Kilt Travel

[Martin S]

If my suitcase is big enough, I lay the kilt in flat. If not I fold it top to bottom, or even fold it both side to side and top to bottom. If the rest of the belongings are packed in firmly so that nothing can move, a good woolen kilt comes out of the case some hours later, looking just as good as when it went in. Hang it up as usual and it won't even know it is away from home.

Martin

[Riverkilt]

Not sure how large your duffle bag is. I use a large "gym bag" when I travel. The kilts go right off the hanger to lay in the bottom of the bag. I do alternate the direction of the kilts if I have more than one.

If your bag is smaller, I've read that Utilikilts folds their kilts into 1/4 size for packing between their gigs selling at games. That is, folded as if on the hanger, then folded once more.

And, if you're staying at most motels there are irons in the room or an iron can be borrowed from the front desk.

And, if you can fit it in, a portable steamer will cure whatever wrinkling happens during travel - both for the kilts you've packed and the kilt you've been wearing.

Ron

[TheSp8]

The nice lady at Anderson's told me to fold it in half side to side and then fold the top down to the bottom. That was how they fold them to put in the cases to send out for hire. I packed my new heavyweight that way and the few wrinkles fell out after a couple of hours. My lightweight e-bay kilt got rolled and stuffed in one leg of a pair of hose. No wrinkles with that method and that kilt will wrinkle if you look at it hard.

YMOS,
Tony

[Martin S]

Just received a new kilt in a pastic bag in a cardboard box.
It was folded in four (quartered), ni stitching to hoold the pleats.
Out of t he bag, onto the body -- not a wrinkle.
House of Edgar 13 oz wool; great.

Can't speak for cotton or pv -- and I would not want one!

Martin

[McClef]

I have just bought a kilt roll made by Thistle of Blantyre through Carse of Gowrie and it looks good - even comes with instuctions!

[turpin]

I have just bought a kilt roll made by Thistle of Blantyre through Carse of Gowrie and it looks good - even comes with instuctions!

That's the one I have - I like it.

[scoutniagara]

It looks like it would do the job, but for 19.00 pounds? I paid about $40.00 Cdn for a 26 inch rolling duffle with bottom compartment. I'll make a sleeve that will do the same thing. Thanks for the idea.

[McClef]

It looks like it would do the job, but for 19.00 pounds? I paid about $40.00 Cdn for a 26 inch rolling duffle with bottom compartment. I'll make a sleeve that will do the same thing. Thanks for the idea.

I don't think it's comparing like with like although the price is broadly similar when one converts the Loony to the Pound.

Your duffle is not designed specifically for the task and I haven't found a huge amount of items in the UK that are.

If it does its job I am not going to complain.

[MacTavishOfJapan]

I have just bought a kilt roll made by Thistle of Blantyre through Carse of Gowrie and it looks good - even comes with instuctions!

After reading this thread I went off and bought one of these yesterday. I'm relieved to come back and see they have a good word of mouth! I reckon after spending three hundred pounds on a kilt nineteen pounds to protect it when I hop continents isn't a bad idea!!! And I was buying my ghillies too so got reduced shipping!

[KiltedCodeWarrior]

Timely thread. I went looking at the older threads before our recent trip to the UK. Found Pour1Malt's excellent insturctions for rolling with nylons, but that method requires a suitcase or travel bag long/tall enough to allow the kilt to lay straight, otherwise you end up bending it over to fit it in. So rolling was out. Then I tried folding it as for hanging, with the aprons overlapped and the pleats aligned, then placed it on the bed pleats down and rolled from the waistband down with the pleats on the outside. Unfortunately, with my waist and hips, the tube was not shorter! Tried a few other options and finally ended up by folding it as for hanging, then folding it in half again from apron edge to apron edge, with the pleats INSIDE, then folded in half from the waistband down to the selvedge. Then placed it in the bottom of the suitcase, repeated for the other 2 kilts, then packed the rest of the clothing around. When we got to the B&B, I just pulled them out and laid them over the back of a chair, just unfolding it so the kilt hung full length, but not the fold from apron to apron. No problems, and I did not even bother with the pleats. Worked fine. Now, all 3 were wool kilts (SWK HW green shadow, Angus Harvey kilt, XMarks box pleat from Matt Newsome), but in traveling with PV, I have found that it hangs out pretty much as easily.