Travel kilt necessities?

**MacWage** · 4th July 06, 06:13 AM

I am trying to make a list of the features needed for a travel kilt. This came up on another thread (just before I went out of town). So as not to hijack a thread, let's make an full list:

Here are my initial suggestions:
Travel kilt:

1. Looks something like a kilt (so as to distinguish it from "a man in a skirt")
2. Wrinkle resistant (material issue-> relatively easy to do)
3. plastic buckles (for metal detectors->nylon webing and click clips-> either side squeeze or center button)
4. DEEP front inverted pleats (to prevent "peeps")
5. breathable fabric (so as not to get too hot and sweaty in seat/rump area)
6. pleats that hold well, yet wrinkle resistant (here is the hard part)

Are there any others?

**Tattoo Bradley** · 4th July 06, 06:59 AM

Actually (even though I don't own one of either YET) I would say that a USAK casual or a SK would be ideal for travel, from what I've read on both. They both feature velcro closures, and are made of a light polyvisc material. I dunno... that's what I kinda had in mind as a "travel" or "airline" kilt.

**ckelly327** · 5th July 06, 12:16 AM

Light weight and wrinkle resisitant (or at least very easy to get rid of wrinkles) would be the top two. If you wanted to go to a tartan instead of a UK then get a 5 yd PV. They hold up pretty well for me so far.

**davedove** · 5th July 06, 04:53 AM

I think the two main things are wrinkle resistant and a lack of metal (for the detectors).

And of course it should look sufficiently kilt like.

**AckZel** · 5th July 06, 07:03 AM

It is strange. Last week I was in Norway for a coaching course. When I went there I used my Douglas Modern trad. No alarm in any metal detectors in Finland but when I went to one in Norway, my buckles gave the alarm. Wonder how the metal detectors are so different.

**davedove** · 5th July 06, 07:43 AM

Originally Posted by Ackwell

It is strange. Last week I was in Norway for a coaching course. When I went there I used my Douglas Modern trad. No alarm in any metal detectors in Finland but when I went to one in Norway, my buckles gave the alarm. Wonder how the metal detectors are so different.

It's all based on how they set the sensitivity of the machines. I'm told that some machines can be set so sensitive that the iron in your blood will set them off.

One would think that a minimum level of sensitivity would be set. Even different airports within the US have different sensitivities though, so I can't imagine how they could find agreement internationally.:rolleyes:

**jjoseph** · 5th July 06, 08:35 AM

Two suggestions:
1) Use quick drying / small packing fabric like what's used in camping pants. (The pleat issue is solved by using somthing like Rocky's permapleats).

2) Replace buckles and hiddeous velcro with the commonplace black plastic clips which are on a variety of camping gear and luggage. No metal detector, rust, snag issues.

HATE VELCRO... and it's bad for travel and packing. It snags other clothes as well as the kilt material when the edges are not perfectly locked to their mates.

**The Wizard of BC** · 5th July 06, 06:44 PM

The single most important thing you forgot to add to your list is::::::::

The Freedom Kilts Logo!!!!!

You just described most of the items on my list when I was designing my kilts.

I have been thru airports in all of the Freedom Kilts models and nary a peep out of the metal detector except when I forgot to take my business card case out of my shirt pocket.

Even on my Dress Model with the straps and buckles the metal was not enough to set it off.

4 1/2 hrs. crammed into one of those seats and a quick sweep of the hand down the pleats and not a wrinkle to be seen.

Plus, I believe that in a kilt you attract enough attention that most screeners leave you along. So almost every time I'm waved through with only a smile.