best kilt for hiking

[Graham]

Daneel, did you climb Croagh Patrick in you bare feet? ouch!!

If you had done it next Sunday (Reek Sunday) you would have about 25000 admirers of your kilt!

[GMan]

Daneel,

What great looking pictures! Just wish that I could have joined you on the hike.

[Daneel]

Graham I am glad not to have been on the Reek on the Big Day. It was bad enought on a mid week day. There are parts that you have to wait your turn or strike out over some nasty scree. So with 25000 it would be difficult. It must be however a fantastic experence, to be with so many people with so much faith. I did see a couple of ladies trying out a short section of the path barefoot. I had a chat and they where from Texas. They where more interested in me and my kilt and scottish connections as I talked to them. Unknown to themselves they had picked the best place to go bare foot. A 100 feet further and they would not have been so cheerful. I climbed the Reek for pleasure. Not for the pennance, barefoot or otherwise. I found God in the high places of the Reek in the glory of his creation and that was the best bit of all.

[Daneel]

G Man, I used to hike in company, but 15 years on, I am like a snail and I don't think anyone can walk as slow as me up hills but you are very welcome to come and try. The Mourne Mountains are only 30 miles from my door.

[Daneel]

Sorry Glen I should have used your name in the last post. By the way what does a fiduciary do?

[GMan]

Sorry Glen I should have used your name in the last post. By the way what does a fiduciary do?

That's OK Daneel. A fiduciary manges other peoples money, in my case it is for the family trust.

[Graham]

I climbed the Reek for pleasure. Not for the pennance, barefoot or otherwise. I found God in the high places of the Reek in the glory of his creation and that was the best bit of all.

Well said, to hurt oneself in the hope of gaining favours from God is a strange concept indeed.

Glen, I have no work for you! (no money for you to manage )

[bubba]

Well said, to hurt oneself in the hope of gaining favours from God is a strange concept indeed.

Glen, I have no work for you! (no money for you to manage )

You would if you weren't spending it all on kilts, but where's the fun in that?

[Andrew Breecher]

Well, to get back on topic....

I hiked the entire Appalachian Trail in a four-yard classic cut Bear kilt. This pretty much runs the gamut of weather, from below freezing to sleet, hail, rain, snow, to heat and humidity (and by humidity I mean it was so humid my palms were sweating). I only had one problem the entire time: when the kilt got soaked (i.e. I walked in a downpour all day) and the wind was blowing hard, the outside of my knee got a little bit chaffed. This happened twice the entire trip.

This topic is about cold and wet weather. The kilt held up. Even when wet, the poly/viscose kept me warm. There were times I had to stop and wring out the kilt because it was so wet, but it never affected the warmth. I'm sure wool would do the same, but it would weight you down a lot more - it absorbs more water.

Just my take on the subject.

episcopalscot wrote:

For all of you hikers & hill-walkers out there, can you recommend any good "beginner's guides" to hiking? I was "inspired" by Haiku's expedition to get out there and hike in my kilt, and I wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions about books, web-sites, etc.

Do you mean "hiking" or "backpacking"? A beginner's guide to hiking is: find some shoes that are comfortable, and start hiking. The advanced guide: if it's hot out, bring some water. Backpacking's a little more complicated, but I'd recommend you to this site, focused on the Appalachian Trail, but with plenty of general information. Backpacker Magazine's web page also has some info; I'd check the forum section of their page for good information, since the magazine just wants to sell you expensive, and mostly too-heavy, gear.

Andrew.

[Graham]

Andrew, you, more than anyone in modern times, have proved beyond doubt that a kilt is a very capable and comfortable garment for hiking/backpacking.

I'm planning to do an overland walk (only seven days) through Tassie's highlands next summer. I'll be kilted for sure, and I reckon poly/vis will be the choice of kilts.

Did you take more than one kilt?