EXTENDED FIT SERIES

WELIKE TO THINK THAT THE OUTDOORS are for everyone. But if you’re larger-bodied, getting gear that both fits and is comfortable is sometimes far from easy. In fact, it’s often impossible. To counter that, Osprey has been working with a diverse range of product testers to redesign four of its core range of backpacks, with the result being its Extended Fit Program, which is coming this winter to Australia. The Aether/Ariel 65, Volt/Viva 65, the Talon 22/Tempest 20 and the Sportlite 25 packs will all be part of the EF Series, with all packs having redesigned elements that help make the outdoors more inclusive. Features include hip belts that are not just longer (accommodating up to 177cm/70-inch hips) but which also have substantially more padding; extended shoulder and sternum straps; and hip-belt pockets repositioned further to the front to allow wearers to access them more easily.

The new packs will have the same torso ranges and prices as standard-fit packs, and they will have women’s-specific options, too. For more info, go to osprey.com . But you can also, if you head here, read an interesting blog by size-inclusion advocate and consultant Marley Blonsky (pictured left), who partnered with Osprey to develop the range: osprey.com/stories/osprey-extended-fit-behind-the-scenes-with-marley-blonsky JAMES MCCORMACK