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frieden
11-22-2005, 19:00
Is women-specific gear worth the extra cost?

I'm unsure if I should only look at women's packs, clothing, etc. I (apparently) live in a hiking-void area, so trying on gear is extremely limited. Advice? Suggestions? Help!

I'm leaving Springer March 1st. I have a tent, boots, and a stove. I'm missing everything else.

I'm looking at this soft shell: http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?page=headwall-soft-shell-jacket&categoryId=44353&parentCategory=6704&cat4=6703&storeId=1&catalogId=1&langId=-1&feat=ssdpa6703#details

gsingjane
11-22-2005, 19:35
This one really depends on how you are built. I know women (I'm not one of them) who are extremely narrow-shouldered, or have tiny feet, or are just really on the slight side (100 lbs. soaking wet). Clearly, those women need gear built just for them, or maybe big kids' sizes depending on their own size. Conversely, there are also women (of whom I am also not one) who need, say, a top that's cut more generously in the chest area than a man's shirt would be. I find that most of the gear that I buy works pretty well with no regard to whether it is for men or women, with the obvious exception of things like underwear. I also have been in a man's athletic shoe for years, mostly because I ruined my feet with waitressing, and find a woman's last is simply too narrow. But overall most hiking clothing doesn't need a snug fit, so either a man's or a woman's size works well.

Jane in CT

Mouse
11-22-2005, 19:50
My Mountainsmith Chimera pack served me well on my thuhike as did my women's cut sleeping bag. But neither one cost a penny more than the male equivalents.

On the other hand the Pacific Outdoor Equipment Insul Mat Max-Lite 1.0 - Women's Petite air mattres I got did cost extra and did not do so well. It gave good cushioning and insulation but rubbed a hole in itself in Virginia and I had to replace it. At Front Royal I got a Therma Rest that lasted the rest of the hike and still works just fine.

For everything except clothing else I aimed more at light weight than woman-specific.

Cuffs
11-22-2005, 21:54
I just moved from Tampa (17 years there) and now that you mention it, there are few (if any!) stores (ie REI) in that area. I havent made the 2 hour trek to Atlanta to shop REI, but I may soon... I have just been fortunate that I travel frequently and hit the stores in whatever area I am in at the time (with much success!)

The only thing I am concerned with in my gear is comfort & fit. If it was made for the female form, great, if it has a men's tag in it, so be it.

I did try out a North Face bag that was labeled for women & up to 5'6" (I happen to be 5'6") and found that it was too small. I wound up with a North Face (Cats Meow) in a men's regular that is rated for up to 6' and fits great!

Thats my 2 cents, hope it helps!

BTW, I have talked to many hikers who have converted to skirt hiking and swear by it. I guess thats one purchase I'll be making that is women-specific!:banana

anneandbenhike
11-23-2005, 09:57
I definitely use women specific gear. Why carry a men's pack if there is one for a woman? I use a Granite Gear Ozone with woman's belt and shoulder straps...it just fits me better than my husband's which I had to wear on a recent 218 mile section when he lost too much weight to keep his pack on his skinny little hips! I also have a Marmot woman's bag which is shorter...why carry a longer bag if a shorter one works...it may not work for all, but it is great for me at 5' 4". I also find that rain pants and jacket fit MUCH better than the men's and are proportioned better (hips and sleeve length, especially). I bought a men's rain jacket the first time around and was always unhappy with it...tight throught the hips and WAAAAY long sleeves. I do NOT feel that the gear is any more expensive. You just have to go to a woman-friendly outfitter who understands that we ARE different in size than men, and therefore stock women's gear.

The worst problem in my area is boots. I wear trail runners for three seasons and in the winter would like to have a pair of boots. I have not found a pair locally that fits because they do not stock many boots for women. Gear developers should recognize our needs and act accordingly!

Auntie Mame
11-23-2005, 10:19
I'm with Anne, I find men's jackets or tops too long in sleeves and snug at the bottom when the shoulders fit correctly. I appreciate clothing shaped to scale: feels better and to my mind, looks better. Good luck, Frieden, in getting outfitted to your taste.

DebW
11-23-2005, 18:00
I use both men's and women's gear, whichever fits best and suits my idiocyncracies. I started hiking in the 70s when there wasn't any women's gear, so got used to men's long underwear (the fly was pretty useless but the fit was fine). Men's rain jackets are good since the sleeves can keep my hands dry. Sometimes women's outer pants are either too short (mediums) or too big around (larges), but men's mediums are perfect. So try on both and see what works for you. Haven't tried a women's sleeping bag yet, but it must be warmer to not have extra space in the shoulders.

frieden
11-24-2005, 11:00
Thanks for your responses and suggestions. I'm just going to have to find an area that has enough of a selection to try stuff on, like Atlanta or Knoxville. I'll forget about gear until then, and just work on my food and maildrops. Hope all of you have a Happy Thanksgiving! I'm thankful to still be in the running for the Class of 2006, and all of you supportive women to help get me there! :D

Auntie Mame
11-24-2005, 12:49
Frieden, if you can't pull off an '06 start, know that there are some great folks starting in '07,along with us: Trailjournals, AT '07, Balrog and Taj. I should have had consistant names, but didn't, and they are hard to change after the fact. Wildernut/Taj

furballs97
12-27-2005, 17:02
Hi! I thought I'd throw in my $0.02. I find that women's clothing just isn't long enough in arms and legs for me and I like the length that the men's items give. The men's items seem to be constructed better than the women's items that I have tried. Besides when it's already in the closet, why not wear it?

Thanks for you insight on different items. I am enjoying this website. I am planning a thru hike of AT in 2008.

Spirit Walker
12-27-2005, 18:02
For clothes I usually buy women's gear - though I've worn men's running shorts or long underwear when they cost less than the female equivalent. For boots, I definitely need women's as my heel is narrower than a guy's. Furballs97 is right that women's t-shirts are sometimes too short, but they are also lower in the neck, which I prefer. I often prefer men's colors, especially for long underwear - I don't wear pastel in the woods. Pretty in pink doesn't work when you've been wearing that pack for 10 days without a laundry. I never did understand why men's long underwear was navy or black and women's was pink or white.

I've tried on several women's packs and never found them to be more comfortable for me. Some were heavier than the unisex equivalent. I just use a regular unisex pack and sleeping bag.

sarbar
12-27-2005, 20:22
I use a women-specific backpack and also a daypack ( Kelty Illusion and an LLBean Celia daypack. I also own a ladies Marmot Diva pack.). I wear women's Raichles boots-I may have big feet, but like many ladies I have a narrow heel! I wear ladies undies. I only wear women's tops-I am pretty chesty. I wear REI Sahara pants. A Wild Roses by OR GTX Paclite jacket. My softshell is a ladies model, by LLBean. My sleeping pad is a ladies Prolite 3 pad.

But socks? Not really, I just buy them to fit! Fleece and down I am not so picky on-unless I also plan on wearing it in public other than hiking ;)

Then again, I do own a Mtsmith Specter and a Ghost, which are unisex. My sleeping bags are Kelty Light Year down and an REI Travel Down. Both are unisex. I am just under 5'5" but I am restless at night-and I like the extra space.

Being under 5'5" means if I wear guy clothing it is going to be 3" hanging over my boots or hands ;)

By the way, on the soft shell question, LLBean is a good choice for them..maybe not the lightest-but if you hate it, they will take it back no questions asked. Most of my hiking tops are Bean, as are my exercise bras.

Hammock Hanger
12-27-2005, 21:01
I have found that my 2 women specific backpacks rode a lot better then my unisex/men packs.

I really like the socks as the heel always seems to be in the wrong place when I wear the unisex/men's socks

I actually like the fit of men's brief style boxer shorts better (when I wore them)

Most other items I'm okay with unisex/men.

Rollergirl
12-28-2005, 14:50
When they make women-specific gear that fits those of us who are amply endowed in the chestal region, I'll be thrilled to buy those cute hiking shirts in fun colors. Till then, it's men's shirts that are too wide and too long but don't make me look like a hooker. :datz

QHShowoman
12-28-2005, 15:24
When they make women-specific gear that fits those of us who are amply endowed in the chestal region, I'll be thrilled to buy those cute hiking shirts in fun colors. Till then, it's men's shirts that are too wide and too long but don't make me look like a hooker. :datz

Well, I don't usually mind looking like a hooker (as long as its not a cheap hooker), but damn, those "girlie" cut shirts are tight in the bust! I do wish they'd take us big busted gals into consideration when making those things.

sarbar
12-28-2005, 17:37
Well, I don't usually mind looking like a hooker (as long as its not a cheap hooker), but damn, those "girlie" cut shirts are tight in the bust! I do wish they'd take us big busted gals into consideration when making those things.

Seriously, take a look at what Target and LLBean carry-they are actually cut for a rack! (And don't do the mid stomach pull up..lol!)

Eidolon
01-01-2006, 23:15
I've moved from one hour hikes to 4-hour hikes, and looking forward to my first overnighter soon. Yeah, okay, I'm a newbie. Originally I got on here to be a support groupie, but I'm getting hooked on hiking myself.

Started spec'ing women-specific packs because I'm short; even wide web belts on fanny packs annoy me. Some weekend packs are top loading only, others have cubbies & loops & gidgets all over them. I can tell already that I won't like the top loading only and I prefer a little more organization built-in. The thing I need help with is the sleeping bag - I just don't understand how you pack that thing without a separate compartment. (Plus I already see I need to buy a new, smaller compacting bag). Is there a preference out there by you ladies who've way surpassed my experience?

Blissful
01-01-2006, 23:56
I have a women's Kelty down bag that compacts quite nicely and is lightweight at about 2 lb - but I'm thinking I might go with the kelty synthetic for my thru hike since the trail is notorius for those nice "showers" every so often (and the new tent I got is single wall so there could be condensation). After having a wet down bag in the Whites this past summer, I learned my lesson.

Eidolon
01-02-2006, 00:46
Ah, that answered another question I had: some pros/cons on down versus synthetic.

Spirit Walker
01-02-2006, 12:34
The top loading packs work fine, once you have your gear down to a manageable level. You learn how to pack up in the morning so that everything you will need during the day is close at hand. If not, it isn't that big a deal to have a 'pack explosion' and find what you need. My current pack is a ULA - one big pack with side mesh pockets and a top lid pocket. I ordered a new one for my hike next year - similar style but more cushion at the hip belt. His new packs don't have the top pocket, in which case I'll use a fanny pack so I can have my guidebook and maps and camera close at hand. You quickly get used to packing and unpacking so that you are as efficient as possible. Extra compartments add weight - which is not good for long distance hiking.

Eidolon
01-03-2006, 12:11
My next trip to REI in Austin will be to try on several brands, weighted down, and just see how they fit this short torso of mine.

Smile
01-03-2006, 12:12
Some of the sleeping bagss attempt to be women-fitted in some way.
Several boast 'wider hip area and smaller shoulder area' inside.

IMO the larger shoulder area accomodates many women, and makes the bag feel less confining - also traps more heated air for a warmer core throughout the night.

4whim
01-04-2006, 20:04
I am 5'10", 150 lbs. I am plagued by all the "women's" gear always made for women the size I was in 4th grade! Is very frustrating so I fall in between men's wear and women's in that nothing female is EVER long enough, and the men's not roomy enuf in the derrier and too big in the waist. I get women's larges and that just means the lenghts stay the same but they get wider. Ugh!

I have yet to understand why there is not the wide variety of sizes, IE: pants leg lengths and arm lengths, that men have afforded them, even though women are by far the biggest shoppers for clothes.

So I have yet to discover the joys of women's specific clothing/items,,,might as well be relabeled - short/petite specific as opposed to women's.

Anyone out there with good entrepreneural skills? Perhaps I should contact Martha? :)

Blissful
01-15-2006, 17:02
Just wanted to let you know that I posted on the used gear forum a down sleeping bag and clothing items specifically for women.
Maybe we should have a "for sale / used gear forum" for women? :) There are things I am on the look-out for....like an Osprey Ariel and also some kind of mid weight polypro crew top.

CreakyBonze
02-02-2006, 20:11
Well, I don't usually mind looking like a hooker (as long as its not a cheap hooker), but damn, those "girlie" cut shirts are tight in the bust! I do wish they'd take us big busted gals into consideration when making those things.

Dream on then, because most manufacturers don't think 'big'' women do anything physical....

QHShowoman
02-03-2006, 10:01
Dream on then, because most manufacturers don't think 'big'' women do anything physical....


I know! I work part-time at an outfitter's as a cashier and have this conversation almost daily with some of our customers ... especially since some of the brands we stock (like Columbia) do make clothing in XL sizes, but we seldom carry them ...

CreakyBonze
02-16-2006, 20:20
When they make women-specific gear that fits those of us who are amply endowed in the chestal region, I'll be thrilled to buy those cute hiking shirts in fun colors. Till then, it's men's shirts that are too wide and too long but don't make me look like a hooker. :datz

Speaking of 'chestal region', when I was at the Houston REI for 3 hours trying on packs, I found that the women specific packs cut way too much under my arms. All of them that they had there. I complained about it and the man helping me patiently explained "Well, most of them are cut that way to allow for boobage"....Hmm, the first time I'd heard that expression, and I guess my face showed it. Without missing a beat he said "you know, as in making room, just as you allow for slippage on your straps" I had to laugh....good word....boobage. This guy was my age, and not at all embarassed. I had marched in with all my gear in a plastic bag and said "fit me"....we enjoyed.

Turtle2
02-17-2006, 18:04
I am 5'10", 150 lbs. I am plagued by all the "women's" gear always made for women the size I was in 4th grade! Is very frustrating so I fall in between men's wear and women's in that nothing female is EVER long enough, and the men's not roomy enuf in the derrier and too big in the waist. I get women's larges and that just means the lenghts stay the same but they get wider. Ugh!

I have yet to understand why there is not the wide variety of sizes, IE: pants leg lengths and arm lengths, that men have afforded them, even though women are by far the biggest shoppers for clothes.

So I have yet to discover the joys of women's specific clothing/items,,,might as well be relabeled - short/petite specific as opposed to women's.

Anyone out there with good entrepreneural skills? Perhaps I should contact Martha? :)

Try Land's End for regular clothing. They have women's pants to size 36. If you order, they will hem to your length without charge. Great for short folks too! I'm 28.5 inseam. Comfortable jeans, too.

Travel_Girl82
04-10-2006, 02:14
I haven't gotten my pack yet, but I have tested out a few models on both the men and women's side. I have slightly wider shoulders (thanks grandma) and wear a medium pack. Of the women's I tried the Granite Gear Vapor Ki and the Osprey Ariel 65. While the men's packs would have sufficed, once I put on the Ariel 65 I knew it was the one. Fits perfectly everywhere, moves easily, sits right where it should. To actually answer the question you asked, I would say find the time to just go try everything. Reguardless of what sex it's meant for, choose what will get you through the hike the best. Get what works.