Kilts from Heritage of Scotland

[ForresterModern]

Differing opinions will definitely be found on this forum regarding HOS and the Gold Brothers, a lot of it negative. I have frequented their website and visited their stores in Edinburgh when I was there last spring, and they indeed do sell an awful lot of pretty crappy quality non UK made stuff----tat as they call it there. But before I became aware of and joined this forum, and before I knew much about the Gold brothers I ordered two machine made 16oz 8yd kilts in Marton Mills made tartans (Ancient MacDonald and Black Isle) and recieved good quality product at a good price (about $300US a year ago--would be about 25% less now) within a decent shipping time, and good communication. I have since purchased on special sales 8 yards of a special weave fabric at abour 60% of what it would have cost a kiltmaker to order it wholesale. a very nice well fitting lovat blue tweed jacket and waistcoat for about half of what others are selling them for ON SALE ($120), another 16oz 8yd kilt (Ancient Douglas) at about $240, and have recently ordered another length of my family hunting tartan at a great price during their after New Years 20% off sale, which should arrive sometime in the next couple weeks.

My dealing with them over the internet have been positive. When they could not locate my tartan in stock (as it had been listed their website) they went to the mill and had it custom woven for me at no extra charge--just a delay of a few extra weeks. When their source for the tweed jacket and waistcoat went out of business before completing my order they transferred it to another manufacturer who completed it quickly and at the same price point, with excellent quality. When they have a question or concern they contact you by email fairly promptly, and when you have a question you can prioritize it in their email cue by its improtance to you---urgent, soon, routine, etc...

Now I am not first hand knowledgeable about many of the other allegedly underhanded and frankly illegal things they have been accused of, as listed above and in other Gold Brothers posts. It does bother me that they seem to be constantly in the news for some shady dealings or another. I am very troubled by their retail sales tactics and products at their stores all up and down the Royal Mile and Princes Street-------cheap tourist crap flowing out onto sidewalks which are bombarded constantly by loudspeakers blaring unending celtic or bagpiipe rock and roll fusion out onto the street, and their in store customer service is "ccrrraaappp", as someone else here recently said.

But online I have been less troubled by it all, and continue to haunt their website for the occasional sale on something I want that I cannot either get or cannot get at anything close to as reasonable price as I can at HOS. The key remains caveat emptor. And trust your own morals and ethics about the other stuff. There are plenty of vendors selling lots of highland goodies beside the several Gold Brothers stores, with overall reputaions far less scarred than theirs.

Okay guys, feel free now to open the flood gates of ridicule upon my poor heathen soul.

[McMurdo]

When I was new to kilting, I ordered a Prince Charlie jacket from them, it came in a reasonable time. The quality was exactly what I expected. The real problem was the duty I had to pay once it got here. Adding it all up I'd have spent the same amount locally, and I'd have been able to try it on first.

[ForresterModern]

When I was new to kilting, I ordered a Prince Charlie jacket from them, it came in a reasonable time. The quality was exactly what I expected. The real problem was the duty I had to pay once it got here. Adding it all up I'd have spent the same amount locally, and I'd have been able to try it on first.

Thanks McMurdo for bringing that up. If you do buy from them try to keep your purchase under around $200 us (if you are outside the EU). they tend to use FEDEX to ship everything, and FEDEX is a pain in the **** about customs duties, and adding their own little additional processing fees to the whole deal, sometimes negating the savings you might have realized otherwise. And at least for me they have NOT followed my requests to send my orders by Royal mail, which tends to be more lenient on customs issues overall.

Nice point McMurdo. Great to bring that up.

[Riverkilt]

Its pretty hard to go wrong dealing direct with a kiltmaker rather than dealing with a middle man like you were thinking about. Plenty of craftsmen on this board with solid credentials that you can deal direct with. Probably save the middleman cut and get a better quality kilt for the same money.

And for faster service seek out a full time kiltmaker. Here's a guy in Vancouver that would avoid the worries of duties and his web site is a hoot. Though I think he wants you to journey to Vancouver to get measured. http://www.westcoastkilts.com/index.php

Bottom line, take the time to find yourself a kiltmaker you can work direct with rather than giving your money to a middleman and trusting them to find a kiltmaker you'll never meet.

Ron

[Adam Pound]

Thanks everybody. I can now go to bed tonight and have nightmares of angry kiltmakers punching me in the nose
Really I was just interested in the fact that they had the tartan I was looking for. I know Burnett's in Stratford can do me one, but they quoted me a price WAY higher than I could afford because the mill would have to run it off as a one shot deal and I'd end up with a ream of it.

If any one knows any Pattersons with too much plaid lying around please give me a shout,
Adam

[cavscout]

Check with some of the kilt makers here, Steve @ Freedom Kilts, Matt @ the Scottish Tartans Museum, Rocky @ USA Kilts,....

I'd be willing to bet these kilt makers can take care of you with that tartan. Unless Patterson is a rare tartan it should be available somewhere and these guys can find it for you. Just looking at the Scotweb site at the top of the screen shows a few versions of Patterson.

Of course, these guys work so much magic so often I may be just taking it for granted that they can work one more miracle

[McMurdo]

Adam
I got an 8 yard 16oz kilt in the Royal Naval Association Tartan from Barb Tewksbury, now I'm sure something like that would not be in your budget from the description, however as it was a special weave we went through DC Daglish for the tartan. It remains one of my favourite kilts. Oh and another small point Burnett's and Struth is in Barrie, not Stratford, RKilts is in Stratford.

Here is my review of the Royal Naval Association tartan.

As I said getting something from them to Canada cost me close to double the price for the item, I'm thinking you may well want to talk to one of our Canadian Kilt Makers, I'd suggest Peter at Canadian Casual Kilts in Fergus, his user name here is McHummel or Steve Ashton at Freedom Kilts.

[cessna152towser]

If you want a quality kilt then definitely I'd say NO!
Find a kiltmaker who can obtain the Paterson tartan and build you a good product.
If you just want something cheap and cheerful, probably off the peg and probably made in Pakistan and labelled "Highland Kilt designed in Scotland" then by all means YES, their shipping time is usually very quick and you could save a lot of money. I have two of their PV kilts which were very cheap and are reasonably presentable, as a matter of fact I am wearing one right now as I have been out in rain and high winds today and didn't want to get one of my decent wool kilts wet.

[David Dubh]

I was in a couple of their locations in Glasgow and Edinburgh. I wouldn't buy from what I saw and obviously others here feel the same. When I was researching to buy mine I looked at them too, I went with tartanweb or scottishkilts.net. They are the same company and I found that their prices were better for the most part, under $200 US for any tartan. Several in the forum have used them with better success for the most part. Give yourself plenty of lead time and opt for a 16oz weight if you are doing a 5 yard kilt

[GG]

Has anyone ordered a kilt from these guys? They offer the hard to find Patterson tartan and I'm considering springing for one of their 5 yarders.
If anyone has feedback on them, I'd love to hear it.
Cheers, Adam

I have - several times. And now I'm expecting to receive further two 5 yard wool kilts from them, one next week and one in February. Plaid from Locharron and N.Batley.
I'm very satisfied with what I have got. Their customer service is perfect and everything is well organized - what is not always the case when buying kilts.

Shipping is free (Fedex) and with trace and tracking.

My judgement is based upon experience, as you can see. And I recommend them.

Greg

www.dress2kilt.eu