Waterproof jackets & big boobs

[Bloopbleep]

Tl;dr version: where can I find 'nice' waterproof outdoors jackets at size 18 and above?

I've been wearing the same hideous waterproof jacket for years as its one of the few I can get zipped up with a jumper on. I'm a 36F and usually an 18 on top but all the nice outdoor jackets seem to stop at a size 16. While a 14/ 16 fits my waist it squishes my boobs and rides up at the hips. Men's jackets aren't built for wider hips so while they fit at the boobs they don't fit at the bum. I'm wary of buying online without having tried it on first but I'm getting desperate.

I'm a bit of an outdoors /waterproof snob so I'm not talking Peter Snow or Trespass which are usually crap as soon as it rains, and as I live in Scotland it needs to be something I can wear with a jumper/fleece underneath. Even if I find an 18 they only fit with a tshirt not jumper too.

I get so despondent looking at outdoor hiking gear that I love but cannot wear. I adore North Face and Jack Wolfskin but they very rarely do anything in larger sizes. I used to be flat chested and never had this problem but a child and years of corticosteroids changed all that.

Can anyone recommend decent outdoors gear I could hike up a mountain wearing that accommodates chub and boobs?

I had another idea, what about Helly Hanson or some of the sailing brands? Maybe lady sailors come in more sizes. Do need a proper technical alpine jacket to wear with helmet/harness or are you "just" scrambling up munros in sideways rain?

I would second Berghaus - I'm normally a 14ish and find I'm an L or XL in outdoor gear (ridiculous!). A kind friend lent me her size 18 Berghaus jacket when I got pregnant and it was still doing up to 7-8 months so they are definitely generous.

E.g. helly hansen Salt jacket comes in 2xl and is a technical shell not a schoolkids anorak.

Oh I forgot about Helly Hansen. My mum is a 24 on top due to her boobs and she wore them and another sailing brand I can't remember that was ridiculously expensive.
It's just munros in sideways rain at the moments I layers are good. I have a fantastic French made ski jacket for snow sports but it's too warm for just walking in. Can't remember the brand.

I had berghaus for years and it was great but the newer ones leak quicker. Planned obsolescence perhaps? I know I'm being ridiculously picky. Maybe I'm an odd shape

I wear around a 32J and have a couple from Happy Rainy Days which are great

Have you tried Rohan, as linked above?

In your position I think I'd order 3 or 4 jackets in an 18/2XL of the right spec on my credit card. There will probably be only 4or 5 contendors, one will fit and return the rest. Agree though; I'm a 16 and it's bad enough. Then there's finding trousers....

Is it Musto the sailing one? My parents sail too and have some of those.

I'm a 34K so I feel your pain!
Brands I have that fit are sprayway, regatta, musto
Musto one I got from TK Maxx and it's fab, fits really nice. The sprayway is a 16 and zips up perfectly
Also have a Merrell one but that's not waterproof, waist and bust both perfect

Musto is the sailing brand I was trying to think of. They can get very expensive tho! They're fantastic.

I don't have a credit card and certainly not enough to buy 3 or 4 jackets at once (oh but I can dream)

Sprayway is my existing but extremely smelly waterproof jacket and it's a size 20 so I can get a couple of good layers on. I got it at go outdoors but they've not stocked those kinds of sizes at the nearest one to me in the years since.

I'm still wishing north face would do their nice women's jackets in sizes above a 16 (they do up but I wouldn't feel confident actually moving) I did manage to get a body warmer in xl a few years ago, which is amazing, but when I returned for the same model with sleeves they only went up to a large.

This is from north face and they do up to XXL? There's a few on the website in XL and XXL
https://www.thenorthface.co.uk/shop/en-gb/tnf-gb/women-jackets-waterproof/women%26-39%3Bs-evolve-ii-triclimate%26-174%3B-jacket-CG56?variationId=HBM

In fact I'm now eyeing that up for myself in black as it comes with a removable fleece too. Damn you

I have a Musto jacket from TKMaxx. In fact, a lot of our outdoor stuff is from TKMaxx.

I'm a 40G and both North Face XL and Patagonia XL fit comfortably.

Women's musto sale, quite a lot in a size 18
http://www.musto.com/sale/womens-clothing/coats-jackets-gilets/size1830894

Didriksons - every time. I live in Scotland too and they really do cope with the rain. Relatively stylish, too. They come either padded or unpadded.
Their size 46 (approx UK 18) fits similar size to the one you mention with a moderate jumper underneath - though I am quite fine-boned, if fairly tall. They are expensive but you can often get them more cheaply from sites such as Viking Kids, Hoggs of Fife, Laws of Kirkudbright and Outnorth (Scandinavian and excellent).

The only problem with online shopping is having to return if it's wrong. I regularly go into the north face shop in town but they rarely stock (or agree to order in) xl or xxl sizes and it's only a few ranges that do those sizes - and not the pretty colours very often.

I am liking that jacket in the link in black tho which buggers up my attempt at brightening up

I do a lot of dog walking and can highly recommend Lands End - their plus size range is generous and has a wide range of styles. Their stuff is good quality, waterproof and lasts years. Also try the equine ranges - Fuller Fillies specialise in larger sizes but there are a few good makes out there.

Bloop, I just try to look on the postage charges as the same as petrol/parking and my time. It helps! And, if it helps you to get a jacket that fits that you love it is worth it.

Be careful of Helly Hansen - I'm smaller than you (16 on top but busty with relatively narrow shoulders and waist ) and can't fit into their large jackets, my ski jacket is XL. Equally my NorthFace down parka is XXL - I couldn't zip up the large comfortably and they didn't have XL in stock at the time. XXL is not ridiculously big once I've got some layers on.

I agree the sizing for busty women is insane, no disrespect to larger ladies, but no way should I be wearing XXL, large yes. I also agree that men's cuts often don't work if you have hips as well as boobs.

LLBean might be worth a try if their shipping rates to the UK are not too crazy. They do a wide range of sizes and while not especially stylish I have had no problems with their quality. It's US sizing so measure to be sure what size to try if you use them.