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FAO Average Sized Women!!

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Hello All!

I'm having a bit of a problem acquiring a base layer/thermals.

My problem is that i'm a fairly average sized female (5ft 3, slim, totally in proportion), so far i have tried the following on thermals:

M&S - legs way too long, arms way too long
Helly Hanson Lifa - lovely thermals, but again everything too long

The problem when they are too long is that they gather and this is uncomfortable when i wear other layers on top.

My other consideration is cost, i can't afford anything too expensive (that's why i was desperate for the Lifa stuff to fit - nice looking, great repuation and only £14.99 in Cheshire Oaks!).

What thermals are other average women wearing!? Or are all thermals made for girls with chimp arms (like my friend who kitted herself out completely in one shopping trip because everything just fitted perfectly!).

Thanks anyone
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
magic_hat,

Have you tried Millets? That's what I have. I'm quite tall and slim, but I don't think my arms are particularly long! If anything the sleeves are a bit short for me.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
magic_hat, Try HH kids stuff Laughing
I have kids HH and adult Millets, but according to some snowHead I am a bit verticaly challenged rolling eyes
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Mountain Warehouse have "Parallel" base layers, £18 for top and bottom (on the website) but I got two for the price of one at their shop in Gunwharf Quay in Portsmouth on Friday. They have a shop in Manchester (and lots of others). Seemed a good place generally - some quality Goretex jackets reduced, but I managed to escape with only the thermals. They seem a good fit, I got women's size 12.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
sorry, I meant £18 each for top and bottom, but £18 for two with the BOGOF offer
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You'll need to Register first of course.
I think we need fotos..!!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
JT, wink wink magic_hat, what a fine suggestion?

But serioiusly, I have similar problems on the other side of the gender divide (short limbs from a clothing point of view).

I have checked against da Vinci's "ideal" and I am "perfectly formed" wink so I have no idea how these guys decide on clothes measurements, grrr!. Although I find Peak performance fits pretty well - but it's expensive.

One slightly left field thought: many mfrs now do 3/4 length longjohns to keep the lower part out of the skiboot. And many do short sleeve uppers. If your arms don't get cold "short" tops and bottoms might be the way forward?

Also, the better 0.5 buys fleeces from these "cheap" no-brand shops that most resorts seem to have. Inexpensive (but basic polarfleece is basic polarfleece) and the sizing seems better for those of us blessed with smaller stature.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Last winter the Val d'Isere market was selling micro fleeces for (as best as I remember) 15 euros; cannot comment on the range of sizes they had. Magic_hat, might be worth looking in the market at your ski resort.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
If you're only 5'3'' cant you just buy kids?
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Quote:

(but basic polarfleece is basic polarfleece)

I've looked at fleeces at vastly different prices - eg great cheap range in Decathlon, loads of colours, good women's cut, arms not made for gorillas. And stuff costing hugely more. Can anyone tell me what an expensive fleece does, that a Decathlon fleece doesn't?
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
pam w, I've had too good a Sunday lunch to be good at that. There's a whole bunch of technical stuff about fleece - a lot of which I am not convinced about.

If you don't mind waiting till tomorrow...
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
pam w, I've found that some of the standard fairly high spec fleeces do last a lot longer - my sprayway classic averages about 5 years day in day out wear before needing replacement.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Quote:

5 years day in day out wear before needing replacement.


Wow. What do you do that can be done day in day out for 5 years in a fleece?????
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
pam w wrote:
Can anyone tell me what an expensive fleece does, that a Decathlon fleece doesn't?


It looks good? Shocked Laughing Laughing

Sorry! It depends what you want the fleece to do. I've gone through different weights of fleeces until I've found something that works with my ski jacket and how hot/cold I get when I ski.

An old (cheap) fleece of mine had bulky pockets which when underneath the bulky pockets on my jacket made me look fat. If you want to wear your fleece as an underlayer - I suggest you try and find one without pockets or at least pockets with thin linings rather than 2-layers of additional fleece material.

I layer up depending on the weather forecast rather than buy one thick fleece to suit all weathers...
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Fleeces should be measured in togs and the more expensive brands will probably be be albe to tell you what tog they are.
I have a polatec 200 which is pretty warm... a 300 is warmer, for example... and it goes over a microfleece and under a hard shell and I'm toast in all but the coldest... I use a slimline one as well so they don't bulk up under a pack/outer shell

All of this may be tosh so just know what works for you in the context that you will use it. Until you get into the technical layers/soft shells, one warm fleece is all you need as a mid layer IMV
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
JT, I'm intrigued...what exactly attracted you into this thread, given the title Laughing
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
pam w, A lot of the cheaper b clothing brands still use polartec as the material. More expensive fleeces can be lighter/wind resistant/water repellent/iPod ready/etc. In many cases not worth the extra money.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
magic_hat, can you not simply cut them to the right size???
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snowbunny,

The totally in proportion bit... !!! lol: but I think in highly technical matters like this we do need foto's...just to be sure the fit is going to be uber comfortable and applicable for the purpose...!! Laughing
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
JT, There are occasions when the motives behind your posts might just be misunderstood by some SH wink Not by me though Laughing
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You'll need to Register first of course.
snowbunny,

Yep, bain of my life...totally misunderstood..!!

How Val D A... I hear Arno may be due out this this week...!!
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
JT,
Quote:

How Val D A... I hear Arno may be due out this this week...!!

Grimentz has 50cm upper slopes, 30cm lower slopes, mix of artificial and powder, 5 lifts open, weekends only, until the 17th Dec. Zinal not open yet http://www.rma.ch/ Very Happy
Quote:

Yep, bain of my life...totally misunderstood..!!

Hmmmm, well if you say so Laughing
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
magic_hat, Buy it in France! Seriously, the French are much smaller in general and you should be able to find a good fit for a much better price.

Fleece prices - hmmmmm. I just bought 2 fleeces from Leclerc for €8.50 each and they seem pretty warm to me. Very Happy Very Happy
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