Which apparel makers are recommended for tall, skinny body types?

I have a… similar problem.

I have a Mountain Hardwear Jacket and that one is pretty boxy. Montane — good length but too wide around the waist.

GoLite, VAUDE and Haglöfs in M is pretty good. I have two Salewa pullovers in L and they fit very well.

I am no longer skinny (working on getting back there)… but I have noticed that Rab makes some clothing you might like.

–Mark

Beyondfleece, now beyondclothing, will custom make what you want based on your actual size. For a winter weight soft shell, the cold fusion would be a great choice (I have one, now going on 5-6 years).

Whatever else anyone does or says or how they are designed or how fancy the lazer cut and welded pockets may look, I can't see a jacket fitting you better.

Actually I am not that long 6'1" but fairly lean 163lbs. It does make off-the-rack clothes shopping in general a frustrating experience of either too short or too baggy or both. US based outdoor clothing makers seem to go with the ever expanding US waistline in spite of the inherent contradiction that active people may not be as upholstered as the more sedentary. I suppose it is expensive to make and stock more sizes. Patagonia is a prime example. Except for a very select few pants, they have no long/tall sizes. This seems particularly deficient in that the fit of outdoor tech wear can affect performance if not actual survival. A shorter person can at least have hems/sleeves shortened. What are the ape-armed to do? Okay so this is a bit of a hot button issue for me.

I have found that the Swiss company Mammut makes a broader range of pant sizes and other Euro companies may as well.

I definitely fit this category, 6'4", 175 lbs.

For pants, I like Arc'Teryx becuase they have long sizes, good quality, but mostly high prices. I just love AT Gamma LT pants.

For tops, I have less problem, as long as I'm willing to wear baggy tops. By buying extra large sizes, I get the sleeve length I need, but also get some extra torso width I don't need. My favorites – Patagonia and BPL, of course. Absolute favorite top – Pat R1 Hoody.

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I am 6'3'', 170 lbs and often have had problems with sleave length. I have found Icebreaker tops (size L) to fit me really good. They have long arms and snug bodies.

CAMP Magic L wind shirt also fits perfectly.

Montbell UL size L down pants are also plenty long enough.

Hm… what else?

north face makes clothing along these lines.

mountain hardwear makes their stuff for midget-types :D

North Face seems to make to different lines of clothing, one for stores like Nordstrum and the other for outdoor stores. I have found that their "fashion/retail" line has shorter sleeves and other differences as well.

I've also found that most US companies size their clothing for short/fat people. Patagonia is the worst, but I still buy their Capilene and ignore the short sleeves and hemlines. Mountain Hardwear is also like this.

REI stuff fits pretty good and it usually available in tall. The downside is that the quality is often pretty low.

At 6'1" 150 lbs an Arcteryx medium fits me perfectly for their softshells. I also have a Rab Drillium in eVent that is perfect in a medium, but the front is a very short cut. It works fine for me though.

I also have a Montbell down jacket that fits pretty nicely, which is odd coming from a Japanese company.

Your best bet is to buy clothes marketed for climbers. The cuts tend to be lean with the arms long, although the fronts tend to be short. If it's cut slim enough, you can size up for the extra length.

> I also have a Montbell down jacket that fits pretty nicely

Jeff, is that a medium or a large? I can't quite decide which would fit me better… I'm 6'1" and 160 pounds.

It's a medium Alpine Light. The arms are nice and long. Keep in mind that it is a down jacket so it's not cut like a rain jacket. It doesn't have a drop tail back, but it's just fine when wearing when sitting down.

Thanks Jeff. I was leaning towards medium, since I prefer a snug fit. Good to hear that the arms are a decent length. Now to find one at a good price!

I found that a lot of the UK gear was cut for thinner people, for fell-runs and races like the KIMM/OMM. Rab is the example that's been mentioned a few times above, but Montane was similar – it'd be worth checking a few of the UK sites like CompassPoint to see what´s around.

Montane certainly lean towards the slimmer physique. If only I had one of those… as it is I'm at the upper end of their size scale, despite being L or XL with many other manufacturers, primarily because of a too-ample belly. The same is (broadly) true of Jack Wolfskin, where again I tend to buy at least one size larger than normal. With both companies I've found the quality to be excellent and have had no problems with sleeve length.

Trousers, on the other hand (leg?), are more problematic. With most manufacturers offering one or more choices for leg length, rather than the unfinished 35" or 37" legs common a few years ago, I'm increasingly finding that trousers are too short, especially annoying in outdoor clothing where a slightly longer than normal length is desired. Considering that I'm only 5'11" with a 33" inside leg this has surprised me. Rail Riders make some trousers with good leg lengths – the Eco-Mesh Pants in particular would suit the slim and leggy out there.

I have three suggestions for you. I'm 6'4", 200 lbs, with 36.5 inch sleeves and a 22.5 inch torso. I am often frustrated by having to buy extra large shirts and jackets for the body and sleeve length that fit rather like a tent at the waist. For trousers I need a large or extra-large for length, and that means too much extra waist size. I'm really amazed that gear makers who go after the outdoor market don't accomodate trimmer fits, after all we ought to be in better shape than the general population. Here are three companies that appear to recognize that:
Wild Things (www.wildthingsgear.com) garments give me a great fit. This company appears to focus on climbers, who really appreciate an athletic fit. I'm especially pleased with my Alpinist bibs.
Westcomb (www.westcomb.com) has three different cuts for its trousers – short, regular, and long. A large-long fits me just right.
MontBell's XL jackets have extra long sleeves, long enough even for me.

Apologies for reviving this somewhat old thread, but it's that time of the year!

I was perusing the offerings at Westcomb (http://www.westcomb.com/). Their Mirage jacket seems pretty cool (stylish and functional) for a ski hardshell. And it's made with eVent!

Does anyone have this jacket, or similar apparel from this maker? How is it on the sleeve length?

I had myself measured for a suit recently, so now I know my dimensions: neck (40 cm), sleeve (88 cm), chest (98 cm) weight (79 kg), height (180 cm). As you can see, I have a fairly normal dimensions, given my height and weight and my active and healthy life style.

Other suggestions welcome…

Chris,
I have a Mirage and love it; check out my review at
http://tinyurl.com/ygxxugl My Backcountry.com 'special edition' is better suited for hiking than skiing – no pit zips or powder skirt, slimmer fit, and lighter weight. Westcomb also sells a jacket called the Vapor FX, which is supposed to have improved eVENT and does have all the standard ski jacket features – powder skirt, inside pockets, larger outside pockets, and longer length. Or see what you think of Norrona, a Norse manufacturer that sells through Backcountry.com. That company uses Gore-Tex Pro Shell rather than eVENT.

I am not that tall 6' even, 170# but with long torso and arms, especially. For clothing in general, I have used LL Bean a number of times, for wool turtlenecks, around town jackets, etc. They almost always have Tall sizes, which are great fits for me.

For what it's worth, those of us who are short and stout have problems, too! Short legs (requiring a "petite" size for length) and an "ample" rear (definitely not "petite") are a combination that's very hard to fit!

I find Cloudveil also fits my long, lean frame. Montbell also might work if you aren't too long.