The only way to hike!

[Pleater]

Having been out in all weathers in a kilt, I found they worked well - but the level of the lower edge is just above the kneecap is for a very good reason - it is probably more accurately just short enough not to be caught in the knee joint.
In the worst weather I have been out in I was glad that I was wearing wool and that I had a long plaid with me. I wound it around once below the waist and once above and it made a huge difference, defence against both wind and rain even though I could not have got wetter had I just risen from a lake.

Some of the folk festivals I have been at were pretty legendary for their weather and I have often been glad of my clothing and equipment being up to the task, both in the blistering heat and the driving rain.

Anne the Pleater

[jthk]

I have found the same re: bottom of the kilt. I'm keen to hear more stories about these festivals and their weather and how your clothing served you well, if you don't mind sharing. (In both the rain AND the heat!)

Best,
Jonathan

Having been out in all weathers in a kilt, I found they worked well - but the level of the lower edge is just above the kneecap is for a very good reason - it is probably more accurately just short enough not to be caught in the knee joint.
In the worst weather I have been out in I was glad that I was wearing wool and that I had a long plaid with me. I wound it around once below the waist and once above and it made a huge difference, defence against both wind and rain even though I could not have got wetter had I just risen from a lake.

Some of the folk festivals I have been at were pretty legendary for their weather and I have often been glad of my clothing and equipment being up to the task, both in the blistering heat and the driving rain.

Anne the Pleater

[Oilverland]

I agree, it's my favorite hiking gear. Maybe the first time I wore my first kilt was on this hike, a short trail that parallels Falls Creek falls, north of Winthrop WA

[008kilts]

I agree, it's my favorite hiking gear. Maybe the first time I wore my first kilt was on this hike, a short trail that parallels Falls Creek falls, north of Winthrop WA

Greetings, enjoyed your photo, I too hike Washington in a kilts
Kilted in the San Juans

[tpa]

I had a friend who did the Appalachian Trail. He started out in a kilt. But he preferred to wear the waist of his kilts down at the top of his hip bones. Of course this dropped the hem to the bottom of his knee.

On the third day it was raining pretty good and the sand that was kicked up behind him caked on the back hem. This chafed the back of his calves so bad that it drew blood.

He was laid up for five days letting his legs heal before he could continue.

I remember that he was more angry at the delay than the fact that the kilt caused the problem in the first place.

That is precisely why you should not wear kilts which are longer than top to mid knee. Anyone who lives in the UK and regularly wears a kilt could tell you that would happen. The kilt did not cause the problem, either his wearing of it or his choice of kilt length caused the problem. Don’t blame the tools, blame the user.

[javankrona]

I believe I prefer the casual kilt for hiking as the kilt doesn’t have the amount of fabric as a more traditional kilt build. But I wore my USA Kilt semi-trad when I met my daughter on springer mountain as she was finishing her 5-month AT adventure. As my hike was less than a mile that day, I was fit as a fiddle, while she was rather hairy and emaciated ;^)

[jthk]

What an adventure for your daughter! Good for her! A thing that I've thought about doing but probably never will. Good on her!

I believe I prefer the casual kilt for hiking as the kilt doesn’t have the amount of fabric as a more traditional kilt build. But I wore my USA Kilt semi-trad when I met my daughter on springer mountain as she was finishing her 5-month AT adventure. As my hike was less than a mile that day, I was fit as a fiddle, while she was rather hairy and emaciated ;^)

[EagleJCS]

I believe I prefer the casual kilt for hiking as the kilt doesn’t have the amount of fabric as a more traditional kilt build. But I wore my USA Kilt semi-trad when I met my daughter on springer mountain as she was finishing her 5-month AT adventure. As my hike was less than a mile that day, I was fit as a fiddle, while she was rather hairy and emaciated ;^)

Good for her! To do that in 5 months and still be smiling, especially considering some of the weather that she had to go through, is quite an accomplishment. A through-hike of the AT has been on my bucket list for years. I think I'd probably be a 'down-hiller' (N to S) myself. Can't afford to take the time off from work, though, so it'll probably never happen.

You're looking sharp and trail-ready.

[Jock Scot]

I believe I prefer the casual kilt for hiking as the kilt doesn’t have the amount of fabric as a more traditional kilt build. But I wore my USA Kilt semi-trad when I met my daughter on springer mountain as she was finishing her 5-month AT adventure. As my hike was less than a mile that day, I was fit as a fiddle, while she was rather hairy and emaciated ;^)

What pray tell, is a "5 month AT adventure", please?

[DCampbell16B]

The AT is the Appalachian Trail. It runs about 2200 miles from Maine to Georgia and gets up over 6600 feet. Think of a really long West Highland Way. It takes planning and about 5 months of extremely serious hiking to complete in one year. Some do stretches over several years to complete the whole thing. Others just do bits. South Bounders start in Maine, while North Bounders start in Georgia.