A agree that utilikilts are not cheap kilts. They are well made and buy no means inexpensive. I also started with UK's and I am moving toward more traditional kilts. If I used your thinking then I would not be wearing a tartan kilt at all and certainly would not wear a $700.00 kilt on a daily basis. I would rather see any one start with an inexpensive kilt than not wear a kilt at all. The fact that a person's budget has different priorties should not prevent them from wearing a kilt.