Looking for Sporran sources

[Colin]

How long are you in Vancouver for? If you have time, maybe we can throw together a Xmarks Christmas time meet up for some of the local guys.

Celtic Empire is great for leather stuff, but I don't know if Rudi does dress sporrans. I got mine from scottishkilts.net and couldn't be happier with it. I ended up getting one off their site, but with some modifications http://www.flickr.com/photos/clanwood/116807765/

This is just a matter of personal opinion, but if you are going to go for a dress sporran (especially one for your wedding), don't go for the cheap route. I know it is easy to be seduced by the deals that are a fraction of the cost for some items of Highland Wear, but somethings are better to just spend for the quality. The guys in the US can't unfortunately get the sealskin sporrans, but for now we can, and they are great.

When I was first starting out with kilts, I went with the cheaper kilt, a cheaper dress (looking) sporran, etc,etc. These things did well for their purpose, but they never really impressed me all that much. Too be honest, I sometimes felt a bit self-consciences about them at events where their were other kilts. Some people will tell you that 90% of the population can't tell the difference, and they will be correct (maybe not as high a number in Canada as we have a pretty large Scottish heritage and population), however you will know. Having now decided to make the switch and to buy really good quality items, I just don't see the value in the economic market, especially for myself. I couldn't imagine spending $500+ for a kilt, $300+ for a nice jacket and waistcoat, and than adding a $50 sporran. To me it's like adding a side of fries with my haggis

If you are buying this stuff to represent your heritage, and to gear up for your wedding, go for the gold and don't settle because you saved a few bucks. Save the economic versions for the casual wear and not the formal occasions.

[Panache]

A tale of two Porsches

On my street there are a two Porsche Boxsters (for those of you uninterested in cars they are mid-engined open sports motor cars).

One is silver and one is white.

The silver one is a standard Boxer, granted still a very nice automobile. But it lacks a lot of features of the more expensive "S" editions.

The white one is an "S" edition. It has a more powerful engine and has a variety of other performance and luxury features.

I am friends with the owner of the white Porsche. Because of this I know that his White Boxter has aftermarket Porsche wheels and extensive and expensive engine modifications that make it an even more powerful and responsive (and valuable) machine.

They are both parked in their driveways on the same street.

I asked my wife (who isn't very interested in cars) yesterday evening which one of the two she liked better. "I like the silver one, it's a better color on that kind of car", she answered.

The point I'm trying to make here is that (as Colin noted) most people will not see difference of your sporran being a really quality product. The superior constuction isn't that noticeable to the casual observer. Now there are connoisseurs of Highland attire that might notice. But will they care*? Will they hold it against you? How many of them are you likely to hang about with? What matters is how it looks to you. If it is really important that you have a great sporran then go for the gold (or simply rent a really nice dress one for your wedding). But don't worry about what other people are going to think. No one attending your wedding is going to care about your sporran except you. I think for $200-250 you are going to find a really handsome one that will make you happy.

I certainly understand Colin's viewpoint of only purchasing items of real quality. I checked his links and some of those sporrans (OK, almost all of them are real beauties). I still think that at this point of my life for the money I'd rather get a less expensive dress sporran (and then take the rest and get a new Freelander AND a Buzz Kidder).


Cheers


*Unless you are going to have a lot of members of X Marks the Scot there, then all bets are off.