WHEN KIT DOESN’T FIT

Every year thousands of new pieces of outdoor gear come out, adding to the huge variety of colours, cuts and technicality. But what do you do if none of them fit?

There’s no such thing as bad weather,” goes the saying, “only inappropriate clothing.” But what if the reason the clothing is inappropriate is because it doesn’t fit? Or you can’t even get hold of it?

Some items of outdoor kit, such as a decent waterproof jacket, are essential if you want to venture safely into the mountains. For most, it’s easy enough to come by. The majority of walkers can pop down to their local outdoor shop and pick up a waterproof jacket or decent pair of boots with relative ease. But that’s not the case for everyone. When we asked on Facebook, we learned Trail readers have struggled to find boots for narrow feet, large feet, unusually shaped feet, long enough trousers, clothes to accommodate a large bust, jackets or rucksacks for a long torso, gaiters for large calves... and the list goes on. And it’s not limited to clothing either. Tents, sleeping bags, bivvy bags and rucksacks can all be harder to find and fit if you’re significantly bigger or smaller in some way than the average.

Why is this the case? Partly, in a supply-and-demand economy where both the brands and manufacturers focus on profit, it is simply that the demand is lower and so, therefore, is the supply.

Most kit and clothing is available in average sizes precisely because they’re the average.

This is fairly easy to grasp but doesn’t make the situation any less frustrating if you struggle with it. Some brands stock a wider range online, where they can sell directly to the customer and aren’t constrained by the dimensions of a bricks-andmortar shop, but not all do.

There are other ways around this, such as skilled tailoring, buying from smaller brands who manufacture in-house, or even making your own simpler kit. It’s potentially awkward and can be expensive, but is possible and the quality of kit you get may even be higher. Walking in the mountains is one of the best things you can do for your body and mind – it improves health and fitness and can help ease stress, anxiety and depression. This is especially important and potentially life-changing if you’re overweight, but as reader Jonny Gurling put it: “How are bigger people supposed to ‘get into’ walking if they can’t get wind/showerproof trousers and jackets to fit that don’t cost hundreds of pounds!?”

We spoke to our resident experts and some gear manufacturers to find out what walkers can do...