FEMININE SIDE IS COMING OUT SPECIAL LINE FROM OUTDOOR RETAILER HAS WOMEN IN MIND.

Byline: Bill Becher Staff Writer

Women are shaped differently than men.

That's something that has come to the notice of manufacturers of outdoor recreational gear.

Specialized clothing and shoes made for cycling, hiking, rock climbing and fishing have long been made in men's and women's styles, but women have had to make due with equipment designed primarily for men.

Now outdoor gear retailer REI has been expanding its line of equipment designed specifically for women. It also has a new section on its Web site rei.com devoted just to women's gear.

Julie Baxter, director of brand design and management at REI, said, ``It's been difficult for women to find gear that's anatomically correct for them. They've had to spend a lot of time tweaking their gear.

``We've spent a lot of time and effort researching and developing products around women's needs.''

Baxter cited the example of new packs for women that are designed for a woman's upper body shape and torso length.

REI's Novara line of bicycles includes bikes designed for women with frames sized to fit their longer legs and shorter torsos. The bikes also feature narrower handlebars and brake levers that fit women's smaller hands.

The result for REI has been a higher growth rate in the sale of women's products than men's.

``I think it's a great indicator that more women are spending time in the outdoors with products designed specifically for them,'' Baxter said.

Here is a sample of women-specific outdoor products available online or at the company's stores:

The REI Venus women's backpack is a new internal-frame all-season backpack with an ultra-adjustable suspension. It's not just a smaller version of a men's pack, the women-specific design features a slimmer width and height plus anatomically angled and ergonomic shoulder straps to fit a woman's shape. $195.

The company's Novara Singletrack woman's hydration pack for bicycling is also designed to fit a woman's upper body. $40.

REI's Kilauea sleeping bags are cut to mimic a woman's shape while also providing extra insulation in the hood and foot area to help retain heat. $139.00 in regular size.

The Venus kayak is the first sit-on-top specifically designed for the average woman's build. The seat accommodates both fuller hips and shorter arms and provides a higher, drier ride, since a woman's low center of gravity does not require a deep seat for stability. The lightweight kayak built by Ocean Kayak allows people with less upper body strength to move the boat more easily. $499.

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REI's Novara Singletrack hydration pack, $40, is specially designed to fit a woman's upper body.

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