Plus size active wear

[Tricia]

I know that I've had clothing sent to me that made me wonder, "If I'm wearing a large, then what are the really large girls wearing?"

Example: Rossignol sent me a size medium pant and jacket last year. The jacket fit decently but is a tad snug in the hips. (Note: I have curves) but the pants in a size medium were an absolute no on fit. Couldn't get them up over my hips. I returned them for a large.

Earlier in the season my little sister contacted me about finding ski pants to fit her. My little sister is not little and she found it embarrasing to go shopping for any kind of active wear, let alone ski pants, but she wanted to go skiing with her 7 year old son, and so she turned me me because she knew I had a bit of insight about brands.
I sent her to Obermeyer. Klaus has always had a passion for making all women of any shape or size feel beautiful. My sister bought this set of bibs (Obermeyer Felicity), which was a stretch for her budget but they are offered in size 2 to 18, which made it worth every penny to her because they fit and they made her feel good when she went skiing with Lukas. She texted me mid winter to tell me that she had sold at least 4 pair of those bibs to other moms who were sitting on the sidelines because they couldn't find ski pants and were in awe that she found something that fit, felt good and looked good.

How is a person going to get active and fit if they can't find clothing that makes it easy to get out and do something?

Then I found this article about Outdoor Research and their mission to make active wear for plus size outdoor enthusiasts, and it pleases me.

From the article:
Fast forward nine months and that passion has turned into the industry’s first technical layering system in inclusive sizes. Outdoor Research will soon introduce extended and plus sizing in a wide range of base layers, insulation, and shells. Its extended-sizing program, which includes sizes ranging from XXS to XXXL, will launch this fall. And its plus-size collection, which includes sizes ranging from 1X-3X in various fits for different body shapes, will launch next spring.

Outdoor Research Launches Industry’s First Plus-Size Technical Layering System

The Seattle brand has created a technical layering system with inclusive sizing thanks to a group of outdoor athletes who struggled to find outdoor clothing that fit

outsidebusinessjournal.com

 

[coskigirl]

As many here know, I've long struggled with my weight and due to a bunch of issues I am at my highest currently but that's nowhere close to the top of sizes. Sometimes I see larger women out in cheap ski clothes and know that they would be a lot more comfortable in the right gear but it's so hard to find and expensive that it's just not an option. I do have a good set of bibs and jacket from Eddie Bauer that I love but it wasn't easy to find and I think they've stopped making them. I am launching into a personal focus when I return from my current road trip. That said, I don't think I'll be anywhere close to goal by this fall so maybe I'll look into this for this coming winter.

One of the major issues that plus size women (I won't speak for men but I suspect it's similar) is that it's not just a matter of adding inches of fabric. Our bodies are usually proportioned differently. I don't need inches added to the length of my pants but I do need them around my hips and often larger sizes are so long that it's absolutely ridiculous. Same with shoulder measurements. A dedicated design around plus sizes will recognize that issue and address it.

Outside of ski wear I've definitely found my favorites. For general workout wear I like Athleta most. Cycling is another challenged sport. Even the "plus" sizes are silly small but I like Shebeest, Shredly, and Pearl Izumi most.

 

[Jilly]

I consider myself a large to XL in clothing. Mediums might fit, but not usually. I find that in any of the European manufacturers, Salomon, Rossi, etc even an XL is sometimes not enough, or is too long. I fell in love with Avalanche years ago. I do have a Salomon suit, but can't get the jacket done up right now at the shoulders, not the waist.

As for work out wear, I find that Old Navy has lots of styles, maybe not the best, but they fit. I won't get into "intimate" wear and those issues with sport stuff.

 

[Tricia]

@coskigirl and @Jilly not sure if you read the article I linked, but I think you'll find their mission exciting for a large group of active people.

 

[Jilly]

I do. I am concerned that their product is not warm enough for me for winter sports. I don't know if I'd pay for summer type clothing from them. The exchange rate makes most of this gear just too expensive.

 

[Eric@ict]

As many here know, I've long struggled with my weight and due to a bunch of issues I am at my highest currently but that's nowhere close to the top of sizes. Sometimes I see larger women out in cheap ski clothes and know that they would be a lot more comfortable in the right gear but it's so hard to find and expensive that it's just not an option. I do have a good set of bibs and jacket from Eddie Bauer that I love but it wasn't easy to find and I think they've stopped making them. I am launching into a personal focus when I return from my current road trip. That said, I don't think I'll be anywhere close to goal by this fall so maybe I'll look into this for this coming winter.

One of the major issues that plus size women (I won't speak for men but I suspect it's similar) is that it's not just a matter of adding inches of fabric. Our bodies are usually proportioned differently. I don't need inches added to the length of my pants but I do need them around my hips and often larger sizes are so long that it's absolutely ridiculous. Same with shoulder measurements. A dedicated design around plus sizes will recognize that issue and address it.

Outside of ski wear I've definitely found my favorites. For general workout wear I like Athleta most. Cycling is another challenged sport. Even the "plus" sizes are silly small but I like Shebeest, Shredly, and Pearl Izumi most.

To your point about "the same for guys"...it is. All men in my family line are built like tree trunks. Big chest, no neck, smaller waist, thick thighs. I very rarely find anything that fits correctly without a visit to a seamstress. To fit my chest, the sleeves go past my fingers. Pants, I've got a short inseam (29) so Ive always got to order short, relaxed. T-REX on skis is a good visual of me on the slopes. For me, as long as the snow boarders continue to dress like they do, I will always be in style.

My wife likes the old school stove pipe pants. She has found the Boulder Gear fit her well in that style. She also fits in Obermeyer pants, but hates the price point. She has one pair I bought her after I watched her keep looking at them and shaking her head. Shes anywhere from a LG to 2x on the pants and 2-3x in the coat. She is large in the chest area and struggles with everything for her top side. I do feel the pain for women when it comes to clothing; it sucks.

 

[coskigirl]

@coskigirl and @Jilly not sure if you read the article I linked, but I think you'll find their mission exciting for a large group of active people.

I did read it and I hope it holds true. Unfortunately, I've seen multiple companies launch plus size lines only to have them slowly (and sometimes suddenly) disappear. They may say they didn't get enough interest but I believe that to really get the interest they need to invest in marketing and give it time to develop the following. This market segment has been so ignored for so long that they don't necessarily keep looking for the product because they've given up, sometimes on the sport entirely for things like skiing. This is absolutely a place where getting influencers involved early will help spread the word among the right market and get people looking again.

 

[tch]

One of the major issues that plus size women (I won't speak for men but I suspect it's similar) is that it's not just a matter of adding inches of fabric. Our bodies are usually proportioned differently. I don't need inches added to the length of my pants but I do need them around my hips and often larger sizes are so long that it's absolutely ridiculous. Same with shoulder measurements. A dedicated design around plus sizes will recognize that issue and address it.

I'll speak for (some) men. I agree completely with the sentiment bolded above. Why is it that sizes are automatically built to add inches in both width and length, as if every 170lb man is exactly the same height??? I'm in shape and within 10-12 pounds of a really ideal weight, but short and stocky in build. I need Large in tops to accomodate my shoulders and chest, but then the sleeves and hem are too long. Medium fits better in sleeves and length...but inevitably binds my arms, shoulders, and chest. I end up wearing tops that fit like I'm wearing my dad's old throwaways.

And don't get me started on S/M/L pants! To get a true 29" inseam means you have to have a 29" waist. Most 34" waist pants are inseamed at a generous 31".

 

[Johnny V.]

And don't get me started on S/M/L pants! To get a true 29" inseam means you have to have a 29" waist. Most 34" waist pants are inseamed at a generous 31".

Yup! I'm 5'10" 180 +/- with about a 30" inseam. Try finding Large/short side zip ski pants in anything but black. I wore Spyders for years, but now the model is discontinued. Artcticas in a L/S are a little tight and a little short.

 

[Tricia]

Proportion is huge!

 

[Analisa]

So stoked to see this shared! I've worked with their 6 advisors on the leadership team for PNW Outdoor Women, and a few are close friends. I'm so glad that the internet put them in touch with the OR crew, since they really challenge the industry assumption that thinness indicates fitness and outdoor capabilities, and that plus sizes are only needed in more casual, less technical pieces. 4 are climbing instructors and 1 is a ski coach, and the Outdoor Research team has really earned their trust that they're seen as equals to their straight-sized counterparts.

I know Marmot and MHW both did test collections that never returned, but OR's plan is pretty committed. The fall line takes more of the "add material" approach and works off the straight-sized fit spec with adjustments to how the garment is graded. But the next season moves into true plus / big & tall. OR's production cycle & lead times are super long (18-24 months), so this strategy let them launch on a shorter window and get some options out there while simultaneously working on product design the "right" way. (They only recruited their advisors in Aug. 2020). And after talking to a few of the advisors, it sounds like OR gets that they have to invest in marketing and have enough patience so the plus community can discover the line before they evaluate the line's success. It's not like adding new categories in straight size lines or even adding kids where mom & dad are already shopping an outdoor brand. And it sounds like OR has big goals in terms of the long term size run and the types of products that get extended sizes.

The group of women advisors dramatically changed the way I think about weight, sizes, and outdoor capabilities and it's been so cool to witness them make the same changes at a brand and industry level.

 

[graham418]

A friend of mine put me onto a website that has plus sized cycle wear. It seems pretty good.

Cycling Apparel, Bike Shorts, Bike Jerseys by Aero Tech Designs

Aero Tech Designs makes cycling apparel for comfort while riding! Our cycling apparel gets great reviews! Handcrafted in the U.S.A. Satisfaction guaranteed.

www.aerotechdesigns.com

 

[Tricia]

I had two pair of Dakine padded bike liners, one of which had issues with the silicone around the leg so I'm down to one pair.
I go to shop on line to see if I can get the same liner because I really like it, but its been discontinued and only currently available in medium, (I'm wearing a large in this particular liner, again, why am I not a medium?)
So I start shopping with a few other brands that I like and the sizing is all over the map.
Before I order on line, I will go to a few bike shops and see what they have but this is frustrating.

From Club Ride

From Dakine

 

[cantunamunch]

A friend of mine put me onto a website that has plus sized cycle wear. It seems pretty good.

Cycling Apparel, Bike Shorts, Bike Jerseys by Aero Tech Designs

Aero Tech Designs makes cycling apparel for comfort while riding! Our cycling apparel gets great reviews! Handcrafted in the U.S.A. Satisfaction guaranteed.

www.aerotechdesigns.com

<- Not a fan of their chamois. And you have to be really careful with leg length spec, otherwise you get weird bunching issues (back of the knee on shorts, under the chamois pad on tights).

On the upside: prices are decent and shipping is fast* and wicking is pretty good.






*I confess I ordered too much AeroTech purely because they were in-stock and delivering when no one else was. Now I can't bring myself to give away the ones I don't like because used chamois eewww.

 

[Mike Thomas]

@Tricia, you posted the Men's Dakine sizing. The women's sizes are a lot closer to the CR stuff:

DAKINE
Women's Apparel

US Size	00 - 0	2 - 4	6 - 8	10 - 12	14 - 16
	XS	S	M	L	XL
Chest	30 - 32in (76 - 81cm)	32 - 34in (81 - 86cm)	34 - 36in (86 - 91.5cm)	36 - 39in (91.5 - 99cm)	39 - 42in (99 - 106.5cm)
Waist	23.5 - 25.5in (59.5 - 64.5cm)	25.5 - 27.5in (64.5 - 70cm)	27.5 - 29.5in (70 - 75cm)	29.5 - 32.5in (75 - 82.5cm)	32.5 - 35.5in (82.5 - 90cm)
Hip	32.5 - 34.5in (82.5 - 87.5cm)	34.5 - 36.5in (87.5 - 92.5cm)	36.5 - 38.5in (92.5 - 97.5cm)	38.5 - 41.5in (97.5 - 105.5cm)	41.5 - 44.5in (105.5 - 113cm)
Inseam	32.5in (82.5cm)	33in (84cm)	33.5in (85cm)

 

[Tricia]

@Tricia, you posted the Men's Dakine sizing. The women's sizes are a lot closer to the CR stuff:

DAKINE
Women's Apparel

	XS	S	M	L	XL
US Size	00 - 0	2 - 4	6 - 8	10 - 12	14 - 16
Chest	30 - 32in (76 - 81cm)	32 - 34in (81 - 86cm)	34 - 36in (86 - 91.5cm)	36 - 39in (91.5 - 99cm)	39 - 42in (99 - 106.5cm)
Waist	23.5 - 25.5in (59.5 - 64.5cm)	25.5 - 27.5in (64.5 - 70cm)	27.5 - 29.5in (70 - 75cm)	29.5 - 32.5in (75 - 82.5cm)	32.5 - 35.5in (82.5 - 90cm)
Hip	32.5 - 34.5in (82.5 - 87.5cm)	34.5 - 36.5in (87.5 - 92.5cm)	36.5 - 38.5in (92.5 - 97.5cm)	38.5 - 41.5in (97.5 - 105.5cm)	41.5 - 44.5in (105.5 - 113cm)
Inseam	32.5in (82.5cm)	33in (84cm)	33.5in (85cm)

No I didn't. I posted the women's chart for the liners I was looking at from Dakine. They happened to be a 2019 product.
The green line in the screen shot is a link to go to the men's size chart.

Even if I go by the chart you posted, I'm still a Large in Dakine shorts and a Medium in Club Ride.

 

[Joby Graham]

Junonia is a company that makes women's plus-size clothing in sizes XL-6X. It looks like they have an active wear line called JunoActive. My gf struggles with her weight, and purchased a pair of ski bibs from them some years ago when she couldn't find anything to fit locally or online. Basic black and basic, but they worked for that season until she lost enough weight to fit into her previous ski wardrobe.

 

[coskigirl]

<- Not a fan of their chamois. And you have to be really careful with leg length spec, otherwise you get weird bunching issues (back of the knee on shorts, under the chamois pad on tights).

On the upside: prices are decent and shipping is fast* and wicking is pretty good.






*I confess I ordered too much AeroTech purely because they were in-stock and delivering when no one else was. Now I can't bring myself to give away the ones I don't like because used chamois eewww.

I have a pair of their capris and they are a complete mess. Cheap fabric and cheaply made. I think I wore them twice on my Peloton.

 

[Ecimmortal]

Any brand not making bibs with some elastic in the upper portion are missing out in my opinion. As someone who enjoys lifting heavy shit, these unforgiving vest portions of the bib can be way too snug.

 

[cantunamunch]

Any brand not making bibs with some elastic in the upper portion are missing out in my opinion.

Elastic mesh straps are a thing now - pretty much any bib that isn't thermal should be using elastic mesh in the uppers to call itself quality.