HELP!!! What Fabric and Weight to use?

[MacGregor-Blackwell]

Hello, I need your help here to figure out what Kilt to buy.

I'm going 100% kilt and I drive a Tractor/Trailer all over the USA.
Keep in mind that I'm setting on my Posterior most of the time.
In a 12 mouth period I can see a temperature range from -25°F (-32°C) to 115°F (46°C) plus.

With that being said, my question is: Will one of RockyR's USA Kilts 11 to 12 oz. Poly Viscose work for me, or should I get a 13oz or 16oz 5 yard Wool? Or a 13oz or 16oz 8 yard Wool?

From what I have read on the Forum, with the ease of care with the PV, I'm thinking that's the way I should go. But I'm wondering if the PV will be warm enough for the winter mouths.

HELP!!!

[Laird_M]

As I've posted in a different thread, I've worn my PV in British winter weather, and whilst not as cold as you encounter, I've found it warm enough.
Obviously, not going 'regimental' would add a bit of warmth...

[knotty]

Tough question.
I didnt go 100 % kilted until I had 3 kilts, they do have to be cleaned.
One advantage of natural fiber is that its warmer in winter & cooler in summer. PV is much more wash & wear.
Do you want tartan or tweed? Leather (RKilt) is another option.
When the temperature falls you could put on some fleece pants or coveralls if you have to get under the truck.

Good luck with your search.

[Thomas H]

Start with with PV then go up to Wool .
but either way (have fun with it )

[RockyR]

Allow me to draw a parallel (with no malice intended... just pointing something out)...

I'm going to be running outdoors in the park during all seasons. What type of jacket should I get that will be cool enough to run in the summer heat, yet will be warm enough to keep me warm in snow?

The answer? 2 or 3 different ones.

I'm not trying to "upsell" into more than one kilt, yet I have to point out that no one kilt can do everything. If you're looking for a kilt to wear in warm weather, then the PV Casual / Semi Traditional is a great choice. If you're looking for a kilt to keep your legs and backside warm, the Premier 8 Yard or 5 yarder will do nicely (along with a thick pair of hose).

If you're looking to start with 1 kilt (and only one for the time being), then I'd likely suggest the 5 yarder, a jacket and some hot coffee for the winter months and a cold soda and a tshirt / polo for the summer months.

[English Bloke]

Useful post Rocky. I was going to suggest something along the same lines.

[rmccool]

What Rocky said!

PV is a great material for "daily wear" kilts because it's easy to clean and maintain. It should fit your needs well for spring/summer/fall wear. The semi-traditional kilts that Rocky has available in PV are also reasonably warm, especially when combined with nice, thick wool hose. I haven't spent long periods of time in really cold temperatures in one, but I have spent a half-hour or more outdoors in ice and snow on several occasions without feeling any colder than I would have felt in jeans and thermals.

For wool, you may want to consider a box pleated, 4- to 5-yard kilt. Matt Newsome is the premier maker, but there are some other kilt makers who do box pleats as well. They may be a bit more comfortable to sit on for a prolonged period than a knife-pleated tank.

[TheOfficialBren]

Sir, I would suggest:
1) Before going 100% kilted I would suggest that you give serious thought to the wisdom of your decision beforehand considering how often you have to climb in and out of those big rigs and all of the hard labour involved with operating a rig (climbing, cinching, tying, lifting, pushing, pulling) and the potential for filth (dirt, grease, oil, petrol, diesel, chemicals of all sorts), and the general hazards one may encounter (loaded objects slipping, falling off the rig, clothing snagging).
2) Have several kilts (light, heavy) to cope with the wide variety of weather conditions that you may encounter. Consider the wisdom of only wearing kilts. How often might you be sweltering at your starting point and freezing at your ending destination on the same run?
3) Lastly, consider the appropriateness. Although most of us here on XMTS are aware that kilts can be diverse in both function and form, to many people (here in the US) if one dons the kilt then it is (by contemporary logic) a special occasion. To many non-kilties it is like wearing slacks (at the very least) or highly formal trousers. Given the salt-of-the-earth nature of this very, very vital profession it might be considered out of place.

Here is a little something to consider:
My father is a retired Operating Engineer. To keep his boredom at bay his employer (who happens to be his best mate) occasionally has him make trips in a big rig across the country (and ours spans an entire continent so you can see where this is going). Having gone with him on a couple of these trips in the past I can attest that they are long, grueling, and one may be freezing in the morning and sweating by late afternoon (Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, California are all places where this occurs but is by no means limited to these areas). I can honestly say that being kilted for him (or even me as a passenger) is not an really option. For my father's occasional trips in the big rig it's work best-suited to trousers only (usually jeans or some rugged, hard-wearing equivalent).

YMMV, though.

Whatever spins your wheel, mate!

Whatever you decide walk tall and wear it proudly.
(Sorry so long)

[WillowEstate]

I think I'd go with the consensus that you likely need two or three kilts, including washing, etc. That said, I've worn a PV 8 yard in a British winter and a heavy wool military in an Australian summer with little discomfort (actually more comfortable than jeans!), so I don't think the weight is necessarily climate related.

Also, I think in one of your other posts, you included a picture of your truck, which looked to be a pretty modern machine and, therefore, presumably air conditioned. You said you spend a good deal of your life sitting, so you perhaps only need to worry about when you are outside the truck?

And thinking of sitting, my personal experience is that the heavy wool kilt holds its pleats way better than the lighter one.

But as The Official [BREN] said, your mileage may vary (literally!) .

[Tobus]

Just so I understand the question, you're going to go 100% kilted with only ONE kilt? I couldn't imagine doing that in any profession, regardless of the type of work it is. Do you normally wear only one pair of trousers everywhere, with no backup?