Hiking Kilt Material

**KiltedBrewer** · 10th July 26, 08:05 PM

I've just started getting back into kilt wearing (after reducing my size to fit back into my kilts) and I've been wearing my 2 x-kilts quite a bit. Our son is in scouting, so we do a lot of camping and hiking. I'm considering making an x-kilt specifically for hiking. I looked through the discussions of hiking kilts, and I saw several references to Supplex, but I couldn't find anyone who actually had a kilt made from it. It sounds like a great material for a hiking kilt. Has anyone used it? If so, would you recommend it? Or some other material for a hiking kilt?

Thanks!

**CBH** · 11th July 26, 06:54 PM

What's an x-kilt ?

**KiltedBrewer** · 12th July 26, 03:19 PM

If you go to the DIY Showroom forum, there is a sticky for a manual of how to sew your own x-kilt. It's a modern non-tartan kilt. I was very active on x-marks a long time ago and many members made themselves x-kilts. It's a simple way to make yourself a kilt. I've made 2 of them--one in cotton duck and one in poly-cotton twill.

**Pleater** · 12th July 26, 05:43 PM

I can't help with the type of fabric I'm afraid, but I really do advise making a reverse Kingussie style of pleating as I have had to unstrap a kilt and then work it out of the grip of the bushes when wearing a conventionally pleated kilt - I gave up on them after the second time.
Reverse Kingussie has an inverted pleat centre back, I make it double the size of the small pleats, and the small pleats then are mirror imaged, and they point backwards like the feathers on a bird's wing.

I make two deep pleats beneath the aprons, and that means no problems climbing steps or gates or walls. The aprons on mine are slightly narrower than on a traditional kilt, so there might be 24 or 26 small pleats.
I'll just look up Supplex and get back to you if it looks a likely material to try.

Anne the Pleater

**Pleater** · 12th July 26, 06:00 PM

Ah.
I have tried stretchy material before now and can only say do not try to use it for pleats if you value your sanity. It never measured the same twice.

A woven fabric could be the way to go as it is available in that form - as long as it is not too heavy.
I read that it is resistant to UV light - having recently been sunburnt despite being in the shade of a fabric canopy that is an important factor, I feel.

In the past I have made kilts from fabrics containing man made fibres and found them far more comfortable when worn with a cotton layer of some sort, either a tunic or a liner, in both rain and sun.

Anne the Pleater

**KiltedBrewer** · Yesterday, 02:29 PM

Thanks, Anne! I had already planned on making the Rev-K version of the x-kilt. (I've made one in that version using cotton-poly twill already.)

I've seen a few people who were fans of cotton-poly ripstop for their kilts. I know that doesn't have any stretch, and it might be a good compromise between natural and manmade fiber?

**Pleater** · Today, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by KiltedBrewer

Thanks, Anne! I had already planned on making the Rev-K version of the x-kilt. (I've made one in that version using cotton-poly twill already.)

I've seen a few people who were fans of cotton-poly ripstop for their kilts. I know that doesn't have any stretch, and it might be a good compromise between natural and manmade fiber?

Oh of course the X kilt instructions have reverse Kingussie pleats - I have found my memory is not what it was - but then at the age of 75 I should expect it.

Fabric for a successful kilt is a bit of a Goldilocks material. It needs to be fairly sturdy - just to avoid doing a Marilyn at every updraught as well as remaining in pleats rather than a mass of wrinkles. Some degree of flexibility is advisable, so that it moulds around the body rather than standing out like a lampshade and gives a satisfactory flow when in motion. I have made both natural fibre and man made kilts and it is the weaving rather than the fibre which makes the difference.

I put 6 yards at least into all my kilts these days, my time is too precious to struggle with skimpit cloth - the most impressive kilt I have is the 8 yards of darkness, which is ankle length and has many pleats. It must have some sort of coating as it rustles as I move and does a double swish at every step. I wear it with handmade lace and cashmere as anything less would just not do.