outdoor kilts

[Angus MacSpey]

I would never ever dare throw my formal wedding-day wool kilt into the washer and drier, nor my wifes 100% wool sweater. Yet, I have wool hiking socks that I freely abuse and clean without a thought. What's the difference? Can one of our kilt makers acquire or make a cloth that is perhaps a wool blend, so it can be all wool can be wool and yet be washable, wearable, able to be dragged across rocks and sticks without getting pulls, etc.? (Pardon my obvious sartorial ignorance.)

That's exactly right. Your wool socks have other fibers mixed in, including usually something for elasticity, such as lycra. It may have something to do with the knitting process too, but I'll have to defer to the textile experts on that.

As for synthetics, I've found those to wick moisture the best - stuff like Thermax and other polypro type fabrics. But the minute I go indoors wearing it, I boil. If I'm going to be in and out all day, I'll wear silk thermals. They insulate well for their weight, wick well, and keep you cool inside.

Nothin' but cotton for summer, though.

And thanks, Iolaus, for the heads-up. I'll check it out.

[Yaish]

There are some new fabrics out now that rely on mechanical action, rather than the material for their moisture wicking abilities. The weave on the material is two ply. The inner material absorbs moisture from your skin, then the out material releases it to evaporation. It looks and feels just like a standard garment though.
Good for summer, but in winter it still wont help much for insulation.