Ah, the great outdoors. Whether you like to stomp around a local park that’s sandwiched in the middle of an urban landscape or prefer to roam in the hills and mountains, being outdoors boasts a range of benefits. Not only does it help to improve and maintain fitness, but it also ups our daylight exposure (linked to mood and vitamin D), calms the mind (thanks to green and blue space) and quite often can improve our links to the community. It doesn’t matter what you do, whether it’s walking, cycling or plunging into wild water – you benefit from being outside.

Now, the great thing about enjoying a walk around the block is the fact that it’s free and requires no real kit. But if you want to do longer walks or hikes, fancy mountain biking or paddle boarding, you might need to explore more technical clothing or gear. And that’s an issue if you have a bigger body. 

While the fashion and activewear industry has invested time and money in improving size ranges and representation, the outdoor clothing industry is way behind when it comes to supporting and providing plus-size people with decent kit for outdoor activity.  

After years of wearing substandard clothing for walking, Steph Wetherell, with the support (and rage) of fellow outdoor enthusiasts Emily Williams, Kumbi Kariwo, Sara Huws and Rebecca Dawson, set up Every Body Outdoors – a community fighting for clothing, gear and representation for larger bodies in the outdoors. “When I started walking, I would wear leggings and a fleece I found in the supermarket,” Weatherell tells Strong Women. 

“I had a men’s waterproof jacket, which wasn’t great, but good enough. Then I started getting into multi-day walking where you carry all your kit and need to be able to rely on your waterproof jacket to keep you dry. Things like the weight of your clothing and how it works started to matter. I asked people for advice and when I went looking for clothing recommendations, I realised these things didn’t exist in my size.” 

Many British outdoor brands only stock up to a UK size 16, with few offering extended sizing up to a 20. Even then, items tend to only be available online and/or in a limited range. All too often, they’re still not fit for purpose. 

“I just don’t go to outdoor shops,” says Emily Williams, who enjoys all outdoor activities but is especially passionate about cycling and swimming. “When I am outdoors enjoying activity and time with friends, my size isn’t a big barrier, but when I go shopping for kit and there is nothing in my size, it’s crushing.” 

Williams works as a knitwear designer and technical editor specialising in plus-size grading of hand-knit patterns. She makes most of her own clothes, which has helped her to understand the clothing industry better. “I realised that it’s not my body that’s wrong, it’s the average grading size of clothing,” she says. 

“The challenge for those who have bigger bodies is not being able to find what they need in the size that fits best. If you’re a UK size 12 and want a pair of waterproof trousers, you’ll be able to walk into an outdoor shop and find something. Even if the size 12 cut is slightly wrong for your body type, you could always size up to a 14, which might fit better, or try a few different brands in the same size. If you’re a size 18 or bigger, you can’t do that.” 

As well as many outdoor brands not stocking bigger sizes, the larger pieces that do exist often aren’t suitable. It isn’t as easy as adding a few inches of material here and there to make an item bigger. “Most outdoor coats have a 5cm difference between the bust measurement and the hip,” says Williams. “But this won’t work for 60% of people. With bigger bodies, a coat will need to fit hips that are substantially bigger than the bust. We understand there are challenges in expanding size ranges – it’s an investment in time and development – but there are people keen to spend money with businesses who are willing to do the work.”

Clothing is just the beginning of the challenge. As well as not being able to buy technical clothes like waterproof jackets and trousers, there’s a lack of options for kit such as wetsuits, backpacks and buoyancy aid. If you’re too big for a bog-standard sleeping bag, for example, you could either make do with a too-tight or open bag (not ideal), ditch the bag altogether for a bunch of blankets or simply not go camping. 

“There’s a commercial opportunity here,” says Rebecca Dawson, a passionate hiker who also is chair of the board of trustees at The Ramblers. “As a society, we are not getting any smaller and the drive to get people active isn’t going to go away. It doesn’t matter whether you’re walking three miles with your dog or you’re doing 30-mile ultra treks – everybody needs kit that fits them. Some brands extend their sizes because they feel like they must, not because they want to. They tick a box, but they don’t live it.”

The team at Every Body Outdoors is asking brands to consider representation as well as providing the right gear. This includes using bigger body models on the website and in their marketing across social media and advertising. “It is also about talking to the community to find out what it actually needs,” says Dawson. 

“It might not be the top-end technical jacket, but a jacket that will serve them and their body type, not just size. This isn’t just about being inclusive; it is about safety too. If someone doesn’t have the right clothing or kit, they could be at risk. Something as simple as being wet and cold can deplete energy levels and lead to safety issues in remote areas.” 

While there is much work to be done in the outdoor industry, the Every Body Outdoors community is growing rapidly. When it set up its Instagram profile last year, it took just 48 hours to clock up 1,000 followers. Today, the figure has swollen to well over 7,000, and it’s growing. As well as building a safe space for people to share advice, adventures and experiences, the core team continues to work with outdoor brands.

If you’re new to the outdoors or not confident, this spring you can join an Introduction to Hill Skills weekend in the Yorkshire Dales or Peak District. It will cover things like what you need to pack, what to wear, using a map and compass and what to do in an emergency. “There is a huge assumption that if you are big-bodied you can’t do outdoor activity – that you’re not fit or able,” says Wetherell. “But the reality is that we are perfectly able, we just don’t fit outdoor brand aesthetics.  

“This isn’t about losing weight; it is about leading a healthy life and not reducing your body size. Everybody is welcome in the outdoors – the mountains don’t care if you are a size 8 or 28. We all belong.”  

Images: Every Body Outdoors; Kumbi Kariwo; Emily Williams