USA kilts vs. Celtic Croft kilts

[Shriner]

I am thinking about purchasing a new kilt. I have many kilts from Sport Kilts (3), Stillwater Kilts (2), Frugal Corner (10) and my band tank. But I do not own a family tartan kilt. I want a MacKay modern blue but they are to expensive. So I am thinking about a kilt from USA kilt their casual in MacKay modern for $120.00 or from Celtic Croft economy kilt in MacKay modern for $119.00

Can someone give me a comparisons between the two.

John

[Panache]

John,

Of all my kilts there is only one that I have discarded. It was a Celtic Croft Economy kilt in their wool homespun Black Watch. It was my first traditionally styled kilt and I thought it was really great until I had my SWK Standard and Heavyweight to compare it to. Unless their Economy Kilts have drastically improved in the last two years I think you would find the material too light, the buckles and leather too flimsy, and the construction not anywhere near the standards of Stillwater.

I buy from the Celtic Croft fairly regularly and recommend them for all manner of accessories and especially their range of nice yet affordable jewelry (I have some really nice pieeces from them). Ron (Riverkilt) has a "tank" from them that is first rate. I believe that their economy line of kilts are best suited for someone needing a kilt in a particular tartan for very light use, not daily wear. We at XMTS are rather "in the know" about kilts and I don't think that this line is going to stand up to comparison with other kilts in our various collections.


I have a USA Kilt Semi-Traditional and am very pleased with it. I highly recomend Rocky and Kelly's work. I also think that you should hold off a bit and get a semi-tradional instead of a casual. I strongly believe it's worth the extra money.

Cheers

Jamie

[Alan H]

I have a USA Kilts Casual and I love it for certain things....backpacking, throwing heavy stuff at the games, hiking, things like that. It's a great kilt for pub crawling, if you're into that. It's fantastic in hot weather and the sewn-down pleats restore themselves in a flash. It was my second kilt and I still wear it in the summer, and I love it.

That said, it's definitely a casual kilt and I wouldn't wear it to anything like a "nice" occasion any more, though I have worn it in that manner in the past. Now I know a bit more! So if you want a real knockaround, then get a casual. If you want something you can wear to the Games (NOT throwing stuff) and to more dressy occasions, then save your pennies and do what Panache says, save up for the Semi-Traditional. I"ve seen three USA Kilts semi-trads and they're great. My ONLY caveat is that I, personally would ask Rocky to use a straight selvedged edge on mine, and not fringe it. I know that the selvedge on Marton Mills PV is a bit rough, but I prefer it to the fringe. That's "just me".

I've only seen one Celtic Croft budget kilt, and it looked fine but the pleats seemed to fall out of it awfully fast.

[billmcc]

...I"ve seen three USA Kilts semi-trads and they're great. My ONLY caveat is that I, personally would ask Rocky to use a straight selvedged edge on mine, and not fringe it. I know that the selvedge on Marton Mills PV is a bit rough, but I prefer it to the fringe. That's "just me"...

The pv material USAK uses is from the Balmoral range of tartans made by Marton Mills. Standard tartans in this range come from the factory with a fringed selvedge. USAK does not make the fringe. The tartan material that USAK special orders (like the Ireland's National, American Heritage, US Navy and US Army tartans) is ordered with a straight selvedge. So, the type of selvedge your kilt will have will depend on the tartan.

[RockyR]

The pv material USAK uses is from the Balmoral range of tartans made by Marton Mills. Standard tartans in this range come from the factory with a fringed selvedge. USAK does not make the fringe. The tartan material that USAK special orders (like the Ireland's National, American Heritage, US Navy and US Army tartans) is ordered with a straight selvedge. So, the type of selvedge your kilt will have will depend on the tartan.

One more thing to add to that... OCCASIONALLY (maybe 1 out of every 8 or 10), we get a bolt of PV cloth WITH a kilting selvedge when we don't special order it. basically, MM has 2 looms... a "Frayed Selvedge" loom and a Tuck Selvedge loom (kilting selvedge). Since they weave wool AND PV, they weave ALL of their wool on the Tuck Selvedge loom 100% of the time. However, when they get backed up on PV tartan weaving on the Frayed Selvedge loom, they weave some on the Tuck Selvedge loom. I CAN NOT SPECIFY what tartans get which loom in their stock range. I just "get what I get".

If you want a PV kilt and it HAS to have a kilting selvedge, you can give me a call and I can tell you what tartans I have IN STOCK that have it and can make one for you.

[keepoffgrass]

I don't have a Celtic Croft kilt, but I do have two USA kilts and just got my fiancee one of thier kilted skirts for Christmas. I have a casual model and a semi-trad. They're both great, and I wear them all the time, The casual was the first kilt I got from them, and its great. The Quality is outstanding, the quatlitly is outstanding on all three kilts as a matter of fact. However in retrospect I wish I would have forked over the extra cash for the semi-trad. The semi-trads are great, they are a giant step up from the casual model. When you strap it on, it looksand feels much more like a "real" kilt, and the price is quiet reasonable.

I have one FG kilt, in the Clark tartan, it was my first acrylic kilt, I will never ever buy another acrylic kilt, I absolutely hate the way it feels on, I think Ive worn it twice. Its just not for me.. The PV kilts however , are much much much nicer than acrylic. Theyre light and strong, the look and feel nice, the swish is outstanding, and in my opinion they are far more presentable. You could wear a USA kilt semi-trad anywhere, formal or casual.

[McMurdo]

I don't have a Celtic Croft kilt, but I do have one Semi-Trad. from USA Kilts. If it were me I would go for the USA Kilt, they are a well made product, and I am sure you as a regular kilt wearer would appreciate the craftsmanship that go into them. For that reason I think you would do well to go for the Semi-Trad. rather than the Casual, unless of course you are going to use it for next years games circuit. From what you said though I think you are looking for a kilt to wear to a myriad of different events, and as you have a few sport kilts for throwing I would say go for the USA Kilt.

[Galician]

This touches on a question I've had. Looking at the USAK website, I really can't see a difference between the casual and the semi-trad, other than the latter is handsewn (which I don't dismiss).

But is it the same fabric for both styles? same weight?

[Panache]

This touches on a question I've had. Looking at the USAK website, I really can't see a difference between the casual and the semi-trad, other than the latter is handsewn (which I don't dismiss).

But is it the same fabric for both styles? same weight?

Gallician,

The semi-traditional kilts have a higher rise, more material (therefore more and smaller pleats), wider belt/sporran loops, and leather straps and buckles.

The casuals are meant to be worn lower on the hips, have less material, smaller belt loops, and use a velcro closure system.

I am fairly certain that both are machine sewn.

Cheers

Jamie

[billmcc]

This touches on a question I've had. Looking at the USAK website, I really can't see a difference between the casual and the semi-trad, other than the latter is handsewn (which I don't dismiss).

But is it the same fabric for both styles? same weight?

Here is a quick comparison of USAK’s kilts:

USAK Casual
* Made of 4 to 5 yards of 11 oz. washable PV material from Marton Mills.
* Perma-pleating, and pleats sewn down at the fell.
* Hand pleated to sett or stripe.
* Velcro fastening system.
* Intended to be worn (low) on the hips, but can be worn higher (if ordered longer).
* Tapered front apron. Three-quarter width under-apron.
* No waist band, but material folded over at the top.
* Three belt loops intended for a 1.5-inch wide belt are standard, but wider belt loops provided when requested.
* No lining.
* Machine sewn.

USAK Semi-Traditional
* Made of 7 to 8 yards of 11 oz. washable PV material from Marton Mills.
* Pleats sewn down at the fell.
* Hand pleated to sett or stripe.
* Three straps and buckles for fastening.
* Intended to be worn (high) on the waist like a traditional kilt.
* Tapered front apron. Full width under-apron.
* Traditional waist band.
* Two belt loops for a standard kilt belt.
* No lining.
* Machine sewn.