Quote Originally Posted by derosa View Post
I assume at the price you're quoting you're looking at wooltartan.com, check out http://wooltartan.com/remnants-2/ which I think is closer to a 16oz fabric. The 90.00 figure seems a little high, look up any common tartans and 45-55 a yard double width is more the norm. Really, 4 yards of any thick wool fabric should do.
My only recommendation for your idea is to carry a plastic tarp; unless its full on raining if you can keep the moisture from soaking up through you'll do fine. Cold is relative, for the last 20 years I've only ever used the same fleece sleeping bag and have only twice froze for the effort, once in the Adirondacks in Oct at a YMCA camp clean up when it hit 28 degrees and once in Cyprus in Aug when the temp plummeted 40 degrees during the night to 70 on an archeological expedition. All other times if the bag was dry I was fine. I suspect I'd find 4 yard of 16oz wool more then warm under most circumstances as long as it's dry and there's no serious temp swings dampness will cause you trouble. Maybe carry one of those pocket foil blankets just in case, they do work.
It can be fun to experiment with some of what roughing it was like, try it in the back yard first and have fun.
Well, actually I was looking at the 'discount tartan' instead of the 'remnant tartan' and was planning on the Royal Stewart. Calculting it out, 380g/m is about 12.3oz/yd. So the remnant and discount tartan are the same weight - a mid-weight rather than heavy weight. I would hope 12 is thick enough for insulation, 3/4 the weight of 16oz tartan. Now if I don't like using a great kilt, I was thinking I'd turn it into a small kilt so would 5 yards be better for that? 4 is probably easier to deal with... decisions decisions. I was thinking of using some plastic sheeting, or maybe a bivibag. And of course do it in the backyard first. As you say cold is relative, I've been out in -5 C wearing just my 'normal' highland dress, playing bagpipes. After more thought I think ordering the tartan there will be a better idea, only $80 instead of $200+ elsewhere. Well, I'll try it and see how it goes.