Clothing
Here are some online stores that carry outdoor clothing in standard plus sizes, and some carry larger sizes as well. I will review many of the items I've purchased from these retailers so you can get real reviews and feedback about the durability, comfort, and usefullness of the items.
Junonia carries excellent quality outdoor/exercise clothing in sizes well above what the major retailers offer. They are my first stop when looking for durable and well-made hiking clothes. Unfortunately they sometimes run out of stock and it can be awhile before items come back in. Also their clothing runs large and is not as stylish as the clothing offered by straight-sized outdoor retailers like REI.
Land's End carries a plus-size line of outdoor clothing with most items reaching only up the standard size 24. There are some items they carry in sizes up to 5x though, but you have to search the website for them. Enter 4x or 5x into the Land's End website search box and it will pull up any items they carry in that size. It's not ideal, not a great selection, but very helpful to know about. I recently bought their Outrigger Rain jacket in 5x, and was relieved to have finally found a rain jacket in my size.
Eddie Bauer offers clothing in sizes up to 24, which is not super helpful if you are someone like me. However, I put them on this list because I have a pair of performance fabric hiking pants in a size 3x that I can still wear now. The waist is a bit tight but stretches out enough to be wearable. These pants are durable, wicking, and not hideous. Plus they have lots of useful, but unobtrusive, pockets all over.
REI carries the standard plus-size options, but no larger sizes that would be helpful. They have in-person stores though, which makes them more useful than some other sites. If you have an REI near you, I urge you to go and just try things on. Sometimes clothing will fit even though the size is smaller than what you would normally wear. Also, REI staff is really helpful and can make recommendations about things to try on that run large.
New Balance has a few styles of hiking shoes that are available in wide sizes. The hiking shoes I currently wear are from NB, and finding them was a huge boon for my hiking life. Having footwear that actually fits is one of the most important things you can do. A shoe that is supportive and wide enough for your foot will help you accomplish much more than you would otherwise.
Camelbak makes great backpacks with built-in water reservoirs. They have a number of styles that do not have the additional waistbelt that can be an obstacle for those of us with larger bellies. I will review my Cloudwalker backpack soon.
Gear
Coming soon!
What to pack for a day hike
Coming soon!
What to pack for an overnight
Coming soon!
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