Hot weather kilting in San Diego

[Tobinn]

It's been oppressively hot here as well. This weekend we should be pushing 104-106F (40-41C). Walking outside feels like walking into a furnace. I'll be honest - when it's this hot, I don't feel like wearing a kilt. Mainly because there's nothing to stop the sweat from dripping and running down my legs, which is incredibly uncomfortable. At least with shorts, the regular contact with my legs will absorb the sweat and draw it away from my skin.

But for some reason, I've never been one to feel hotter when wearing full-height socks or hose in the heat. It just doesn't have any effect on my main torso body temperature. My feet, though, will make me uncomfortable. Wearing socks and shoes in the heat, with my sweaty feet trapped inside closed leather shoes, makes for a miserable time. If I'm hiking or working out-of-doors in the heat, I make it a point to stop and rest about every hour so I can take off my shoes or boots and let my feet air out. It's even better if I can change socks every hour too. But it's all about my feet inside my shoes, and my calves don't really care.

At any rate, if you find traditional woolen hose to be too hot, you might try something like the cotton socks from Sock Dreams (these or these). They are thinner and have more of an open weave, letting more air get to the legs, while still looking somewhat like kilt hose. You won't fool any traditional kilt-wearers, especially since it's not really made to have a turn-down at the top (you have to fake it by just folding the top ribbed section over), but it's a decent compromise between traditional hose and staying cool. I have a pair of the diamond-rib style in grey as well as black, and they are not too bad in hot weather.

On the first point, undergarments are key. I've very quickly decided (in my short tenure of kilt wearing) that going regimental in hot weather is, interestingly and counter-intuitively, counterproductive.

I found the sockdreams site here on XMarks and went ahead and purchased several pair in various colours - for about $8 a pair why not? And you are absolutely correct in your description - long but.....not kilt hose long....but workable. Still, it's just too hot right now. Or maybe just too humid. Or probably a combination. I've just been slouching calf length socks lately. I almost went with my new mustard socks today but opted not. Turned out to be a good call as my main stop was a local brew pub - their A/C was out and it was a close 86 deg. F inside. The beer is good enough to warrant two pints and one short pour but it was hot...