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Technical Gear For Skinny People

Original Post
Mitch · · Chattanooga, TN · Joined Oct 2013 · Points: 95

I'm not sure who technical clothing companies are modeling after but season after season, clothing seems to get boxier and sloppier.
I'm 6'0 135lbs with 37" chest, 33" sleeve, 31" waist, and 21" torso. It seems like it is impossible to find anything that actually fits.
Patagonia, Marmot, North Face, and Mountain Hardwear literally fit me like a trash bag. Arcteryx used to have a more technical fit, but last year it seems like they changed their fit from technical mountain fit to 'American' fit.
I'm looking for a new ultralight down jacket and I can't find anything that fits close to the body. Smalls are usually too short in the torso and sleeve length, and the mediums I can fit a full size pillow between me and the jacket.
I've heard some European brands like Millet, Mammut, Norrona, Bergans of Norway, Rab, and Haglofs all have a slimmer fit but there aren't any shops where I can actually try on anything.

Is there any other skinny people out there that have found a clothing company that actually fits?

I had my eye on the Eddie Bauer First Ascent Microtherm shirt in size small. Anyone have any experience with this jacket?

Alvaro Arnal · · Aspen, CO · Joined May 2010 · Points: 1,535

Check out Outdoor Research. I just bought the Halogen Hoody from them and the fit is thin in the torso and long in the arms. I also have fit issues with Patagonia being way boxy!

mikeinvt · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Aug 2010 · Points: 55

i also find that OR fits well for us tall and thin folks

frankstoneline · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 30

Also sometimes have issues finding clothing which fits (same height as you, maybe a few 8 or 10 lbs heavier), though typically I've found the fit of Patagonia clothes to be acceptable, though this may have changed in the last year or two since I purchased anything major from them.

One possibility is having things altered. If you live in a place with much of an outdoor community at all it would probably be fairly easy to find a local tailor with experience to take in the body and arms of a down jacket. Contrary to what some people think repairing/modifying/stitching technical clothing is not some voodoo art, and is really fairly mundane in comparison to what even run of the mill tailors employed by dry cleaners are tasked with (think wedding dresses). Alternatively, a sewing machine and a day reading/practicing may serve you well, though I would start with something less feather-y than a down jacket.

erik wellborn · · manitou springs · Joined Apr 2008 · Points: 355

NWalpine clothing tends to be long and lean. Don't think they make a down jacket. The belay jacket made out of primaloft is quite warm though.

Mitch · · Chattanooga, TN · Joined Oct 2013 · Points: 95
Alvaro Arnal wrote:Check out Outdoor Research. I just bought the Halogen Hoody from them and the fit is thin in the torso and long in the arms. I also have fit issues with Patagonia being way boxy!
Hey Alvaro, I forgot to put that OR seems to fit the best out of the big name brands. I own the Halogen, Incandescent Hoody, and Maestro in Small and they all fit well. The Incandescent fits the best and I've actually gotten compliments from other saying it fits well.
I really like OR but I wanted to branch out and see if there were any other brands out there. As far as ultralite goes, they produce the Filament and I might have to look into that.

Thanks for the responses guys.
AKM1878 · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2012 · Points: 50

I find rab to have a good fit and is also top notch.

The new BD clothes are euro fit and have long arms. Worth giving those a try too.

Mike Williams · · Bend, OR · Joined Aug 2012 · Points: 361

I've purchased some of the new Black Diamond gear and love the fit. Also try the North Face micro thunder down jacket, the fit of last years model was slim, not sure about this years.

Danomcq · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2012 · Points: 95

Beyond clothing makes grea custom sized gear FYI

Martin le Roux · · Superior, CO · Joined Jul 2003 · Points: 401
Danomcq wrote:Beyond clothing makes grea custom sized gear FYI
Not sure what's going on with Beyond. Seems like they've been rebuilding their web site but it's been out of action for several months.
Danomcq · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2012 · Points: 95

I don't know but the navy gave me a bunch of stuff from them and their gear is pretty bad ass

Glass Tupperware · · Atlanta · Joined Jul 2012 · Points: 45

I've found that REI brand normally has longer sleeves and torso. It might just be in their shells though.

Mottsy · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2013 · Points: 0

I can also whole-heartedly recommend Outdoor Research, as well as Rab, and Mammut. I'm not as tall as you are and definitely not as skinny (5'9" 170, muscular build, 43" chest with broad shoulders, 32" waist and gorilla arms) but I agree that the companies you mentioned have definitely changed the way their products fit.

I used to be a solid large top in Patagonia, and ordered a large r2 jacket based on my past experiences with them; I could have fit myself and my wife in that thing. Now I have to drop down to a medium or even a small to not have the "round-boy" fit, but it comes at the expense of having about 3 inches above my wrists sticking out the bottom of the sleeves. Not cool.

I've had to play around with some different sizes in the Mammut stuff to find what fits best (30' waist rather than 32" in their castor pants as an example, but all of their tops have been spot on for me), but OR and Rab have been perfect.

Locker · · Yucca Valley, CA · Joined Oct 2002 · Points: 2,349

Women's clothing is probably easy to find in sizes for thinner people. They also come in a wider variety of colors, styles, patterns and materials.

Try it and let me know how it works out.

Jeff Johnston · · Bozeman, MT · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 110

I not quite as tall, but are 5.10 feet, and 140lbs, 30in wiest and 40 in chest. I find that NWalpine sappoletts (spelling?) fit well in a "small" but just a tad snug in the chest for me , out door research, MontBell and RAB are built for slim people as well.

Paul-B · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2011 · Points: 115

We're very similar dimensions. I'm 6' 4", 175. In general Euro brands are your friend (i find Millet to fit a bit boxier though). I wear a lot of Marmot stuff now, fits me pretty darn well. First ascent stuff is great, I have the Medium Tall in the Microtherm hoody, fits like a dream. Perfect length, not baggy in the body. I'll throw one more brand out there I've been super happy with. Salomon. I don't have a lot of experience with their stuff, but I got a softshell to rock climb in and I love the fit. Exactly what I was looking for, Darbon light I think is the model. Here's a pic of the fit on me. Unfortunately, I can't find a pic of me in the microtherm, but I say go for it.

Darbon Light

Benny Hugh · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2013 · Points: 0

Montbell might also be a good choice. I have their old thermawrap, it fits me perfect (6', 155 pounds), however, some of their heavier down coats were a bit big. So it must vary piece to piece.

mattm · · TX · Joined Jun 2006 · Points: 1,885
Hobo wrote:I'm not sure who technical clothing companies are modeling after but season after season, clothing seems to get boxier and sloppier. I'm 6'0 135lbs with 37" chest, 33" sleeve, 31" waist, and 21" torso. It seems like it is impossible to find anything that actually fits.
Your numbers are off the left side of the "bell curve". It's highly unlikely any large production company is using your numbers for their patterns. An average 6' male with a "small frame" is said to weigh 149-160lbs. You're a flag pole!

I've been wearing Pata and Marmot for 15 years and haven't noticed much in the way of sizing changes. I'm nearly always a large in Jackets.
Eric and Lucie · · Boulder, CO · Joined Oct 2004 · Points: 140
Hobo wrote:Arcteryx used to have a more technical fit, but last year it seems like they changed their fit from technical mountain fit to 'American' fit.
Absolutely! I am 6'4" and 180lbs and used to love Arcteryx jackets until a few years ago. Everything I try from them now is way more baggy and with shorter arms. I've pretty much given up on them until they start making their tops in tall sizes.
BTW, I've made that request from them a few times. Perhaps if more of us flagpoles hassled them to make tall sizes, they eventually would. Activism sometimes works!
Marek Sapkovski · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jun 2013 · Points: 65

Companies gotta make a buck. Face it, there are many more fat people then skinny people. Heck, there are many more fat people then simply athletic people. Over the past few years, it was sad to see almost every big name outdoor company to make fluid transition from "hardcore stuff for the mountains" to "a nice shell for a slightly overweight suburbanite".

An executive from the clothing industry once said "as soon they start making black jackets for urban wear, the size usually goes the wrong way too".

bearbreeder · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2009 · Points: 3,065

Dead bird seems to better fit my fellow AZNs these days .... And most of use arent exactly tall and skinny

Perhaps they modified their sizing to accomodate whats likely one oftheir fastest growing market segments? AZNs and city slickers?

AZNs go gaga over dead bird ... Here a photo of their factory sale last winter from 10pm ... The wait time was over 6 hours .... Entire families with their kids were lined up



Azn grandmas were pushing their grandkids to run into the tent so they could chases after them and jump the line

Interestingly enough some MEC gear tends towards long/slim ... It sute doesnt fit me

;)
Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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