As I'm getting very heavily into
paintball I needed some camouflage gear. I had decided on MultiCam
camo which, although not used by any armies, is considered one of
the best out there. One pays a premium on any MultiCam gear (think
Isle of Skye) as it is privately owned and licensed by Crye
Precision. I ordered 8 yards of double width ripstop Cotton/Nylon
from Rockywoods.com for $7.99/yd figuring I'd try my hand at making
a knockabout kilt. In hindsight had I known that I was getting a
kilt maker to make it I would have ordered it in Cordura nylon for
$15.99/yd.
Of the gear I bought I went with the
MOLLE System which allows me the option to easily place gear
holders, pouches or pockets anywhere on my chest rig to suit my
needs. Each attachment has two 1" vertical straps fixed at the top
and snaps at the bottom and is woven onto my chest rig which has 1"
horizontal straps. It makes for a secure, light and highly
customizable set up. The only downside is the higher cost of the
individual items.
Last year I had gone to a pistol
style of marker as a backup should my main marker break or run out
of air. I could also use it as a "throw-away" should I accidently
splatter paint on the referee "Hey he was coming at me in all his
orange camo'd glory and was going to mark me, I nailed him in self
defence..." I wanted to mount this on my chest rig but try as I
might I could not find a holster in MultiCam with MOLLE attachment.
The only one I could find was a drop leg holster secured with belt
and two thigh straps. This made going kilted either breezy or added
design complication.
Another problem is I wanted to be
kilted this year and I have a tendency to drag my ... on projects.
RKilts to the rescue.
When I sat down to consider just what
I wanted in a kilt it became ever more daunting. So I contacted
Robert at RKilts with a proposal, I'll supply the material and my
ideas and he'll build my kilt. So one day I took the day off of work
(Mental Health Day) hopped in the car and drove west for an hour and
a half, picked up Robert and went for breakfast to discuss just what
I was looking for in a kilt. RKilts come in canvas, hemp and leather
but are all typically the same style with a narrow apron, Kingussie
pleating and cargo pockets.
The design.
I absolutely had to have the
pleating style as I saw there being less of a chance of pleats
catching as I'm crashing through thick underbrush (this kilt will
take a beating).
A hole in the reverse pleat on my right side to accommodate the
thigh strap of my holster. We decided to dispense with the upper
thigh strap as superfluous and an added complication.
Wider apron giving more thicknesses
of material for protection (more thicknesses the less stick when
getting hit by a small spherical object travelling at upwards to 300
feet per second).
MOLLE system for sporran attachment
and other assorted gear. I decided to go with a sporran for the
added protection of a very vulnerable area being that I don't like
wearing an athletic cup for 8 hours. This will should also prevent
the sporran from slapping against vulnerable body parts as it is now
a part of the kilt as opposed to being an add on.
Internal plastic buckle on left hip
and another outside on right hip, all highly adjustable.
Slightly longer length so that it
will offer less fouling of hem with knee pads.
It has to look like a kilt as it is
after all, a kilt.
After passing ideas back and forth
Robert looked a bit bewildered yet a little excited. Well perhaps
challenged look about him would be a better a better descriptor.
Later as I was leaving his house I remarked "Oh yeah, I'd also like
front slash pock..." | stopped myself in mid-sentence as I knew poor
Robert had enough work for him to do in one kilt."Front pockets? Let
me see what I can do." he did sound exacerbated, I did feel guilty
but not enough to lose sleep over, that was Robert's job.
I left picturesque Stratford at 9:30
in the morning in a search for a rubber chicken that turned into a
wild goose chase, headed hope and had my customary afternoon nap. At
9:30 that evening I received a call from Robert. He had completed
the bulk of the kilt and would have to figure out a few things to
complete. A couple of follow up questions an option or two. He’d
finished for the night would be working on other projects the next
day but said it would be completed for me on the Monday. He had
become intrigued with the MOLLE system having never heard nor seen
it before that day. He had also figured out my front pockets this
being a first for any RKilts. Then again there are many firsts on
this kilt.
Robert comes through with aces.
When I received my kilt at Monday's
Kilt Night to say I was pleasantly shocked would be an
understatement. I was floored at just how much he was able to do in
such a short time. The front pockets where perfectly located and
hidden. The MOLLE system on the front and left side was at a proper
location and as an added bonus was made with the matching camouflage
material rather than the olive webbing that I had supplied. One has
to look quite hard to realize that it's even there. I had not
specified this as I figured the webbing would be just that much less
work. Also not specified but is a most welcome addition was an under
apron pocket for a piece of stiff foam protection should I go sans
sporran. I'll be wearing 'sliding shorts' (much to the relief of my
team members) which are bicycle shorts with moderate padding on the
crotch and butt. This will have an added bonus of allowing me
modesty when I fasten the holster’s thigh strap. Even with the
benefit of blending into the scenery I’m not going to look elegant
doing that puppy up. I have MOLLE on the left rear hip for optional
gear, being right handed my right side will get crowded with my
holster and coiled airline, when losing the upper thigh strap of the
holster Robert designed an ingenious security strap to replace it
and incorporated it into the third kilt strap on the right hip. In
spite of wearing a tweed Braemer and waistcoat in a crowded bar I
had to don this kilt with the holster (but without pistol). It
certainly got the looks of my fellow patrons and seemed to clear a
path because it just looks so bloody intimidating. This was a major
part of the kilt design as it is also a major part of playing
paintball (I just hope my skill backs it up). I received many a
positive comment and questions from all the curious (and brave).
Vapourizing them lemons and making
lemonade from the remaining residue.
I expected many problems with this
kilt, but to Robert's credit if there where I didn't hear about
them. It surpassed all expectations. I see no potential problems
except in my choice of material. The construction will defiantly
outlast the material but that my choice. When the time comes I will
replace it with the heavier duty material and Robert will be making
that one as well. Again as I supplied material, webbing and plastic
Fastex buckles I now have a mixture of buckle colours. My genuine
MultiCam products come with khaki buckles and all I could get was
black. This was one reason I specified the left hand kilt strap
mounted inside. The problem is that there is no black in nature and
as a result does not belong in camouflage. It`s may just be me but
as MultiCam does not have black in it neither should my kilt (and
eventually my marker will also receive this camo treatment). I will
have these buckle replaced when I can get proper coloured ones. I
also supplied Robert with a the belt I would be wearing but due to
the large (and irremovable) buckle and it's accompanying hardware it
would not fit through the specified 3" belt loops. No problem I'll
just wear it over my loops like all my other kilts, and again
replace this buckle when I find a khaki one. In the mean time Robert
took the discarded holster’s top thigh strap, extending it with camo
material as fashioned a new belt. As you see all these problems were
because of me and are minor. I feel that this speaks volumes for
Robert's workmanship and genius and of his willingness to adapt to a
client's wishes. I feel that this was a true collaboration between
kilt maker and client. Being able to speak face to face was indeed a
big asset.
When will it be field tested and what
will be the results?
Well here in Canada we are readying
for the thaw, so playing will still be at least a month away. It's
just no fun playing with frozen balls, getting hit by them really,
really hurts and also has a tendency of breaking skin, even through
clothing! I know I still have scars from playing last spring. In
paintball the rule is if you are hit and the ball does not break
you're still in the game. If you're hit and the ball breaks you're
out (no hiding that bright paint splotch). Rule of thumb is to wear
loose clothing in hopes that the material slows the ball down enough
to not break and bounce off. Thicker clothing helps take the sting
away as even ball that don't break can still be felt. Robert
mentioned that he made the pleats deep and it was sitting in my car
on the drive home that I really noticed the thickness back there.
I'm looking at five thickness of material in my pleats alone, about
three thicknesses in the front. Compare this to the Battle Dress
trousers that I also have, the vast majority of these is single
thickness! Include with this my added freedom of movement that a
kilt offers the added gear placement options, added protection, and
the ever so intimidating "Don't mess with the kilted me" look, I
feel that I have a distinct advantage over all others on the field.
Thanks Robert.