Rohan Sizing Guide: How Their Outdoor & Travel Clothing Actually Fits

By Ella Blake – Senior Fashion Stylist & Founder | Tellar — Always honest, unbiased, & unsponsored post

Rohan generally comes up true to size — but it’s cut for comfort and movement rather than a sharp, tailored line, so most women can order their usual UK size with confidence, with just a couple of category-specific quirks worth knowing first. As a stylist who has spent years pulling outdoor and travel pieces for clients who want to look pulled-together at the airport and on the trail, Rohan is one of the few brands I trust to fit predictably — which, frankly, is half the battle with technical clothing.

Let me walk you through it properly.

Does Rohan come up true to size?

Yes, broadly. If you’re a UK 12 in your everyday wardrobe, a UK 12 in Rohan will almost always be the right call. The brand has used straightforward UK sizing since 1972, and that consistency is one of the reasons their loyal customers keep coming back year after year.

The thing to understand is Rohan’s design philosophy: these clothes are built to be worn hard — packed, layered, rained on, sat in for nine-hour flights. So the cut leans roomy and forgiving rather than body-skimming.

Generally true to size, especially tops, shirts and base layers.
Cut for comfort and range of movement, not a nipped-in tailored fit.
Shoppers used to US sizing often find it runs slightly small — that’s the UK-to-US conversion talking, not the garment.

A quick confession: early in my styling career I sized down in a Rohan trail trouser, convinced I’d get a sleeker line for a lookbook shoot. Rookie error. I couldn’t crouch, the styling looked strained, and I learned the lesson every outdoor stylist eventually does — these pieces are designed around the body’s movement, and fighting that never photographs well.

Where the fit gets specific

This is where knowing the category really pays off. Rohan isn’t one-size-fits-all in its cut, so a little intel goes a long way.

Trousers: A genuine highlight. Rohan offers Short (29″), Regular (31″) and Long (33″) inside-leg options, so you can match the length to your actual leg rather than rolling or hemming. If you’re between sizes on the waist, size up — the comfort cut means a touch of room reads as relaxed, not baggy.
Fleece and midlayers: These run boxy and generous. Lovely worn over a base layer, but if you want a trimmer look, consider sizing down or styling with a fitted layer underneath.
Waterproofs and shells: Sized to allow light layering beneath, so they can feel roomy on a bare body. That’s intentional — leave space for a jumper rather than sizing down.
Slim women’s cuts (the Dry Requisite Jacket is the classic example): these run narrow at the bust and hips, so if you’re curvier, size up or choose a more relaxed style.
Base layers: Slim but not compressive — buy your true size and wear them next to the skin. Don’t size up unless you’re stacking thermals beneath.

My styling advice for buying Rohan

The trick with technical brands is to stop thinking like a hiker and start thinking like a stylist.

Buy for your largest measurement, then refine. With comfort-cut clothing, your widest point (usually hips or bust) decides whether you can actually move — get that right and the rest follows.
Use the length options. A regular-leg trouser hemmed badly ruins an otherwise great piece. Rohan’s three lengths are a gift; use them.
Layer with intent. Their shells leave room for a reason — plan your midlayer so the proportions look deliberate, not drowning.
Don’t chase a slim silhouette in a relaxed garment. If you want tailored, choose a tailored style; if you want freedom of movement, embrace the roomier cut and balance it with a fitted top or a defined waist elsewhere.

The best brands to shop alongside Rohan

If you love Rohan’s blend of function and quiet style, here’s where I’d send clients across the price spectrum.

High street & mid-market

Barbour — the obvious British heritage choice for waterproofs and country styling that still looks smart in town.
Seasalt Cornwall — coastal, practical and genuinely weatherproof, with a softer, prettier edge than most outdoor labels.
Fat Face — relaxed, easy outdoor-leaning casualwear that layers beautifully under a shell.
Joules — country-inspired pieces with print and personality for the less technical days.
Sweaty Betty — when you want the technical performance with a sharper, more flattering cut.
Lululemon — brilliant for travel-friendly, wrinkle-resistant fabrics that move with you.
Timberland — dependable for outdoor footwear and rugged outerwear that goes the distance.
Lands’ End — understated, sensibly cut practical pieces with a similar buy-it-for-life feel.

Premium

Patagonia — the ethical benchmark for technical outerwear, built to last and to be repaired rather than replaced.
Berghaus — British mountain-tested kit with proper, serious waterproof credentials.

Luxury & designer

Arc’teryx — the connoisseur’s technical brand; precision-engineered shells at a serious price point.
Moncler — where performance outerwear meets genuine fashion luxury.

Two independent labels I love

Páramo — a directional British brand with a unique, ethically made waterproof system that performs differently to standard membranes. Quietly brilliant and criminally under-known.
Finisterre — Cornwall’s cult sustainable outdoor and surf brand, beautifully designed and built around real environmental values.

How Tellar takes the guesswork out

Here’s the honest truth: even with all of the above, sizing varies piece to piece — and that’s exactly why I built Tellar.

Never look at a size guide again

Tellar is the UK’s leading sizing tool — measure once and your body is instantly matched to 1,500+ brands, so you can shop with total confidence.

Measure once, using bust, waist, hip, or an existing brand size you already trust.
Use the Store Size Lookup tool to get your precise size in any brand — COS, Reiss, Everlane, Arket & more.
Always free, no downloads needed — it works straight in your browser.

Visit Tellar → | Try the Store Size Lookup →

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