Binders in the Outdoors

When outside:

Stretch! Make sure to stretch a lot before before and after activity. Also hydrate!

-Finn

If I decide to bind while venturing into the wild, I try to use a binder a size or two larger than I normally do. Alternatively, I’ll use a compression sports bra. Not quite as flattening, but a great way to ensure I’m still able to breathe. I also take breaks and listen to my body, removing the binder if I feel out of breath or too constricted.

-Casey 

Multi Day & Overnight Trips: 

In general, the recommendation is that you shouldn't be binding more than about 8 hours a day. If you want to exercise in your binder, it's good to wear one size bigger than you usually do to give your body some extra room. So unless you're chilling at the campsite all day during a camping trip, I would suggest wearing a size up! Then once you're at camp for the night, change out of your binder to give your chest and body a break until the next day, as much as possible. At the very least, make sure to take your binder off for sleeping.

-Ary 

For binding outdoors, especially when doing multi-day trips or swimming, I would recommend having 2 binders if possible so that if one binder gets really sweaty or wet, you can switch and be more comfortable.

As with binding in general, especially with binder tops, it's always important to take a break from binding at the end of the day. I know it can feel uncomfortable but it's important to be able to breathe deeply. For me I switched from a binder to a loose sports bra for sleeping which allowed for deeper breaths but still compression so I felt more aligned with my gender.

Another option I explored is trans tape for binding. I struggled with this because I had a larger chest so I never felt flat enough but I know quite a few folks who prefer this method of binding as it can be safer, a great option for active folks, and you can wear the tape overnight. Also the tape colors often are skin tone so people can really feel completely shirtless.

-Jabri

When in the Water:

For binding outdoors, especially when doing multi-day trips or swimming, I would recommend having 2 binders if possible so that if one binder gets really sweaty or wet, you can switch and be more comfortable

For swimming, binders make excellent swim tops and were moments of euphoria for me before being able to get top surgery. It was the closest I could get to being flat and feeling shirtless. Again advice here is that if you swim in the binder, make sure to switch out or take a break later in the day because the water always makes it feel tighter/more compressed.

-Jabri

Another thing I'd recommend is getting a swimsuit binder if you're planning to be on a canoe trip or otherwise go swimming. Swimming in a regular binder isn't usually the best idea, as it's really hard to take it off when it's wet! There are several companies now that makes compression/binding swimwear, but the one I had was from Outplay. I liked it a lot and sometimes wore it as a normal binder (like when I wasn't even swimming) because it was pretty comfy for me and I didn't have as much side-boob as I did with my regular binder.

-Ary

Brands:

For brands, some popular ones are gc2b (trans-owned!), Underworks, and Tomboyx. My binder was gc2b and I loved it a lot! 

-Ary

The brand I loved when I was binding was gc2b. It's a trans owned company and they often give back to trans and/or BIPOC nonprofits and artists. I really like how they have many different colors and styles plus they are somewhat affordable. And they have size inclusive offerings which was important for me as a larger bodied person.

-Jabri

It can be hard to find places to try on binders in person, but in Portland, the two places I've found that have them are (potentially) SheBop, and the Pencil Test up on Alberta and 24th! My first binder was from the Pencil Test, and even though my gc2b binder was way better, it was so helpful being able to try on one before purchasing something, as they can get expensive. Also, Target recently started selling chest binders, so folks might be able to try on some there!

-Ary