[Kiltman]

Originally Posted by Riverkilt

I don't wear underkilts for the cold - I wear them to keep my $500 hand sewn wool kilts protected from me. Olde men will understand....

Yes we do understand. By the way, somewhere der Herr Owner (aka Steve Aston), published a handy lesson on how to use old t-shirts and waist bands from old underpants to create for yourself a really good alternative to purchasing such things. It takes about 20 minutes to do.

[CMcG]

OK, if you're going to be out in the cold for that long then exposed flesh is definitely a concern. With or without an underkilt, you should take some other precautions.

I'm just throwing out some options for kilt wearing under such conditions, though I haven't tested them:

1. Wear kilt johns and roll your hose over you knees as necessary. This allows you to roll them down when you're active or need to be presentable but cover your skin in other situations.

2. Wear long johns/running tights under your kilt and hose. Not the greatest look but you'll be warm and kilted. I know a guy who rode his bike to school every day in shorts. In the winter he wore long johns under them... even in -30C!

3. Wear your kilt low enough to cover your knees, along with the underkilt and/or kilt johns. Again, not a great look and definitely not advisable if you'll be doing a lot of walking because your kilt will rub on the back of your knees.

4. If you care for the historical look, throw on some trews or a feileadh mhor. I read somewhere that back in the day, highlanders who could afford it wore trews in the winter. Those who couldn't wrapped their plaid around themselves like a cloak.

Does anyone have field tested, successful kilt experience under the circumstances Paul is describing? 12 hours out and about, periods of activity mixed with standing, sub-zero temperature?

[Paul]

Originally Posted by CMcG

Does anyone have field tested, successful kilt experience under the circumstances Paul is describing? 12 hours out and about, periods of activity mixed with standing, sub-zero temperature?

I have experience of it myself, though I was ill for several days after. I'm hoping to avoid that this time!

[cavscout]

I can't imagine adding another thin layer to the kilt will make enough difference. If wind isn't making it through the kilt, the layer won't have any real effect on being warmer. Is the heat being lost simply through the warm air pocket under the kilt being cooled faster than you can heat it? Any "pants" type solution (long johns, tights, ..) would essentially negate the benefits of a kilt for me At most I'd go with a pair of polypro shorts to maintain as much freedom of movement while still enhancing the heat retention around the legs. If I had to go to anything to enclose the entire leg, I'd just switch to pants alone and loose the kilt.

Maybe rig up a system like the Utilikilt modesty toggle (on their Survival kilts) that will "morph" your kilt into a pair of loose shorts, there by retaining a bit more heat. Just a small loop stitched to the inside of a pleat and a toggle of some sort stitched to the inside of the inner apron.

[Pleater]

Although we have not had the snow which paralysed the rest of Britain recently, the air was cold, wind chill took it below freezing.

It was not as cold as it has been on still nights before now, but I found that I was warm enough even in lightweight kilts as long as I put on a coat or cloak or even a jacket and plaid, plus gloves and a beret.

One layer of fabric seemed to make a considerable difference, as long as it was long enough and stopped the kilt being blown about.

Due to my daughter in law having important exams, and then an operation on her knee, and my grandson requiring my care I did not have the oportunity to really test out the plaid, which had been my main objective this winter.

So far I have not found it necessary to abandon my sandals for more than a few days when there was snow and ice on the ground, as an ankle length cloak or wearing the plaid wrapped around - one corner tucked into the strap of my back pack then a complete wrap around and up onto my shoulder - provided a windbreak equal to the weather.

In really high winds I put on the plaid and then the back pack on top of it, to hold it on.

Ane the Pleater

[Jimmy]

Paul, did you get anywhere finding suppliers of underkilts, might be a good idea to have an underkilt if winters are going to be like this one

[Paul]

Originally Posted by Jimmy

Paul, did you get anywhere finding suppliers of underkilts, might be a good idea to have an underkilt if winters are going to be like this one

Sadly I didn't Jimmy. I've still to track down some sources, though.
I'm off to Inverness on friday, taking just my Campbell kilt (I really need to start wearing my others, though!) and hopefully it wont be too cold!

[creagdhubh]

You don't need it! HA!

[skauwt]

paul i found this australian site ,
again ive no idea how the company are for service or who they are but they have it listed as a kilt liner a term i think seems to be more approptraite than the term underkilt that we all use on here

some folks just dont like the connection with underskirts ive noticed

anyways here it is
http://www.activskin.com.au/shop/index.php?cPath=24

its about 16 uk pounds not inclucing postage worth a email though

[Paul]

Originally Posted by skauwt

paul i found this australian site ,
again ive no idea how the company are for service or who they are but they have it listed as a kilt liner a term i think seems to be more approptraite than the term underkilt that we all use on here

some folks just dont like the connection with underskirts ive noticed

anyways here it is
http://www.activskin.com.au/shop/index.php?cPath=24

its about 16 uk pounds not inclucing postage worth a email though

Thanks!
I'm checking out how much postage is now... in the mean time I managed to find their "men’s sheer pantyhose"