wide. It can be confusing I know but that's the way the industry is.
Cheers
Robert

Thank you for clarifying that Robert; I'm still a newbie when it comes to the technical bits That does explain a lot though. This thing is beastly and I was having a hard time trying to imagine a 16oz wool tank being even more so. This kilt is exactly what I wanted it to be though, and I thank you for your patience with helping me make my first kilt order. As I mentioned, I'll certainly be back for more.

Cheers,
-Jake