Hose Suggestions

[kingandrew]

If you do a search on "shooting socks" you will find a wide array of fancy top designs are available. HoC makes a line of shooting socks, but there are many other brands on the market who also offer colorful designs, generally in colorways that will complement any tartan or tweed ensemble.

I agree that House of Cheviot makes wonderful socks, but I do enjoy my shooting socks from other makers, as well.

I have also seen just fancy tops for sale before. Sometimes these are diced tops for pipers to wear sticking up above their spats. I believe the Tartan Museum in NC used to offer a line of patterned hose tops, but I don't know if these are still available.

And if you are collecting kilt hose, the full diced or argyle models, while far from cheap, are basically equivalent to the price of a couple of single-hue pairs. so it might be worth saving up, if you desire them for formal wear.

Happy hunting!

Andrew

[Jock Scot]

For what it is worth, after a rather long lifetime of wearing shooting hose with kilt attire and kilt hose for shooting and vice versa and from all kinds of establishments from the ultra smart shop in Bruton St., London, to the humble stall at a country show and I wear them a lot and give them a hard time. Before I go on let me make it quite clear that I have absolutely no connection whatsoever to any commercial, or otherwise, hose making business anywhere in this world.

There are two hose making firms in my experience that shine head and shoulders above all the others. Yes for certain sure, there will be hose made by some companies and individuals that I have not tried, but I think that I may well have tried most! House of Cheviot and the Almost Unwearoutable Sock Company are in my experience, the two shining lights in the kilt hose and shooting hose worlds , for comfort and hard wearing abilities whilst looking pretty damn good to boot.

Make no mistake, even these will fail before time if not treated properly. The trick if you want them to last and this holds true with all kilt hose and shooting socks with a wool content, is "wear once and wash" GENTLY IN WARM WATER AND A GENTLE SOAP (powder or liquid), if you do that then life is, well, less expensive that way!

[OC Richard]

I’d suggest a pair of the House of Cheviot Rannoch hose in Bracken if you can find them. It might be good to add some earth tones to your collection:

Yes those are fantastic and will be the next thing I get!

My earth-toned Cheviot are the Bison



to add to the Ancient Blue



and Claret...though these are non-Cheviot. I did buy Cheviot in Claret later.

[figheadair]

There are two hose making firms in my experience that shine head and shoulders above all the others. YHouse of Cheviot and the Almost Unwearoutable Sock Company are in my experience, the two shining lights in the kilt hose and shooting hose worlds , for comfort and hard wearing abilities whilst looking pretty damn good to boot.

I'd never heard of the Almost Unwearoutable Sock Company, nice hose, and regimental ones too, although they don't appear to do Parachute Regiment ones, yet!

Some of the shooting range with the diced tops would make fantastic kilt hose. Tempting.

[OC Richard]

the Almost Unwearoutable Sock Company

What a great name! Good to hear the socks live up to it.

Let me guess... www.thealmostunwearoutablesockcompany.co.uk

[McMurdo]

What a great name! Good to hear the socks live up to it.

Let me guess... www.thealmostunwearoutablesockcompany.co.uk

Actually

https://www.almostunwearoutable.com/

[imbrius]

I've decided on HoC Chessboard in Claret (listed as Brick Red with green cheques in the top) and the two-toned Lewis in Ancient green/blue from USA Kilts (which appear to be a custom HoC product) to round out my hose collection for now. Eventually I will add full Argyll or diced ancient blue/green as well as some earthier ones like Bison but I think those will wait for some point in the future. Thanks for everyone's help on this!

-Joshua