I'm about to order kilts for my grandsons

[Gary Krueger]

I am going to order 3 kilts...one for myself and one each for my grandsons (6 years and 3 years) I have decided on Sport Kilt, since they advertise here and I have read some of the posts relative to your experience with this supplier. I have noticed that while the Sport Kilt (I would order a men's small and 2X) offers several additional choices, such as fringe, belt loops (I don't really use them) I find that those choices are not available on the Youth sport Kilt. (they were once available)

Being a piper, and piping with a great competition band, offers me ample opportunity to wear my kilts (I have 2 - 1 Modern Wilson (band) and 1 Ross Weathered Hunting (family), and since the grandsons often attend with my wife and me they are slowly being indoctrinated into this culture. I naturally wear the band's kilt when competing with them but when I choose to compete solo I will wear my Ross. I often wear the Ross when attending dressy functions and even when those functions call for semi-formal. (I don't really have a "suit" that would look as dressy as my kilt for those occasions.)

Getting the 3 kilts in US Army Tartan...yep I am an ex-army grunt...gives me the opportunity to wear a kilt along with my grandsons when not competing or playing a concert with the pipe band.

Are they (the sport kilts) as good as they appear on the web site? Being retired (and having more scottish blood than I ever thought) I must be cautions with my funds. Your input would be well received.

Thanks

[Tattoo Bradley]

I don't mean to yank thunder from one vendor to another. BUT, I myself would go with USA Kilts. Rocky had a special run of the US Army tartan woven this year and his website still shows it as an option. From the reviews I've read the PV Rocky uses is far superior to the stuff the Sportkilts are made from. I have three of his kilts, and they are great for a wool alternative. And, the Sportkilt Works VS. the USA Casual is comparable in price. The one thing that has always kept me from trying a SPortkilt is the fact they have elastic in the waist. It causes for a weird effect in the fell. This is all simply my opinion. Best of luck!

[Kid Cossack]

Gary:

I am, in point of fact, wearing a Sportkilt in my gang colors (USMC Leatherneck tartan) even as I type this. It is one of the newer versions, with sewn down pleats (to the fell), but still with elastic gathering in the back.

I've been wearing this kilt a good bit the past week, and I have somewhat rehabilitated my opinion of it. It is definitely "fun" and "sporty."

However, it is a straight up off the rack kilt. It seems more "skirty" to me than the USAK casual Farquharson I have. The USAK casual has pleats that are sewn down all the way. That is, there is a fell, and beyond that the edges of the pleats are sewn down. The USAK casual is made to your measurements. The poly-viscose Rocky and Kelly use has a teflon coating, and can take abuse that would send me shrieking if I were to treat my worsted wool kilts in such a manner.

USAK does also show the Army tartan, as Brad mentioned. I've got a semi-traditional in that tartan, and it is very nice. (The selvedge could be better, if I was in the mood to pick nits.)

I've got five kilts from USAK (casual Farquharson, semi-trad Army, semi-trad Ramsay, wool leatherneck five yard, and my wife's Warrior mini). IF IT WERE ME, I would go with USAK in a heartbeat.

Best,

da Kid

[pipesndrumsnun]

You, Sir, are one really neat granddad!!

[Mr. MacDougall]

I'm quite fond of my sport kilt in what Kid Cossack calls my gang colors (US Navy in my case). It's light, it's cool in the summer, and it's machine washable. That being said, it does have to be admitted that Sport Kilts are casual kilts -- they're sort of randomly pleated, rather than to the sett or stripe, and they're not wool.

The folks at Sport Kilt provide excellent customer service, and their product is sturdy. I love mine. For a first kilt for a kid, it's a good choice, and if you want to have one that matches the kids', it's a good choice for you, too.

[fluter]

You, Sir, are one really neat granddad!!

Yes, you are!

SportKilts are very nice, for their kind. The fabric is something like a poly-cotton blend. If you'd like to get a kilt for yourself that's just like the boys', the plain SportKilt may be the way to go. If you have any questions, by all means email them.

SK has a modest number of pleats, some photos here
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/s...83&postcount=1
If you want something more traditional-looking, USAK may be the way to go. Look at the neat video of Ron on their Casual Kilt page.

USAK may be able to accomodate the boys too, just email & ask. Their backlog of work is probably longer. I am eagerly awaiting my first USAK semi-trad---Apparently when I ordered, I too was displaying a little extra tight-fistedness; so I did not pony up the rush-order fee. That may be a consideration, if you want to get in some kilted quality time this summer.

Both vendors are great. You basically can't go wrong.