Winter brings a unique charm to the great outdoors, and as snow, frost (and let’s face it, rain!) blankets the UK in a chilly embrace, there are wonderful winter hiking adventures on offer. Whether it’s the crisp, cold air, majestic landscapes, or calm countryside and the absence of crowds, winter hiking an unparalleled experience. However, for plus-size individuals, the joy of hiking in winter can come with its own set of challenges. In this blog post, we’ll explore the pleasures of winter hiking in the UK while acknowledging the obstacles faced by plus-size hikers and how to overcome them ..read more

A huge welcome to Claire, our first Vampire Outdoors Ambassador. Read on to learn more about Claire, what she loves to get up to in the outdoors, and the struggles she has faced and overcome in living her best adventurous outdoorsy life. Hello there! I’m Claire, a 38 year old woman living in West Yorkshire. I openly and happily describe myself as a fat woman, roughly a 3XL-5XL. However, since women’s clothing sizes are varied, a more accurate way to do this is with my measurements – Bust 140cm – Waist 127cm and hip 158cm when standing. My outdoor activities are mostly hiking/walking and whil ..read more

Helen agreed to test our sample plus size Outdoor Research Women's Echo Hoodie. She has been using it since late November 2022 and shared her review with us in July 2023. I’ve used the plus size Echo Hoodie long sleeved top from Outdoor Research for a variety of activities - it’s become a staple piece of outdoor kit for me. It’s been on long hikes and short walks, relaxed watching the sunset, paddled down rivers and across lochs, climbed rock faces and been thrown down mountains on the back of a bike. “It’s become a staple piece of outdoor kit for me” It’s performed amazingly well. T ..read more

Welcome to the first Rebecca's Ramblings. Where I ramble on about anything that has recently inspired me, brought me joy, or I think you might be interested in hearing about!     From the 17-20 December I was in the Lake District for my first ever Kendal Mountain Festival experience. Honestly, I had no idea what to expect, but I wasn't alone. I'm one of the five founders of Every Body Outdoors, a campaign group for plus size clothing and representation, and it was in that capacity that I'd driven nearly six hours across England to the Lake District. We hadn't all met in person b ..read more

New plus size outdoor clothing from Vampire Outdoors The outdoors is for everyone, right? Except, that for some people it can feel like it isn't a welcoming place, or they feel excluded from participating because of real or perceived barriers.     Clothing can be a barrier to participation in outdoor activities if you have a plus-sized body. We know this as a fact, because one half of the Vampire Outdoors team has personal experience of the lack of plus size clothing options.   Why is Vampire Outdoors selling plus sized clothing? Rebecca (Vampire 2) is one ha ..read more

Hot weather is something that we experience probably once a year in the UK, and a lot of us are not really prepared for it when the heatwave hits. Any kind of physical exercise in the heat will increase the stresses on your body, so it's important to take care of yourself, and others, to stay safe and well. This article covers the main risks associated with hiking or other physical exercise in hot weather, tips on how to stay cool, and how to help someone who is experiencing signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke.   Avoid hiking very exposed routes with little or no shade on hot da ..read more

Have you purchased or received a Kula Cloth technical pee cloth and wondered "what the heck??" Were you awed by the beautiful Kula Cloth designs and had to have one, even though you didn't know why you needed it? Have you arrived at this page because, clutching your Kula Cloth, legs crossed desperate for a wee, you are wondering how to use it? You have come to the right place dear reader, we have you covered (but we still suggest finding a secluded spot). In this blog article we'll explain how to use your Kula Cloth as a legit piece of technical gear. Pee like a pro, and all that. 12 step ..read more