I figured there was a catch. I’ve long struggled with outdoor apparel with a small waist but broad shoulders and short legs for my height. Getting enough freedom of movement in my shoulders for climbing often meant sizing up to a billowy torso. And if I didn’t size up, the jacket was often too short for my torso and arms, and the pants were too small in the thigh.
Made Custom Apparel assured me that these woes would end with its brand. The MSRP, which starts at $1,000 for the set, surprised me. It equals other “stock” high-end shell systems I’ve used for alpine or ice climbing. So I agreed to test the custom shell system during a week of ice climbing in Alaska’s backcountry.
I hiked, snowshoed, rode a snow machine, and flew into drainages and side canyons around Caribou Creek and the Matanuska Glacier to hunt for first ascents. And I climbed in temperatures barely into the double digits. The wind was often relentless, and the snow was waist-deep.
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