Of all the trips we’ve taken, and of all the adventures I’ve written about, the most visited page here is the one describing the rain kilt. (Kilt 2.0 ) If you’ve read that article, then you know I’m a big fan of the rain kilt. Since the first version was field tested back in July of 2016, and a major revision shortly after that first trip, I’ve used the kilt exclusively in all my travels.

Use any piece of gear and before long you see room for improvement. That has definitely been the case with the kilt…there has been a constant evolution. The beta version proved the concept in some truly nasty conditions. However, it turned out to be too square and didn’t overlap enough. Version 2.0 was an improvement, but consisted of two pieces which required extra time and effort to sew. And even though it only weighed 8 oz, I was interested in using some lighter weight materials as well as tweaking the design a bit more.

Before retirement, one of my co-workers happened to be a professional seamstress. We had several interesting conversations about design possibilities, and with her help, I came up with a new design that not only fits better, but is easier and quicker to sew.

I’ve now made three kilts using the new design, and with each one I’ve made some small, but significant changes. In a few weeks, I am excited to be joining four of KB’s “sponsored” athletes. We will be field testing the latest and greatest to come out of the KB Skunkworks on the John Muir trail in California. Based on the feed back I receive, I will incorporate any final design changes into the pattern. If anyone is interested, I’m happy to share information on making our own. Seize the Carp!