20 Miles in an Heirloom

[wildrover]

Now and then, I'll see references to something called an "heirloom quality kilt". It occurred to me over the weekend that it's not really an heirloom if the only places it's been worn are piping engagements, weddings, funerals, and various Renaissance "faires" and "Celtic festivals"...more like in that case it'd be the "family costume", to be held aloft and examined in hushed tones and finally stuffed ingloriously back in a foot locker for the better part of another generation.

I didn't favor the latter idea.

It also occurred to me that the best way to make an heirloom out of a good quality kilt would be to DO STUFF in it! Where an "action shot" is far more than standing in the beer tent or showing off one's pleats.

Essentially, I felt it was finally time to put Robert MacDonald's claims to the test...as stated on his website:

A full 7 or 8 yard kilt ('length' alone is not an indicator of the quality of a kilt) is a surprisingly sophisticated example of the tailor's skill. It will take an astonishing amount of heavy wear.

As an 'Army' kiltmaker, I create kilts of robust construction that will stand up to the rigors of daily wear. Each kilt is entirely hand-sewn to the customers' measurements and requirements and takes approximately 20 hours labour.

I buy my kilt cloth from one source: DC Dalgliesh Ltd, Dunsdale Mill, Selkirk, Scotland. I have found their kilt-cloth to be the best cloth available – absolutely superior to any other source.

How good is it? If you come to my shop I will show you a kilt I made for myself 10 years ago that has never been ironed since I made it. I have gone hill-running in that kilt, slept rough in it, worn that kilt when it was so wet I might have been sitting in a bathtub, sat on the balled-up pleats in the back of an Army truck and then worn it the rest of the day with no attention paid to it at all. Through all of this the pleats have kept their edge yet there is no sign of any wrinkle, and the brambles have yet to snag on it.

Ok, you're on!

Everything he said about his kilts, wool kilts, handmade kilts, is why I chose to buy a kilt from him...and I bought it with every intention of gently beating the !@#$ out of it, and fully expecting the same results.

Is this a plug for 16x8, 100% wool, "tanks"?

Why, yes it is. If there were ever any doubts in your mind, let this ease them.

Some of you may have seen the pictures from the first time I went hiking in my kilt:
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...untains-59939/

That was the trial run.

[wildrover]

Over the weekend, I went down to the San Juan highlands to grab a few peaks...Uncompahgre, Handies, Redcloud and Sunshine, all 14K'+ mountains in Colorado.

The first day was a weather check...mostly a wind check, actually, and a check for the conditions on the top. I've been up a couple others, but it's been a while. Day one was in pants, so I'll not post photos.

Day two...up at 5AM, on the trail at 6AM, headed toward Handies Peak, wondering if I were absolutely bat@#$% crazy, wearing my 16x8, my only pair of kilt hose (Aran-style, heavy wool), a pair of wool garters from the STM, and a sporran from Custom Celtic in addition to the usual Gore-Tex, nylon, kevlar, etc...



At the first layer swap point...

...one of the girls asked "what do you carry in your purse?"

...Followed by another girl coming back with "it's not a purse, it's a satchel!" (Hopefully you've seen "The Hangover")

...Followed by laughter. I thought it was hilarious. After mentioning "sporran" and "whatever needs to go in there," we moved on.


There's a really nice alpine lake up there...we contemplated heading over, but didn't see an obvious trail. Later, looking at the map, we realized it's a faint primitive trail...here's a picture of our contemplation...


We're going up there.


For what it's worth, we came from there...down in the valley.


The weather changes drastically throughout the hike...ridges might mean wind, bowls might mean wind or dead calm, peaks can be calm or biting wind depending on time of day and weather, but junk sweat is a constant, and summit winds are a refreshing reward for the effort of climbing up to 14K'. American Basin is in the background, and this is me, kilted, on the summit of Handies, enjoying some "Scottish Air Conditioning".


Then we headed down. The prominent peak on the right is Uncompahgre, from the day before, and the prominent peak on the left is Wetterhorn.


The "Rustic" style, two-tassel sporran I got from Pat @ Custom Celtic was perfect for carrying a digital camera, or hat, or gloves, or all three, depending on how the wind, weather and sun was shaping up throughout the hike.

[GMan]

Excellent!

[wildrover]

Next day, up at 5AM again, to get a piece of Redcloud and Sunshine. Ready to rock!


Snow on the heights, from the previous night's storm. A bit of wind and a brisk walk really gets the kilt swinging.


I wondered if the wind might lift my kilt. It did not, despite a STRONG wind coming up from the bowl. Funnay: one of the girls in the group this day took this picture for me, and as we were walking up afterward, I advised that perhaps she should walk in front, "just in case"...which resulted in a somewhat shocked "wow, you're really NOT wearing anything under there, are you?"

(indignantly) "Of COURSE I'm not!"

Destination is the reddish peak on the left.

The hike up is a bit exposed, but not bad.


Finally on the summit of Redcloud, looking at Uncompahgre in the background.


Next destination is a mile and a half along the ridge, to the summit of Sunshine:


But first...a bit of contemplation...this is where we started, down in the valley. Handies is the peak on the left, the valley on the right is part of the Alpine Loop and leads up to Cinnamon Pass.


A mile and a half isn't a long way to go, unless it's almost three miles up. It's a shocking distance, but we made it.


Got a partial pan shot...Handies on the left, Uncompahgre on the right. Too many peaks to list, between them...including several more 14ers.


Coming back down, it's getting warm, not much snow left...I took off the sporran (and pretty much everything else) and ran most of the way down. Here's a view of a couple snow fields, one of which figured prominently in my kilted adventure, if my buddy ever posts the photos.

[wildrover]

One more photo for now...this is most of the view coming down...nice valley.


I have to wait for the other guys & girls to post their photos online to get the really funny stuff, including "expose yourself to nature" and "ladies and gentlemen, take my advice..."

Full photo gallery is here, for those interested:
http://www.imagebam.com/gallery/b9pa...nfqp6lfiwl2dwd

Cheers,
Sean

[SoulFyre777]

Now and then, I'll see references to something called an "heirloom quality kilt". It occurred to me over the weekend that it's not really an heirloom if the only places it's been worn are piping engagements, weddings, funerals, and various Renaissance "faires" and "Celtic festivals"...more like in that case it'd be the "family costume", to be held aloft and examined in hushed tones and finally stuffed ingloriously back in a foot locker for the better part of another generation.

I didn't favor the latter idea.

It also occurred to me that the best way to make an heirloom out of a good quality kilt would be to DO STUFF in it! Where an "action shot" is far more than standing in the beer tent or showing off one's pleats.

Essentially, I felt it was finally time to put Robert MacDonald's claims to the test...as stated on his website:
Ok, you're on!

Everything he said about his kilts, wool kilts, handmade kilts, is why I chose to buy a kilt from him...and I bought it with every intention of gently beating the !@#$ out of it, and fully expecting the same results.

Is this a plug for 16x8, 100% wool, "tanks"?

Why, yes it is. If there were ever any doubts in your mind, let this ease them.

Some of you may have seen the pictures from the first time I went hiking in my kilt:
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...untains-59939/

That was the trial run.

SEE?! Just when I decide that the kilt is just for special occasions and really doesn't seem to fit my everyday, rough and tumble attire, I read something like the above from one of you gentlemen here at XMTS and I'm ready to scale Everest in my tank!! Great pictures and an awesome challenge to those who truly want an heirloom kilt Thank you for this!

KILT ON!!!

[BoldHighlander]

Cool!

I don't know what activities (if anything outside of Scottish heritage events) the current president of Clan Mackay USA wears his kilt, but I do know the one he wears was a true, hard living "heirloom quality kilt" before he wore it. His was worn by his grandfather in the trenches of WW1 (w/ the Black Watch)!

Just thought I'd share

Now and then, I'll see references to something called an "heirloom quality kilt". It occurred to me over the weekend that it's not really an heirloom if the only places it's been worn are piping engagements, weddings, funerals, and various Renaissance "faires" and "Celtic festivals"...more like in that case it'd be the "family costume", to be held aloft and examined in hushed tones and finally stuffed ingloriously back in a foot locker for the better part of another generation.

I didn't favor the latter idea.

It also occurred to me that the best way to make an heirloom out of a good quality kilt would be to DO STUFF in it! Where an "action shot" is far more than standing in the beer tent or showing off one's pleats.

Essentially, I felt it was finally time to put Robert MacDonald's claims to the test...as stated on his website:
Ok, you're on!

Everything he said about his kilts, wool kilts, handmade kilts, is why I chose to buy a kilt from him...and I bought it with every intention of gently beating the !@#$ out of it, and fully expecting the same results.

Is this a plug for 16x8, 100% wool, "tanks"?

Why, yes it is. If there were ever any doubts in your mind, let this ease them.

Some of you may have seen the pictures from the first time I went hiking in my kilt:
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...untains-59939/

That was the trial run.

SEE?! Just when I decide that the kilt is just for special occasions and really doesn't seem to fit my everyday, rough and tumble attire, I read something like the above from one of you gentlemen here at XMTS and I'm ready to scale Everest in my tank!! Great pictures and an awesome challenge to those who truly want an heirloom kilt Thank you for this!

KILT ON!!!

[Riverkilt]

Great thumbnails. Too big to get open on my dial up...

Headed back up to Ouray and Ridgeway in the San Juans in August but won't get any higher than the passes.

Remember hiking American Flats as a young lad though - back in '63....so quiet because there was little air to carry sound.

To the point, I heartily agree that wool kilts were made to be worn in all conditions...well...except maybe around pitch or cholla cactus.

[wildrover]

Almost forgot to post the pic here...how does the quote go? "Ladies and gentlemen, take my advice: pull down your pants, and slide on the ice!"



No family-unsafe bits were photographed in this image...holding the kilt under my butt meant hands were covering everything .

100% wool.

How's that for an "heirloom quality kilt" ...this is one heirloom that won't end up languishing in a trunk for 364 days of the year!

The following weekend, I turned in two firsts and a second place in G4 solo comp in the same unwashed, unironed kilt.

I am happy with my purchase.

[Cygnus]

I'm hugely impressed with the quality of that kilt (especially after the slide).

Any chance of some close-ups of the kilt as it is now so we can see how it held up?

I think this is a great way to test the true quality of a kilt, and I'm looking forward to seeing the kilt after its 100th mile!