The Most Comfortable Kilt

**CMcG** · 11th July 12, 07:41 AM

Originally Posted by David Thorpe

...
Most kilt vendors DO offer lightweight options.

But what about the elastic waistband?

**Panache** · 11th July 12, 08:04 AM

I have a solid olive green sport kilt for years and it gets used a lot during the summer. I use it for the beach (great for changing into/out of my wetsuit) and for lounging about in with a Hawaiian shirt. Very casual, but extremely comfortable in the heat

Cheers

Jamie

**TheBrus** · 11th July 12, 08:31 AM

I have a sportkilt that I use for exactly the same purpose--the kilt equivalent of sweatpants. It stays inside mostly, and I do just like you do with the elastic. My wife thinks it's hideous, but it does make her appreciate the aesthetic of regular kilts more.

**David Thorpe** · 11th July 12, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by CMcG

But what about the elastic waistband?

Sorry. Not on my radar. A well-made, correctly-sized kilt doesn't need elastic to be comfortable, in my experience and opinion.

I'll shut up and trot back off to my traditional forum now.

**Pleater** · 11th July 12, 03:56 PM

My most comfortable kilts started out as top end duvet covers - it does entail making your own kilts, but I just pleat the fabric and sew on a narrow waistband just to bind the top.

Anything will do to hold it on, a couple of D rings and fabric reinforced with cotton tape, click together squeeze apart buckles, buttons, safety pins - or even Velcro.

The material is difficult to crease but seems happy enough to be folded into pleats. The kilt is heavy enough not to feel flimsy but comfortable in midsummer heat.

It can be thrown in the washing machine, lounged about in, carried in a backpack and even worn when wading in the sea, and it still looks kiltish.

The only thing to watch out for is a pattern with an obvious vertical line not printed on the grain of the fabric. Plain or something random is the best option.

Anne the Pleater :ootd:

**Riverkilt** · 11th July 12, 07:18 PM

No elastic either (Why??) but my favorite kilt until I outgrew it was my blue denim Utilikilts Original after the denim was broken in.

Had some sportkilts back when and then the fabric was about the same as pajama fabric - cotton poly with a fuzzy side. They weren't pleated - just gathered - until I paid for one with a few pleats. Fine for casual stuff where no one could see me...just didn't "look" like a real kilt when out and about. My opinion only.

**CMcG** · 12th July 12, 06:42 AM

Originally Posted by David Thorpe

Sorry. Not on my radar. A well-made, correctly-sized kilt doesn't need elastic to be comfortable, in my experience and opinion.

I'll shut up and trot back off to my traditional forum now.

I'm not saying a traditional is uncomfortable, rather that a Sportkilt is the MOST comfortable. ANY kilt is still more comfortable than p@nts

As for elastic waistbands, don't knock 'em till you try 'em

Originally Posted by Riverkilt

No elastic either (Why??) but my favorite kilt until I outgrew it was my blue denim Utilikilts Original after the denim was broken in.

Had some sportkilts back when and then the fabric was about the same as pajama fabric - cotton poly with a fuzzy side. They weren't pleated - just gathered - until I paid for one with a few pleats. Fine for casual stuff where no one could see me...just didn't "look" like a real kilt when out and about. My opinion only.

I can see how well broken in denim could be amazingly comfortable in a kilt; it would be just like one's favourite, old pair of jeans but without that pesky bifurcation

I've heard some of the complaints you've mentioned about the older Sportkilts. The fabric in mine is a polyviscose blend, which holds a good pleat and is light, but also prone to pilling. I go over it every once in a while with a fabric comb to keep it looking nicer

My tartan "Works" model (sewn down pleats, buckles/straps, belt loops, fringed apron) looks enough like a real kilt... at a distance. I agree with your opinion, though, that it isn't the best option for out and about. If I were to buy another one, I'd probably just get a basic model with sewn down pleats and maybe the fringe... save a bit of money on my unbifurcated pyjama/sweats

**Riverkilt** · 12th July 12, 06:58 AM

Pilling??? I've had over 25 kilts made of Polyviscose (woven at Marton Mills) and never had the least hint of pilling - and I wear them a lot. Do you know what mill your cloth came from? Just doesn't make sense that PV would pill up that much.

**CMcG** · 12th July 12, 07:10 AM

Originally Posted by Riverkilt

Pilling??? I've had over 25 kilts made of Polyviscose (woven at Marton Mills) and never had the least hint of pilling - and I wear them a lot. Do you know what mill your cloth came from? Just doesn't make sense that PV would pill up that much.

I'm not sure what mill it is from, but like I said, Sportkilt lists it as a polyviscose blend, not pure PV...

**Riverkilt** · 12th July 12, 07:19 AM

PV = Polyviscose. Viscose is the English term for what we call rayon - synthetic cotton. So its a polyether and synthetic cotton blend. What the resulting fabric is like obviously depends upon the thread it was woven with. That's a mill decision. Know we have some experts on this on the forum.....???

Just me - never had any pilling problem with my PV kilts.