Looking for a heavyweight kilt for hiking in the winter

[Troglodyte]

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.