H2 buy a Mountain Kilt

RichardN · Post by **RichardN** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 1:55 pm

For a while I have been thinking of buying a Mountain Kilt (by Mountain Hardwear) as they are well recommended by the cafe patrons and keep popping up in the threads (eg Mountain Kilt) -- but no-one sells them. At least no-one in the UK!

I contacted TravelCountry.com in Orlando but their charge to mail the 5oz packet to the UK is $30 -- which seems extortionate to me, especially as most of these 'outdoors' stores have free or nominal shipping within the US and Canada. Altrec.com charge $40.

My plan is that if there is a friendy guy in the cafe, someone west of the pond, who could help me out I would very much appreciate their assistance. They could order the Mountain Kilt and then forward the package to me, and the easiest way to transfer the cash is by PayPal.

Right now the Mountain Kilt is on closeout at TravelCountry at $34.99 and others still have it at full price - Altrec and RiverSportsOutfitters.

Keep skirting.

Richard

Since1982 · Post by **Since1982** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 8:53 pm

Check http://www.summithut.com/catalog/remap/ ... fid/15336/ They may ship it to the UK cheaper than Travel Country. Just a thought.

When you click this link it may take you to the main site, just click the main site and it will go to the exact page. Happy Kilting!

Bravehearts.us · Post by **Bravehearts.us** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 1:24 am

What makes it a kilt? Is it pleated in the back? What does the back even look like? This looks like a straight skirt to me.
Lar

Post by **Bob** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 1:29 am

It's supposed to be for guys, therefore it's a "kilt".

hiker · Post by **hiker** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 3:45 am

Two weeks ago I wore one for a week of backpacking and found it to be more comfortable than shorts and somewhat more practical. It was a bit short when sitting on the ground due to a lack of pleats and being a straight skirt. All in all I think a mountain kilt is a useable man's skirt.

MtnBiker · Post by **MtnBiker** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 12:24 pm

I have 2 and they are the one garment that I wear more than any other. I wear it for hiking, neighborhood walks, driving long distances.

I do not know what makes it a kilt ... it has no pleats, no frayed edges, no color, and it even wraps to the left. Something about it very much makes it a masculine-appearing garment as it is _never_ confused for anything other than a kilt, which seems to indicate that the uninformed sees a man wearing this very-non-feminine-appearing unbifurcated garment and thinks 'kilt' -- all of indicators withstanding. Goodness that was a long sentence!

Since1982 · Post by **Since1982** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 4:07 pm

What makes it what it's called is Mountain Hardwear NAMED it a kilt, just like my parents NAMED me Skip. Mountain Hardwear had it designed, sewn, and distributed for sale at their outfitting outlets. Sorta like the pants/trousers thing. To me, in America, that garment is called either pants or if denim, jeans. In the UK it seems they are only known as pants if they're worn under "trousers" which is what's known as "pants" in America. Anyone can call anything a "kilt" whether it really is one as to the dictionary definition is moot. Mountain Hardwear had it created and called it a MEN's kilt. I suppose they did that so they might be able to sell it to the mostly narrowminded men's market. I doubt if they'd be selling nearly as many as they told me they are if it was promoted as a MEN's skirt.

PS. A tiny ty for the new source would have been nice. Only took me 2 hours to research.

MtnBiker · Post by **MtnBiker** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 5:18 pm

Since1982 wrote:PS. A tiny ty for the new source would have been nice. Only took me 2 hours to research.

What (and to whom) are you talking about? It was no new source to me (1 of mine came from REI, the other from Summit Hut).

gshubert · Post by **gshubert** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:21 pm

I wore my Mountain Kilt for a hike/climb last weekend. It was about 5 miles round trip, with a 1500-foot elevation change, and a little bouldering at the end. It was very comfortable and never got in my way while clambering on the rocks.

Since1982 · Post by **Since1982** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 4:26 pm

I'd have thought that was obvious. Guess not.

Bravehearts.us · Post by **Bravehearts.us** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 11:18 pm

Bob wrote:It's supposed to be for guys, therefore it's a "kilt".

I wasn’t being sarcastic with my question “what makes it a kilt?” I really want to know what makes a kilt a kilt.
Lar

Since1982 · Post by **Since1982** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 1:12 am

Actually, when you get right down to it, they were called kilts long before they became the Scottish traditional men's garment. That garments name, "Kilt", I think I read somewhere is a derivative of what the Vikings from Scandinavian countries called their men's skirted garments in the 900's when they were the scourge of the British Isles, killing and mating with the residents of that area.

Definition of kilt:To tuck up (something) around the body. [From kilt, to tuck up, from Middle English kilten, of Scandinavian origin.]. Hope this helps! :cheer: :cheer:

Website · Post by **crfriend** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 1:15 am

Bravehearts.us wrote:I wasn’t being sarcastic with my question “what makes it a kilt?” I really want to know what makes a kilt a kilt.

In this case, it looks like it's the target market demographic.

Now don't get me wrong -- I think that this is a positive development. I just think it's strange, although understandable, that the term "kilt" would get used on a right-to-left-wrapping non-pleated garment. But, it's a start. That's better than nothing.

Departed Member · Post by **Departed Member** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 8:47 am

Yes, I think it's probably a shrewd marketing ploy, and good luck to them if it 'sells' non-bifurcated wear to blokes, or at least attract their (hopefully) positive attention.

It's yet another case, though, of a noun being derived (c1750) from a long established verb 'to kilt', meaning to pleat, i.e., to fold over the material to provide bulk (for warmth) & 'space' (for un-restricted movement). In essence, having first put on his leane (spelling?), a very long shirt, the highlander would set about pleating (kilting!) his plaid (in effect a blanket) and securing this (& the pleats!) with a good, strong belt - hence belted-plaid (breacán filleadh). The 'cut-off' (& stitched down) version is what we now universally refer to as a Kilt. More interesting is the re-emergence of the word 'Breacan' to describe a (modern) 'lightweight' Kilt with fewer pleats. At the end of the day, if it ain't pleated (kilted), it isn't really a Kilt - it's just a skirt. But who cares if it sells more such garments 'acceptable' to blokes?

Gregg1100 · Post by **Gregg1100** » Fri Aug 18, 2006 9:48 am

Hi All,
Actually got to be able to post a message

.

To me, Merlin has the right idea. All these arguments whether a kilt is a skirt or not is irrelevant, just as long as more of us buy UN-BIFURCATED items and wear them, and get the message across to others who don't.
Regards,
Greg

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