Sporran style advice, with regards to thigh friction

[hefaestos]

Hello all!

I am looking for some information before hopefully purchasing my first reasonably high-quality sporran. [Still in the process of slowly accumulating my first full kit.] I currently own only the basic day sporran from Stillwater [stiff black leather], and I find that the edges of it rub against my thighs [or more, rub the wool of my kilt into my thighs], which I find moderately irritating.

So, my question is this - what styles, or what particular qualities/descriptors, should I be looking for to find a sporran that is made of softer leather, or has rounder/less hard edges? It looks like Jacobite sporrans are made of softer leather, but I'm not a fan of the style. I've had a hard time finding out what the structure of full-mask/horsehair sporrans are beneath all the fuzz.

Despite living in a major city [DC], we apparently have only one kilt rental place [at the complete opposite side of the city] and I don't have any local kilted friends, so my opportunities for hands-on inspection are pretty limited. [If I'm missing a local kilt resource, I'd be happy to hear about it!]

Thanks in advance!

[rondo]

This is from Donnie at Wyvern, an advertiser here, I am very pleased with it and the bag is soft leather.
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/a...2&d=1337010821
Rondo

[The Wizard of BC]

If I may,,,,

It is possible that your problem is not the design of your sporran but how it is worn.
I have to warn customers on a daily basis that the sporran is not a crotch protector. It should be worn high enough that it sits on the stomach and not below it.
If you are wearing your kilt at your true waist, your sporran should be up around your navel or a couple fingers width below the belt buckle.
This allows the sporran to lightly bounce off your stomach and prevents the sporran strap from catching in the apron.
Even if you have a thin build the sporran should not be anywhere near your thighs. Even further away if you have a bit of stomach.

I hope this helps.

Perhaps you could post a photo so we could advise better.

[madmacs]

Huh?

You're wearing it near your knees maybe?

Pics, cos something really doesnt sound right...

[Grizzly]

Have to agree with Steve . Sounds like you are wearing it too low. Hitch it up a few inches and all should be well.

[Zardoz]

well I have large thighs, and I've had some 'hard back' sporrans rub me a little bit. I'd recommend something softer like a Buzz Kidder or Thorfinn Custom Sporran

[Father Bill]

I've hitched mine up a fair notch and also lost a bunch of weight. Both have helped, one at a time.

[hefaestos]

I don't think I'm wearing it too low; I'm not sure I can wear it much higher without skipping the belt... [see pic at bottom - I marked in red where the friction occurs.] Correct me if I'm wrong, obviously.

It's not horrible or anything, it's just that if I'm going to spend the cash, I'd like it to be comfortable rather than merely tolerable.

Zardoz, thanks for the suggestions; I'll check those out! [I do have reasonably thick thighs >.>]

0_IMAGE_026.jpg

[Jock Scot]

OK this is what I see from your picture. Your kilt is being worn too low, thus causing you to wear the sporran too low and the consequence is sore spots. Now should you choose to raise your kilt to the more traditional "bottom of the kilt brushing the top of the knee" height and say that raises the kilt by 2 to 3 inches and if then you raise the the sporran by about the same amount, then there is a good chance that your problem will be solved.

[hefaestos]

My belt is at my natural waist... If I move it up 2 inches, it'll be around my lower ribs [I could not make it stay there even if I wanted it to]. My kilt is a bit longer than traditional, as I measured for middle of the knee, but it's not quite as long as it appears in the photo, which was taken at a slight downward angle- it does actually hit middle of my knee.

I tried it on just walking around my room last night and I can hike it up maybe .5" [although I'm not sure I could keep it there all night] without getting into weird belt-over-ribs territory, which does seem to help but not eliminate the issue. [I also realised belatedly that I'd neglected to put anything in my sporran, which probably also helped. D'oh.]

It probably does not help that I'm short, so I've got less vertical space in which to arrange things than most. Does height not wind up being an issue here for anyone else?