USA kilts vs. Celtic Croft kilts

[Nick the DSM]

id go with USAkilt, it seems they have better quality stuff then an economic kilt thats a dollar less.

[Chef]

I'm not knocking USA Casuals, I personally like the higher rise. Frankly the velcro closure would be great for travelling (no buckles to set off metal detectors). Hmmmm perhaps Rocky needs to add a "Traveller" model to his line up. The same ammount of material and the velcro closure as a casual with a traditional rise and wide belt loops.

I'm with you on the style of the semi-traditional, but I would guess if you asked Rocky he could probably accommodate the velcro request. Although I think velcro on the left and maybe adjustable plastic buckles on the right might work as well.

[Bugbear]

I thought a lot about this as I was going through an airport in pants on a trip a couple of weeks ago. I hate setting that metal detecter off and I make sure my pants and all don't have any metal. At the end of the trip, I kind of felt that A USAK casual would be best, but I'm looking into buckles that can be removed from the kilt and replaced with plastic clips of some sort, then the buckles replaced after the metal detecter and all. When I come up with some good ideas on how this can be done, I will start a thread.

I'm with you on the style of the semi-traditional, but I would guess if you asked Rocky he could probably accommodate the velcro request. Although I think velcro on the left and maybe adjustable plastic buckles on the right might work as well.

[James MacMillan]

I travel in Rocky's casuals which don't have buckles, velcro only. Works great!

[Tattoo Bradley]

I have three USAK casuals. And, I wear them often. However, after seeing a Semi-Traditional in person, I'm sold. My next USAK will be no less than a semi-trad. Either way you go though, you're going to be far better off than the acrylic you're already used to.

[Verlyn]

With the exception of one Amerikilt, all mine are USA Kilts. 4 casuals, 3 semis and another semi on order. I love all of them, but am partial to the semi for all the reasons listed. I look at the casuals as equivalent to dockers from when I still wore mostly pants and the semis are definitely dressier. As far as flying, the only issue I have had is that the buckles on the semis tend to set off the metal detectors, so will probably go back to the casuals (unless a high wind is predicted, then I'll brave the TSA). You can't go wrong with the work of Rocky and Kelly.

[Alan H]

It must be said that Celtic Croft DOES offer kilts in certain tartans that you can't get anywhere else without buying a tank. I've thought hard about ordering a box pleat from them in the Ulster tartan, and may still do that, someday. Since box pleat kilts have fewer creases in them, "falling out" pleats aren't as drastic a disaster as they are with a knife pleat kilt.

[billmcc]

This touches on a question I've had. Looking at the USAK website, I really can't see a difference between the casual and the semi-trad, other than the latter is handsewn (which I don't dismiss).

But is it the same fabric for both styles? same weight?

Here is a quick comparison of USAK’s kilts:

USAK Casual
* Made of 4 to 5 yards of 11 oz. washable PV material from Marton Mills.
* Perma-pleating, and pleats sewn down at the fell.
* Hand pleated to sett or stripe.
* Velcro fastening system.
* Intended to be worn (low) on the hips, but can be worn higher (if ordered longer).
* Tapered front apron. Three-quarter width under-apron.
* No waist band, but material folded over at the top.
* Three belt loops intended for a 1.5-inch wide belt are standard, but wider belt loops provided when requested.
* No lining.
* Machine sewn.

USAK Semi-Traditional
* Made of 7 to 8 yards of 11 oz. washable PV material from Marton Mills.
* Pleats sewn down at the fell.
* Hand pleated to sett or stripe.
* Three straps and buckles for fastening.
* Intended to be worn (high) on the waist like a traditional kilt.
* Tapered front apron. Full width under-apron.
* Traditional waist band.
* Two belt loops for a standard kilt belt.
* No lining.
* Machine sewn.

[billmcc]

...I"ve seen three USA Kilts semi-trads and they're great. My ONLY caveat is that I, personally would ask Rocky to use a straight selvedged edge on mine, and not fringe it. I know that the selvedge on Marton Mills PV is a bit rough, but I prefer it to the fringe. That's "just me"...

The pv material USAK uses is from the Balmoral range of tartans made by Marton Mills. Standard tartans in this range come from the factory with a fringed selvedge. USAK does not make the fringe. The tartan material that USAK special orders (like the Ireland's National, American Heritage, US Navy and US Army tartans) is ordered with a straight selvedge. So, the type of selvedge your kilt will have will depend on the tartan.

[RockyR]

The pv material USAK uses is from the Balmoral range of tartans made by Marton Mills. Standard tartans in this range come from the factory with a fringed selvedge. USAK does not make the fringe. The tartan material that USAK special orders (like the Ireland's National, American Heritage, US Navy and US Army tartans) is ordered with a straight selvedge. So, the type of selvedge your kilt will have will depend on the tartan.

One more thing to add to that... OCCASIONALLY (maybe 1 out of every 8 or 10), we get a bolt of PV cloth WITH a kilting selvedge when we don't special order it. basically, MM has 2 looms... a "Frayed Selvedge" loom and a Tuck Selvedge loom (kilting selvedge). Since they weave wool AND PV, they weave ALL of their wool on the Tuck Selvedge loom 100% of the time. However, when they get backed up on PV tartan weaving on the Frayed Selvedge loom, they weave some on the Tuck Selvedge loom. I CAN NOT SPECIFY what tartans get which loom in their stock range. I just "get what I get".

If you want a PV kilt and it HAS to have a kilting selvedge, you can give me a call and I can tell you what tartans I have IN STOCK that have it and can make one for you.