"Tuberong"....Tube skirt...."Surf Kilt"

[Raakone]

Hey. Today my "Surf Kilt" arrived. Felt comfortable. Well, tomorrow I'll really try wearing it out and about. It's based on the Burmese lungi (and the company that makes it is called Lungiman), it's a variant of a sarong that has its ends stitched together, forming a tube, you step into it, then you tighten it so it's against you and won't come off, the recommended way there's some "pleatage" in the front formed from the folds.

Well, one thing...allows for a longer step than a conventional sarong.

~Ra'akone

UPDATE: Wore it, and like it. THE BAD AND THE UGLY: It's a different way to put on, and the suggested instructions that came with it seem a bit difficult to follow. But I was able to improvise and get it working. THE GOOD: Once you get it properly on...it's comfy, and unlike a conventional sarong there's no "opening", so no worries about stray wind. And if you have it on the right way, you can take bigger steps than in a conventional sarong.

[Since1982]

Raakone, you shouldn't have any problem walking or running in a conventional sarong. A conventional sarong has 3 vertical folds that are about 6 inches wide and go all the way from the waist to the hem allowing for all the room you might want. My first ever sarong, way back in 1972 in the Central Pacific had a way of folding it so the vertical folds were in the front and twisted into themselves in the front to hold everything up. It also had a lightweight string that was connected at both sides and went around the waist to the back and forward to the front and tied in the front, then were tucked inside the sarong. Are you sure you're not referring to a "Tube sarong" thinking it to be a "conventional" sarong? A tube sarong has no folds, is just material wrapped around the waist from the waist to the calves. It is very restrictive for walking and must be pulled up and held for fast walking or running. I'm going to look in my pictures for a members picture of him in a conventional sarong. I'll cut his head off as he seldom visits the Cafe anymore.

[Raakone]

Ok, here's what I'm trying to say...

"Conventional sarong" = length of cloth. That's it. Ends are NOT attached. Can be wrapped in all kinds of ways, from the "towel-style" to more elaborate ones. This is the one that, wrapped the normal way, there's a bit of cramp in my walk. Polynesian pareu/lavalava are generally this style

"Tube sarong" = wrap-around garment worn on the LONDON UNDERGROUND.....NOT!!!! Actually = length of cloth with ends sewn, forming a circle (thus the "tube" part). You step into it, hold it out forward, and use your hands to create "folds" so that it's nice and wrapped around you. The nature gives it some "give" for walking. Burmese lungi/longyi is generally this style. The company that makes mine is called "Lungiman"

In India, the types of sarong worn in some places vary by location or even ethnicity. Supposedly one of the differences between Malayalees (Keralites) and Tamils is whether the traditional garment has its ends sewn or not.

~Ra'akone

[Since1982]

I'm sure you're right, what do I know, I only lived and worked and swam in a sarong in the South Pacific for 3 years. I don't know from "tube sarong" I do know that any piece of cloth that is sewn into the general makings of a "skirt" is a skirt...Ends sewn "sarong" sure sounds like a sarong skirt. In my past experience living with Polynesians who all wore sarongs, I never one time saw a sarong with the ends sewn. They were all made of one long piece of cloth with additions along the edge. If they were wrapped with no folds, you fell, as it was very difficult to walk. Most polynesians are less than 125 pounds and very thin. A piece of cloth wrapped tightly around their legs would not be viable as a daily wear/work choice. They ALL folded their sarongs into several folds in the front. They could be walked in, ran in, climb coconut trees in, folded up and swam in. A daily do everything in garment.

If there is a site on the web showing pics of ends sewn sarong skirts and promoting them for sale as "tube sarongs" that's one thing. That's artistic license, but not reality.

[Sarongman]

The peasant class Indonesian men of a certain (rather mature) age wear a tube sarong in a plaid cotton, I have two of these and can vouch for their comfort. I also have about four surfkilts and gave up on their instructions- Even the adult daughters gave the instructions up as a dead loss. I wrap them Indonesian style which is more reliable and secure.

[Raakone]

Sorry for sounding sarcastic or anything. My apologies! Just saying the way I wrapped my conventional sarong sometimes it got in the way of my step. As I said, the way I wrapped, me. I'm sure you who lived in the South Pacific got it done better. Wasn't trying to be sarcastic or down-putting. My apologies!

[Since1982]

I hope I didn't sound angry, I'm not. Sorry if I sounded that way. I've been all over the world for the National Geographic Society including Indonesia, I've never seen one sarong anywhere as regular clothing of a "class" peasant or otherwise that was sewn from top to bottom like a tube. Most Indonesians are thin and could hardly walk with a sarong that was the same circumference at the ankles as the waist as a tube would have to be to fit the description of "tube". I know, as I've seen them for sale at several web sites "tube" sarongs do exist, I'm also sure what you wore wasn't sewn from top to bottom allowing no give to walk in, unless, which I've seen several times it was sewn about twice the circumference of your waist or more and could be folded back one or more times then tucked in at the bellybutton and either left like that or belted. All sarongs, kikoy, pareu, sulu, kain or other sarong type garments used by indigenous natives throughout the known "sarong style garment wearing world", which makes up about 85% of the Earth, are approx. 66" wide by 46" tall, some come with tassels at the up and down edges but they DO have edges and the edges are not sewn together to form a tube skirt. Most skirts have the ends sewn together, some skirted garments do not, like kilts, sarongs etc. The so called "tube sarongs" are not the "Known as" national garment of any nation. I think they're an invention of the Internet.
Here's some links for sarong products.. http://www.turtleislandproducts.com http://www.pareoisland.com
http://www.kasuku.co.uk http://www.coecoebeaches.com

Not that there's anything wrong with them, heaven forbid I'd say that. Progress continues in the clothing world the same as in any other world.
The batik sarongs of Indonesia are beautiful and very comfortable. For 10 years they are the only skirted garments I wore. From 1972 when I was in a movie in the South Pacific and started wearing them til 1982 when they had all worn out and I switched to regular skirts which I grew to prefer because they WERE sewn and never fell off like sarongs often did.

[Milfmog]

I've been all over the world for the National Geographic Society including Indonesia, I've never seen one sarong anywhere as regular clothing of a "class" peasant or otherwise that was sewn from top to bottom like a tube.

Hi Skip,

I'm sure you are far more widely travelled than I, however all the crews I've met working dive boats in the Egyptian Red Sea (both male and female) have been either trousered or wearing tube sarongs. I asked one who spoke reasonable English why not a simple flat sheet type sarong and he replied to the effect that the tube was more modest and less inclined to show off his legs (or worse).

.....unless, which I've seen several times it was sewn about twice the circumference of your waist or more and could be folded back one or more times then tucked in at the bellybutton and either left like that or belted.

That's pretty much it except that they were not usually tucked in but folded down several times to create a waistband; some used a length of string around the waist inside the folds for additional security. The large folds, usually folded forwards and backwards in a pleating style, allow plenty of room for movement.

Have fun,


Ian.

[Sasquatch]

Raakone,
Is there a link or photo of the garment you could post for us? I've no idea what it must be like.
Thanks,
Sasq

[Milfmog]

Raakone,
Is there a link or photo of the garment you could post for us? I've no idea what it must be like.
Thanks,
Sasq

Hi Sasq,

A quick Google turned up the company Raakone mentioned in his first post. Hope that helps.

Have fun,


Ian.