I hike in an area where a very high percentage of deer ticks carry lyme disease. No way in hell would I wear a kilt. Not judging anybody else, but doing so here is insane.

I've got a couple of the Mountain Hardwear kilts for hiking.  I love them and yes there are some mental reservations about what could have easy access to your junk, but it's truly more mental than reality.  I've hiked "commando", but typically with underwear (Ex Officio).  They really are a functional garment.  I like that in colder weather, I can don and doff merino wool long underwear faster and easier to keep from over-heating or when I need to warm up. They dry much faster than pants or shorts if soaked with sweat.  They're much easier to remove for deeper river crossings.  There is plenty of data to support the value of staying dry and allowing part of your body plenty of air to avoid fungal buildup.  I can accept those who dislike the look, but to claim they are somehow more prone to causing injury or welcoming of arthropod attacks really haven't spent much time outdoors.  About the only issue I could see is standing directly over a yellow jacket hole and pissing them off (which happened to me before, but I wasn't wearing a kilt).  I would concede they aren't for everyone, every location and every season, but they are quite functional in a majority of hiking locations.  

Now, with what I think is a great outdoors attire, I wouldn't recommend them for seriously buggy areas or seasons nor bushwhacking through thick briars.  But even with that, I wouldn't hike off trail with my typical backpack clothing anyways...that's a vastly different activity.  I abhor ticks, but I actually prefer wearing a kilt during tick season as it's easier to check more often (and both my underwear and kilts are treated with Permethrin).  

Let's be honest here...the biggest challenge of the modern hiking kilt is one's fear of what others think  If you can get past that, you will start to appreciate their functionality.

ROCK6

Father's day (a little early) edition of the camping pic thread....

Took the offspring to Cloudland Canyon State park. Georgia.













Raccoon Cavern up in TN



This guy was scooting along from one side of the falls to the other when I spotted him.





My $10 brand new Coleman yardsale tent



So just to add, pictures from the trip


Looking out over Trenton GA



Nature, you scary edition



String with a piece of bacon on the end wielded these little morsels above the falls.



I made the mistake of dumping them onto tin foil all at once...one of them screamed "run for it" and they all attempted a jail break while covered in butter.

 

This. Kilts are ridiculous for backcountry wear. Slide down a boulder on your butt? Sit in grass? No freaking way.

....until you're pulling a tick off your scrotum.

 

If you're wearing a kilt, you have balls of steel...

Rain skirts are pretty popular for long distance hiking right now.

Did OP encounter The Real Hiking Viking?



Do you even ultralight, bro?

I always hike in my kilt.

 
Everyone out in the woods might make fun of you

Grown men wearing kilts on the hiking trail....hmmm.

Are those banjos I hear?

very interesting...

NVMD

I prefer to hike in a sarong.

Can't be good for tick defense though.....good luck with lyme disease hipster!

You guys do realize that the vast majority of men who wear kilts have some sort of underwear on,  right?