Winter's coming on in July here in Colorado-What to do

[Half Scot Half Pole]

It's going to be a short summer here in the Highlands of Colorado, 8000 feet. What could I buy to go as far into the cold as I can? Read posts from the Alaska guy, so I won't be freezing the watchamacallits off in -40F for the sake of a kilt, but am looking to get the best cold weather kilt for our warmer 10-20F days. Dry desert cold, not wet like Scotland or northeast U.S. where I was spawned, actually feels warmer at 0F than at 32F in the damper climes. Layers in the winter rather than just bulk.

Trinity Kilts has a cold weather convertible utility model with removable winter lining, $125 plus shipping, I could retro a thicker poly fleece lining myself.

http://www.trinitykilts.com/catalog.html

Can't spring more than maybe $300, so no 22 ounce wool. What about wearing two of the SW Blackwatch 13 ounce wool $90 kilts, one fitted over the other?

Make a thick poly fleece lining to wear under the SW?

I know y'all will come up with great advice based on your experience.

Thanks ahead of time for your suggestions.

[Benning Boy]

First, read this: http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...at-loss-44833/

I love your part of the world. Once wanted to move to a little place west of Antonito, but had a wife and kid to provide for, and needed to live where there was actual paying work to do.

What about making an X Kilt with a layer of fleece stitched together with the outer layer. It would be lined, but not have a removable liner. Make the outer layer of something windproof, and use the heaviest fleece you can find on the inside. It would be a dedicated winter kilt, but might be worth having.

You right about it feeling warmer when it is very cold and dry, than it feels when it is just slightly cold and humid. I've experienced some extreme cold in my life, but the most memorable time was down in Georgia for a couple of days when the temp hovered around 32F and the humidity was very high. I just couldn't get warm. On the other hand a day spent in North Dakota when the temp at noon was 11 below F, I felt comfortable, with not much more on than I was wearing in Georgia because the humidity was quite, quite low. And, there was a light wind in both instances.

[Lodrorigdzin]

wear long flannel shirts with your kilt, so you have an extra layer, below the waist. No need for a liner then. Wear thin stockings under your kilt hose, same principle. And if it's really really cold, wear long underpants.

I hike in Norway, in winter, and that's what I wear.

If you wear "traditional" hiking clothes, such as Fjallraven makes, like anoraks and such, common wisdom is to wear a thin but roomy outer coat that reaches to your knees, that you then belt at your waist. Worn like this, a coat traps a lot of heat. A kilt already does this. so as long as you remember to layer "down below", you'll be warmer than you think.

I often wear a Luhkka by fjallraven. Also works well with the kilt.
http://www.fjallraven.com/luhkka

If you look at Saami traditional clothing, you see the same principle: knee length, belted at the waist, worn with leggings.

http://www.flickriver.com/photos/287...07/3567956377/

[ratspike]

I've always thought Trinity Kilts looked pretty poorly made, based on their product photos. If you like the idea of a retrofitting a liner anyway, can you make one for a kilt you already own? If it were me, and I've never done it mind you, I'd probably go for a thin fleece. Thick stuff can get bulky quick and might make your kilt poofy-outy.

When it's really cold here in Portland I wear thick leggings/tights/whatever you want to call them under my kilts. They're cheap and surprisingly warm.

[Benning Boy]

I like the luhkka. I can see advantages to it. However, I've also wondered about wearing a pelerine with a kilt in cold weather. It's a Germanic garment mainly, and is traditionally made of loden cloth.

Here are some pictures of fancier versions, mostly shown on women but you'll get the idea.

http://flickrhivemind.net/flickr_hvm...rine,regencape

The pelerine is longer than the Luhkka, with a level hem. It's hooded, often detachable with a regular collar underneath. It buttons up the front. There are two slots through the front for the hands to pass through, making it unnecessary to spread the cape wide and dump all the trapped warm air. There are often cargo pockets on the inside. Two fabric straps run downward from the shoulders, are criss-crossed across the chest and buttoned together in the back. This lets the pelerine be thrown off and hang from the shoulders when its warmth isn't needed. To my mind it's a very practical garment. Although, I'm sure the Lairds would have a heart attack even at the thought of mixing trachtenmode with traditional highland dress, but if you're odd enough to regularly wear the kilt, and even odder enough to wear one in very cold conditions, then it shouldn't seem so odd to wear a pelerine over a kilt. There is of course the Inverness cape, but it seems to me the earlier garment, the pelerine, a folk garment -- like the kilt -- rather than a fashion garment, designed for wear in cold and snow is the all-around better mantle. Rather than spend Big Euros on a genuine loden pelerine, it shouldn't be too hard to workout a pattern and make one on your own. It's on my list of things to do someday

[Lodrorigdzin]

I like the luhkka. I can see advantages to it. However, I've also wondered about wearing a pelerine with a kilt in cold weather. It's a Germanic garment mainly, and is traditionally made of loden cloth.

Here are some pictures of fancier versions, mostly shown on women but you'll get the idea.

http://flickrhivemind.net/flickr_hvm...rine,regencape

The pelerine is longer than the Luhkka, with a level hem. It's hooded, often detachable with a regular collar underneath. It buttons up the front. There are two slots through the front for the hands to pass through, making it unnecessary to spread the cape wide and dump all the trapped warm air. There are often cargo pockets on the inside. Two fabric straps run downward from the shoulders, are criss-crossed across the chest and buttoned together in the back. This lets the pelerine be thrown off and hang from the shoulders when its warmth isn't needed. To my mind it's a very practical garment. Although, I'm sure the Lairds would have a heart attack even at the thought of mixing trachtenmode with traditional highland dress, but if you're odd enough to regularly wear the kilt, and even odder enough to wear one in very cold conditions, then it shouldn't seem so odd to wear a pelerine over a kilt. There is of course the Inverness cape, but it seems to me earlier garment, the pelerine, a folk garment -- like the kilt -- rather than a fashion garment, designed for wear in cold and snow is the all-around better mantle. Rather than spend Big Euros on a genuine loden pelerine, it shouldn't be too hard to workout a pattern and make one on your own. It's on my list of things to do someday

Interesting. It's the same principle, I think. Reindeer herders use their coiled up lassos, worn across the chest, to keep the luhkka in check. Fjallraven has tried to reproduce that in "buttoning up" sleeves. But I still wear my sling bag over my luhkka. The pelerine sounds more practical in this respect. The fjallraven luhkka has a big "kangaroo" pouch, like an anarok has and two side pockets. The pouch can also be accessed from inside and holds incredible amounts of "stuff".

Anyway, like you, I think "folk garments" fit well together.

[Half Scot Half Pole]

What a study, thanks. Tartan Hiker is one scientific kilt wearer. 4 yard wool so far.

[Half Scot Half Pole]

This is great stuff, Lodrorigdzn. All I have is a Carharrt that come to just below my waist. I think the hooded light coat would be caledl a long oiliskin over this side of the pond, available everywhere.

The long flannel shirt I could buy as a nightshirt.

Hard to think outside the Carharrt box, worn them my whole life, you've been great with these suggestions.

[Half Scot Half Pole]

THanks, Ratspike. Maybe leggings made out of a wool sweater with the arms just cut off.

And, yes, I can make a liner. I won't be doing much work outside, so I really don't need the give of pleats in the liner.

[Half Scot Half Pole]

Benning Boy, being warm is fashionable and very traditional. I have seen great coats, all wool from the Outer Hebrides, in the local thrift store for about $20 US, but none with the shoulder coverings.

But I am considering a wool Pakistani-style head covering that would definitely fall over the shoulders. I simply wore a towel over my head last year and made a tunnel around my face for breathing.