DURABLE kilt hose

[Highlander31]

As you are this side of the Atlantic it will be easier for you, try "the almost unwearoutable sock company", its true they are!

I wear these as well. They do wear like iron. Here's the link to their web page.

http://www.almostunwearoutable.co.uk/

[Cavebear58]

Thanks very much for all the useful suggestions. I must admit I'd thought of shooting stockings, but rugby had never occured to me. Must admit the almostunwearoutables sound excellent though.

I'll do a bit more hunting around.

Cheers, Graham.

[Fox]

Aye, I even splurged for a couple pair of these back in February. I wore a black pair with my wedding attire and opted for the 4ply since it was on the beach in Florida. I would love to try a couple pairs in the thicker 8ply for the cold months. Another reason I went with them, was they were willing to custome fit my size 15 feet, 19.5 calves and legs. The only thing holding me back is the exchange rate at this point.

As you are this side of the Atlantic it will be easier for you, try "the almost unwearoutable sock company", its true they are!

[Knitknut]

I don't have any particular brands of hose to recommend here, since my son Eric (thebigeman77) has only worn the ones that I've knit for him, but if you want to know a few tips about what to look for in hose for durability, I can give a few pointers. I'm a knitter who has knit well over 100 pairs of socks and know what makes for good durable ones, especially since I've worn only my handknit socks for many years now.

1: Yarn-I prefer wool, but if it's mixed with nylon (at least 10%, up to 30ish%) it will be much stronger. Nylon is much better than an acrylic for durability, acrylic wears out in a fraction of the time. The type of wool makes a difference also. The wool needs to be a hardy breed, and it needs to spun tightly to be durable. Generally, the fluffier and softer the wool, the faster it will wear out, and felt and pill, too (as a spinner, I have all sorts of opinions on this, so this is a broad general way of putting it). Pills are no big deal though, they can be removed easily. The tightly spun yarn should also be at least 3 ply, and my socks knit with 4 ply wool/nylon have help up exceptionally well over the years. (Regia wool/nylon is my personal favorite for longevity.) Superwash wool is also nice (machine washable on gentle cycle in lingerie bag is best, hang or dry flat-not machine dry!), but not necessary. If you prefer only natural fibers, mohair is also very hard wearing like nylon, and wool/mohair blends can make excellent socks! Remember, natural fibers like wool will wick away moisture and provide both excellent breathability as well as insulation. I wear wool socks year round, even in the summer.

2: Gauge: Socks NEED to be knit at a tight gauge, the stitches really need to be "packed together" in the fabric. The tighter the stitches are, the less they can move around against each other, and less friction of moving stitches means less wear and tear on the fibers. No matter how thick or thin the yarn is, it should be knit at a tighter density than would be normal for other knit items, like sweaters or hats.

3: Fit: Socks should have "negative ease", and never be sloppy and loose on the foot. Again, the less movement of the fabric, the less wear and tear on fibers. Shoes also need to fit properly so that they don't slip around and cause more wear. And NEVER walk around with wool socks on carpet! Like sandpaper to wool. Shoes or slippers, always!

4: Never toss out fancy hose just because the foot has developed holes. Socks can be darned, and the foot can even be replaced if need be. A reinforcement strand of nylon can be knit along with the regular yarn to give extra support to the knit fabric, which makes it easier to darn later if the wool wears out, since the knit structure will be intact to darn over. Shame to waste good fancy knit legs and tops if they are fine! You might not be able to match the exact yarn of course, but if it's in your shoe, you might not really care anyway.

Hope some of this info is of help while you shop for hose.

Dawn
www.dawnadcock.com
www.3gcs.com/adcock/knittingmain.htm

[Riverkilt]

I'm with the Lewis Hose folks. Price is up there for sure, but the value is solid due to the quality and the longevity. I no longer buy the $20-$25 wool kilt hose. They just don't seem to last well for me.

Best buy for knock around and the pushed down look is soccer socks from a big box sporting goods store. And, best price on those is at the end of your local soccer season.

Ron