Lambswool Kilt?? Advisable?

[VAM]

I saw an ad from The Donegal Shop in Ireland for a lambswool kilt. Not cheap, but very light. Possibly good in summertime?
Of course, a strong breeze might be a problem.
Anybody have any suggestions, warnings, experience?

Thanks in advance.

[figheadair]

The Donegal Shop. I would want to know a bit more about what Lambswool menat in theis context and also a lot more about the workmanship of the kilt. I wonder why anyone would want to opt for this over known providers?

Don't understand the concept of Irish Kilts in Scottish tartan .

[Manu]

I would assume they mean lightweight (11 oz probably) kilting material, but based on their use of language and overall product descriptions I would not spend $400 on an "Irish kilt" in royal Stewart (I guess they mean Irish made?). You're better off spending that money on a reputable kilt from a known reputable kilt maker. My .02 cents =)

[Jumpmonkey]

If it's anything like the material in the lambswool tartan scarves I've handled, I'd avoid it. It's a wonderfully light material, but I cannot fathom it holding up well under the stresses a kilt must endure. I think there's good reason it's not commonly available as a kilt option. Good old 13oz wool is a readily available and proven.

[VAM]

Your reactions are what I wanted to hear. It is a kiltmaker in Ireland, with a good reputation. They make kilts in more than lambswool. But the summer weather attracted me to the idea of light but warm. I asked them to send me more details than they have on the website. The kiltmaker is Oneill’s in Dublin, via The Donegal Shop. And too light a kilt could contribute to “wardrobe malfunctions”, I suspect. A beautiful, non-itchy wool could be much better, in a 13 ounce weight, I suspect. The lambswool is 11 ounces, I think I recall.

[Tobus]

And too light a kilt could contribute to “wardrobe malfunctions”, I suspect. A beautiful, non-itchy wool could be much better, in a 13 ounce weight, I suspect. The lambswool is 11 ounces, I think I recall.

I think people are making way too much fuss over lighter-weight cloth. An 11oz tartan is heavy enough for a kilt, and isn't going to cause any "wardrobe malfunctions" due to weight. Many of the custom-weave wool tartans from DC Dalgliesh are in the 11oz weight, and they do just fine in kilts. The PV tartan cloth by Marton Mills is in this weight range too, as I recall, and people who buy kilts in this material don't complain about their kilts flying up any more than the rest.

What's more important in a kilt is the yardage, pleating choice, and construction details.

Of course, I don't know what the lambswool factor does, so I can't speak to that. If it's a softer cloth, or woven differently, or finished differently, it could feel and hang much differently. But in general, with other things being equal, I wouldn't necessarily say that an 11oz wool tartan cloth is that much different than 13oz or even 16oz cloth in terms of how the kilt performs. Most people probably couldn't tell the difference, anyway.

[bodhran4me]

Would it be twill woven? My understanding is that is where much of the durabiliy and wrinkle resistance of traditional kilt cloth comes from. Other, more knowledgeable, folks may weigh in on this one.