Elkommando Kilt on Sale

Kilt-based fashions, both traditional and contemporary. Come on guys, bring on the pleats!
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MrNaturalAZ
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Elkommando Kilt on Sale

Post by MrNaturalAZ »

As a newbie here I hope I'm not violating any forum rule, but I spotted this sale and thought I'd share. Mountain Gear has the Mountain HardWear Elkommando Kilt on sale for $59.95 (US) with free shipping. Seems like a good price as they're $79.99 (and usually plus additional shipping) everywhere else, including direct from Mountain HardWear. I ordered one -- I'm looking forward to it as a lighter-weight summer alternative to my Utilikilts for casual wear and hiking.

Direct link to item: http://www.mountaingear.com/webstore//C ... 218513.htm

(Disclaimer: I have no pecuniary interest in this offering - just sharing my find.)
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Uncle Al
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Re: Elkommando Kilt on Sale

Post by Uncle Al »

:( Wish they offered a XXL, then I'ld order one.

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Big and Bashful
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Re: Elkommando Kilt on Sale

Post by Big and Bashful »

The largest size fits my 44" girth. I find it great for sailing in, single handed anyway, in a breeze I wouldn't want to be an audience!
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MrNaturalAZ
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Re: Elkommando Kilt on Sale

Post by MrNaturalAZ »

Big and Bashful wrote:The largest size fits my 44" girth. I find it great for sailing in, single handed anyway, in a breeze I wouldn't want to be an audience!
I'll bet the quick-drying fabric is excellent if (when?) you get wet. Doesn't it include a way to snap the middle together between your legs? While that kinda defeats the purpose, it would prevent you from flashing onlookers if it got too windy.
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melsav
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Re: Elkommando Kilt on Sale

Post by melsav »

Looks like a very nice kilt, but by time I ship it south Africa it will have cost about 3 times the selling price.
Big and Bashful
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Re: Elkommando Kilt on Sale

Post by Big and Bashful »

MrNaturalAZ wrote:
Big and Bashful wrote:The largest size fits my 44" girth. I find it great for sailing in, single handed anyway, in a breeze I wouldn't want to be an audience!
I'll bet the quick-drying fabric is excellent if (when?) you get wet. Doesn't it include a way to snap the middle together between your legs? While that kinda defeats the purpose, it would prevent you from flashing onlookers if it got too windy.
I found the snap doesn't stay snapped, a waste of time in fact. That rubberband and coin idea looks like it would work much better.
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MrNaturalAZ
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Elkommando Kilt Review

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My Elkommando came today earlier this week, so I thought I'd give my impressions and a mini-review.

The kilt is made of a sturdy but light nylon fabric. The color (which they call "Otter" and is the only color available) is a dark brown leaning ever-so-slightly to green. Probably an excellent choice for its intended purpose (hiking) as it is dark enough to hide dirt, but not so dark as to make lighter dirt, such as trail dust, noticeable.

It is comfortable to wear, so light as to almost forget one has anything at all on, at least while remaining standing. While sitting the Elkommando feels just a bit more restrictive than the utility kilts I usually wear, and between the light weight and shallow pleating (more on that later) one needs to pay just a bit more attention to ensure adequate coverage when sitting as compared to a longer or fuller kilt/skirt.

Closure is via four snaps - one at each end of the top of the apron and another about a third of the way down from each of those. There is also a narrow fabric belt with simple plastic buckle to assist with a secure fit. Though it looks like just two straps, it is indeed an actual belt -- instead of belt loops, the length of belt is concealed within a continuous "tunnel" as it passes around the waistline. It could, in fact, be easily removed and even replaced with some other belt or sash of one's own choosing, but the narrow one-inch width might make finding a suitable replacement challenging.

I mentioned shallow pleats - let me elaborate. While the pleats certainly look adequate visually, the "inside" of each pleat is quite short - less than half the width of the visible "outer" pleat, thus making the hem much less generous than would appear on casual glance. This does seem to affect the way it hangs, moves, and feels as one walks, bends, and moves.

The cargo pockets are ample, but are a deprture from the usual hanging style found on most utility kilts. On the Elkommando, the pockets are attached not only across the top, but also stitched halfway down each side, plus tacked in the center at the bottom. The flap is secured with a single snap in the center. Each pocket also has two small finished holes in the bottom, presumably to allow for drainage if water should enter the pocket. The way the pockets are firmly attached, including at the bottom certainly helps control them and keep them (and the contents) from flapping around in the wind or during vigorous activity, but also have the disadvantage of the weight and volume of contents having a significant effect on the way the kilt hangs and moves.

There is a snap (thankfully hidden) to join the center front and back of the hemline between one's legs. This works OK for standing and walking, but not so much for sitting.

As an apparent reassurance for anyone who is concerned about wearing "women's clothes" (present company excepted, I'm sure) the printing on the inner waistband plainly reads "MEN'S/HOMMES", granting less adventurous men permission to wear the garment.
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MrNaturalAZ
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Re: Elkommando Kilt on Sale

Post by MrNaturalAZ »

Edit - removed ridiculously huge (offsite) photos.
If anyone expresses enough interest, I might start my own thread over on the Pics board.
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