Picture this: You’re indulging in pre-season shopping for snow gear at one of the many ski and snow shops around the Lake Tahoe Basin. You are confident that with a brand new outfit for the slopes, this will be your best season yet. Upon visiting, you realize that almost all of the big snow brands that the local shops carry only carry up to size large for women in-store; and it’s as if you’ve found the “Golden Ticket” in Willy Wonka if you are lucky enough to find an extra-large pair of pants that are on the rack in the shop. You try on the largest size possible that the local ski shop offers, and quickly realize, they don’t fit.
In a last resort effort, you check the size chart on the tag, and the women’s size Large is supposed to fit a women’s standard size 12, and the XL is supposed to fit a women’s standard size 14 – newsflash: they don’t carry your size.
This is an ongoing, defeating struggle for many women in the outdoor industry, who want to get out and enjoy the mountain just as much as everyone else.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in the most recent 2023 report, the average adult woman in America is a size 16; yet many of the top apparel brands in the snow industry don’t even create snow gear past a women’s standard size 12-14. And as the discussion around inclusivity evolves, boutique brands are appearing that offer a wider selection of sizing and fit; however, while there are some big-named brands in the industry that are proactively changing their size charts and messaging to be more size inclusive, there is still a long way to go.
As an avid, active snowboarder who has been riding for over 15 years, I myself have struggled with this issue for as long as I can remember. As an average woman’s size 14, I have found myself giddy ahead of a snow season to go shopping for new gear, only to be let down that most times, my size isn’t carried in-store. I have vivid memories of being told to shop online, then going online, and being forced to make an invested commitment to gear without trying it on, hoping it will fit; only to be let down once again if it’s too tight on my hips, or too loose in my waist.
I am two sizes below the average-sized woman in America – yet somehow, I still can’t find snow gear.
The root of the problem
With the modern-day rapid movement in society around inclusivity, the snow industry has seemed to take a backseat in keeping up with the modern times. Some major retail brands in the snow space have taken certain steps towards providing outdoor apparel up to a women’s standard size 20-22; however, with only a few brands pivoting their available apparel sizes, the options can often be slim.
When shopping online for an XL or XXL snow jacket and pants, oftentimes the choices are between just a handful, forcing buyers to either secure their snow gear from the subpar options that are available, or simply just be cold. But why are sizes XL and above being viewed as “plus size” in the snow apparel space, when the average American woman is a size 16?
Former downhill ski racer and now writer and content creator Marielle Terhart has struggled with this ongoing issue for years.
“Roughly 68% of American women wear above a size 14, which generally translates to a size large,” Terhart wrote in an article. Terhart continued, stating that most outdoor apparel brands’ size charts completely stop after size XXL.
Terhart was born and raised being a very active participant in the snow industry, spending her time chasing powder year-round. She became a certified ski instructor and downhill ski racer. After several serious injuries, Terhart took a step back; however when she wanted to get back into skiing post-recovery, she felt as if she couldn’t participate any longer; as a women’s size 16, she was too large to find clothing that could keep her warm, dry, and comfortable on the mountain in her size.
“There’s this argument that fat people just aren’t interested in hiking or outdoor activities, or skiing,” Terhart wrote. “And it’s like, no, we want to do it so badly we’re willing to loosely risk our health. That’s how much we actually want to be there.”
Terhart isn’t alone in this ongoing struggle, and this frustration goes beyond just larger-sized women. Many women in the snow space have resorted to simply wearing mens snow apparel to better fit their curves and have comfortable movement when on the mountain. Women want fit and function in their gear when spending time in the snow.
Through social media network Reddit, on the channel titled r/skiing, an anonymous user highlighted her experience in response to a user asking for advice on what gear to purchase ahead of the snow season.
“Women’s snow pants are really bad for actually snowboarding and skiing, they are cut to be tight and “flattering,” rather than for function and mobility,” the social media user wrote. “Most of my pants now are mens, which are much more baggy and allow for better range of movement.”
“At the end of the day, we’re all making sacrifices for an industry that refuses to acknowledge that bodies come in all shapes and sizes,” Terhart wrote.
The Facts
When analyzing size apparel charts for the top snow brands in the 2023/24 winter season, here is some information:
| Apparel Brand | Standard Sizes | Largest/Plus Sizes Available |
| 686 | XS-XL | XL (Womens Size 12-14) |
| Burton | XXS-XL | 2XL (Womens Size 16-18) |
| Oakley | XS-XL | 3XL (Womens Size 18) |
| Helly Hansen | XS-XL | 2XL (Womens Size 16-18) |
| Volcom | XXS-XL | XL (Womens Size 14) |
| Roxy | S-XL | XL (Womens Size 14) |
Sources: Size Charts under Women’s Outerwear on 686.com, burtonsnowboards.com, oakley.com, hellyhansen.com, volcomsnow.com, roxy.com
Six of the top apparel retailers in the snow industry don’t carry above a women’s size 18, and three of these six brands don’t even carry over a women’s size 14, when the average women’s size is a size 16 in America.
When observing the size charts and data, many would just assume, “well stop complaining, and just shop at the retailers that carry your size, right?” While there are a variety of retailers that offer size inclusive options, if one takes it just a step further into the buying journey, it’s quickly realized that while the brands offer these sizes, many of them only carry a small selection of their outerwear apparel designs in these larger sizes; whilst the standard sizes listed have an expansive variety at their fingertips, both in-store and online.
“It seems like my straight-sized friends have many different options in dozens of colors, and I have none,” outdoor enthusiast Bennett Rahn said in a previous interview with Ski Magazine. “Clothing that fits bodies of all shapes and sizes should not be something that we have to ask for in the outdoor industry.”
What’s Next?
With the topic of inclusivity an ongoing touchpoint in modern society, there are many new, boutique brands that are proactively working towards providing truly inclusive sizing, as well as larger-named brands that have loyally worked to provide a space for all sizes.
Big-named brands such as Columbia Outerwear, REI, and Outdoor Research offer up to size 3-4XL, translating to a women’s size 26-28. Boutique brands in the snow space are also ramping up their efforts to be solely inclusive from their foundation to plus-sized individuals.
For example, new Australian-based snow apparel brand Nobody’s Princess has created their entire brand around a deep dive into inclusivity in sizing, their tagline reading, “women’s snow gear made to fit our unique bodies.” The brand has taken it a step further, including an interactive “find your shape” tool on their website for users to utilize when shopping for their snow gear.
Another boutique brand, Alder Apparel, makes outdoor recreation gear for women, by women. The brand offers inclusive sizing, community-informed design, sustainable and ethical production.
“We believe that outdoor recreation equals happiness and the outdoor industry should be focused on fun, not exclusively performance,” Alder Apparel’s website brand statement reads. “[We] are a real leader in inclusivity, diversity, and sustainability in the outdoor industry.”
While there are many positive measures that have been taken by many apparel brands in the space, big strides are still necessary to create any lasting waves in bridging the gap to define the snow industry as entirely inclusive. With many bigger-named retailers having their largest size available be the average size of a woman in America, it can be perceived that bigger individuals aren’t as welcome in the outdoor space. Clothing is a basic necessity, and it should be accessible.