shadoj
Angel Diva
Those look great on you! Athlete legs!
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Plus-size skier chat
- Thread starter Knitjenious
- Start date
How did we miss this??!
www.theskidiva.com
Well done, Wendy!
A Chat with Mon Balon of Plus Snow: The Challenges of Plus-Sized Ski Wear. | The Ski Diva
(Photo: Mon Balon) Getting gear would be a lot easier if all of us wore the same size. Unfortunately — or fortunately, depending on how you look at it — that’s not the case. For those of us on the larger end of the spectrum — and I’ve heard this time and time again on...
www.theskidiva.com
Well done, Wendy!
How did we miss this??!
A Chat with Mon Balon of Plus Snow: The Challenges of Plus-Sized Ski Wear. | The Ski Diva
(Photo: Mon Balon) Getting gear would be a lot easier if all of us wore the same size. Unfortunately — or fortunately, depending on how you look at it — that’s not the case. For those of us on the larger end of the spectrum — and I’ve heard this time and time again on...
Well done, Wendy!
Thanks! To be honest, I thought that's why you were starting this thread. Quite the coincidence!
It could well be - in my own posts I was responding to others, but they could have been responding to your post! I probably should have led the above with "How did I miss this"
. Whatever the genesis, a really important issue.
Knitjenious
Angel Diva
As the person who started the thread, I hadn't yet seen the blog article. But I noticed multiple threads where people were talking about being larger skiers. So maybe the blog post brought some people out of the woodwork!
alicie
Angel Diva
It’s just a word for ski pants. I find it weird saying ski pants as pants are your knickers here lol.
Knitjenious
Angel Diva
There's a whole different thread for ski knickers! LOL
BonStarlet
Certified Ski Diva
Good morning (and evening) ladies! This topic is near and dear to my heart. For one thing, i'm shaped like a starfish so my jacket sleeves are always too short, for another...i'm not a little lady (and neither are my ladies!). After having to replace my Helly bibs last year (they fell victim to my ...trip to the ER), I spent several months reading, searching ordering and returning bibs. \
I finally landed on a pair of the new Backcountry Cottonwoods bibs. Two actually - I bought the active version for skinning AND the ...other ones. I was very, very nervous - living .05 miles from the backcountry store in PC did NOT mean that i could try them on b/c stores only appear to stock LARGE as the largest size in anything made for women.
(fun fact: i spent 6 hours on main street in park city trying to find a technical shell to replace my helly jacket with a busted zipper....and can I say how completely demoralizing, embarrassing, and annoying it was to try to find a jacket at EVERY possible company store and be completely left out of the mix? I tried on a lot of men's jackets, which CAN fit, but they put pockets on the boob area -- and if you already HAVE boobs that does not work).
The reviews of the Backcountry bibs were not encouraging - they were noted to run small and narrow. I may have overreacted and bought a 2XL (note: the XL or L fits in the active bib - they are cut differently and the stretch is really lovely). Are they maybe too baggy? Maybe. But damnit they fit. and I look cute.
I actually ended up with an entire backcountry "kit" at the moment because I also bought the Cottonwoods shell after my full day shopping catastrophe. They had an XL in stock. In pretty teal. It fits. Sold. (note; i wish the sleeves were 2 inches longer - attack of the starfish arms!!!!).
All this to say - shopping when not a teeny tiny person, or as an athlete with curves (yes, I still consider myself an athlete; I played D1 volleyball and deadlift in the 270 ish range, 300 on a good day -- I've earned it) SUCKS. But give the Backcountry items a look.
I finally landed on a pair of the new Backcountry Cottonwoods bibs. Two actually - I bought the active version for skinning AND the ...other ones. I was very, very nervous - living .05 miles from the backcountry store in PC did NOT mean that i could try them on b/c stores only appear to stock LARGE as the largest size in anything made for women.
(fun fact: i spent 6 hours on main street in park city trying to find a technical shell to replace my helly jacket with a busted zipper....and can I say how completely demoralizing, embarrassing, and annoying it was to try to find a jacket at EVERY possible company store and be completely left out of the mix? I tried on a lot of men's jackets, which CAN fit, but they put pockets on the boob area -- and if you already HAVE boobs that does not work).
The reviews of the Backcountry bibs were not encouraging - they were noted to run small and narrow. I may have overreacted and bought a 2XL (note: the XL or L fits in the active bib - they are cut differently and the stretch is really lovely). Are they maybe too baggy? Maybe. But damnit they fit. and I look cute.
I actually ended up with an entire backcountry "kit" at the moment because I also bought the Cottonwoods shell after my full day shopping catastrophe. They had an XL in stock. In pretty teal. It fits. Sold. (note; i wish the sleeves were 2 inches longer - attack of the starfish arms!!!!).
All this to say - shopping when not a teeny tiny person, or as an athlete with curves (yes, I still consider myself an athlete; I played D1 volleyball and deadlift in the 270 ish range, 300 on a good day -- I've earned it) SUCKS. But give the Backcountry items a look.
shima
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Love this thread. I’m not plus size, but my au pair from Brazil is, and I am taking her skiing for the first time ever this weekend at Breckenridge. We had such a tough time finding her pants and a jacket that didn’t cost an arm and a leg or that would actually be delivered in a timely fashion. We eventually ended up going on Amazon and found some decent options. Thank goodness for amazon returns too because it was such a guessing game for 2X vs 3X on the pants but we bought 3X, found out they were huge and got 2x instead and returned the 3X no problem.
Attachments
HikenSki
Angel Diva
Great thread! Post pregnancy none of my ski gear has fit. Very depressing because as a taller and larger busted woman, it was already hard to find jackets and pants that fit. Now it's even harder because I need 1x jackets to accommodate the girls but then the jacket is all boxy and arms are often too short. I have larger athletic thighs too, so was already in XL pants even before the weight gain. Managed to snag on sale a Columbia ski jacket back in September at REI that has awesome long arms and body. It's size XL but sizing was running larger for that style so it just worked out. Yay! I found some Arctix 1x tall pants on Amazon. They are a bit big in the belly but I can at least bend my legs and fit layers underneath. They are not fancy like my too small Salomon or HH pants, but kept me warm. It's great to see recommendations of other brands to try out. Many of them also make clothing for other sports like running or hiking.
berryblondeboys
Certified Ski Diva
So glad this thread is started. It's super frustrating and demoralizing to go into stores and find they don't have your size (but do in men's). It's like they are saying, "you are too big/fat to (insert the name of the activity).
I used to be a LOT heavier and unfit. As I was working my way down in weight and clothing size, I got dismayed that with some brands and some stores, even at my ideal weight, I would still be in their largest size or even too big for it. Later, I just came to realize that some sizes tailor to larger sizes and some to smaller sizes.
It definitely has gotten better in the last couple decades, gut it's still bad and vanity sizing doesn't help much. I have a LLBean wool pleated skirt I bought in 1992 that is JUST wearable for me. It was a size 16 regular. I wear a size 12 in LLBean pants now (and in most clothes). And if "I" can wear a 12 on my huge frame, I cannot even imagine what the truly petite women are wearing. Double zeroes as a size name is riduculous. We come in all shapes and sizes and we shouldn't be embarassed that it is true!
As far as what clothes I have had luck with, Columbia has been mentioned. And I got my Obermeyer ski coat from Peter Glenn in an 18, but it's a little big. But being large chested, I need a larger size to address the boobs. So of course, it's too big everywhere else.
I used to be a LOT heavier and unfit. As I was working my way down in weight and clothing size, I got dismayed that with some brands and some stores, even at my ideal weight, I would still be in their largest size or even too big for it. Later, I just came to realize that some sizes tailor to larger sizes and some to smaller sizes.
It definitely has gotten better in the last couple decades, gut it's still bad and vanity sizing doesn't help much. I have a LLBean wool pleated skirt I bought in 1992 that is JUST wearable for me. It was a size 16 regular. I wear a size 12 in LLBean pants now (and in most clothes). And if "I" can wear a 12 on my huge frame, I cannot even imagine what the truly petite women are wearing. Double zeroes as a size name is riduculous. We come in all shapes and sizes and we shouldn't be embarassed that it is true!
As far as what clothes I have had luck with, Columbia has been mentioned. And I got my Obermeyer ski coat from Peter Glenn in an 18, but it's a little big. But being large chested, I need a larger size to address the boobs. So of course, it's too big everywhere else.
berryblondeboys
Certified Ski Diva
This is a good article and it really touches on a key thing here - people are plus size for a number of reasons. Some people have more fat. Some people have more muscle. Some people are in plus size for their overall size/height. I "think" what makes plus sizes really tricky is that added weight is so individual. Some people get larger everywhere. Some people it's their butt, or it's their gut, etc. That's why when you find a brand that fits your particular body type, you tend to stick with that brand - it just works for you - or doesn't.How did we miss this??!
A Chat with Mon Balon of Plus Snow: The Challenges of Plus-Sized Ski Wear. | The Ski Diva
(Photo: Mon Balon) Getting gear would be a lot easier if all of us wore the same size. Unfortunately — or fortunately, depending on how you look at it — that’s not the case. For those of us on the larger end of the spectrum — and I’ve heard this time and time again on...
Well done, Wendy!
shadoj
Angel Diva
No kidding. I'm in the small-but-has-muscles category; have friends who are plus-sized who also struggle to find good winter gear and would love to try skiing, if only...
But seriously, there are shared issues when it comes to things like inner thigh or pit zips -- they just take up a large percentage of a tiny person's limb clearance! Don't even get me started on the pre-ripped skinny jeans trend.
Boy's large snowpants -- the ones you can let out the seams on when you grow a couple inches *eye roll*. At 40, I'm only likely to get shorter!
Here's to hoping we can all just walk into a store someday and not deal with made-up sizing, plus having actual physical gear to try on!
SallyCat
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
So agree. I've never been small but have always been an athlete, from marathons and long-distance hikes to mountain bike races. But the convergence of pandemic, menopause, and some challenging "life events" has knocked me on the back foot. I still consider myself an athlete, but I can tell that because of my size that's not how people see me. I'm still strong and love being active and outdoors, but I'm, so tired of frumping around in ill-fitting men's outdoor gear because it's often all that works for me.
mitsiktity
Certified Ski Diva
And now, a bit later than expected - they are finally ready to be shipped... :D
brooksnow
Angel Diva
Another article: SKI: Fat Skiers Like Me Deserve More and Better Technical Gear
Peaheartsmama
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I love my obermeyer pants! So comfortable, roomy legs provide room for my heavy/ bulky knee braces and the waist adjusts so that my hips can go in comfortably but I can cinch down around the waist so it doesn’t fall off. It also has velcro in addition to buttons so it’s less likely to pop open when I sit. I use a Burton brand snowboard jacket - i find they are much roomier and not as fitted.
