Looking for a heavyweight kilt for hiking in the winter

**Pleater** · 5th October 24, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by OC Richard

Oh, I see.

Whatever is going on with the upper back? It's all bunched up. Is it supposed to be that way?

Steve is on the right track, you might want to go with the USA Kilts polyviscose, which they do offer in a really nice muted Buchanan

https://www.usakilts.com/gallery/12-...hanan-mtd/view

It doesn't have the weight you're looking for, which as I had said will mean wool, if you want Buchanan tartan. (EDIT: see post below)

The fell isn't properly designed or shaped to fit - the stripes shouldn't be on the edge of the pleats like that - it is just done for ease of (poor) construction.

I go walking through the heathland around home and quickly changed my construction method to reverse kingussie, so the pleats point backwards after having to leave the kilt in the grip of some vegetation and extract it later.

When away from home in the campervan I take a long plaid as that seems to be the best thing for bad weather. It cam be wrapped around the waist then around the shoulders or put over the head and makes a big difference diverting both wind and rain. It also stops the pleats blowing about so traps warm air and excludes cold breezes.

Anne the Pleater

**Dukbrand** · 7th October 24, 09:07 PM

Originally Posted by Tomo

As I mentioned previously, if cost is a big factor there are plenty of options with the ex-hire market - but you might need to flexible in terms of your choice of tartan.

Where would one look for ex-hire kilts? Is that something that would be available in the states?

**Tomo** · 8th October 24, 12:13 AM

Originally Posted by Dukbrand

Where would one look for ex-hire kilts? Is that something that would be available in the states?

I believe all of these provide international shipping

https://slanjkilts.com/clearance-kilts - a lot of these may only have been worn once as they do a hire to buy wedding service, but not everyone buys the kilt afterwards - tend to be more expensive than ex-rental but cheaper than buying new

https://www.mccalls.co.uk/products/ex-hire-sale - have a big annual sale in their shops but also sell some items online

https://www.facebook.com/p/Tartan-Co...0064839366786/ - not ex-hire but well-priced ready made kilts - check her post from 3 Oct.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_t...egorandmacduff - sell clearance lines and ex-hire through their ebay shop - but no kilts listed at present

https://stkildastore.com/store/Clearance - has a clearance line offering made to measure and ready made kilts

http://www.ministryoftartan.com/second-hand-kilts - sells 2nd hand and vintage kilts

**Kitfoxdave** · 8th October 24, 03:21 AM

Originally Posted by Dukbrand

I currently backpack in a Sportkilt Hiking Kilt with a "Buchanan Ancient" tartan. I had worn it last winter but that was quite mild. The wind tends to cut right through it which chills everything beneath. I'm looking for something far heavier and warmer to wear this winter. Preferably in a Buchanan Muted tartan as my current pack is in that tartan. That is affordable and durable enough that I won't have to worry about it getting wrecked by the trail, and won't mind if it does.

Celtic Crofr does a casual kilt and others in a "homespun"
Poly / wool blend that seems to be quite warm for its weight... can be machine washed... they are in MN... maybe have a chat with them?

**Dukbrand** · 9th October 24, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by Kitfoxdave

Celtic Crofr does a casual kilt and others in a "homespun"
Poly / wool blend that seems to be quite warm for its weight... can be machine washed... they are in MN... maybe have a chat with them?

I have contacted them. Thank you for the information.

**OC Richard** · 11th October 24, 08:21 AM

Tomo is correct, it's wise to check the ex-hire sections of major UK Kilt Hire shops.

Be aware that that market is seasonal.

Around the New Year is when the Kilt Hire shops begin stocking up on the tartans reckoned to be popular for the big Wedding Season in the coming Spring, and divesting themselves of the tartans reckoned to be unpopular.

It's also the time they divest themselves of anything else that might sit un-hired. For example let's say they've been hiring a certain colour of kilt jacket, but now they don't have enough remaining to kit out a wedding party. These few odd ones will get put up for sale.

I picked up a few very nice tweed kilt jackets that way.

Another thing to be aware of is that "in the old days" all the Scottish-based Kilt Hire shops stocked high-quality kilts and jackets by established UK makers, but recently very low-cost Kilt Hire shops have appeared who hire Pakistani tat.

It's easy to distinguish between the two sorts: check their hire prices.

It obviously costs much more to stock hand-stitched kilts made from 8 yards of quality UK-woven 100% wool than it does to stock cheap Pakistani acrylic machine-sewn kilts, and the higher price of the high-quality kilts will be reflected in higher hire costs.

If you check the hire prices of a dozen different Kilt Hire shops, and also take a close look at the photos, the difference will become obvious.

Another thing is that there are shops in Scotland who sell new Pakistani tat kilts as "ex-hire", hoping to trick people into thinking they're getting a bargain.

**Troglodyte** · 12th October 24, 12:50 AM

Originally Posted by Dukbrand

I currently backpack in a Sportkilt Hiking Kilt with a "Buchanan Ancient" tartan. I had worn it last winter but that was quite mild. The wind tends to cut right through it which chills everything beneath. I'm looking for something far heavier and warmer to wear this winter. Preferably in a Buchanan Muted tartan as my current pack is in that tartan. That is affordable and durable enough that I won't have to worry about it getting wrecked by the trail, and won't mind if it does.

All the advice so far given is sound, and well-worth following for finding a suitble kilt.

But, speaking from experience, I would urge you to consider one of the older (pre-amalgamation of the RRoS) military kilts that has been made in the dense super-heavyweight cloth.

The older ones (certainly those of pre-1960 that are cut with a high rise at the waist) are usually shaped for a better fit, and the high rise covers and protects both the small of the back and the easily-chilled kidneys, etc. The inner lining is a cream-colour woollen cloth, rather than cotton.

The slightly hairy texture adds to the insulation qualities and repells rain, and mud-splats brush off without a trace when dried.

I believe it can get a bit chilly in your part of the US in winter, and breezy too, but I have long kept a WWI era army kilt for exactly the same use as you describe as my preference for winter use here in Scotland - when our usual sub-tropical climate gives way to Arctic conditions.

The great thing about army kilts is that they are available in a huge variety of sizes and usually retain their sizing label - the older ones have their size given in imperial measures, along with their date of manufacture and the date of the style used. The tell-tale sign is the pale green top-edge binding.

Check out British eBay (ebay.co.uk rather than ebay.com) as listings are often invisible on other versions of the platform - there seems to be a regular supply of this kind of thing: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/146059280753 but finding your size might involve playing a waiting game.