walking in kilt

[Graham]

I, likewise, enjoy reading your own perspicacious and expressive discourses.

blu

Come on, let's keep the language clean here chaps!!

[Graham]

Tasmania is a hillwalkers (we call them bushwalkers) paradise.

Many bushwalkers here prefer to walk in shorts in all weather, bare legs dry more quickly than trousers (unless they are covered with waterproof trousers).

Kilts provide the same freedom in the weather, but more so.
Last winter my son (in trousers) and myself were caught in a blizzard, when it past my legs dried and I had a comfortable walk. He had to complete the walk in wet, cold trousers.





My new coat is longer than the one shown here.

[Jimmy Carbomb]

It's VERY easy to take along a piece of clear plastic. It can be rolled-up to fit a sporran or pack VERY easily. When the downpour hits, just unroll it and wrap it around your waist. You can tuck it into the beltline, and cover your top with your coat. When the rain's done, just shake it off and roll it back up. Inexpensive, small for the packing, and non cumbersome.

[caig]

I walk in a 6 yard woollen kilt from Geoffrey in Edinburgh. The wool is coated in teflon, so it is nearly waterproof. Ive never had a soggy kilt even in very wet conditions. Cost me £190.00 ( regular customer).

[Andrew Breecher]

I've hiked in snow, rain, sleet, and hail in a PV Bear kilt. While the material got wet, it only chaffed at the hem twice over 2,000 miles, and only in one location on my knee, and only when ice crystals formed along the hem and the wind was blowing from a particular direction...in other words, nothing I'd worry about in the future. If the material was wet, even soaking, it would always dry within an hour as long as I wore the kilt. I did have a raincoat, but only wore it when it was cold (i.e. below freezing) and raining; if it were any warmer I couldn't wear the coat because it would make me sweat too much, and I'd end up getting just as wet. I'd rather be wet from the rain than wet from my own sweat. I guess it depends on how vigourously you're hiking.



In this photo, there was a snowstorm going on, which turned to sleet, and I was wading through up to two feet of cold slushy water (in the Smokey Mountains). Good hypothermic conditions. While my fingers were cold, the rest of me was just fine.

Andrew.

[macwilkin]

I've seen pipers wear trews... although they weren't competing at the time.

Aye, Blu is 100% correct...and since the Second World War, all Scottish soldiers have worn trousers as part of their military uniform, since the kilt was abolished for the combat uniform during WWII.

If you ever see the movie "Tunes of Glory" with Sir Alec Guiness, which is about a Scottish regiment after WWII, the only people wearing kilts are the officers (who can afford to buy them!), the pipers and drummers of the band, and the civilians invited to the Battalion cocktail party - all of the other ranks shown in the film are in trousers -- the only thing that id's them as Scots are their bonnets (T-o-S) and the small square patch of tartan on their shoulders.

"Tunes of Glory", btw, is the BEST Scottish movie of all time, INMHO, and a "must-see" for any kilt-wearing gentleman! :mrgreen:

Cheers,

T.

[longforgan]

I must say that you lads are a great inspiration! Hiking through snow and ice! Makes me sound like a complete wimp worrying about a little rain. Actually, my main consideration is not just one of discomfort but what would happen to a woollen kilt if it gets soaked. A couple of you have mentioned just this thing happening without any problem, but doesn't wool tend to shrink if it gets thoroughly wet? Thanks,- Alan

[longforgan]

Forgot to say something! One writer mentioned the discomfort consideration between long pants and shorts (or much better still and kilt). I thought that I knew outdoor gear pretty well until I got into bicycling and joined a bike-club some years ago. The problem of legs getting wet at low temps and particularly in a stiff wind can be banished entirely by wearing tights made of polypropylene or something similar. It's an amazing effect,- you know that there's a lot of water getting on your legs and yet they stay warm. Bicyclists have figured clothing to a fine art because alternately they are sweaty, climbing up steep hills and then rocketing down the other side with the wind whistling at 30+ mph. Since this is my first winter in the kilt, I was debating whether I should wear something on my legs. Someone mentioned pantyhose, but even natural colored ones look kind of phoney with the kilt. For one thing they flatten the leg-hair and since they are transparent, that looks kind of weird. My thought is that the legs are tough and can take cold pretty good. Back in the old days that I remember in Scotland, the kids did not get long pants until they were aged 11-12 years and so all year around we wore shorts summer and winter. We loved the snow and practically lived in it all day long. I cannot remember feeling cold. - Alan

[bubba]

I just plan to make a pair of gaiters for the snowy weather. That should be more than enough leg covering.

[Andrew Breecher]

Polypropylene works by wicking the moisture away from your skin to the outer layer of fabric, so even though the fabric gets wet your skin stays warm. Wool does the same thing, only it's heavier, so if you wear traditional kilt hose you'll be just fine. Remember that explorers 100 years ago reached the North and South Poles, as well as high in the mountains, wearing wool and tweed.

doesn't wool tend to shrink if it gets thoroughly wet?

Only if you put it in the dryer afterwards. If you let it dry on its own when you get back inside it'll be fine. In fact, the opposite problem may occur if the weight of the water weights the material too much when it's wet - it could stretch. As long as you're wearing it, though, and the pleats hang normally, it again shouldn't be a problem.

Andrew.