how do you know if you have long arms?

[Seal]

This sounds dumb I know but is there some universal size chart for what's long arms and what's short arms?

[solobiker]

Climbers, as in rock climbers sometimes refer to people with long arms as "positive ape index" and people with so called shorter arms " negative ape index". Essentially what they mean is if when you hold your arms out to your sides at a 90 degree angle to your body and take the measurement from the finger tips of you left hand to the finger tips of your right hand and this number is higher then your height then you have a positive ape index. My husband has a positive ape index and he could just reach his way through some tough rock climbing areas where I had to use my feet more to work my way up.

[KnottedYet]

If shirts fit you in every way but in the sleeves (too short) or if you tend to buy men's shirts just to get the sleeves long enough.

Or if you buy just about eveything Ibex makes for women, out of the sheer joy and ecstasy of finding women's clothes with sleeves long enough.

(or if you fit in the "tall" sizes on LL Bean's women's size charts for arm length... or if your arms are so long that they are still OFF THE CHART even for women's talls...)

Gee, sounds like I might have some personal experience with this issue, eh? Just call me "Knotted Orangutan Yet."

[SadieKate]

Climbers, as in rock climbers sometimes refer to people with long arms as "positive ape index" and people with so called shorter arms " negative ape index". Essentially what they mean is if when you hold your arms out to your sides at a 90 degree angle to your body and take the measurement from the finger tips of you left hand to the finger tips of your right hand and this number is higher then your height then you have a positive ape index. My husband has a positive ape index and he could just reach his way through some tough rock climbing areas where I had to use my feet more to work my way up.

Good description! And it matches what I read about sweater design and fit. I'm just under 64" tall but my wingspan is 66" so I'm a postive ape.

Shirts sizes may not be a good indcator if you buy larger sizes to accomodate shoulders, boobs, etc., but probably works if you are slim for your height.

[KnottedYet]

68 inch height, 71 inch wingspan. I'm positive ape!

Yup, definitely "Knotted Orangutan Yet."
(and wearing men's shirts, women's talls, and Ibex)

ETA: oh, and Horny Toad and Shebeest have good sleeve lengths too. Just a little tip o' the hat for all my positive ape sweeties. Shebeest is available here on TE at prices much better than average.

[Jolt]

62.5" height, just under 65" wingspan. More monkey business here...

[Tuckervill]

I just asked my 25 yo son this question. His immediate answer:

"Okay, if you put your hands together, and put them in your vag... and can still clap, you know you have long arms."

I don't know where he came from.

Karen

[skinimini]

"Okay, if you put your hands together, and put them in your vag... and can still clap, you know you have long arms."

Karen

I don't think I'll be trying that method!

[GLC1968]

64" height with a 61" wingspan - negative ape here (I prefer to call it positive T-rex)

[graceomalley]

OMG -- I'm only 62.5" and I have a 65.5" wing span!

[Kelly728]

67" wing, 63.5" height.
No wonder WSD bikes don't feel right on me! I have a short torso but ape-tastic arms.

[MomOnBike]

To Knotted Orangetang's list I'll add:

If you learned to sew just to get sleeves (and pants) long enough - and start by adding 2 inches to sleeve length - yep, positive ape index.

[HillSlugger]

I'm about a +3; have always had problems with sleeves too short. I guess it was an advantage when I was a climber.