Cold weather kilting

**davezero** · 22nd January 07, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by Improv1

I find that if my upper body is warm, it makes little difference what I wear below. My kilt and hose keep me plenty warm for these Canadian winters! It's the bloody wind you have to watch for!

You know Improv, I'm with you there. We got 3 or four inches of snow last noght and I still went out this morning in my kilt. Of course I wore a leather jacket and hat but I was fine. Of course you do get strange looks from time to time.

**pdcorlis** · 22nd January 07, 11:18 AM

The coldest winter I ever saw is the winter I spent in pants.

**Tartan Hiker** · 22nd January 07, 11:21 AM

Hiking this weekend and got many "Aren't you cold?" questions. Warm hat and gloves is the key for me. Keeping my head and hands warm first, then proper insulation in the torso, and the legs will take care of themselves, even with short hiking socks "scroonched doon."

Bill

**Kilted Archer** · 22nd January 07, 06:28 PM

Figured I'd weigh in on this one as well. I only wear Utilikilts, however last winter I only owned two Originals which are lightweight twill. I got through pretty much the whole winter wearing them and only a couple times resorted to wearing long johns with the kilt (a bit of a Seattle grunge look, so to speak). However, this year I have two Workman's (cotton duck) in my wardrobe and I haven't worn anything but tall woolen boot socks a couple days when the temps were routinely in the the teens. Like Kilted Hiker and a few others have mentioned - I don't seem to feel too cold on my legs as long as I've dressed my body core warmly. Hat, gloves, and maybe a couple layers under my M1 jacket and I'm set. And if it gets really booger-freezin' cold then I can always break out my airforce extreme cold weather flying man's jacket which is just like my M1 but with a button over front and a fuzzy zip up parka hood. Now that's a warm jacket. I get the "Aren't you cold?" comments all the time and I simply reply "Nope," or to those I know, "My ancestors were Highlanders so I'm pretty sure resistance to cold is in my blood."

**orangehaggis** · 23rd January 07, 11:01 PM

I get by with my barn coat, a jumper and my heavy wool caubeen. I've only just purchased a dark green dressy coat worthy of being paired with my MOD saffron, but in the past, I've been known to wear a dress coat over my tartan kilts when wearing an argyll jacket, or at least when wearing a tie with my jumper. Not only is this a practical way to keep warm, a good way to keep the weather off of your kilt, and a smart look, but it is rooted in tradition. Pipers of the Scots Guards wear "Atholl grey" greatcoats over their No. 1 doublets in frigid weather.

Those who wish to take the greatcoat look a bit further could purchase buttons of the appropriate size from the regiment of his choice from www.kellybadge.co.uk.

Mark O - USA

**Andrew Breecher** · 24th January 07, 01:01 AM

Thanks to everyone who's posted in this thread. I hope we've kept a few people from being scared of wearing kilts in cold weather.

It's okay, really!

Andrew.

**Heath** · 25th January 07, 02:07 PM

it has definitely helped me to get in there and don the kilt on the blustery days!

**Andrew Breecher** · 25th January 07, 11:54 PM

It was 6 degrees F tonight and gusting wind as I walked home from work tonight. 8-yard 13oz wool kilt, wool hose, a wool sweater, windbreaker, and a baseball cap. My ears were freezing! The rest of me was just fine. I need to get a hat with earflaps. I'll keep wearing the kilt.

Andrew.

**Tartan Hiker** · 27th January 07, 03:37 PM

Here's my youngest son this afternoon hiking in Montreat, NC. Temp was about 45F, but it was obviously a bit colder last night. Lots of ice!
Started out with hoodies, but had those off in the first half-mile.
Still got some "Aren't you cold?" questions. Even had one lady take the classic serruptitious "after passing on the trail" photo :mrgreen:

**NewKilt** · 27th January 07, 11:13 PM

I get asked if I'm cold every so often, and simply tell people that a kilt can actually be warmer than pants due to warm air rising and the "mitten effect" that a kilt has on the legs. Most folks seem to understand the logic after I explain it to them.

I do tend to stick with my wool kilts most of the time during the winter, but will occasionally wear my Workman's, Denim, and Corduroy UK's on less windy day's. During the hot summer months it's usually my lightweight, cotton-poly UK's. During spring and autumn, I can just about wear any of my kilts.

Darrell