Sporran support - chain or strap?

[JohntheBiker]

JohntheBiker, that is a nice looking strap! I did a quick google search for Rkilts, and can't find an online store. It appears to be a Canadian store?

You can likely reach him through Facebook, just search RKilts. He is based in Stratford, Ontario and I have a couple of his kilts and a number of accessories that I have purchased over the years. He is a teacher, a stage manager and a kilt maker - interesting fellow! Does lovely work.

[Father Bill]

You can likely reach him through Facebook, just search RKilts. He is based in Stratford, Ontario and I have a couple of his kilts and a number of accessories that I have purchased over the years. He is a teacher, a stage manager and a kilt maker - interesting fellow! Does lovely work.

... and a nice guy to visit with too!

[tpa]

There does seem to be a majority in favour of straps her and I have to admit I use a thin leather strap for most day wear use because of the ease of swiveling the sporran on to my hip. However for the best part of 55 years I only had one day wear sporran, the brown one on the left and it has done no damage to either of the kilts I wore it with and you can of course swivel a chain sporran, especially if you don't thread it through loops.

The things that are much more likely to damage a kilt are cheap clips like those at the top of the picture. Move the sporran around and they catch on the material instantly. Clips like those in the bottom pictures cause no concern. Those on the left are as old as the sporran (approx 60 years) whilst those on the right are recent eBay purchases to replace those at the top on a more recent black leather sporran purchase.

One final point on straps, where they pass through the sporran loop they do have to be thin leather. Thick ones tend to tilt the sporran at an unnatural angle.

[Todd Bradshaw]

I have both straps and chains. The typical retail sporran chain probably owes its wide usage to the fact that it is the cheapest way possible for a manufacturer to supply an adjustable hanging system with their product. The small amount of leather is reasonably cheap, the chain used is usually quite cheap, the clips and rivets are cheap and the labor time to punch a few holes and hammer-in a few rivets is minimal. The end results looks pretty much like what you would expect. I refused to use one until I finally made a nice one with decent materials and some actual labor involved. It just seemed like one piece of the kit that is frequently overlooked when it can be something more interesting without having to just lay out a lot of cash for one of those fancy ones with sculptured links.



I'm not a big fan of Rapid-Rivets, which are just pounded together until one piece theoretically mushrooms inside the other, so I'll generally hand-sew the connections on my straps, or use Chicago Screws, that screw together for better security. I haven't seen any abrasion from a variety of clip types at the sporran end, but I do always clip them on so that the open (or sharper) part of the clip is up against the back of the sporran, not against the kilt. Problem solved.

[TRWXXA]

I prefer leather straps, but I do use a chain on occasion as well.

But enough talk about your sex life...

[Dale-of-Cedars]

Poor photo of a chain strap I put together last week from 2 ladies belts from Value Village (thrift store) for about $12. The hardest part was cutting down the 2 chrome Chicago/Post Screws from 1/2" to 3/16" so they would clamp the thin belt leather.
IMG_0442_c.jpg
Wore it to the opening night of the play my #2 son has two parts in; attended with #1 son who was here from California (and 16 month-old grand-daughter, who stayed home with Grandma.)

[OC Richard]

After wearing chains for many years (decades) I've fully converted to the strap.

One reason is simply that I have a nice strap I like. Another is that it's fully kilt-friendly. And it's nice to be able to just slide the sporran to one side, when nature calls

I've never given thought to the idea that it might not be dressy enough. Here's as dressy as I get



I've never been interested in the hanger-thingies. For one thing, I rarely wear a dirk belt.

About chain straps, yes, properly made UK/North American ones are smooth as glass on the back side and can't wear anything. Yes you have to make sure the clips are facing away from the kilt. I too have seen the fronts of kilts damaged by Pakistani chains with metal burrs on the back.

I have three belts now, black, brown, and white (the white one for my Black Watch piper's uniform).

I also have a chain, with the nice long links, which I have to wear with the Pipe Band.

[Father Bill]

Richard, your great photos make my point that the strap is barely noticeable and utterly inoffensive to the eye. I love blingy thingies more than I'd use them, but don't imagine that I'll ever use a chain again.

[MacRobert's Reply]

For day wear a strap every time but for formal wear usually a chain. As others have pointed out, older chains often have superior clips with smooth rounded edges. A few years ago I was fortunate to find two antique silver plated sporran chains with very smooth tombstone or trombone links. IMHO they look both understated and dressy.

[McClef]

Leather strap is my preference every time (more comfortable and less abrasive against the kilt) though with formal wear a chain does look better with a chain (shiny bling to compliment the cantle), but preferably a somewhat posher version than the ordinary standard chain affords though!