My lovely wife, who just make me the “knucks” fingerless gloves in these pictures, let me splurge on a slightly used Utilikilts Workman’s kilt for the holidays. It arrived yesterday. I should note that the temperature outside was in the single digits (fahrenheit) with a bitter wind, so I am wearing long-johns and heavy wool hunting socks. Subjectively the kilt is warmer than cargo-pants, given the same other clothing.
The kilt was advertised was having been worn for a week-long festival, and was obviously used but in good condition. It saved me enough money to make it worth buying used, though the used utilikilt market on eBay offers surprisingly strong resale prices.
The first thing I noticed when putting it on was that it curls the pleats, just as my UK Demin does. The second was that the fit, for the same size, was exactly the same. The third, was that the pockets were somehow smaller. I love my other UK’s huge pockets, which are squared off at the bottom, but here they were cut diagonally, which pushes all my pocket stuff together, but gives a more pleasing aesthetic. Living well outside of normal police patrols, I often carry a S&W J-frame in my UK’s pockets. It fits comfortably in the UK Workman’s pockets, so I suppose I am happy enough.
I was surprised by the construction of the hammer loop. It is a strip of leather which attaches with snaps, for adjustment, to the inside of the inner apron. I wonder about the practicality of that, basically one must reach up under his kilt to adjust it… at least I live out in the boonies where this wouldn’t offend anyone who might one day be close enough to see.
Of course, the outside of the pockets have handy miniature pockets, as with many toolbelts. These snap down for flexibility and are nicely sized for the various screwdrivers, etc, which I might need to carry while working in my kilt. It also features “modesty snaps” for the shy to bifurcate on ladders and roofs. I suppose, if one must, they could be useful, however they do make the kilt look and feel like a bizarre pleated diaper (pictures intentionally not included).
Overall I like this kilt better than my UK Denim or Original, but I do start to wonder about the value. The retail price of the UK workman is current $225, making it seem an expensive garment to wear doing construction. The savings from buying on it eBay make that a bit easier, and oddly so does the fact that its already used. The material is the same as is used in carharts, and should wear well, even with heavy use. I’m not sure that I could work sans tool-belt all of the time in this kilt, but surely I could most of the time. Its also certainly more fashionable that the Denim or Original, and for some that I a primary concern.
Overall: B+
Service: N/A
Quality: A-
Comfort: A-
Value:B+, would be lower if I’d paid full price
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Long have men been subject to the poor and limited choices offered by the Trouser Tyrants. Pants are dead! Long Live the Kilt!