Meet Dee - Vampire Outdoors' Ambassador!

Introducing Dee Cox, one of our lovely ambassadors! 

Dee is 37, a UK size 24 and lives in County Durham in northern England.  

What are your favourite outdoor activities?

Mountain Biking & Hiking. Occasionally, I have dabbled in outdoor swimming and even fishing.

I've been riding MTB since 2015. I first bought a Specialized Jynx hardtail, it started off with “I'll just ride the fire roads and easy trails”,  next thing I know I’ve bought my first full suspension bike, a Norco Sight the week before my wedding, and I cried on the way home thinking what the hell had I done (haha). Then it progressed to riding red, black and even some downhill trails. Hiking I wasn't serious about until I came back from a 3 month stint of living in Finland at the end of 2020. It was so cold at times, all the parts on my bike froze so I couldn't ride, so I spent a lot of time walking as the forest was right out the back of the house, and really enjoyed it. I kinda lost the love for riding for a bit when I came back to the UK, and I started to explore the possibility of hiking, and it went from there. I eventually became a Regional Volunteer for Every Body Outdoors.

What are you hoping to achieve in 2025?

I'd really like to get my riding confidence back, and invest in some coaching for myself, as it's something I've never done. In March, I will be racing in the Northern Downhill Hamsterley TT event. A grassroots series of gravity style races on (mostly) Forestry commission trails at a level most riders can comfortably do. I'm also hoping to attend some events such as the women specific Limitlass & Dirt Diva festivals.

Hiking wise, a bit of a running joke is to hike up Blencathra, and I just never seem to get around to doing it. So, yeah I know that's not a big thing for some but it's been my Everest to me and something I'd love to tick off.

What do you love most about being in the outdoors?

There's lots of things I love about being outdoors. When I'm riding, it stops my mind from overthinking about what is going on in my “adult daily life” as I have to concentrate on what I'm doing. I love the social aspect that being part of the MTB and Hiking community has given me. I've been so privileged to find like minded people to ride and hike with, not just in terms of ability but also values and similar likes, interests and humor. I've met some truly wonderful people, some of which I can genuinely say are good friends.

How has MTB and hiking changed the way you think about yourself?

I've got to be honest, I'm generally quite self negative, yet I'm such a positive person towards others in their achievements. I find it hard to accept and acknowledge if I've achieved something, it feels weird, I feel like an imposter? Or pretentious? It's really weird, as on the other hand, I also know it's important to share what can be achieved as a plus size person, so that it might inspire someone. So maybe for 2025 is to change that negative mindset and be happy and proud of things I do achieve.

Has being plus sized affected how you take part?

Touch wood, I've been very lucky that there haven't been many incidents of being plus size affecting my ability to get outdoors. The only thing I did notice was when carbon frames became more popular weight limits where a thing on certain brands, which I understand as carbon being used in MTB frames was a relatively new-ish thing, but I was never interested in buying a carbon frame bike.

Have you faced any particular challenges with clothing or equipment?

Oh God, hell yes! When I first started riding in 2015, there was barely any women's MTB kit, nevermind plus size MTB kit and I was a size 20/22 back then. When my friend and I started our race team, I had to get a custom sized jersey and wore a pair of regatta three-quarter length capri shorts. And those Capri shorts had a hard life let me tell you! Those things were put back together more times than Humpty Dumpty! Any tops or jackets were always mens. When I started hiking, yes there were a few more options in jackets but nothing technical like what you get now.

Has anything changed in these respects over the past few years?

Definitely clothing. There was like one brand who offered plus size but they are generally inaccessible due to not being based in the UK. Definitely in the last year plus size kit across lots of activities has really come on leaps and bounds.

What’s your favourite piece of clothing or gear from Vampire Outdoors so far?

The Outdoor Research Freewheel Short Sleeve Jersey. They are fantastic. The fabric is so luxurious and light, and surprisingly hard wearing.

What do you hope to show others, through your ambassadorship with Vampire Outdoors?

To show that you can do activities you didn't think you could do, in the body that you have now. You don't have to be amazing at doing it, you just have to enjoy doing it.

If you had some advice for a plus size person interested in getting into MTB and hiking, what would you say?

Knowledge is power, do your research. Start off with the easy stuff, set easy and simple goals, be kind to yourself, don't compare yourself to everyone else, enjoy the journey, regardless of how you get there. When it comes to mountain biking, the most important thing is to buy a good helmet. You only have one head.

You can follow Dee's adventures on Instagram: @northern_chubbylass_adventures