What do you guys think?

[ShaunMaxwell]

13 oz. seems a little light to me. It gets pretty warm down where I live, but I've never had a problem getting too warm in 16 oz. (I've got a couple of 5-yard casuals, a four-yard box pleat, and three 8-yarders, all in 16 oz.)

Box pleats look sharp, but don't swing like knife pleat IMHO.

I'll be curious to see how it comes out!

[Tobus]

13 oz. seems a little light to me. It gets pretty warm down where I live, but I've never had a problem getting too warm in 16 oz.

***. I just can't get excited about 13 oz. tartan. For the amount of money spent on a quality kilt, I value the swish and feel of 16 oz. and I don't really see the benefit of going to a lighter weight cloth. If heat is an issue, going to a lesser-yardage kilt will offer more benefit than a lighter cloth.

[Spartan Tartan]

***. I just can't get excited about 13 oz. tartan. For the amount of money spent on a quality kilt, I value the swish and feel of 16 oz. and I don't really see the benefit of going to a lighter weight cloth. If heat is an issue, going to a lesser-yardage kilt will offer more benefit than a lighter cloth.

Agreed. I live in Oklahoma where we have 100 plus days of 100 plus (F) temperatures... I had (until donated) a PV kilt and it did not provide the "cooler" feel over my 16oz wools that I have heard people say they seek. Like Tobus mentions, and a good many threads on this topic as well, the amount of material is more important than the weight of the material.

Although I think the 6 yd box pleat would be a nice kilt, I think you will enjoy the heavier material in the long run and you will not really notice the difference due to hot weather.

Edit to add afterthought: I notice you live in LA...trust me you will not overheat in LA by wearing a 16oz kilt. By OK standards, LA gets "warm" during the summer. In mid July/August, I will LOVE to have a nice "cool" LA day to break up the 108F we had all last summer.

[artificer]

When I was originally shopping for a material for my box pleat (a 5 yd) I was advised that, since you're already reducing the yardage, you want to keep the material weight as high as possible to preserve a little 'swish' in the pleats.

I had mine made in 15oz Dalgliesh, and now that I have it I know exactly why this was said and I totally agree.

My advice is go for the 16oz.

ith:

[JohntheBiker]

I have a couple of 13oz 8yd kilts and I am perfectly happy with them. However, when I had a box-pleated smaller yardage kilt made, I went for 16oz. No regrets, absolutely the right choice and heat should not really be an issue.

[Kiltboy]

***. I just can't get excited about 13 oz. tartan. For the amount of money spent on a quality kilt, I value the swish and feel of 16 oz. and I don't really see the benefit of going to a lighter weight cloth. If heat is an issue, going to a lesser-yardage kilt will offer more benefit than a lighter cloth.

Yep. That says it all.

[Dale Seago]

I just can't get excited about 13 oz. tartan. For the amount of money spent on a quality kilt, I value the swish and feel of 16 oz. and I don't really see the benefit of going to a lighter weight cloth. If heat is an issue, going to a lesser-yardage kilt will offer more benefit than a lighter cloth.

Agreed. I have a 5-yard US Army tartan kilt in 13-oz wool from USAK. It's a perfectly fine and well-made kilt, but I find it's the one I wear least. All my others are heavyweight fabrics (16 oz, & a couple of 15); the heavier fabric just looks, hangs, and swishes better.

[TheOfficialBren]

Thanks, chaps. I think I'm sold on heavier-weighted wool...probably Kingussie pleated. Knife pleats are fine but so common. I want something different from the norm but still firmly rooted in THCD.

[creagdhubh]

13 oz. seems a little light to me. It gets pretty warm down where I live, but I've never had a problem getting too warm in 16 oz. (I've got a couple of 5-yard casuals, a four-yard box pleat, and three 8-Hardee's, all in 16 oz.)

Box pleats look sharp, but don't swing like knife pleat IMHO.

I'll be curious to see how it comes out!

***

Agreed.

[ForresterModern]

Maybe a compromise with a slightly higher yardage kilt in say a Kingussie or reverse Kingussie pleating would allow you to use the 13 oz but give you more overall weight of fabric to solidify and stabilize the whole thing while still being lighter weight and more heat tolerant.. Kingussies catch good air and ventilation due to the forward facing edges of the knife pleats on both sides, while reverse kingussies are less prone to do so and easier to do a two handed pleat sweep when you sit down.