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Does Everybody Know About Macabi Skirts?

Friday, July 25th, 2008

I find myself recommending places that I discovered on my last RTW.  Here’s a thing that proved its worth and I’m thinking of ordering one or two more since I am, more than ever, motivated to lighten my luggage.  This is a very versatile , wear-like-iron, dry-in-a-flash, hiking and general use skirt which is really lightweight and good-looking.  You can catch me wearing one (though only the knees show) while riding a camel  in Egypt, if you go to see my blog headline at heyboomers.com.

This is the Macabi skirt….macabiskirt.com.  Cooler than most long pants and growing in popularity for trekking on mountain trails and then, wearing in the evening to dinner or to visit a temple or a spot where one must be nicely dressed.  I wore mine a lot during the year I was out traveling around the world, and it’s one of the few pieces that actually came back home with me, since I tended to give away and refill as I went. This will squash down into a purse, mash around, get slept in, and still come out unwrinkled.  Though my pocket zipper got stuck and I had to do surgery to get it working again, the skirt still looks brand new though it’s now three hard-wearing-years old.

Those DEEP pockets and the hidden zipper within one of them are one of the best features, as you can stash air tickets, passport, money, in the zipped back-of-pocket section, and still put your hands in and out of the regular outer portion without endangering your precious stuff.

It costs almost $80 but will live on in your wardrobe long after the cheaper stuff has come apart in your hands….or failed you in some way.

So much of the time, when we’re outside of the U.S., we are faced with the situation of needing to dress in a certain modest way in order to avoid offending great numbers of people.  The Macabi skirt will cruise you through every single situation, from walking through a conservative village to attending a swish party at an embassy (the black one would be best for this dressier function.).  When I spoke to classes in my grandchildrens’ elementary schools in Castledawson, Northern Ireland, I showed them all the trickey little things going into my RTW journey.  They loved the way I sewed $100 bills into my rain jacket’s seams for emergency use, but they were also charmed by one of the cardinal features of this Macabi skirt.

You can convert it into pants…..a blousy, Indian-looking style…..or into shorts….just by snapping the hem up in certain ways.  This allows one to fish or wade in water, or to cool off when hiking, or to wow kindergardeners….or to ride camels and elephants.  Wear it over long pants or longjohns and you have a good cold weather outfit as well.  Plus, bugs don’t bite with cloth swishing over your legs.

Men don’t get left out of this equation, as there is a Macabi version for men called a MUG.  Lots of very guy-type guys out on the trail  or kayakers, or those working in the high country, swear by them, though they do take a certain amount of guff.  Any Scotsman would understand, and according to the website there’s a growing male fan club.

Anyway, check it out.  It could become the item you choose to wear almost everyday out there on the road. 

They have a most unique two-piece jacket, as well, which I haven’t tried, but I sure am going to.  I’ve never ever seen this design anywhere.  It’s a great new idea.  After you’ve had a look at it, or better yet, bought one…… you can stump all your friends by asking them to figure out how a jacket can be two separate pieces and not just be a novelty pain in the neck, but actually useful that way.  Can you answer that question without peeking?  Didn’t think so!  (Here’s a hint: It’s actually a three-in-one.)

Still as clear as mud?  Just go have a look!  And stock up for your next big trek.

Besides, don’t you need some new duds for uni?  Back to school is right around the corner.