Quote Originally Posted by Mark E. View Post
Well, no expert here, but as it has been said before...consider the source. Great kilts were not just a lower garmet, but a primary piece of clothing for a society largely comprised of shepherds, small tract farmers, and other very outdoor professions, in a damp and inhospitable land.
You're spot here. For some reason there was a change c1700 when we start to see the development of the feileadh beag. It was probably caused by the beginning of a change in lifestyle with individuals spending less time 'on the hill' overnight. Images and descriptions of the period suggest that the plaid continued to be worn when people were traveling, campaigning etc but it would have not been necessary if one were staying locally and going home most evenings.

Quote Originally Posted by Mark E. View Post
The only issues I have had were usually the ones associated with putting the thing on-takes a bit of room. Also, it is abhorrantly heavy when it gets rain wet. 8 pounds of great kilt (thats 22 ounce fabric at 52"ish wide if you wondered), becomes 5 times that wet-if you have skinny hips, get inside.
Not quite. The first thing to appreciate is that tartan of that period was sometimes treated (we don't know how frequent this practice was) to waterproof it. Whilst not quite Gortex it would have had the effect of shedding light rain.

I've worn a plaid on a five day trip across the Highlands in April, including crossing the R. Findhorn. During that trip the plaid did get wet but could be wrung out whilst being worn so it was never soaked and I doubt it was ever more than about half the weight again. The most uncomfortable thing was sleeping it in as one spends an uncomfortable night drying it out with one's body heat and smelling like a wet dog.