Hmmm... debating.

[Andrew Green]

Score! The SWK arrived today. I haven't gotten a chance to open it up, as my woman picked it up (I am at work at this time)... but still cool. SWK is really good at taking care of that instant gratification bug, as they ship out insanely fast. Now I can compare the higher end pieces, to the economy... and then form a bias from there...although the answer should be self evident.

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Andrew, you will love the SWL Weathered Lamont! Very nice earthy colors, with a tinge of green in the light gray, at least to my eyes. I ordered one a while back off the clearance rack at SWK and have been very pleased. Loks great, made of wool, matches well with some shirts that other tartans would not, etc.. Search the forums and you can find my pics of it (yes I am beinf lazy tonight, but after 3 days away, I have over 1100 posts to look at, at least enough to decide if I want to read them or not!).

[O'Neille]

I think I caught the bug that was going around and had to innoculate myself with some wool. I've got a Black Stewart and a BW heavyweight from SWK. I've almost taken the plunge for a Weathered Lamont 2-3 times. This thread put me over the edge so another Weathered Lamont will be in the mail tomorrow, probably. O'Neille

[Andrew Green]

Hell yeah! The weathered Lamont is an awesome pattern. It is comfy, nice pleats... totally worth it. I wanna nab a Black Watch now. Of they had a Gordon in heavyweight, I would be ordering one tonight. Hard to beat the fit and the price!

[O'Neille]

Hell yeah! The weathered Lamont is an awesome pattern. It is comfy, nice pleats... totally worth it. I wanna nab a Black Watch now. Of they had a Gordon in heavyweight, I would be ordering one tonight. Hard to beat the fit and the price!

Agreed, if they fit you well, you can't beat Jerry's Kilts. Maybe we should hold a telethon. O'Neille

[Riverkilt]

Missed this thread somehow. Also have a stong Gordon line out of Alleghany County New York, across the Bozeman Trail to Virginia City, Montana in 1866 right through the heart of the Indian Wars.

Have that weathered Gordon shown above, that was a lucky find at Celtic Croft, a Gordon Modern USA Kilts Casual, and a Gordon Red USA Kilts Casual on order with that special mill order deal of Rocky's.

Main thing I would suggest folks consider is getting at least one hand sewn 16 oz wool kilt in a tartan the like for whatever reason.

Yes, they're expensive, but there's nothing else like them, and they are timeless, something that will pass on to your kids and grandkids.

Though the expense is higher than less expensive fabric and craftsmanship kilts, they're relatively easy to purchase.

For instance, Kathy Lare at Kathy's Kilts www.kathyskilts.com takes a deposit to buy the fabric (and kiltmakers can find and order the fabric you want for you), then she lets you know the balance when the kilt and flashes are sewn up and ready to ship.

So instead of paying it all at once, you can make a deposit with the money you'd spend on a less expensive kilt, then while she's aquiring the fabric and sewing up the kilt you can raise the money for the second payment.

I'm talking about her since that's who sews up my kilts, I would guess that other kiltmakers have similar financial arrangements.

Just me, but if you gave me a choice between two less expensive kilts and one hand sewn 16 oz strome, I'm gonna go for the hand sewn EVERY time...

Ron

[Andrew Green]

Hey Riverkilt,
In no way was my post meant to belittle the worth of a nicer piece, like a heavier-weight hand sewn kilt. That being said, I could have phrased things a little better I suppose. I guess it would be better to say that you could do much worse at $132 shipped... the SWK heavyweight is by my POV an incredible value, and totally worth the money, and probably one of the best kilts you can buy within that price range... especially because, as long as the website is truthful about this, they are made out of 100% wool...which I would definitely prefer to acrylic most of the time.

One of the things I want to do is to get a kilt made from the Tartan Museum, but out of the regimental weight Gordon Modern... 18oz wool... that should be tough as nails. Not to mention it should hold really great pleats. I am thinking box pleat on that one though.