12 degrees F

[jrmiller]

OK, it's gonna be 12 degrees this evening and windy. I would like to wear my kilt, however, I am more than a little concerned about freezing. Are there any options for longer kilts? For instance, I know the "great kilt" was actually a big blanket you pleat and wrap around your waist with a belt. Since the material is so wide, you gotta wonder if they ever made the kilt "longer" on cold winter nights. Anyone know?

[thescot]

Actually it is my understanding--and old pictures tend to bear it out--that the kilt was worn substantially shorter if anything. It's not your knees so much that you should worry about unless you're in the open with the wind blowing for long periods of time. Then frost bite could be a problem at your knees, I guess.

Assuming that you have a traditional kilt, i.e., 8 yds or so, and that it's not made of light material, you should be fine as long as you have good heavy hose and shoes. All that wool layered around your loins will hold the heat much better than regular trousers. Check out MacMurdo's photos standing out in the snow in Canada.

Be more concerned with the proper jacket and footwear. And don't forget to wear a hat. A good wool bonnet really is the perfect headwear with a kilt, especially in cold weather.

[Jock Scot]

Actually it is my understanding--and old pictures tend to bear it out--that the kilt was worn substantially shorter if anything. It's not your knees so much that you should worry about unless you're in the open with the wind blowing for long periods of time. Then frost bite could be a problem at your knees, I guess.

Assuming that you have a traditional kilt, i.e., 8 yds or so, and that it's not made of light material, you should be fine as long as you have good heavy hose and shoes. All that wool layered around your loins will hold the heat much better than regular trousers. Check out MacMurdo's photos standing out in the snow in Canada.

Be more concerned with the proper jacket and footwear. And don't forget to wear a hat. A good wool bonnet really is the perfect headwear with a kilt, especially in cold weather.

First class advice and providing you are wearing the kilt as suggested, then you will find you will be surprised and warm.

[GG]

12F? I had to google a converter first. 12F = -11C and that is cold, and especially if windy. I shouldn't go outside, if not really needed. Nevertheless to my experience the knees are never a problem when wearing a wool kilt, neither are your bare legs under the kilt, at least as long as you are moving.

I also think that the kilt gives a better balance than trousers, meaning that with a given windbreaker or coat you will feel more cold when in trousers than when in a kilt, meaning that totally you are better off in a kilt.

Well, it is my opnion, I don't know if others feel it different.

Greg

Perhaps

[auld argonian]

I've been wearing jeans a lot this week and we've gotten down to single digits here in Chicago...and I've been wishing that I was wearing the kilt instead!

Since I started wearing the kilt, my faith in the Power Of WOOL has been restored! I have even procured a couple of pair of wool p*ants for when trousers are appropriate and I have been wearing wool socks pretty much constantly for the past ten years or so. Wool is the original polartech. If I ever hear of a sheep freezing to death, I shall be very much surprised.

TheScot has pretty much covered all of the bases. I would consider that keeping the trunk warm is pretty essential and have some nice WOOL sweaters that are tightly woven to keep it that way. I particularly recommend the commando sweater from LL Bean as being about as good as the old Jaeger khaki wool one that my dad wore when he was a navigator in a B17 and that he gave me so I wouldn't freeze to death during college (thereby depriving him of grandchildren).

Good shoes, good socks. Sadly, though, I recently heard that the old maxim about keeping your head covered because "eighty percent of body warmth is lost from an uncovered head" is not really true.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/20...humanbehaviour

But a really good hat is still pretty essential and keeping the ears covered is essential...you only get one set.

I wouldn't have believed just how warm a kilt can keep you until I actually tried it. Should you be dedicated to going regimental, I would, however...just as a safety, mind you...keep a pair of warm shorts on hand....perhaps discreetly stashed somewhere...you never know and there is no shame in resorting to an extra layer of insulation. I often observe that this isn't the Eighteenth Century and if they had had boxer briefs back then, they would probably have worn them.

Best

AA

[Bob C]

It was single digits here this morning. Sometimes, it just makes more sense to wear pants. I've worn the kilt in frigid weather long enough to walk to the car and get out again at my destination, but I sure wouldn't be standing around outside in it. Give me pants and long underwear any day.

[nh_maclean]

It's been cold here and I've been doing the layers (p@nts, etc.) but when I went out the other night with some friends, I belted on my wool kilt, had a sweater and my wool kilt jacket and I was the warmest one amungst my friends! I was actually roasting and it was in the 30s I'd guess, but much warmer then the p@nted!

I second the thick socks though. I need me some of those!

[Nighthawk]

Colorado just broke out of a cold spell. We were getting down below 0 F for the last week. There is nothing I would rather wear than a nice wool kilt and a pair of Lewis Rich kilt socks for weather like this. Nothin' better! I was feeling too lazy to put my kilt on the other day and wore a pair of jeans to the store, and thought my bits and pieces were going to freeze off. I learned my lesson...

[Paul]

I was wearing my 16oz Campbell Ancient kilt on the knee with standard kilt hose pulled up to the knee and my legs were freezing in that sort of climate. There was no major winds - only a frost in the air and it's something the kilt couldn't keep me at a decent temperature within.
I realise that most people say kilts are very warm on the legs - which is from their own experience but on a frosty winters day in Scotland I'd rather dress for comfort and shove on a pair of trousers with jeans ontop!

[Highlander31]

Actually it is my understanding--and old pictures tend to bear it out--that the kilt was worn substantially shorter if anything. It's not your knees so much that you should worry about unless you're in the open with the wind blowing for long periods of time. Then frost bite could be a problem at your knees, I guess.

Assuming that you have a traditional kilt, i.e., 8 yds or so, and that it's not made of light material, you should be fine as long as you have good heavy hose and shoes. All that wool layered around your loins will hold the heat much better than regular trousers. Check out MacMurdo's photos standing out in the snow in Canada.

Be more concerned with the proper jacket and footwear. And don't forget to wear a hat. A good wool bonnet really is the perfect headwear with a kilt, especially in cold weather.

Sound advice. 20*F is the coldest I've been in my kilt, and with my Woolly-Pully style sweater from Cabela's I was warm and comfortable.