Lightweight & Durable Rain / Wind gear — What’s available in size “Fat” XXL

I'd love to find out!

I am no slouch on the ground. I teach BJJ!

I don't mean i'd love to find out in a mean way, i love to test myself against any opponent and enjoy the competition immensely.

I do agree that the adrenaline dump is a beatch. I fought in a local toughman this year after taking a few years away from fighting and hard training and i gassed so fast, not due to cardio but to the nerves. I hadn't prepared the right way, both physically and mentally. I ended up 1-1 but wasn't happy with either performance. Not a mark on me though after 2 fights!

-Tim

Don't mess with us big guys:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dix9cgC8Gg8

My comment wasn't meant to be rude but it was pointed. Sorry if it was taken in a way where I sound rude and mean.

My point is, while we all agree being light is good we can agree that being out of shape is bad.

My post wasn't aimed at big guys who are just big and in shape like Tim

Tim you asked about a 3% body fat? Here you go this was in Korea when I was 18 finally competing in the adults international TKD thing. I'm the only white kid :)

We should open a different thread up for all us guys on the martial arts thing – that would be rad :)

My point is if you are over-weight cutting down pack weight is good but once you get to the point of diminishing returns you need to start cutting weight off of you. Get your big four trimmed out but don't mess with cutting your toothbrush in half if you look like Bob from Fight Club. I'm being funny but serious at the same time if you know you're easily 45+lbs over weight you can stand to lose some weight and be a healthier person.

I don't believe the whole "I work out and I can't lose weight" BS there's always a catch. The laws of thermodynamics apply to us all and let's face it there weren't any fat prisoners in a WWII concentration camp. So yes theoretically everyone can be sickly skinny.

We've had this discussion several times on these forums and the bottom line is less fat weight on you and stuff weight in your pack is always better. To a point…

ok, losing weight isn't a bad thing. I wasn't the one who was talking about fat %. My (our) point is we should be allowed to enjoy our hobbies without being told to lose weight. Taking weight off our pack makes every step lighter for us just like it does for you. If i take additional weight off my body that continues to make each step lighter, but again at what point are we talking about people who hike a few times a year vs people who do it professionally. Why do i need to lose 50lbs to enjoy a few weekends of hiking? Wouldn't it be offensive if we attached every aspect of people's life style that if changed would improve their trail comfort. Do we insist people stop smoking? Do we require a blood test before each hike to check for doping? It is just recreation. If a big guy wants a light weight rain coat who the F are you to tell him to lose 50lbs?

-Tim

Tim you make a really good point. I definitely see where you're coming from. I guess I'm just coming at it from a different angle.

I think that ones health is important and yes everyone has the right to do whatever the heck they want to their bodies. Smoke, drink whatever it's your body. I just think that if you're going to engage in any physical activity one should have a certain level of fitness. Rolling around on the ground with you for an hour requires a different conditioning level than hiking. (I just hope that you would spoon me after all is said and done)

If we're talking UL backpacking in my head I'm thinking go up Friday after work do 5 miles before it gets too dark do about 10 on Saturday stop to fish, hang out drink some Scotch hike out on Sunday. So you're right in that perhaps the individual should define what it is they're really setting themselves up for.

But I feel like backpacking does require a certain level of fitness (if you know what's good for you) and to me it feels like individuals try to use UL technology because they're too lazy to change their lifestyle. Which hey that's a valid approach. But I'm just saying if one does that AND cut a little weight off their jelly-belly you'll be a much happier hiker.

I'm loosing my mind, FROGGTOGGS were intended to be my suggestion. O2 and DriDucks were too poorly cut. Original post amended.

Alex,
I like to shake thing up a little. I go through periods of extreme fitness and then I get fat. I'm at the bottom of the fat stage right now, I'm fixin to hit the gym.

You have a good point, your delivery just sucked. Big does not always equal fat and fat guys enjoy backpacking too.

I believe: lightest gear no matter what size or fitness level.

Also, America is badly out of shape. So I wouldn't discourage anyone from hiking. If they want to spend $1000 on cottage gear as an excuse to get some exercise, great, let them (me :) ).

I'll get tired hiking with no pack right now. Then again, thru-hiking, speedhiking, and fast packing were never on my agenda.

Most of my chubby beer guzzelin friends quit backpacking because of their 60lb packs. I tried to turn them to the light side to no avail.

+2 to Alex for supporting fitness
-1 to Alex for the delivery of his point
+1 to the big people for getting their hike on

@ Daniel – Agreed my delivery really sucked. But I meant well.

I just want people out there to be happy and having fun

Daniel thats for that post – you were able to nail down what I was saying in a much better way.

again, i am not trying to say that losing weight won't improve your experience.

My biggest frustration is that whenever one of the big guys asks for advice about a pack, shelter, quilt, jacket… that is made to fit them and not the little fellas someone feels that instead of finding gear that fits their body they should just go change their bodies. This is unfair and isn't what anyone is looking for.

Earlier this year i posted about pants for 2x-4x and in order to feel like 90% of the posts wouldn't just tell me to get on the treadmill i had to preface that i wasn't interested in life style advice, just answers to the questions i asked.

You can have whatever opinion you want. But i hope you don't seriously think that you're going to open anyone's eyes with a snarky comment about losing weight instead of buying a new jacket. I'm sure he read that and was like "
oh snap, i am fat, i never realized. I will go right now to the gym and work out. I will not re-enter the wilderness nor will i post on BPL until i am fit. I'm off to change my life because of Alex's insight"

I just think us big guys should be able to ask big guy specific questions without people inserting their opinions about our weight. If i want to know about pants, and you have the answer to my question then by all means, but otherwise save the cometary please!

-Tim

Cage Match.

i would just take him down and lay on him! Apparently its all I can do.

I am obviously frustrated by the fact that anyone can ask any question about gear and get a gear related answer until it is about gear for big guys. Then the answers are judgmental and non gear related. I just want those who i could eat in 2 bites to keep their elitist comments to them selves. If i have a gear question i want a gear answer, i am sure the same is true of the OP.

I am done arguing and fighting, have a great day all

-Tim

Hey Tim – I was just trying to lighten the mood and am on your side.

It reminds me of a question about a solo tent and then someone chimes in about a Hammock. Or when one asks about a type of camp shoe and someone pipes in about not bringing additional weight. ETC.

Take care.

I can understand your frustration, but at least the responses are still relatively on topic i.e. suggestions for gear or other options that are out there that you may or may not have thought of.

None of those responses are an attack on you yourself, your makeup or any part about who you are as a person and the perceived flaws that someone assumes about you as an individual.

+10 to Tim's posts ("ok, losing weight isn't a bad thing…")

It's a shame the big guys have to rattle off claims about being fit and big. I'm fat. Get over it. I may walk 5-10 miles every single day during the summer, winter, and spring but in the end that's irrelevant. I'm here looking for the same thing everyone else is- info on gear and techniques that work for me.

Being overweight isn't a good thing- fat hikers already know that, so it's hard to see how your original comments could be intended to be anything other than mean spirited.

The minimum level of fitness is whatever it takes to get it done- if it takes someone 20 minutes to hike a mile rather than 10, what the hell do you care?

Maybe my problem is that I've never been on any of the really popular trails- are there knots of panting fatties keeping the worthy from passing through on sections of the AT?

OK, bringing this thread back on topic, as promised I'm letting you know how my AGG jacket worked out. I just got it in the mail, immediately shut my office door and tried it on and it is an AWESOME piece of work. It fits well, not as big as an XXL Driducks, but certainly with enough room underneath to fit a baselayer and mid layer if need be. Also, as promised, it came in at 5.3 oz.

I think I found my new favorite piece of gear.

@ Tim – I wasn't making a personal attack. Chill out a bit.
You don't think growing up as a skinny kid wrestling at 107lbs my Freshman year of HS I didn't get picked on or teased for being skinny? It goes both ways man. In fact the little kid gets picked on more. Every guy thinks "he's little I'll mess with him" Look at the crap you're writing "take him down lay on him" and "eat in two bites". You don't think I've heard all that before?

Martial arts and bullets don't really give a crap about how much you weigh. As someone in BJJ I would think you'd know better than that.

All I'm saying is fitness is good. Before someone looks at cutting 6oz from an awesome Arc'Teryx jacket to go to a lighter jacket they should perhaps think of trimming the weight of themselves.

My buddy and I went to look at a clearance rack for some soft-shell mountaineering pants all we could find were pants sized in 48 width and 30 length. That's a joke. You think you'll be seeing that guy up at the summit of Denali? We both looked at each other and said the same thing which was something along the lines of "I wish this store would have stocked up on realistic sizes for this particular product."

As for the do I think I will change their mind? Well I hope so, because I mean well. My GF is a Doc and she tells me all the time that most people who are obese not to mention morbidly obese are in comeplete DENIAL about their situation.

@ Tim – We are saying the same thing from two different directions. You're saying "when I ask for gear advice I want gear advice and don't talk to me about weight". I'm saying "lightweight gear is great go as low as you comfortably can. But don't forget to think outside the box". If lightweight gear gets a guy out there to enjoy the outdoors and condition his health AWESOME.

If someone has a BMI of over 35 they should consider cutting weight in other places – otherwise they're not going to be around long enough to enjoy their lightweight gear.

"Alex … get over yourself."

Alex just summited "effing" Rainier. Gives him a couple of days to reaccustom himself to the company of mere mortals.

"But it's the egotistical, self-important pontificators such as Alex G, among many others that make me question why I even bother giving this site my money every year. At least I'm glad I don't have to hike with him."

Give the site a little more time, Marc. It gets like this from time to time, but things invariably return to normal, by which I mean welcoming, helpful, and civil.

My own take is that a person's body is their own business. Take what you can from BPL and leverage it into an improved backpacking experience. Maybe the pounds will melt away, maybe not, maybe it's not even an issue. In any case, it's nobody's business but your own. Welcome.

@ Tom – Hey! I had to train hard for that. You know how many packs a day I had to smoke to simulate "High Altitude Training"

LOL @ Me being egotistical. Sorry for a poorly worded reply in the middle of the night after I was out backpacking all weekend.

Even my little dood was tired.

Having said that, I still think saving 6oz from an already low pack weight isn't worth it when one weighs over 500lbs.

"LOL @ Me being egotistical. Sorry for a poorly worded reply in the middle of the night after I was out backpacking all weekend."

All in good fun. I couldn't resist. Been there, done that. I think I pretty much know how you felt. Congratulations! You know you've just done a butt kicker when "the lil' dood" is whupped.

"Having said that, I still think saving 6oz from an already low pack weight isn't worth it when one weighs over 500lbs."

Perhaps, and you're entitled to that opinion, which is probably shared by many. However,IMO, the manner in which such opinions are expressed should take other folk's sensitivities into consideration. Heavy folks take a lot of crap in this youth/weight obsessed society, and are understandably defensive. What followed your initial comment came real close to ending up in another flame war, and lord knows we don't need any more of that. Maybe be a little more circumspect next time? Just a friendly suggestion from another skinny little guy who used to get sand kicked in his face by the beach bullies. ;)

Alex, while your comments regarding the importance of maintaining a healthy bodyweight/composition have their merits, they add very little to this thread. Its kinda like when someone tries to put together a very cool UL/lightweight gearlist exclusively from REI and ppl come in and say "REI's sooo not UL" — thread crapping.
The OPs intent was to find a lighter jacket that would still fit him. He wasn't asking where the best place to cut weight was and I am sure he wasn't asking for health advice. This is Gspot: "GEAR talk. Everything GEAR. All about GEAR. Ultralight backpacking gear…".
On a side note: BMI is a pretty lame indicator of health, it doesn't account for body composition, frame, bone density,etc. As some of the big guys here have pointed out big doesn't nescessarily mean unhealthy. My last year playing football I had a BMI of 28-29 and a body fat % of 10-12% & resting hr of ~50bpm.
I have seen many positive contributions from you on these forums but I am sure most everyone would appreciated you leaving the "cut the fat comments" out, especially in Gspot.

James

Jason, I bet you would've never guessed this would've endup in the gutter.
I would second Marc K's recommendation for the AGG sil jacket. Or maybe you could talk one of our custom guys here (Bender? Tim?) into making a cuben shell. As Marc pointed out it wouldn't be breathable but if Im hot enough to sweat significantly, I don't care about getting rained on (that is I only really worry about a jacket when I am cold, thus not really sweating).
I've always wondered if breathablility wasn't severly overrated but never used Event or propore so maybe I am just missing the boat. It seams like if its really raining and cold out the relative humidity out would be pretty high and vapor transmission would be limited regardless of fabric choice.
my though only,
James

There's been a lot of threads hitting a tailspin lately. Must be the heat.

Speaking of heat, and the topic. Seems like everywhere I look, online shops are selling select winter clothes at deep discounts (getting rid of last seasons winter stuff I suspect). I have also noticed sale items being SM or XL and or hideous colors.

It's a good time to buy insulation, and if you are an atypical size, you should be able to find a good deal on it right now. Seeing a lot of down, in SM, XL and XXL, though I know OP is looking for a rain shell.

Just reporting what I have seen.

Wow, big guys unite… I've been called fat before. Actually, come to think of it, I'm pretty sure I called myself fat in the title of this thread — no big deal. That really all I have to say.

Everyone who contributed to the thread, I do apriciate your responses! I'm a heavy guy who could stand to lose a few unwanted pounds (probably 50 or so). I'm doing a fairly good job jogging 3 miles a day 4 days a week right now. Hopefully more backpacking will get me back in better shape. Won't matter if I lost 75lbs, I'd still require an XXL jacket.

That said, I started hiking years 15 ago with 60+ pound packs and doing 15 miles a day easily and have evolved over the past 2 years lightening my load each year. 2005 I was at 60Lbs, 2008 I was at 40lbs, and my last trip to Alqonquin this year I had a base weight of 30lbs. I'm happy to say that as of today I still have all the same creatue comforts as before and am currently at a 13lb base with tons of wiggle room all thanks to this forum. Even "fat" guys like to hike light no?

Anyways, I'm going to look into the AGG option. Seems like the best option that I have seen coming from this thread.

Peace.

I said it came off wrong no need to keep kicking a dead horse.

Hey, I honestly think you have a great jacket if you really want to replace it you got some great ideas.

Also, there's a huge sale at Eddie Bauer on some insulation and cold weather gear.

We just bought a lot of stuff and they have a lot of it left in XXL sizes. You should check out the down pants, down sweater etc. Soooo cheap!

http://www.eddiebauer.com/EB/Men/Clearance/Outerwear–Jackets/index.cat#ppl=%7Btype%3A%22hide%22%7D