Gear for the tall guy

[Exploriment]

I'm a tall boy. I'm just a touch under 6'7". That's a bit over 2 meters.

I got callouses on my head, I have to stoop to do dishes (I look like a splayed giraffe at a watering hole), my shower does an amazing job of keeping my navel clean, I have to turn down an otherwise lovely house because the basement was built with a Portuguese family in mind, it's rough I tell ya.

Now I'm wondering who else around here is taller than average. Let's say taller than 6'2". All you lanky lads can commiserate with the injustice of stuff not fitting right, having to pay extra for sleeping bags, etc.

So what I'd like to know is, what gear have you found to be either good or bad, in regards to your height? Please state your height and what gear worked or didn't to accomodate your height. Clothes, packs, sleeping bags, etc.

Have you had luck with sleeping bags, bivvy bags, tents, packs, jackets, etc. Please list all your success stories, and ultimately stuff that came up short (ha ha). What company offers longer than average inseam lengths for instance. I guess another consideration is boots, and sizing. The one silver lining in my cloud is that I have comparatively small feet (11 1/2 - 12) but I imagine that some of you guys may have big feet. So what boots can accomodate your size?

Let's compile a list of stuff to help one another out. Civilian, military, whatever works.

For starters:

While I haven't ever used one of these packs, this company, McHale Packs, I have seen advertise packs specifically aimed at the vertically advantaged (that's the new politically correct term for being tall, doncha know. )

I know Wiggys and by extension, Drop Zone (the Canadian distributor for Wiggys) have their terrific bags available for up to 6'6"

Integral Designs have a lot of their bivvys in fairly long lengths.

 

[MagiKelly]

I am 6 foot 3 - 4 inches. Not sure exactly as I have not checked.

Clothing is the main thing. Getting trousers with a 36 inch inside leg is not easy. I always roll up my shirt sleeves as the cuffs never reach my wrists. For outdoor clothing Army issue is usually a good source as they are used to tall folk and the gear is there. The one exception is British Army trousers. I have never managed to get a pair of lightwieght trousers to fit.

Sleeping bags I can generally get without too much trouble but I do have to try a few in the shop to make sure first. Boots, I am a size 10 so no real problems there. Gloves are another story, takes a while to get a good big pair.

My favourite lie is , "One size fits all". Any time I see that I KNOW it will not fit.

Hopefully as the average hieght is moving up more kit will be made to suit the our size.

 

[Exploriment]

I recall reading a bunch of years back that the when the Netherlands still had a draft, they used to get over three hundred guys a year that were 2 meters or over. I have several pairs of Dutch DPM pants and they fit me better than any pants I've ever owned. So well that I often have to turn the cuff over. And, the stuff is always pristine. No worn out crap. I always thought that it was an over run or new stuff came in, time to get rid of the old stuff. I was told that it is an accounting issue; dump a load of stuff, and buy more, otherwise the budget next year gets reduced. I'm not complaining.

So, if you can find them, Dutch DPM pants are the way to go. Sturdy as all get out too. Belt loops are a joke, but they can be easily replaced.

 

[hootchi]

I'm 6ft 3in and don't really have a great problem finding clothes. I must be on the limit. I just get the biggest trousers, most brands are accommodating. Boots normally do my size(can't remember exactly) as well. Tents can be a bit of a nuisence but mine is long enough for me so is my sleeping bag.

I have never had to buy specialist long gear so I guess this has not been much help and must just be your extra 4 inches that makes the difference. 6ft 4in and up. :biggthump

 

[MagiKelly]

Yep, I have three pairs of Dutch DPM trousers. They are the biz. The waist adjustment is also great for a comfy fit. I have always wanted to go see if all the Dutch soldiers are really tall :yikes:

 

[grumit]

I got callouses on my head, I have to stoop to do dishes (I look like a splayed giraffe at a watering hole), my shower does an amazing job of keeping my navel clean, I have to turn down an otherwise lovely house because the basement was built with a Portuguese family in mind, it's rough I tell ya.

whats a portuguese family got to do with being tall i'm tall and have a portuguese family of which my brother inlaw is over 6.2 so fail to to see where that remark is going but apart from that i find the web tex bivvi to be well long i can get my kit at my feet and still loads of room for my sleeping bag

 

[Exploriment]

Around where I live there is a huge Portuguese community. In my own experience they are anything but tall. I've got heaps of friends who are of Portuguese extraction and they are virtually all tiny. I worked for a company where 70% of the workforce was Portuguese. 5' tops. Most of the houses around here were built by them, for them. I suspect that even they have to stoop to move around in the basements. Nice houses, well built, but I fail to see the point of moving into one if half or a third of the house is pretty much unusable because I have to move around on my knees or bent in half.