Amerikilt reviews?

[Kid Cossack]

Gents and ladies:

Could someone provide input on the Amerikilts? I've pondered over them, but haven't seen much commentary since Hank adopted the new format. Comparisons with the UK and PKs would be muchly appreciated, since "them's what I know," so to speak.

Many thanks in advance . . .

Kid (Kilted) Cossack

[Verlyn]

I have an Amerikilt and love it. However, it is much lighter weight in the fabric than Utilikilts and, I suspect, PKs. However, Mike markets to the hiking crowd a lot and that's what I originally got mine for. He has two basic styles; traditional and hikers. The hikers is a straighter apron with no snaps and the sporran attaches on the sides instead of the front. Not for me, but some like it. I think its a nice casual kilt and, at the booth they had at the PA Celtic fling, I was talking with them and they're trying some different fabrics. Some heavier, some for texture. The traditional styles need a wider belt, but he sells those too. I don't care for the overall style look of the Utilikilts myself (other than the mocker), but I think their fabric is much heavier. I would never wear my Amerikilt for working in my wood shop for fear of ruining it, where I can see the Utilikilts would take the abuse. From what I've seen of the PKs, I would fear ruining them too, even though they appear heavier. If I were to buy a kilt just for wearing around, I'd be happy with either. I find the lightness of the Amerikilt just what is needed for hikes, but they're heavy enough to keep you warm on wet chilly days. Does that help? Oh, and Mike and his wife are real nice to deal with and they give a military discount.

[Sylvain]

I just went to Amerikilts' website, and I found nothing
about a hikers style.

[Verlyn]

Once they finish updating the site, the hiker's style is supposed to be shown too. I think there are pictures of someone in one in the gallery.

[Jimmy Carbomb]

The debut of the Hiker was almost exactly one year ago, and they're doing quite well. It has its place... just (most likely) not with a normal "kilt" crowd.

The following comes from an owner of all three killts... AmeriKilt, Pittsburgh Kilts, and UtiliKilt.

The original AmeriKilt is a more "flexible" version of the UtiliKilt. The snaps in the front, the rear pocket and the storage capabilities are where the similarities end. The pleats are in the left-to-right layout that we're used to with casual kilts. The pleats are wider, but they're also easily maintained. The front apron is more similar to a casual kilt than the UtiliKilts', and is MUCH more comfortable in a kilt crowd. The front pocket sporran is the same (in looks) as the Pittsburgh Kilt, but does not have the two compartments. The rear pocket is also the same.

Material-wise, the AmeriKilts are known for being less rigid than UtiliKilts. This allows for a more comfortable sit, and a less encumbered feel. Unfortunately, the AmeriKilts do NOT have a truly finished hem... as they are not hemmed or selvedged. They won't fray, but they're not a New York Runway hit either.

As for the price, they are a fair deal. You have to buy them in the "pre-set" sizes, which does not allow for a whole lot of fit perfection. They DO allow you to order numerous combinations for waist, hips and length... but they're not quite as "tailored" as the Pittsburgh Kilt.

Here are some simple comparisons of the three:

AmeriKilt: great for casual wear and light work. Available in camos, solids, and different textures. The shipping and availability is pretty fast since they're pre-made. Cost is fair, and quality is good.

UtiliKilts: great for rugged wear and heavy work. Available in all sorts of styes and materials. The shipping and availability is all over the board. Cost is high and the quality can be excellant... especially for "pre-made" kilts.

Pittsburgh Kilts: wonderful for rugged or casual wear, and any sort of work... due primarily to the infinite materials and builds. Shipping and availability is outstanding for "custom-made" kilts. You can even help in the design of your own kilt vision. Cost is outstanding for a custom kilt, and the fit just can not be matched by a "pre-made" kilt.

Hope that helps until we get some more triple-owners to chime-in.

[Kid Cossack]

That was pretty much the information I was looking for right there (not that I'll mind even a tiny little bit if more people chime in). As I've broadened my knowledge of kilts, I've started to figure out what it is that I like and don't like. One thing I really like about the UKs is the way the front apron hangs---I like, I've concluded, a whole lot of pleat under the front apron for extra comfort when spreading my legs, whether sprawled out in a chair or actually DOING something.

Could you comment on the Amerikilt front apron pleats?

I freely admit that I don't care as much for the look of the UK front apron, but I do like it's hang. I can't see a reason that a more traditional looking front apron wouldn't work with a deep reversed pleat. (Ahem, umm, kind of like the SportKilt.)

Am I verging on heresy here?