8 yard kilt - 13 or 16oz?

[McClef]

I have gone for 16 oz for the tank I have on order in Robertson Hunting Ancient from Hector Russell in Edinburgh.

Got a six week wait for it now though *sigh*.

[porrick]

Welcome aboard!

I have one 13oz and one 16oz. There is obviously a difference in weight, but to be quite honest, I am just as happy wearing the one as the other!

The tartan decides the use - not the weight. I have no problems wearing my 13oz in -10C.

[RockyR]

I live in a similar climate to Scotland (not the north pole, but not tropics)... my advice would be pretty much the same as the others with 1 qualifying question:

Are you normally a "hot" person or a "cold" person? Meaning... do you normally find yourself complaining about being hot or cold compared to others around you?

I am a "hot" person... I'm always warm when Kelly is cold. I wear 13 oz kilts year round. I also HAVE 16 oz kilts, but they see more "light of day" in the winter time. Bottom line... I SWEAT in them in the summer.

Also, as others have stated... the lighter weight is better for dancing and the difference in swing between the 13 and 16 oz isn't THAT great that it should deter you from either one.

[scoutniagara]

Ok. I have a 13 oz. (medium weight) hunting MacIntosh from Burnetts and Struth. I love it and wouldn't have anything heavier. I'm a Canadian, and even with the snow blowing, with wool hose and an over coat, I'm warm and toasty. In southern Ontario, the cold winter is no more than four months long, and then, part, if not all of your kilt is hidden due to your coat. At indoor functions, the heavy weight kilt would be too much. Scotland doesn't see that much snow, unless you're on the highland bens. I love to travel to the Caribbean in the winter, so my SKs and wool SWK are great. I'm looking to purchase a light weight (10 oz) wool Clan MacIntosh this or next year.

Go with the medium, 13 oz. kilt! That's my tuppence.

[bobomacintosh]

Thanks to everyone for the advice - conflicting but all helpful in making a decision. I'll be ordering next week in hopes of having a new kilt by Hogmanay.

[Presuming Ed]

I have two 13oz from Stuart Christie & Co, of Queen St, Edinburgh. I wear them a lot indoors, for dancing, for which they're great. I would think that a 16oz would be far too hot. So, IMHO, it depends on your intended use: -

1) lots of indoor use - dancing etc. 13oz.
2) lots of outdoor use - 16 oz.

[McClef]

Darn! I only walked a wee wa doon Queen St and missed them!

[freddie]

I agree with chef. The medium weight kilt is ideal for wearing indoors and mine actually swings better than my heavyweight ones. In fact when I first got it and tried it on my wife said "Give us a twirl" which I did and it flew up round my ears ! - in fact I call it "My dancing kilt". It's also plenty warm enough indoors as well. I used to attend a Burns Night in a cosy pub (alas the event isn't held any more) and I've stood there at the bar with sweat running down my legs, and was actually glad I wasn't wearing a heavyweight kilt. However if your going to wear the kilt outdoors in the winter you'll really appreciate the heavyweight version. There is however one other point to consider. I'm very much on the large side and I do find that the heavyweight kilts hang better on me at the front. That said I like both versions in their respective ways.

[McClef]

16 oz are better in a high wind

[Canadian_Kilt]

Take my advice with a grain of salt because the only kilt I have is an acrylic SWk .. which is pretty light. I have a 16 oz 8 yrder on order.

In all the reading and research I've done on kilts over the last few weeks, I have repeatedly read that 16 oz is THE way to go when it comes to the swing and the feel. Personally, I think your tartan is the most important thing - don't go for a 2nd choice just because of the weight. If you're concerned about being too hot, maybe a 5 yard 16 oz would do the trick instead of 8?