Who has the best bargain on a tank?

[cavscout]

I know this is a bit subjective and there's a lot of opinions involved.

Absolutely. But keep in mind, the hunt is a big part of the fun

The first thing I identify when pricing a kilt is Hand-sewn or machine-sewn. You see a huge price drop between those two. I also factor in is the person I'm buying from doing the sewing or is it being contracted out. A Freedom Kilt, a Matt Newsome and a Barb Tewksbury kilt is going to be a slam-dunk in quality and I know the person wielding the needle is taking a lot of pride in every stitch. Another kiltmakers kilt is likely being contracted to a firm in the UK who treats my order as one among many.

So to answer your question by some standards, I would probably say to get into a decent "Trad" kilt in a tartan of your choice at a bare bones price would probably be KiltStore at the top of the page. A bit of a discount, well made (from reviews on here), and access to all the tartans. As long as you factor in I'm referring to the machine stitched. However getting into the rare tartan you are looking for may water down any savings to be had from one kiltmaker to another.

Moving into the Hand-Sewn arena...

Then you have some very talented home-based businesses like Wally at Waterfalls Kilts . He's a member here with great reviews.

And finally, you've got the vendors here I mentioned first who are tried and true and will be an excellent value. Inexpensive doesn't always equate to the better buy. If you can get the coin, a 4-5 yard Matt Newsome box pleat is a kilt I think virtually everyone would love to have in their Kollection.

Sorry that was probably not really what you were looking for but you are right, there are so many options, combination's and variables to factor in that one really has to just start comparing and weeding out just like a multiple choice test.

You might try looking at what each vendor does that is unique and determine if that is of value to you. For example, Freedom Kilts is the only one I know of doing side slash pockets in tartan kilts right now. If that is a feature that you might want, then they stay in the mix. If a box pleat kilt is what you really want, then Matt would have to be at the top of that list. A double box pleat? Lady Chrystal suddenly is coming on very strong.

Working in wool though, I would consider all the ones I've mentioned above
Freedom Kilts, Matt Newsome, Barb Tewksbury, Waterfalls Kilts, Lady Chrystal, Keltoi and KiltStore. I'm sure there are others but all of these participate in this forum and have a fantastic reputation for taking care of the customer and providing a great product.

Enjoy the hunt!

[slohairt]

So to answer your question by some standards, I would probably say to get into a decent "Trad" kilt in a tartan of your choice at a bare bones price would probably be KiltStore at the top of the page or Keltoi. A bit of a discount, well made (from reviews on here), and access to all the tartans. As long as you factor in I'm referring to the machine stitched. However getting into the rare tartan you are looking for may water down any savings to be had from one kiltmaker to another.

Er, I don't make machine-sewn kilts, only hand-sewn.

Colquhoun Weathered would be a special weave as it is not available in stock from any mill.

[cavscout]

Er, I don't make machine-sewn kilts, only hand-sewn.

My apologies, I must have been thinking of someone else. Thanks for correcting me. I've adjusted my original post.

Tobus, it's not that hand or machine sewn may be more desirable, it's that you don't want to pay hand-sewn prices for machine-sewn kilts. That low price suddenly becomes a bad deal if you think you are getting a hand sewn but are really getting a machine sewn.