Acrylic Kilt Hose

[billmcc]

Greetings,

All of the kilt hose I currently own are made of wool. I am thinking about getting a pair of (bottle green) acrylic hose, mainly because they are suppose to be cooler (for summer wear) than wool hose.

What do you guys and gals think of acrylic hose?
Where is a good place to buy them?

[Riverkilt]

Makes sense. Just read an article in the Phoenix, AZ paper about foot care in the desert heat and they recommended acrylic sox -when wearing sox - says they keep feet cooler and wick away moisture better than cotton or nylon or wool or whatever.

Ron

[M. A. C. Newsome]

I have no problem with Acrylic hose, but the quality and wear of them is going to depend upon what type of hose you get and where you buy them.

For instance, I have three pairs of the colored Acrylic hose sold by J. Higgins -- lovat green, lovat blue, and grey. They are nice --- definitely more informal looking than my other hose, as they don't have the same ribbing pattern than most kilt hose do. But they look nice for casual wear. I thought they would be cooler because they were Acrylic, but it turns out they are incredibly thick, so if anything they are warmer than my woolen hose.

Then I have a pair of Acrylic hose as sold by Lochcarron (retailed by us at the Scottish Tartans Museum gift shop, BTW). These only come in a cream color, but they are made in the style of their standard kilt hose (with the ribbing, etc), and don't really look any different. But they are thinner and definitely cooler than woolen hose for summer wear.

So all that is to say that there are acrylic hose and there are acrylic hose.....

Aye,
Matt

[David Thornton]

I just got 4 pair of very nice wool/acrylic from www.wbrewin.co.uk. Great fit, wonderful service. Wore them at an outdoor wedding, temps in the high 90's, and they were most comfortable.
Now if I could just find my next kilt...
David

[lrpddrummie]

My pipe band wears the acrylic hose with our summer uniform and they are definitely much cooler and hold up to the wear and tear of marching so i say go for it.

[prattw]

If you can find them, solid colored acryllic soccer (UK-football) hose work well. These have to be ribbed, to hold the shin guards in place. Some of the colors are very nice (I've found colors very close to Lovat green and Lovat blue) and some are . . . But they are cool in hot weather and look very nice. And they're long enough to support a three-thickness turn down, a good three fingers wide. The only question I've ever been asked about them was "Where can I get some of those?"

Will Pratt

[Jimmy Carbomb]

If you're talking about the Gaelic Themes kilt hose, they're WONDERFUL!

In the summer, I scrunch them down (when appropriate) and in the winter I wear them in the "up" position. Either way, they're MUCH more comfortable than the wool ones... and easier to wash too.

I'll only wear wool to formal events anymore.

[billmcc]

I just noticed that the Bear Kilt's website sells casual kilt socks, which are actually rugby socks. It says the socks have elastic in the top, so flashes aren't needed, and they sell for only $8.00 US a pair!

Has anyone tried these socks?

[Will Macadam]

I just noticed that the Bear Kilt's website sells casual kilt socks, which are actually rugby socks. It says the socks have elastic in the top, so flashes aren't needed, and they sell for only $8.00 US a pair!

Has anyone tried these socks?

One thing you have to remember about Bear's socks is they are RUGBY socks.
That means, and if you look closely at the pic Bear has up you'll see, they have WHITE feet, if you are hoping to wear a solid colour Rugby sock with formal wear, you'll look like much like a guy wearing Rugby socks in a business suit, only more absurd, since his pants will mostly hide his socks.
I'm not suggesting Bear is selling them AS formal wear, but it's something the uninitiated should realise, the coloured calf with a white foot poking out the shoe is going to be quite glaring in formal wear.

On the other hand, as an ex-rugby player, let me say Rugby socks are GREAT for casual kilting, they'll cope with anything short of a Nu'clear Meltdown, but by then who cares?

On the Acrylic hose debate, I recently bought a pair of diced (formal) socks from J. Higgins, and I have issues, they snag on my fingernails, and just about anything else they touch, they itch, they're hot (as in uncomfortably warm).
And for what they are (basically plastic) they are.... at US$60 PLUS P+P absurdly overpriced.
I don't buy the argument that a two tone synthetic machine milled sock costs all that much to make, even in America.

My wife is Korean, she has a weekend market biz in Australia selling wool blend socks made in Korea, they are (and I swear by them and wear them in all climates, from Bangkok to Berlin) really great.
She makes decent money underselling the local Corporate gigs such as Target and Kmart, meaning, the mark up of diced synthetic kilt socks I've seen on the web is just insane!
Trouble is, I can't find reasonable Kilt socks at a reasonable price ANYWHERE, so I'm gonna try my hand at changing that!

I think more guys would wear diced socks if more people were selling them at a decent price.
Socks, particularly formal socks, is a segment of the Highland dress market that has been over-exploited and under-serviced for too long.... :x
Gentlemen, watch this space!
William.

[billmcc]

Then I have a pair of Acrylic hose as sold by Lochcarron (retailed by us at the Scottish Tartans Museum gift shop, BTW). These only come in a cream color, but they are made in the style of their standard kilt hose (with the ribbing, etc), and don't really look any different. But they are thinner and definitely cooler than woolen hose for summer wear.

Matt,

The acrylic kilt hose I ordered arrived today. They look very nice and fit well.

According to the info provided by the gift shop website, these hose have some wool in them. Can they be machine washed and dried? Or should I hang them up to dry to prevent shrinkage?