Utility kilts for grungy mechanic work

[MichiganKyle]

As a hobby, I like to restore antique equipment, both at home (I've got a Model T, among other old stuff) and for a museum I volunteer at (largely around 100 year old machinery). Typically, I change into a pair of old worn-out jeans due to how covered I tend to get in old grease, rust, and just general grunge. Yesterday, I was lying on a creeper working on brakes most of the day, and when I finally got cleaned up and changed into a kilt for lounging around the house, it was like a breath of fresh air. I'm quite fed up with pants in general, but wouldn't want to wear one of my tartan kilts for this kind of work - my pants yesterday were covered in decades-old caked dirt, grease, and soaked with brake fluid in spots, and that's pretty typical. I'd love to get a utility kilt for this kind of work that could stand up to oil, grease, rust, etc. and just general abuse.

I've looked at a few of them, but part of the reason I love kilts is due to the freedom of movement, and many utility kilts look like they'd be quite restrictive. Or they have pockets in weird places, like back pockets over the top of pleats. Or, like Utilikilts, they have their crisscrossed straps on the back that look like they'd be really uncomfortable to lay on when working on the bottom of a vehicle.

So, I guess criteria would be:

• Material which is easily washable with strong detergents and degreasers
• Fairly plain - not going for a "goth" look, but for practicality
• Unrestrictive freedom of movement
• Dark-colored for oil stains
• Minimal stuff on the back other than pleats
• Pocket large enough for wallet and phone plus maybe one other pocket is enough - don't need much for pockets since I'll mostly be using tools that wouldn't fit in them anyway

The one I've found that looks most suitable would be something like this, likely in black to work around problems with oil staining:

https://www.kiltandjacks.com/brown-d...-fashion-kilt/

It's cotton/poly (looks durable, washable), dark-colored, has minimal decorative stuff, and still looks like it would wear like a normal kilt. Any other recommendations? Or anyone who has one of these that could give a review?

[kingandrew]

You may also want to look into leather kilts, for the same sorts of reasons that many metalworkers use leather aprons.

Leather isn't machine washable, but it would hold up to plenty of abuse, shed a lot of dirt and gunk that stains cloth, and provide some degree of protection against heat and sharp edges.

I have no experience with any utility or leather kilts myself. I know that blacksmith and other workshop environments were the inspiration for the traditional German lederhosen. Lederhosen might also meet many of your practical concerns, although they are not as "free-fitting" as kilts.

Best of luck in your search.

Andrew

[PinellasPaul]

You might consider this site. They offer a few different levels of utility kilts some with standard fasteners some with extra levels of fasteners.

damnnearkiltem.com

[MichiganKyle]

You may also want to look into leather kilts, for the same sorts of reasons that many metalworkers use leather aprons.

Leather isn't machine washable, but it would hold up to plenty of abuse, shed a lot of dirt and gunk that stains cloth, and provide some degree of protection against heat and sharp edges.

I have a flame-retardant cotton apron (and other gear) for welding and machining. Not quite as heavy as a leather apron, but quite durable for when the mill or lathe are throwing blue-hot chunks of metal at me. And it's washable.

I have no experience with any utility or leather kilts myself. I know that blacksmith and other workshop environments were the inspiration for the traditional German lederhosen. Lederhosen might also meet many of your practical concerns, although they are not as "free-fitting" as kilts.

Interesting. Had never heard that before. But, jeepers, that would be about the last garment I'd pick for anything that throws sparks at you! Way too many places for them to fall in and burn through.

[MichiganKyle]

You might consider this site. They offer a few different levels of utility kilts some with standard fasteners some with extra levels of fasteners.

damnnearkiltem.com

Those look pretty nice, and designed to be durable. The one with the detachable cargo pockets would probably work - don't really want pockets flopping around if I'm on my back underneath something.

[PinellasPaul]

A lot of knife makers who forge their blades wear leather aprons; very durable and thermally protective.

[kiltedcontractor]

I wear 5:11 kilts daily for a few years and have recently got 2 damn near kilts em for work. I'm a General contractor......similar tough wear. Pleased with both. Cargo pockets of 5:11 are removable. Slash pockets on both are nice and deep. Using a kilt on a creeper is tricky.....fabric tends to fall under wheels.

[MichiganKyle]

A lot of knife makers who forge their blades wear leather aprons; very durable and thermally protective.

Undoubtedly. My welding gloves are leather, and I don't think there's another material that would work as well for protecting you from that kind of heat. What I meant earlier is that I can't imagine wearing lederhosen for that. Just like I wouldn't want to do machining without having the tops of my socks and all openings in my laceless rubber shoes covered. Hot sparks/metal falling into your clothing is rather unpleasant.

I wear 5:11 kilts daily for a few years and have recently got 2 damn near kilts em for work. I'm a General contractor......similar tough wear. Pleased with both. Cargo pockets of 5:11 are removable. Slash pockets on both are nice and deep. Using a kilt on a creeper is tricky.....fabric tends to fall under wheels.

Good to know. My understanding is that 5:11 typically only sells kilts once a year, sometime around April, correct?

I actually kind of think the DNKE Highlander would probably work pretty well for me, provided I took off the pockets. The Techlight Rogue would probably be about perfect if it was made of a heavier cotton material.

[Liam]

Have you considered wearing an apron over your kilt while working?

[MichiganKyle]

Have you considered wearing an apron over your kilt while working?

Hadn't considered that. I would still need something for the back, though, too - I end up getting into some weird positions crawling around underneath things and both my front and back get regularly covered in gunk. Might be worth wearing an apron even with a utility kilt, though.