Yet another sporran question.

[chacbalam]

I own two sporrans both of whick I purchased from Hector-Russel, a furry dress sporran that I wore at my wedding with a Prince Charlie, and a horse hair semi dress that I wear on other occasions. I assume that these are of the trditional type, yet I find them extremely impractical. They are akward to open and almost impossible to resnap, and on top of that hey hold almost nothing. Both sporrans are stiff and uncomfortable to wear. When I sit down they dig into either my stomach or my thighs.

Personally I would rather not wear either one, but when dressed in my traditional kilt I have nowhere else to keep my junk. If I am wearing a jacket I at least have some pockets, but summer is coming and that will not always be an option.

Are their any comfortable and practical sporrans made? What about belt pouches or other options. Is it alright to wear a traditional kilt without a sporran?

Tim
Mill Valley

[Uncle Ricky]

Supplimental question...

Some kilt makers are putting pockets in their kilts. Has anyone heard of putting pockets in a traditional tank? I think side pockets as in a Pittsburgh Kilt would be invisible and practical.

Any thoughts? (Hope this in true to the topic of this thread)

Cheers

[Scotus]

chacbalam, there are people who make soft leather sporrans that would probably be very much to your liking. My day sporran is of the stiff variety, but I think it's more "traditional," and thus I really like it. I don't own one of the soft sporrans, but I know there are several guys on this board who do and love them.

Pockets in a traditional kilt? It would no longer be a traditional kilt if it had pockets. Am I misunderstanding the use of the word "tank"?

[Jimmy Carbomb]

Question #1... the "Freelander" sporrans and the "Buzz Kidder" Rob Roy (3 tassle) versions are BOTH equally nice when dressing-up, or dressing-down. I own multiples of both and wear them 99% of the time. Both are affordable, and both are quite cavernous in their storage capacity.

Quesiton #2... I have made kilts like you're explaining, with "Whistle Holders", beer can holders, pockets, or whatever. YES... it is possible (and very simple) to do. The look, however, is a little strange at first. It has to be done VERY precisely, or else the tartan lines won't match-up and it looks like dog "stuff" when you're moving. The key is to have it done on a kilt that has the hips sewn-down. If it's done on a "free-swinging" kilt, it just looks aweful! That's the main reason that it's done on solids.

On a tartan kilt, you would be better served to get the hidden pockets (like jeans) added, and a rear inner pocket like on AmeriKilts. That way, you have storage without interrupting the flow of the pattern.

Would I personally want to see pockets on an authentic "tank"? NEVER That's like putting $20 plastic hub caps on a Lamborghini Countach!!!

[Mike n NC]

I don't have a freelander sporran...yet but I have 3 of the soft leather Buzz Kidder soprrans. I use the rob roy for my day to day wear and the country sporran for a change of pace. Both are soft, lots of room (almost too much ) and are very comfortable to wear. Price is very reasonable too.

Mike

[Thistle Stop]

I own two sporrans both of whick I purchased from Hector-Russel, a furry dress sporran that I wore at my wedding with a Prince Charlie, and a horse hair semi dress that I wear on other occasions. I assume that these are of the trditional type, yet I find them extremely impractical. They are akward to open and almost impossible to resnap, and on top of that hey hold almost nothing. Both sporrans are stiff and uncomfortable to wear. When I sit down they dig into either my stomach or my thighs.

Personally I would rather not wear either one, but when dressed in my traditional kilt I have nowhere else to keep my junk. If I am wearing a jacket I at least have some pockets, but summer is coming and that will not always be an option.

Are their any comfortable and practical sporrans made? What about belt pouches or other options. Is it alright to wear a traditional kilt without a sporran?

Tim
Mill Valley

For casual, everyday wear, some guys like to use a zippered hip pack rather than a sporran. For dress, of course, you have to have a dress sporran.

[Iolaus]

For casual, everyday wear, some guys like to use a zippered hip pack rather than a sporran. For dress, of course, you have to have a dress sporran.

I'm currently looking for a suitable pack for just that reason. It's rare (read "non-exsistant") for me to get any dressier than "going out to dinner", so a nice looking, slim "Fannie pack" that at least echos the lines of a sporran would be most usefull.

[Rigged]

I ordered a Pittsburgh Kilt with all of the pockets and the matching sporran. I keep my wallet in the sporran, my huge batch of keys go into the large pocket on the front of the inner apron (helps keep the apron down in the wind). The side pockets are quite invisible, and so far unused. The rear pocket is good for shopping lists and such.

Pockets are good.

I'll be getting a Bear Kilt and I've ordered a simple leather sporran to wear with it. I'll find out if the sporran is adequate, but I suspect there's a Freelander sporran in my future.

[GMan]

Tim,

You have been some great advise, and I cannot add anything to it, but I do want to welcome you to the forum, and see that you have already jumped in, good to see.

[Galant]

I do not yet own a sporran, but wear my traditional often. When I do that I 'cannibalise' one of the detachable pockets from my Utilikilt Survival put it on my belt and wear it on the hip. Works well.

Of course, you'd need a UK survival for it to work.

I have thought often, since wearing it, that more variety in pockets and pouches is needed. If we're talking about the kilt being a practical and modern garment for every day wear, we also need practical and modern every day options for carrying things. A sporran in great, but why not have other options also.

I wonder if anyone could convince UK to make and sell pockets separately?