I'd pick a four yard 16 oz kilt over an 8 yard 11 oz kilt any day of the week. There are several reasons. First, the heavier weight cloth simply makes a better kilt, I don't care if it is 4 or 8 yards. The pleats will hang better, hold their pleats better, etc. Second, the four yard kilt is going to be more comfortable -- even with the heavier cloth, it will be a much lighter garment.

The only reason I would choose the 11 oz 8 yard kilt is if I were going to be marching in parade , with a pipe band, or something similar, where I would want the "swing" of the pleats that you get in an 8 yard kilt.

I made a four-yard box pleated kilt in "Loud MacLeod." If you want to see what it would look like pleated to the red line, click below:
http://kilts.albanach.org/macleod.jpg

BTW, that's MikeNC from this forum!

Aye,
Matt