Preferred pleating style for hiking?

[Tartan Hiker]

Last summer I hiked up Ben Nevis in a kilt and I would say to those who are crying and sobbing ( Steve ), a kilt as well made as Matt's will hold up wonderfully and come out of the hike richer for the experience.

Yes, hiking Ben Nevis wouldn't be a problem. Been there and seen the terrain. Now use your Star Trek transporter to whisk yourself to an Appalachian Mountain rhododendron hell (that's really what they're called...and for good reason), throw in some poison ivy for humor and some cat briars with 1" recurved thorns to make things interesting. You might see a bit of open sky every now and then, but most of the time you're in the dark, thick, tangles. Even trails with regular maintenance will have blowdowns and other obstacles that you'll have to detour around or crawl through. Does everyone see why some of us are reluctant to encourage taking an expensive kilt hiking? Hillwalking in open country and hiking in a North American forest are kilts of a different color, to say the least!