Burnett's & Struth: Casual Heavyweight?

[Liam]

Mathew... With our C$ in the doldrums buying locally is perhaps a wise option, particularly if they have some existing tartan in stock. As MacDonnell of Keppoch is your (and my) Clan, it would seem to be a no brainer to guess what my recommendation is. Also if you're not aware when our Clan Chief was recognized, he selected the Ancient version as his tartan. I have a 4 yd. box pleat in Lochcarron where I expect B&S source theirs from and it is a wonderful kilt. Btw, I have kilts with both 2 and 3 buckles, and would never again bother with the 3rd one.
Cheers....

[California Highlander]

I have a 4 yard 16oz casual that I got on sale. Great price, pleats are fine, but I wish I'd spent just a bit more for 5 yards. Given that I specified waist, hips, and drop, it's a good deal, especially if you want or like one of the sale tartans. Mine is Black Watch and it was a sale tartan, 16oz Locharran.

[Alan H]

I think that you're going to find that most guys who ordered a lower-yardage kilt in heavyweight tartan are going to say ... down the road, that they wish that they'd waited longer and gotten a "more yardage kilt" in the heavier tartan.

So IMHO.... your mileage may vary.

If you're going to buy 16 ounce tartan, then get a full-on kilt. The exception to that would be if you want a box-pleat kilt, because box pleats use less material than knife pleats, generally speaking. So save your pennies and wait.

If you want a casual kilt because what you want is a lower-yardage kilt, or you want a kilt NOW and don't want to wait, then by all means get one, but get it in a lighter weight wool, or a wool blend or in polyester-viscose.

If what's driving this process is that your special tartan is available in a casual kilt now, but might not be in 3 months, and you don't have the $$ to buy a full-on, then maybe contact the vendor and see if you can buy just the fabric on a discount. Tuck it away in your closet and save your pennies and then when you have the resources, send it to the kiltmaker of your choice to get your really nice jobbie all made up for you.

Just my two cents.