Acrylic Kilt Hose

[macwilkin]

On the Acrylic hose debate, I recently bought a pair of diced (formal) socks from J. Higgins, and I have issues, they snag on my fingernails, and just about anything else they touch, they itch, they're hot (as in uncomfortably warm).
And for what they are (basically plastic) they are.... at US$60 PLUS P+P absurdly overpriced.
I don't buy the argument that a two tone synthetic machine milled sock costs all that much to make, even in America.

I had that same problem with a pair of tartan hose I ordered from J. Higgins, since they had made my Gunn (modern colours) kilt -- within two years they were snagged and frayed, and a small hole was developing in the toe -- and I paid what you did. I was not happy, & searched around for a while until I discovered the Tartan Thistle in Washington State. The TT is a Piper's supply house, and they offered tartan hose in 100%, hand knitted wool. Yes, they were not cheap -- but they are worth EVERY PENNY I paid for them, since I do attend several formal events during the year. You can tell the difference.

Bottom line: I don't mind paying for quality that will last a long time.

Cheers,

Todd

[M. A. C. Newsome]

According to the info provided by the gift shop website, these hose have some wool in them. Can they be machine washed and dried? Or should I hang them up to dry to prevent shrinkage?

I wash all my hose the same, acrylic and wool -- just makes it easier when it comes time to do laundry.

I was them in the washing machine in cool water on the gentle or delicate cycle. Then I hang them to air dry.

Only a few times have I had problems with hose shrinking. For whatever reason, Lochcarron's lovat green hose shrink horribly on the first washing. I have never had a problem with any other color of theirs. I even called them to ask about it, and they couldn't tell me why this one color shrank and the others did not. But I even bought a second pair just to see if the first one was a fluke, and it did the same. Also, a pair of woolen hose I bought at a Highland Games from a manufacturer I was not familiar with at the time (and whose name I cannot recall) did the same.

But other than these two incidents I have never had a problem washing my hose this way. I wear kilt hose so often, and have so many pairs, I'm not going to put up with a pair that I have to hand wash. I have too many other hose to worry about that!

Aye,
Matt

[macwilkin]

Only a few times have I had problems with hose shrinking. For whatever reason, Lochcarron's lovat green hose shrink horribly on the first washing. I have never had a problem with any other color of theirs. I even called them to ask about it, and they couldn't tell me why this one color shrank and the others did not. But I even bought a second pair just to see if the first one was a fluke, and it did the same.

Matt, I had the exact same thing happen to me about 5-6 years ago, so you aren't the only one! My Locharran Lovat Greens shrank after washing as well.

Cheers,

Todd

[Hamish]

I have not had any kilt hose shrink for many years. In the good old pre-man made fibre days, all hose was 100% wool. It shrank slightly with every wash, and became more like felt with every wash - it was terrible. In my dance display days, I had several pairs of tartan hose especially knitted, at huge expense, and even they suffered in the same way.

Today, probably like Matt, I have maybe something like a dozen pairs of kilt hose continually on the 'go', with another dozen pairs still in their wrappers, awaiting their turn. They are all 80% wool and 20% nylon and bought from different kiltmaking establishments as I have travelled around. I have, on occasion, machine washed them on the 'Wool Cycle' but generally I hand wash and fresh-air dry them. To say that several pairs are up to three, maybe four, years old would not be an exaggeration - a fact I put down to the hand-washing.

Acrylic kilt hose I find far too bulky and 'ungiving' in that they have no stretch to facilitate the getting on and getting off. I've several pairs (mainly black) but very, very seldom wear them.

[Alan H]

I have had two pairs of extremely synthetic solid-color rugby socks that I wore with mylikts for a while. These things were not the most confortable things to wear, picked up foot odor like it wasn't funny, and felt totally artificial.

On the other hand, they were built to be bombproof, they were cheap, and they didn't look too bad.

However, I tossed them when I finally bought some real Locharron hose, which I find to be much nicer. I ordered pair of Bears socks along with my kilt, so I'll get al ook at what they're like, too.