ElKommando's back at REI

[brewerpaul]

Was looking how to spend my meager REI dividends and decided to look to see if the ElKommando kilt is back. REI does have them in all sizes for 75 bucks. This is the nylon quick dry kilt with two cargo pockets that quite a few members enjoy. I have three and use them for hiking, trail running, camping, gardening, walking to work in summer and just lounging around. Im not sure if Mountain gear, Backcountry or Moosejaw have them yet but with spring here REI puts them on and sells them fast. Below are a couple photos of me in my ElKommando.





Im the guy in the front wearing the ElKommando







Other than being a coop member and spending large sums of money at REI I have no other interests or association with them. Just passing on the info for those who know and like these kilts.

[chasem]

Interested, but that length might be a bit short for me. Not currently where I can measure to check.

How tall are you, or what's the rise on your traditional kilts?

[brewerpaul]

Interested, but that length might be a bit short for me. Not currently where I can measure to check.

How tall are you, or what's the rise on your traditional kilts?

These kilts are worn at your "jeans or pants" waist not high up like a traditional kilt. I am 6 ft 2 inches tall and find they hit right at the top of my knees. My traditional kilts are 24-25 inches and also come to the top of my knees when worn properly at kilt waist not jeans waist.

[tky58]

Just bought one. This is going to be a little tough with the wife. She thinks it looks like a skirt. However, she gave me her blessing, so...

[FinnKilt]

I got one in autumn 2012 and wore it first on [an abridged version of] the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. Loved it, absolutely loved it. Wore it in torrential Galician rain and it coped far better than my goretex jacket. Since then it has been my standard hiking kilt – mainly on the Pennines in northern England. Great to know it's back; I'm thinking seriously about getting a 2nd one. It would be nice if they offered a choice of colours. True, it does tend to sit a bit shorter than many kilts, but frankly for hiking that's more of an advantage than a porblem. The 'modesty snap' that allows you to clip it together between your thighs doesn't, in my experience, work: it snaps open too easily. Have also worn it on transAtlantic flights, since it copes well with being squeezed down into an aircraft seat for hours and hours – and above all, perhaps, is simply very, very comfortable.

Picture on left: from TransPennine Challenmge 100 km walk, midsummer 2013; on right: from Camino de Santiago (last 67 km only!), autumn 2012

[rlh2]

I like mine. Great for relaxing.

[PiperOfThePlains]

Here's my recommendation for you:

Consider keeping your shirt tucked in, and wear a sporran. I know "contemporary" kilts are not necessarily meant to be worn with a sporran, but in your case I strongly recommend you do. A sporran will remove most of the "skirty-ness" that you seem to be facing. Just my two cents.

[brewerpaul]

Just bought one. This is going to be a little tough with the wife. She thinks it looks like a skirt. However, she gave me her blessing, so...

The first version of the Elkommando was very much skirtish (hmm is that a word) but the last few years it has been more along the lines of the modern Xkilts, Utilikilts, etc. Ive always gotten positive comments whenever I wear mine. From the back they have enough pleats to make them look like a decent modern kilt and the front is a double apron that uses snaps instead of straps. I remember a few years back seeing a young guy in the original and I did think it looked quite a bit like a skirt but I dont feel the same way about the version being made now. The cargo pockets are really nice also.

[Layne]

I have one of the original ones and the newer model, love them both however the newer one seems to fit much better and draws quite a few compliments. I'll be checking to see of they are still in stock so I can pick up a spare to have on hand.

[BKPowell]

I have the early Hiking Kilt from Mountain Gear and, yes, it is more like a skirt than a kilt, but I still wear it.

BKPowell