The only way to hike!

[Father Bill]

What pray tell, is a "5 month AT adventure", please?

One more reason to NOT use abbreviations. This is a global forum, not a local one, and people rarely know what a local abbreviation as so many member have used them over the years, refers to, so it excludes many from the discussion. I'm in Ontario, Canada and would have no idea what "AT" means. "All Terrain" is what it brought to mind.

Thanks for clarifying in the last post above.

[Jock Scot]

The AT is the Appalachian Trail. It runs about 2200 miles from Maine to Georgia and gets up over 6600 feet. Think of a really long West Highland Way. It takes planning and about 5 months of extremely serious hiking to complete in one year. Some do stretches over several years to complete the whole thing. Others just do bits. South Bounders start in Maine, while North Bounders start in Georgia.

Thank you. In that case the young lady has done very well. Well done her!

[jthk]

Good morning, Jock,

AT = Appalachian Trail. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Trail

A massive undertaking that I had hoped -- one day -- to do but now I'm too finicky and certainly don't have the time in my professional life to accomplish.

What pray tell what is a,"5 month AT adventure", please?

[FinnKilt]

For hiking, whether in England, Sweden & Finland, or on the Camino de Santiago, my absolute preference is for the Elkommando. I've worn one comfortably in temperatures from 0 to the upper 20s C (lower 30s to upper 70s F). Since I do wear a blet (cf the 'Belt Loops' thread elsewhere on this site), I've had a narrow strip taken from the far left end of the underapron and made into beltloops; and even so, the underapron reaches so far round underneath that decency is maintained even in a strong wind. One downside is the lack of a hip pocket – I don't want laden cargo pockets on a hike.
Once, as an experiment, I went out in utterly torrential rain and walked for 2 hours in an Elkommando and a Goretex jacket. When I got back, soaking wet, I hung them up. The Goretex jacket took several hours to dry; the Elkommando was dry in an hour.

[jthk]

For hiking, whether in England, Sweden & Finland, or on the Camino de Santiago, my absolute preference is for the Elkommando. I've worn one comfortably in temperatures from 0 to the upper 20s C (lower 30s to upper 70s F). Since I do wear a blet (cf the 'Belt Loops' thread elsewhere on this site), I've had a narrow strip taken from the far left end of the underapron and made into beltloops; and even so, the underapron reaches so far round underneath that decency is maintained even in a strong wind. One downside is the lack of a hip pocket – I don't want laden cargo pockets on a hike.
Once, as an experiment, I went out in utterly torrential rain and walked for 2 hours in an Elkommando and a Goretex jacket. When I got back, soaking wet, I hung them up. The Goretex jacket took several hours to dry; the Elkommando was dry in an hour.

Good for you! I had a few of those kilts over the years but they weren't my jam but I can testify to their ruggedness and quick-dry properties.

[KennethSime]

For hiking, whether in England, Sweden & Finland, or on the Camino de Santiago, my absolute preference is for the Elkommando. I've worn one comfortably in temperatures from 0 to the upper 20s C (lower 30s to upper 70s F). Since I do wear a blet (cf the 'Belt Loops' thread elsewhere on this site), I've had a narrow strip taken from the far left end of the underapron and made into beltloops; and even so, the underapron reaches so far round underneath that decency is maintained even in a strong wind. One downside is the lack of a hip pocket – I don't want laden cargo pockets on a hike.
Once, as an experiment, I went out in utterly torrential rain and walked for 2 hours in an Elkommando and a Goretex jacket. When I got back, soaking wet, I hung them up. The Goretex jacket took several hours to dry; the Elkommando was dry in an hour.

I've quite enjoyed my Elkommando over the years as well.

[dcommini]

I regularly go hiking in my great kilt. If I could at this point afford another kilt I might switch to that. When I first started wearing a kilt I would wear my sport kilt for hikes and stuff, but I didn't like the fabric too much after a while.

So far the GK has held up great, no matter the environment that I've been in, and now I can't imagine hiking in anything other than a kilt.

[jthk]

I regularly go hiking in my great kilt. If I could at this point afford another kilt I might switch to that. When I first started wearing a kilt I would wear my sport kilt for hikes and stuff, but I didn't like the fabric too much after a while.

So far the GK has held up great, no matter the environment that I've been in, and now I can't imagine hiking in anything other than a kilt.

I'm curious to hear more of your adventures. What is the material and weight? Do you feel that it interferes with packs, etc.? What do you do with the "plaid" component (the bits above the belt)?

Thanks!
Jonathan

[dcommini]

I'm curious to hear more of your adventures. What is the material and weight? Do you feel that it interferes with packs, etc.? What do you do with the "plaid" component (the bits above the belt)?

Thanks!
Jonathan

My GK is wool. I believe it is the light weight version available at the Celtic Croft, so about 11oz. I don't normally wear packs and such as I have back issues, but when I do wear one it is usually a small one and the kilt hasn't gotten in the way. As for the plaid, most often I let it hang down in the back, but if I'm going to be beating brush I gather the material up and tuck it in around my waist, and if raining or slightly chilly wear it like a cloak.

So far, I've worn my GK from the Appalachian Mountains and other places throughout Tennessee, to the Chugach Mountains and other places in Alaska (including Fairbanks in the winter), to the desert of the SW US to include Paige, AZ and currently Santa Fe, NM. It has served me very well in all of those environments, with just above my knees getting cold in the winter time in Alaska, but not so cold as to be uncomfortable - and definitely warmer than my fleece lined jeans.

[jthk]

My GK is wool. I believe it is the light weight version available at the Celtic Croft, so about 11oz. I don't normally wear packs and such as I have back issues, but when I do wear one it is usually a small one and the kilt hasn't gotten in the way. As for the plaid, most often I let it hang down in the back, but if I'm going to be beating brush I gather the material up and tuck it in around my waist, and if raining or slightly chilly wear it like a cloak.

So far, I've worn my GK from the Appalachian Mountains and other places throughout Tennessee, to the Chugach Mountains and other places in Alaska (including Fairbanks in the winter), to the desert of the SW US to include Paige, AZ and currently Santa Fe, NM. It has served me very well in all of those environments, with just above my knees getting cold in the winter time in Alaska, but not so cold as to be uncomfortable - and definitely warmer than my fleece lined jeans.

Gotcha. Thanks.

My favourite and most versatile (for me) belted plaid is 13 oz wool. I also have one in 16 oz and in 11 oz. The final one wouldn't be appropriate for a traditional kilt but it functions well as a belted plaid. Thanks again for sharing.