outdoor kilts

[hewhofalls]

Hello, I have a question that might sound really stupid but, where could i find a kilt that would be able to stand up to camping, hiking, snowshoeing and other such wilderness activities?

[Blu (Ontario)]

Traditional, modern, or utility style?

[James]

Any traditional kilt is made to stand up to the activites mentioned.

In my younger days I walked/backpacked throughout the UK, Norway and Arctic Sweden in a traditional kilt. It stood up to all the wear-including waist deep streams, neotiating obstacles and on occasion snow storms. Too in the days before modern lightweight camping pads-it was great insulation under my sleeping bag.

Today the Hill-Walker by Hector Russell is a great kilt for active and day to day wear.

Too whilst not cold by Canadian/American standards-I've been wearing my new Highland Granite Hill-Walker-in the Bristish cold snap where on one occasion the temperature got down to -4C: and was perfectly warm.

James

[Woodsheal]

Hello, I have a question that might sound really stupid but, where could i find a kilt that would be able to stand up to camping, hiking, snowshoeing and other such wilderness activities?

I agree with the others: wool is the best all-round fabric for outdoor usage. It evens holds MORE heat in when it's wet! For the activities you mentioned, I would honestly use a great kilt, but then I'm one of those re-enactment nuts...!

[Graham]

Poly viscose!!
what can I say? it works for me...in most of those activities, the only hesitation is in really cold weather. I would rather sit on snow in wool. Weather is a factor.

[caig]

Sory Graham, I must disagree ! I recently strarted the Great Glen Way ( Fort William to Inverness - 73 miles) and on the first day I set off in my wool 6-yard kilt from Geofrey (Tailolr) of Edinburgh, and in torrential rain and 30 mph winds. I was drenched in the lower half of my body ( I hate overtrousers), and the wool kept me warm, even when I had to capitulate and put the overtrousers on. I do not think that PV would have worked as well.

[James]

I agree with Acaig-based on hard wet/coldf walking-backpacking experience.

There is something else-wool is very fire resistant, and when camping using fires/small stoves etc-sometimes inside a tent due to bad weather, it is very easy to catch a garment on something a bit too hot.

A scorched kilt is one thing-but molten/burning 'artificial fibres' can be very nasty indeed.

Interestingly there is a move amongst outdoor folk to go back to natural fibres.

James

[Andrew Breecher]

I will agree that wool is a good, hearty material, and will stand up to any abuse sent its way.

However, poly-viscose is also an excellent material, and it is what I wore on my 2,000 mile Appalachian Trail hike. I will be wearing it again on my upcoming Pacific Crest Trail (2,600 miles) hike this spring. It will be the only article of clothing that survived enough to wear again (I went through two shirts, and umpteen pairs of socks). There is no noticable wear. It dries within an hour of being soaked if I remain active (by soaked I mean spending five hours in a downpour, or fording a river deep enough to make all men equal, if you know what I mean). I chose to wear a PV kilt because I didn't want to ruin a more expensive kilt. As it turns out I didn't ruin the PV kilt either!

Andrew.

[Riverkilt]

Welcome Hewhofalls,

A great question with many answers.

Two not mentioned so far are leather kilts and Utilikilts.

The leather Utilikilt I have doesn't have pockets, but the new model has some. I've had mine in snow, sleet and rain, and its kept me toasty. Also have a leather RKilt but haven't had it in foul weather yet.

When the weather's better the Utilikilt Survival is great for hiking, as is the Workmans (a heavier cloth), and the denim.

Steve at Freedom Kilts has some heavy cloth too. I was lucky enough to score a CADPAT Freedom Kilt which is great for hiking here in the canyonlands of Arizona.

Now that SportKilt offers sewn down pleats etc. you might find them the answer for hot weather hiking.

Bottom line, I'm afraid you'll need a wide range of kilts to suit a wide range of conditions...just like you select other garments for camping, hiking, foul weather...

Enjoy your new addiction...;)

Ron

[Yaish]

Just a nit to pick, but wool retains about 80% of its insulative properties when wet, but it certainly doesnt hold in MORE heat.

Wool is definately a fantastic material. If you have to go out in the wet and cold you cant beat wool with anything else, natural or synthetic. I'm sure there is a reason those Scots use wool in so many articles of clothing, but with their beautiful mediterranian climate I just cant think of what it might be...

The UK workmans and Survival are both warm, though being cotton not the best choices for wet weather. I'd loe to get a wool UK Survival for wet camping though, that would be just about perfect.