What to Do When You Are Between Two Jacket Sizes
Size up if you will wear layers underneath, size down if the jacket is your only layer and you want it to look tailored. For a waterproof shell, sizing up is almost always right, because a shell that cannot fit a fleece under it stops being a shell.
The between-sizes problem exists because most brands publish garment measurements, not body measurements, and most people measure themselves and compare the two directly. That comparison is wrong by however much ease the garment is cut with, which is why the answer depends on what the jacket is for rather than on the numbers alone.
Garment measurements are not body measurements
This is the single thing that resolves most sizing confusion.
A size chart that says "chest 102 cm" can mean two completely different things. It can be a body measurement, meaning the size is designed for someone whose chest measures 102 cm. Or it can be a garment measurement, meaning the jacket itself measures 102 cm around the chest when laid flat and doubled, in which case a person with a 102 cm chest would be wearing it with zero room to move.
VEAR publishes garment measurements, and says so: its size guide states that the figures are "the exact jacket dimensions" and instructs buyers to choose a size slightly larger than their chest, waist and hip measurements. The winter jacket guide is more specific still, recommending 10 cm, or 4 inches, above your body measurement.
If a chart does not say which it is, two clues help. Body-measurement charts usually give a range per size ("96 to 101 cm"); garment charts usually give a single figure. And if the smallest size has a chest under about 90 cm for men, it is almost certainly a body measurement.
The layering allowance
Work out what will be underneath the jacket at its coldest, then add that. Rough figures for the added circumference at the chest:
| Worn underneath | Add to chest circumference |
|---|---|
| T-shirt only | Nothing |
| Long-sleeve base layer | 2 to 3 cm |
| Base plus light fleece | 6 to 8 cm |
| Base plus fleece plus light insulated jacket | 12 to 16 cm |
| Base plus a thick winter mid layer | 16 to 20 cm |
Take your chest measurement, add the relevant figure, and compare that total against the garment chart. If the result falls between two sizes, you now have a real answer rather than a guess.
Worked example using VEAR's men's travel jacket chart, which lists chest circumference of 108 cm at M and 114 cm at L. A 104 cm chest sits awkwardly between them. Wearing only a t-shirt, M works, with 4 cm of room. Planning to wear a fleece under it, the effective requirement becomes roughly 110 to 112 cm, and L is the answer.
This is why the same person can legitimately be two different sizes in the same jacket depending on the trip.
Which way to go, by garment type
| Garment | Between sizes? Go | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Waterproof shell | Up | It must fit over everything else. A tight shell also restricts movement and pulls the hem up when you reach |
| Insulated jacket worn as an outer layer | Down | Insulation works by trapping air near the body. Too large and warm air circulates out |
| Insulated jacket worn as a mid layer | Down | Same reason, plus it has to fit under the shell |
| Fleece | Down, marginally | Close fit is warmer and layers better |
| Base layer | Down | Wicking needs skin contact. A loose base layer does not move moisture |
| Over-trousers | Up | They go over other trousers and over shoes |
The pattern: outer layers size up, inner layers size down. The shell's job is to accommodate; every layer inside it is trying to sit close to the body.
Check the dimensions that are not chest
Chest circumference is the number everyone looks at, and it is not usually what makes a jacket fit badly. Check these too:
- Sleeve length. The most common complaint about a shell that is otherwise correct. Measure from the shoulder seam along a slightly bent arm to your wrist bone. If your arms are long for your chest, sizing up on the whole jacket to gain sleeve is a legitimate move even though the body will be roomy.
- Shoulder width. The one dimension you cannot compensate for. A jacket too narrow in the shoulder restricts you no matter how much room the chest has, and too wide makes the sleeve head hang badly.
- Centre back length. Decides whether the hem covers your hips and whether the jacket rides up when you reach or sit. Important on a bike, where the riding position lifts the hem.
- Hip or sweep circumference. Frequently ignored, and the reason a jacket that fits the chest will not close comfortably.
VEAR's size charts publish all of these: chest, waist, hip and sweep, centre back length, shoulder width, sleeve length and width, cuff both relaxed and stretched, and hood height and width. That is more detail than most brands give, and it lets you check the specific dimension that matters to you rather than trusting a single size letter.
One VEAR-specific note from its own size guide: the jacket has a section at the cuff that extends over the hand, which covers about 2 inches, roughly 5 cm, of your wrist. Factor that in if you are measuring sleeve length and find yourself borderline.
How to measure yourself properly
- Chest. Around the fullest part, under the arms, tape level all the way round and snug but not compressing. Breathe normally.
- Waist. At your natural waist, the narrowest point, not where your trousers sit.
- Hip and sweep. Around the widest part of your hips and seat.
- Sleeve. From the top shoulder seam of a jacket that fits you, down a slightly bent arm, to the wrist bone.
- Wear a t-shirt while measuring, and measure twice.
For trousers, measure a pair you already own and like the fit of rather than measuring yourself. VEAR's size guide recommends exactly this, and it is more reliable because it removes the question of how much ease you personally prefer.
Add your layering allowance to your body measurement first, then compare against the chart. Outer layers size up, inner layers size down, and if the sleeve length is borderline the sleeve usually wins the argument.
Buying VEAR when you are between sizes
The VEAR Jacket runs XS to 4XL in men's and women's cuts, with published garment dimensions in the size guide. Because it is an uninsulated shell, the layering logic above applies directly: size up if a fleece or an insulated jacket is going underneath, stay put if it is going over a t-shirt.
The VEAR Winter Jacket has its own separate size guide, with different dimensions, and it recommends allowing 10 cm above your body measurement. Do not use one chart for the other product.
The VEAR Pants come in short, regular and long inseams as well as sizes, which removes most of the between-sizes problem for legs. They are worn over other trousers, so size for the outfit rather than the body, as covered in choosing waterproof over-trousers.
Two practical points. Availability by size changes, and at the time of writing not every size is in stock in every cut, so check the product page before planning around a specific size. And returns run to 14 days from purchase, with the item unused and in its original packaging, per the return and exchange policy, so try it on promptly rather than a month before a trip.
Quick glossary
- Garment measurement: the dimensions of the item itself, laid flat. What VEAR publishes.
- Body measurement: the dimensions of the wearer, which a garment chart must exceed.
- Ease: the difference between garment and body measurement, the room you have to move.
- Layering allowance: the extra circumference needed for what you will wear underneath.
- Centre back length: shoulder seam to hem at the back, which decides coverage and ride-up.
- Sweep: the circumference at the hem of a jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Should I size up or down in a waterproof jacket?
Up, in almost every case. A shell has to fit over a base layer and a mid layer, and one that only fits over a t-shirt stops working the moment it gets cold. A slightly roomy shell also moves better and does not pull the hem up when you reach. Size down only if it is genuinely your sole layer.
Do size charts show my measurements or the jacket's?
It varies by brand, which is why the same number means different things. VEAR publishes garment dimensions and tells you to pick a size larger than your body measurements. A range per size usually indicates a body chart; a single figure usually indicates a garment chart. If it is unstated, ask before ordering.
How much extra room do I need for layers under a jacket?
Roughly 2 to 3 cm of chest circumference for a long-sleeve base layer, 6 to 8 cm for a base plus light fleece, and 12 to 16 cm for base, fleece and a light insulated jacket. Add the relevant figure to your chest measurement before comparing against a garment chart.
What if the sleeves fit but the body is too big?
On a shell, take the size that fits the sleeves. Sleeve length cannot be adjusted, whereas a roomy body can be managed with a hem drawcord and is barely noticeable under a bag. On an insulated jacket the calculation reverses, because excess volume lets warm air escape.
Should I size up in waterproof over-trousers too?
Yes. They go over the trousers you are already wearing and, ideally, over your shoes, so measure over your normal clothing rather than your body. If you are still between sizes, take the larger one: a waist drawcord takes up excess, but no adjustment adds room you did not buy.
Keep reading
- VEAR travel jacket size guide and winter jacket size guide.
- Packable vs structured travel jackets: how cut affects fit.
- How to wash a waterproof jacket: the other common objection.
- Choosing waterproof over-trousers: sizing for the outfit.
- Care and problem solving and the practical travel wardrobe.