Burnett's & Struth: Casual Heavyweight?

[Mathew MacKillop]

Greetings Comrades,

Does anyone here own a Casual Heavyweight kilt from Burnett's & Struth?

Any ideas what one could expect? Will this be at all similar to the SWK Casual Wool kilt I currently have?

Any comments on doing business with them? I know they advertise here, which is a good sign, but any personal recommendations (or not) from members would be much appreciated, even if for other types of kilt.

Regards,

Mathew

[MacCathmhaoil]

I have no reservations in dealing with them either via their website or in their store. They are very nice folks, extremely helpful, with an broad offering and have a good reputation amongst the local community. I've not owned one of their kilts however.

[Liam]

I expect that it would be custom made to your measurements from a recognized Scottish weaver. The other a generic Pakistani garment made from a mixture of wool and acrylic.
However as both advertise here I would ask them for their responses. I haven't recently visited either of their web pages for pricing info, but I suspect the B&S is more than twice the price of the SK. It all depends what you are looking for. Both have their place.
Cheers

[McMurdo]

I hve one of he casual kilts from Burnett's and Struth here is the old thread on it. Well worth the money.


http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...cdonald-32421/

[Dileasgubas]

I bought a used casual kilt on this site since I was worried that I would somehow damage my only other kilt which would have been expensive to replace. To my surprise, it was a brand new heavyweight casual kilt from B&S. I can therefore attest to the quality of the garment. It is light and easy to wear, and since many people cannot tell the difference between a casual kilt and an 8yd tank (mine is actually 11.5 yards), it works well in most situations. B&S know their business and I have been very happy with all of my purchases through them. I believe that they also supply a couple of Toronto-based military highland units and a bunch of pipes and drums. I would not hesitate to recommend them.

I have also had them re-build / re-size a kilt for me and they did a fabulous job.

P.S. I am no longer worried about damaging my heavyweight kilt. Unless I run into an axe-murderer in my travels, they're pretty much indestructible.

[Alan H]

I can't speak to their "casual" kilt model, but I've had the chance to look very closely at one of their kilts that the athlete who was wearing it told me was sold to him as a "premiere" kilt. He told me the price, which matches what a first-quality kilt would cost.

This was not constructed in a manner which I would ascribe to a traditionally made kilt. The inside of the pleats were not cutout in the fell, there was no steeking, and several other details were missing. Thus, I have never purchased anything from the company.

Now, to be fair, the athlete with whom I was speaking is a thrower, not a kilt aficionado. He might not know what the heck he bought, other than the name of the tartan. It's completely possible that he needed a "kilt", he found a place that "sold kilts" and he bought one. Period. So in fact it is possible that I was looking at one of their casual kilts. If that's the case, then they sure charge a lot for their casual kilts. I will say that the fabric itself was very nice.

[Mathew MacKillop]

A little context, perhaps?

I am very pleased with my SWK Economy Wool. So far as I can tell (and so it was advertised) it is 100% wool. Yes, made in Pakistan, but well made nonetheless. It has held up to every situation I've thrown at it, and looks well enough to be worn both formally or casually. It cost me a bit over $100 when the exchange rate is taken into account. I've worn other garments (pants) perhaps 10 times in the 9 months that I've owned it, so it is giving me exceedingly good bang-for-buck.

B&S are currently offering "casual" heavyweight kilts for $225, my own configuration comes out to $305 CAD due to the extra yard of fabric option (to make it a 5 yard kilt) and a 3rd buckle/strap. The tartan selection is extremely limited, but, lucky me, the MacDonnell of Keppoch Ancient tartan is one of the available options.

A heavyweight 8 yard kilt from them would cost $640 CAD configured the way I want it, which seems reasonable, but is simply too expensive for me at the moment, and seems unnecessary considering that the weather will have turned warm again by the time I would receive it. An 8 yarder is certainly in my future, but it won't be till Fall, I think.

Added to this, now, are the concerns that the kilts are not made "properly". I don't expect to have any canvas or stabilizer in a casual 5 yard kilt, but I do expect the pleats to be lined up correctly with the tartan, and for everything to be sturdy. When it comes time for the tank, however, I will expect things to be done right. Steeking of the pleats, cutting out the extra material, a full interface plus stabilizer with the straps/buckles sewn properly into it, etc. I would appreciate feedback from anyone who owns one regarding that. If B&S skimp in even the tiniest way on those details with their top-of-the-line kilts, they won't be seeing my order.

There's also the issue of communication. B&S have been pretty good about responding to direct email queries, but completely ignored a thread I had opened here in their section asking about who makes their kilts, whether they are outsourced or made in-house. To me, this is already a strike against them.

Thankfully, in Canada we also have Freedom Kilts and Keltoi (though John at Keltoi has been mysteriously unresponsive to customers for the last few months, as I've experienced myself along with several other members here who had orders paid for but never delivered). If only the Freedom Kilts website would be fixed and allow for custom kilt orders, I could actually compare the Canadian vendors and make a choice.

[Stan]

Greetings Comrades,

Does anyone here own a Casual Heavyweight kilt from Burnett's & Struth?

Any ideas what one could expect? Will this be at all similar to the SWK Casual Wool kilt I currently have?

Any comments on doing business with them? I know they advertise here, which is a good sign, but any personal recommendations (or not) from members would be much appreciated, even if for other types of kilt.

Regards,

Mathew

I own 2 "tanks" from B&S (one 18 oz, and one 16) and I also own several 16 oz. "heavy weight casual 5 yard kilts" from other companies.

Several years ago I asked this same question about "casual" kilts.

I was informed by one of the kilt makers here on the site, that a casual kilt is of different construction then a traditional 8 yard kilt . None of the 5 , 16 oz. casual kilts that I own, have the excess fabric cut out from the pleats, AND none of them have the goat's hair canvas stabilizer in them. This is the difference between "casual" and Traditional. AND I'm very happy with my 16 oz. 5 yard casual kilts.

BUT.... after having bought Barbra Tewksbury's book (the art of kilt making ) and enjoying (and knowing the difference in construction) the feel of the 8 yard tank, (and also enjoying the cost of the 5 vs 8 yard 16 oz. casual kilt), I simply bought the materials that my casual kilt was missing vs. the traditional kilt and added the (missing) tank materials (goat hair canvas stabilizer) while removing the excess material from the pleats, and giving my 5 yards a similar feel and characteristics as my (7) Bespoke 8 yard kilts. It was about $20.00 materials to do this...

I absolutely recommend the 16 oz. 5 yard kilt, and B&S, is a great company to work with.... BTW, many of my 5 yard kilts were of the same weight and from the same mill that B&S casual kilts were made from ... If you get "the itch" and want to structurally upgrade your casual (constructed) kilt, then it's NBD. YOU can just buy Barb's book, and spend a few evenings enjoying learning a bit more about kilts, OR if your not interested in doing the re-construction then just have a seamstress to it for you....

Any way... my vote (and advice) is GO FOR IT !!!!!