UK Comparison, Workman's to Survival

[Kid Cossack]

Gents:

Howdy. I'm still trying to beat my black Workman's into submission. I've washed it and washed it and washed it. We're getting there, let's just put it that way and leave it at that.

In conversations with a poor deluded trousered friend about outdoors gear, I got worked up for, please forgive me, a "tactical kilt." Well, OK, not really a tactical kilt---hate that word, by the way, for me it's right up there with contraindicated, operator and extreme-----but a quasi-pimped-out-with-utilitarian-features contemporary kilt.

Obligatory observation and declaration of penance for not wanting to use a 16 ounce wool tank for this. It's not a tank I'm looking for now.

Anyway----this caused me to look with new eyes at the Survival kilt. I figure I'll probably go ahead and get one one of these days. With all of that as background, here's my question.

How does the material compare between the Workman's and the Survival Utilikilts?

Many thanks in advance.

[Iolaus]

Gents:

Howdy. I'm still trying to beat my black Workman's into submission. I've washed it and washed it and washed it. We're getting there, let's just put it that way and leave it at that

<snip>

How does the material compare between the Workman's and the Survival Utilikilts?

Many thanks in advance.

The Survival's fabric is softer, but seems to be thicker.

Maybe it's just the different construction of the pockets and the added slash pockets, but the Survival seems to be "blousier" (is that a word?); it doesn't have the same hanging characteristics as the Workman. I don't know; maybe I haven't broken it in enough, but I prefer the Workman.

[Kilted Taper]

The worman's is a canvas/duc material. Much like a carhart pant. The survival is a softer material, but thickness wise, at least to me, feels similar to the workman's.

[motorman4life]

The Survival UK's seem a bit overpriced to me, for what they are. The first edition Survivals were made of an expensive microfiber material and the kilt had web loops sewn on the cargo pocket flaps. The reasons given for the high price were expensive fast-drying material and extra labor (detatchable pockets and web loops). Now that the material has changed to a very soft cotton twill and the loops have been deleted, the price should have been adjusted down accordingly. It was not.

I don't know anyone with a Survival that does not like it, but it about 2x the price of an original, I'd say the price is not in line with the product. Based upon the product line, I think they should be selling for $180 or less (as you are likely aware, they start at $230)

I like the mockers myself. I own 2 mockers and of the 9 kilts I currently have, they get the most use for sure.

[Yaish]

For camping or something like that, go with the survival. It literally was designed for precisely that.

While the workmans has some capacious pockets and the material is more than sturdy (to soften, tumble dry no heat - feels like denim) it just doesnt cut it as a stand alone camping kilt. You'll still need a pack or something to carry the rest of your essential gear.

I just recently went out in my survival and loaded it up. In the slash pockets I kept my normal everyday gear, the wallet, cash, car keys, etc.. as well as the clip knife.
In the cargoes went two bottles of water, a couple Natures Best oatmeal bars, doggy bags, cell phone, palm pilot, plus some various other stuff. I still had plenty of room to add more water, more food, dog toys, extra leash, or some survival equipment (by which I mean firestarter/spaceblanket/signal mirror/whistle).

I never even had to use the two back pockets.

Best of all, when I got back from the day of hiking with the dog I was hungry and my girlfriend wanted to go out for dinner. Ok, quick bit of wash up, change shirts, unsnap the cargo pockets and ready to go. I didnt have to unload the pockets or change kilts, just took them off and left them home, as all my essentials for the city were still in the slash pockets.

[Kilted_John]

I usually wear my survivals... The workman's and the heather gray mocker have not been used much at all. The mocker blows up too easily and doesn't have cargo pockets, and the workman's is cool, but, not really my style. At least, with the survivals, if I'm out on a shoot, I can load the cargo pockets with lenses and an extra camera body, and sometimes avoid bringing my bag with me. One of my plans is to add elastic loops to the pocket flaps, so I can put film cannisters on the flaps... Could probably carry at least three per flap.

However, if it's hot out, I may throw on my nightwatch cammo original. Recently, though, I have been commuting wearing my traditionals, then changing when I get to work into one of my survivals. Works well.

-J

[KiltedBishop]

I have an old style survival and I love it. But I think the comment about it blousing out is right. It is a light breathable fabric, the workmans is definietly not. For me it is a season thing. Workmans is great in the winter, crap in the summer. I have been wearing my original and my denim a lot lately. Though I really prefer the back pockets of the survival. the workmans will probably never completely soften, it wasn't designed to. if it did people who bought it to work in would complain it didn't last and they should change the name. I admit I didnt know truly what duc cloth was, if I had I am not sure it would have been my first, but you bought a kilt that was designed for construction work. I would be upset if it wasn't that sturdy. BTW if you want to soften it, don't iron it. That bad boy holds it pleats something fierce after an ironing.

[Riverkilt]

Ah Kid,

The Rose and the Orchid again...they're both great.

I have two workman's - black and caramel, and two survival IIs - tan and sage.

They are great kilts for mucking around in the boonies or for wearing to the office.

I too like the "hang" of the survival better, there's more swing, though a far cry from the swing of a tartan kilt.

Its comforting to me to have the deep, safe, pockets on the survival as an alternative to the cargo pockets. Only problem this old bird has is that they're sooooo deep I sometimes go looking for my keys and don't check my pockets deep enough and keep looking elsewhere when the keys are, in fact, in the pocket I just checked.

After getting used to the survival pockets when I switch to the workman's it seems nearly pocketless.

To me, the workman's has a more youthful look with all the metal. Only downside to the workman's is the modesty snaps can give you a chilly surprise on a cold day.

The survival presents as nearly a mocker when the cargo pockets are removed. I often wear my survivals like that to the office.

Initially, I was dissappointed that my basil survival II didn't have the pocket loops on it. I came to like that better and have now taken the pocket loops off my tan survival II so that it looks better when I wear it to the office without the cargo pockets. Realized I never used the loops for anything anyway.

The thicker, stiffer workman's fabric sort of sticks out at a bit of an angle more than it hangs. And I wear mine a lot, did the six washings in unscented Downy, and wash them after nearly every wearing.

I'll chose the survival over the workman's for a long drive just for the comfort of a softer fabric while seated.

For some reason the little clip dealie is on the left side on both. I'm right handed and am so challenged that the only way I can hook anything to it is before I put the kilt on.

Both models (at least of the four kilts I have) have the "drill hole problem" that's been well covered on other threads. If you know they're gonna be there its easier to accept.

It was my choice to stay away from the survival when it was in the initial fabric. Now that the fabric is fixed I'm very happy with it.

My hope is for more colors in the Survival II. A camo would have been perfect.

And, I still have a chocolate workman's near the top of my wish list.

Its all good. Get a bunch of both.

Ron

[KiltedBishop]

I actually asked about a dark green survival, like the original. I would buy one of those in a second. I was told with them brining their production on site custom orders may not be far off. Camo would be cool as well. I must say I love the flap closure on the survival, great for windy days. Drill hole problem? can someone give me some links to those posts?

I am one of the lucky few with a 1st generation that has no fabric problems at all.

[Riverkilt]

Just put "drill" in the search box and you should get it. No biggie, just part of it.

I love them survival toggles too...held in helicopter rotar wash for me...sadly, they don't do anything for the back....can't post that picture...but one now exists of what happens to the back of a survival when the wind is just right...



Ron