Tactical Clothing for the tall man

[Amur]

I have been looking to get some good gear. Probably a solid base, mid and outer layer...maybe another pair of pants.

Being 6'6" and thin 215. (picture Michael jorden but white and with just slightly lower vertical;-). Its hard to find clothing. I generally avoid big and tall shops because they are horrendous, and I am not THAT tall.

When shopping for regular clothing, its hit or miss. Some 34" length pants fits perfect, others are like 2"s too short. some XL tops fit great, some are too short and some are so wide i swim in them.

Not to get to metro here, but of the tactical type brands (TAD, OTTE etc....) whats cut thin but long?

I either need cuts that fit in XL or things that have tall sizes or are customizable. I for example just ordered a pair of vertx pants because they can be had in 36' length, but that is very rare.

Thanks!

[ST911]

I am tall and thin (about your dims) and have the same problem.

36" inseams in pants are actually fairly common. I would like to see more 38" inseams, or unfinished pants in that length. The Vertx offer a little extra functional length due to the articulated knee, and I have good luck with them. The Woolrich TE were pretty consistent. The Eotacs were okay, but wore more like 1" shorter lengths. 5.11 pants in a given size may be +/- 1-2 sizes, depending on the mood at the factory.

In shirts, torso and sleeve length (38-40") are my issue and very little is satisfactory. Even those manufacturers that offer "tall" sizes are too short, and where they add length isn't always where it's needed depending on manufacturer. And again, 5.11 will vary most widely.

I am pleased with the Propper ICE polo, with a couple of recent exceptions. They must have switched factories lately, because product is not as consistent as earlier and there are as many as three different variations that I've seen.

Coats are a whole other subject.

In thermals/underwear, the Cabelas MTP and ECWCS offerings offer both good body and sleeve length.

I have found the most satisfaction with sizing in normal commercial clothing adapted to my needs. Cinch makes jeans in odd-numbered sizes that run consistent, and are available in uncommon combinations including extended inseam lengths. Columbia's tall sized shirts are both long bodied and longer sleeved and build quality is generally decent.

I like some of the TNF and Under Armor offerings, but their almost complete disregard for tall folks is odd. That is, unless you're a professional sports team.

[High Tower]

What Skintop said. I am a little bigger, but that sums it up.

Vertx makes great pants. In our size, you may have to wait a little longer for them, but they work well. The ECWCS comes in almost every size and oddly enough works pretty well. I like some of the 5.11 pants too. Blackhawk pants suck balls.

I'm still trying to find good shirts. It seems like if you have a 50" suit jacket size, then you must be a fat **** and the lower part of the shirt is cut so big I can use it as a tent if I stake it out right.

[urbantroy]

If you're looking for outerwear, check out Beyond Clothing. You can essentially get a soft shell or Gore-Tex Paclite jacket/pants in your precise measurements.

http://www.beyondclothing.com/

Eddie Bauer and (I believe) LL Bean has tall sizes too.

[din]

how are the vertx polos, lengthwise?

L.L. Bean's tall sizes are hit-or-miss, I've had to return a ton of stuff to them because the sleeves were still too short. j. crew (don't laugh) has pretty good tall sizes, and you can usually find some stuff on clearance for decent prices.

[ST911]

Blackhawk pants suck balls.

Generally, true. Interestingly though, I have some of their Warrior Wear pants (p/n uk) that have a nice cut to them, and the inseam is generous.


I'm still trying to find good shirts. It seems like if you have a 50" suit jacket size, then you must be a fat **** and the lower part of the shirt is cut so big I can use it as a tent if I stake it out right.

The nice thing about dress/formal wear is that vendors are more accustomed to working measurements and mods to get a good fit. It takes me about an hour to to get a suit marked and set up, then may still need a couple tweaks at final fitting.

I was able to order some dress shirts from a uniform supplier in some odd sizes (17x40 LB, etc). I can look up the info if you like.


L.L. Bean's tall sizes are hit-or-miss, I've had to return a ton of stuff to them because the sleeves were still too short.

Same here, with variances within the p/n. Lots of stuff I like, but "tall" has varying definition.

[High Tower]

The nice thing about dress/formal wear is that vendors are more accustomed to working measurements and mods to get a good fit. It takes me about an hour to to get a suit marked and set up, then may still need a couple tweaks at final fitting.

I was able to order some dress shirts from a uniform supplier in some odd sizes (17x40 LB, etc). I can look up the info if you like.




Interesting - I never thought of going to a uniform place. I appreciate the offer to look up info, but starting next week my clothes will be picked out by Uncle Sam again.