Reader questions on backpacking in kilts and skirts?

[Pete M]

“Speaking of western Scotland, sightseeing about about twenty years ago I got off the train in Kyle of Lochalsh the first week of September and decided to walk over the (then new) bridge. I think I got frostbite.”

Aye Randy, that’s Summer weather up at the Skye for you. Keeps the midges at bay though! Still snow on the hills at the moment.

Justin and Emylene – good idea about some kind of kilt/mesh/leggings combo. For me here in Scotland though I’d almost always go for full trousers, albeit light ones in Summer, mainly because of bugs but also because our climate is so changeable. It can be shorts weather down in the valley, and then you find its blowing horizontal sleet once you reach a ridge.

 

[Anonymous]

“It can be shorts weather down in the valley, and then you find its blowing horizontal sleet once you reach a ridge.”

Makes sense about using pants instead considering the above. Reminds me of Mt. Washington in New Hampshire in the US. I use to live in MA and periodically hiked up in that area, and it was quite amazing that it could be 80’s *F at the base, and then 40’s and 50’s, with fog, mist, and/or very high cold wind near the top.  And it’s not even 7, 000 ft high.   But i still wore shorts anyways.  I run warm in general, and often will wear shorts or “skirts” down below freezing.

Unfortunately (or fortunately), when we were in Scotland, we didn’t get to experience any of the infamous Scottish weather.  We went there in April some years back (2007 it must have been, since it was our first honeymoon), and while it was 50’s for the highs and constantly raining at home in the southeast of US, it was mostly sunny, and high 60’s to 80’s for the highs most of our time in Scotland.  Very weird turn around.

[Randy T]

@Emylene

Gaiters with bug net uppers would be very interesting to test out, and also compare that it say 3/4 length leggings (permethrined of course) to see the difference.

Also, something else I have wanted to know about is insulated skirts.

Montbell makes a couple, synthetic, and I know there are some down ones out there too. How would those work under a kilt for colder weather, even early summer morning, hiking? In theory they should retain warm in the outer thighs but still allow airflow into the crotch area. Wonder how that would be in practice?

And insulated skirts also for sleeping: I tried out the Montbells for size in a store and they are (no surprise!) too small for me. I was interested in seeing if an insulated skirt could help solve the issue of a side sleeper who gets a chilled “upside” backside (hip, thigh, buttocks). I could bring a lighter quilt if an insulated skirt could solve that problem.

 

 

[Brad Clarke]

Now I’m off to order Permathrin from REI since no one in Canada carries it. Nothing like international orders for basics……

I’m also in Canada and have to travel to Ogdensburg NY to get my Permethrin.

When I saw the title of the thread and the subject matter, the first thing I thought of was ticks.

Considering I had to go to the ER last week to have an embedded tick removed from the back of my thigh (I was wearing pants, forgot to tuck them into my socks), I’d be concerned about hiking in a kilt or skirt.

[Randy T]

@Emylene

Just wanted to toss in a quick trail report that I tried out using mesh pants under my hiking kilt and it works fine. I got a pair of the cheap Coghlan bug net pants, that are all mesh and they did work.

They are not so great for lots of hiking in though, since they do rub in the thighs  (or at least they do mine). They feel a bit “scratchy” against the skin, But they are very breathable: no heat build up issues. I got the large size, which are quite large and roomy, so easy to slip on over shoes.

Will be interested to see how your tests of this go ;)

[alan genser]

i was super excited to find some mh elkommandos in my size on sale at rei.

Comfortable, love the pockets, heavy…but fun and comfortable.

They have a “modesty snap” that lets you close up the bottom a little bit for sitting around camp.

I know this is bpl, but this isn’t something to overthink too much. You’re either going to be comfortable rockin’ ’em, or you ain’t.

[BlackHatGuy]

By now many words have been spilt

about hiking in kilts

and the breezy freedom that brings.

But skeeters ravaging my nethers

doesn’t really seem better

than completely covering up my ‘things’.

So I’ll continue with pants

unless i happen, by chance

to hike in a mosquito-free spot.

Then i’ll let my boys go

let them swing to and fro

and see if it’s more comfortable or not.

And then i’ll gladly share

with all of you here

how my experiment goes.

But lest you be concerned

trust me, i’ve learned

when not to include pics with my prose.

[Anonymous]

Coghlan’s use a heavier duty, larger polyester filament, which because it is larger, isn’t soft, but is a bit scratchy.  Mesh stuff made out of .67 oz/yd2 nylon is definitely softer and almost as durable.

Nice prose Doug.  Mozzies have never been a problem down under while wearing kilts/skirts, but i do worry about ticks.

[Steofan M]

I wore a  MH ElKommando kilt on a hike of the MDT from Burning Coal Vein SP to TRNP, North Unit in North Dakota this last May/June.

Cons: The weight: 14.7 oz for a Medium. Easily offset by everything below.  I did have one chaffing issue while walking, but this was solved with a small piece of paper tape applied to, well, I’ll be polite here.

Pros: Very cool, well ventilated. Did not carry underwear, one less thing to wash & dry, pack, etc. The temperatures ranged from 90* day to 60* night. I hiked mostly at night and would sleep off the trail on the hard-packed clay. A Euroshirm silver umbrella came in really handy when hunkering down in a storm, keeping the sun off too, and as a rear pole to keep the foot of my tarp up, as I took only one trekking pole. Great ventilation both up and down!                                            The kilt is DWR treated and the make-up of the fabric was like a tight polyester/fleece and shed most  rain unless the rain came down in torrents, which was a daily occurrence.  Once totally soaked, it would be completely dry within 20 minutes while still wearing it. I did take a pair of GoLite Tumalo rain pants but never used them.                                                                                               I wore the kilt with the top of the waistband just below my navel, my CDT pack waistbelt fit just above that. Pertect!                                                                                                                        Bugs were a non-issue as well. There was a pretty solid 20-30 mph south wind when it wasn’t raining and the semi-arid badlands kept what mossies there were hanging around the grazing cattle that stayed close to water. Ticks were a huge issue off trail and down in streambeds. The best strategy was to stop shortly after crossing a stream or walking through grass/bushes, and just look down at my legs. Only had one attach inside my shoe, I was able to spot the rest and just pick them off and toss them away.                                                                                                                                     Comments from trail users were nil. I hiked evenings, nights and mornings… such is the curse of working overnights for years. Once I was a mile or so away from a trailhead, I was alone. The few people that I did run into had no comment, such is the curse of being the sole, smelly backpacker on a (basically) horse/bike trail. The few bikers that raced past were more absorbed in staying on the trail than exchanging any greeting. I only stopped at campgrounds to refill water so I didn’t stay long enough to chat with any of the rodeo folks who filled the camping spots.                                                                                                                                       I still wear the kilt without underwear while hiking/camping locally, walking the dog, doing yardwork. I wear some padded bike shorts underneath while biking.

Definitely a great purchase!

[Rob P]

Here is another kilt:

http://www.511tactical.com/tactical-duty-kilt-98.html

 

[Anonymous]

Holy crap on a cracker, that’s heavy.

Och, despite tradition and machismo, Kilts don’t really need pleats (and the lack of same really cuts down on weight), and it’s pretty easy to make a kilt/skirt.

If you want a super light, very comfortable and breathable kilt, make it out of uncalendared, non dwr, lower thread count 1.1 oz/yd2 ripstop nylon–but i would recommend sewing a pocket over the crotch area. So far though, my favorite one is made out of a hemp/polyester/spandex blend.

I ended up bringing said kilt on the CT, but except for the beginning, didn’t end up wearing it too much.  It was usually cool and dry enough, that i could just go with shorts or breathable pants, and often preferred the latter because of all the biting and non biting flies, mozzies, and especially very strong UV.  The bug pants under the kilt/skirt handled the former (bugs) ok enough, but not the UV (and i don’t like putting on sunscreen).

I was going to mail it back home, but my spouse confiscated it and decided to use it as her in town, clean wear while washing clothes, etc.

[Randy T]

Just wanted to give a short report on my kilt hiking in July & August on 150 mile section of the PCT. I hiked 50 of those miles in an El Kommando and another 50 in a Sport Kilt Hiking Kilt.

I found the El Kommando a bit heavy for my taste on the trail. It did not have the airflow and ventilation that the SportKilt did, partly due to the heavy fabric, and partly due  (I believe) to its having fewer pleats. The Sport Kilt Hiking kilt is made of microfiber instead of canvas, has more pleats and has a lot of nice movement while walking to help cool things off. I wore the Sport Kilt across some pretty sunny and dry spots and the ventilation was much better than the El Kommando.

I like the El Kommando better at home, actually, as a sort of lighter version of a Utilikilt, with its canvas cloth and cargo pockets. It’s certainly durable. I use it for yard work mostly.

I got very few remarks from other hikers on trail about it one way or another. Sometimes people did not even notice the El Kommando at all, since it is a basic brown color, while the Sport Kilt is pretty unmistakable as a kilt with its plaid tartan.

I did notice that the El Kommando’s “modesty snap” is not very robust. It unsnaps very easily. I only used it when with groups at resupply stops, but it was not really any more effective than none at all. So, guess it was a good thing I had some modesty practice already.

I also used both kilts in combination with a pair of Coghlan’s bug net pants. It turned out to be a very good combination: it was easy to put the bug pants on when needed and slip them off when done. I didn’t carry or need merino or other long base layer pants on this trip, but I did use them a couple times last Spring and they work well under a kilt.

 

 

 

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