Sporran Chains vs. Sporran Straps

[heilanner]

wearing the belt doesn't bother me too much. i hate chain-straps with a passion. the way the chain always seems to worm it's way under my belly making the kilt 'pouch' and my belly look twice as big (i don't need any help there!!).

so i usually use a normal leather jeans belt. to me, using the kilt belt with the hangers feels no different to wearing a jeans belt with the sporran hanging from it.

as far as them being traditional, well, i've not seen many images of Jacobite soldiers wearing chain-straps, but i have seen images of them with the sporran hanging off their belt. i know it's probably not the same thing, but still...

[CDNSushi]

It's a capital idea if you live in the right corner of the globe. Alas, I feel crippled at times like this -- purveyors of tack, harnesses, equestrian products are not very widespread here in Japan. Anything having to do with horses costs a sick amount of money here (like $400/hr for horseback riding in the country)...

Nonetheless, a good tip indeed.

[morrison]

Leather sporran straps, harness makers, craftsmanship, long wearing life of good straps, MAN I've been chompin' at the bit to get a good responsive post into this thread!

Hmmm . . . ! Wonder wut 'm gonna say?
I need a

[Tony Miles]

you can make em out of saddle string and a couple of buckles

[Kiltman]

At present I do not even own a chain..........I am kinda-sorta thinking I may need one for formal. How say you?

Weasel :ootd:

You don't need a chain for formal wear. Stick with the strap, it will save your kilt.

[Zardoz]

You don't need a chain for formal wear. Stick with the strap, it will save your kilt.

What he said,

I don't like chains, they are not comfortable for me and tend make the kilt bunch up. I kept a chain around for the 2 or 3 times a year I might wear my formal rig, but dreaded using it. So the last couple of formal gigs I just used the same leather strap I always wear. I doubt anyone 'in the know' about such things even noticed or cared. and I was comfy.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

So the last couple of formal gigs I just used the same leather strap I always wear. I doubt anyone 'in the know' about such things even noticed or cared.

Those of us "in the know" would have assumed you were one of us...

[george7]

Has anybody actually had a chain damage a kilt? I've been wearing kilts with chain straps about 8 years... all sorts of sporran and kilt combination. Even a kilt from the 60's I wore as a pipe band uniform. Never had a bit of wear.

[CDNSushi]

Has anybody actually had a chain damage a kilt?

Yes. Absolutely. Not really as much a problem with wool, but synthetic fabric kilts get worn very quickly with a sporran chain. Causes piling like mad!

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Has anybody actually had a chain damage a kilt? I've been wearing kilts with chain straps about 8 years... all sorts of sporran and kilt combination. Even a kilt from the 60's I wore as a pipe band uniform. Never had a bit of wear.

Never had a problem with my wool kilts, although I suspect-- as CDNSushi has pointed out-- that man-made fibers might not bee so chain friendly.

I think a big part of the problem may be down to the quality of the chains used today, as opposed to ten, twenty, or more years ago. I have three sporran chains, and all of them are highly polished. Two are "chrome" plated while one is silver plated, and all three are as smooth as... well, let's just say they are very smooth, and leave it at that! And, of course, they are all at least thirty years old.

Today's chains seem to be not nearly as well finished-- the difference, I suppose, between being made in Beijing or Birmingham!