Meet Curvy Sam, the Hiker Championing Inclusivity in the Outdoors

Explorer Brooke sat down with Sam to discover how she finds joy in movement and the quiet moments, much-needed ways to recharge from a trailblazing life outdoors.

For over a decade, Samantha aka Curvy Sam has pioneered representation, advocated for diversity and inclusion, and challenged stereotypes in fashion, the outdoors, and everyday life. If there’s anyone worthy of the label ‘trailblazer’, it’s her.

‘I never saw anyone like me in the media, in advertisements, or online, and I wish there had been, so I didn’t feel so different,’ she says.

Read more: Overcoming Challenges and Becoming a Plus Size Hiker

And show up, she has. Sam is the founder of an online community — CurvyAU — that champions bigger-bodied women. It provides a safe space online alongside an ever-growing calendar of in-person events.

A defining moment that led to CurvyAU’s creation was when Sam was shopping one day in Myer. Overhearing a young child making negative comments about her figure, with her mother and her mother’s friend echoing that negativity, Sam couldn’t stay silent.

‘I burst out of the changing room and asked her what she wanted to wear,’ recalls Sam. Stepping in to offer guidance, Sam helped the girl navigate what suited her best. ‘I told her, ‘You’re weaponising words against yourself. You won’t feel good in anything until you start liking yourself.’

Sam’s innate inclination to help others stands out as one of her defining qualities, evident in her demeanour. ‘You know how some people have resting bitch face? Well, I’m the opposite,’ she laughs.

You Have To See It To Be It

Primarily a Facebook group, CurvyAU has grown exponentially since its launch and now has over 20,000 members across Australia. It’s a living, breathing personification of the quote that Sam lives her life by — ‘share the journey because it could be a page in someone’s survival guide’.

‘CurvyAU provides a safe online space for people in bigger bodies, specifically anyone who identifies as a woman,’ says Sam.

As the group has grown, offline events have become integral to these connections. Events focused on hiking, yoga, and the outdoors are always popular, which comes as no surprise for Sam, given the link between being outdoors and being at peace with yourself.

‘The outdoors makes me feel good, and while I wouldn’t call myself an avid hiker, I am an outdoor enthusiast,’ she says. ‘I always felt like I belonged in the outdoors because there’s no judgement. Nature doesn’t say that I should be bigger or smaller. I can just be.’

Sam also enjoys the peace of the outdoors, finding it quietens her ‘million miles per hour’ mind.

‘We live in a life where we are overstimulated with constant noise and notifications,’ says Sam. ‘Living in Cairns, at the weekend, I often just go and sit by a waterfall. I find joy and value in quiet moments.’

However, accessing the outdoors isn’t always easy.

‘I’ve had multiple discussions with my community about the barriers preventing people from experiencing the outdoors. Fear of judgement — whether it’s about speed, size, or fitness level — is a significant factor,’ Sam says. ‘But the second biggest challenge is feeling uncomfortable in the clothing.’

Describing it as navigating ‘a man’s world’, bigger-bodied people have long had to resort to wearing men’s clothing for outdoor activities or exercise.

This was particularly noticeable when Sam went to Nepal, where finding hiking clothing was virtually impossible.

‘Progress is being made slowly, with Australian brands really stepping up’, she says. ‘But there’s a long way to go to catch up with other countries like the USA’.

The Outdoors Belongs to Everyone

If there’s one core theme that runs through everything Sam says, it’s that everyone has the right to feel good – in the clothes they wear and on the trails they explore.

But that’s something that bigger-bodied people haven’t always been allowed to feel.

From the fetishism and over-sexualisation of bigger bodies she experienced when she worked as a plus-size model, to the seemingly-well-meaning but entirely unwelcome comments from strangers who stop her when hiking to say, ‘Well done, keep it up!’, the comments on Sam’s body are endless.

And sometimes, those comments can be truly disturbing. Sam has recently started to learn to fly a plane, and some of the comments left on posts about this incredible achievement were not ones I’ll be resharing here. But it makes me wonder — how does she get through it all? And continue to work to inspire others?

‘Oh gosh, I grew up in a military environment, so I guess I’m quite resilient,’ she says. ‘I grew up with a military father who always said to overcome, adapt, and improvise. My courage also comes from seeing people not living their best lives and knowing that by showing up, I can help.’

It’s no surprise that Sam has big plans for the future. In addition to continuing to grow CurvyAU, she hopes to embark on her first big adventure to the Pacific Crest Trail in the USA. Why? Just for the joy of it.

‘I live in a space where, being bigger, the only narrative out there is that we have to move to lose weight,’ she says. ‘For so many years, I didn’t want to move, just to make myself smaller.

Face the Fear and Do It Anyway

Sam recognises that this is often easier said than done, though. She urges those who might feel they need more confidence to seek connections within communities like CurvyAU. She also wants people to know that often, a lot of the negative talk comes from inside our own minds.

Sharing a personal anecdote from a yoga retreat in Nepal, Sam remembers feeling nervous about slowing down a hiking group. Despite her fears, her group patiently waited for her, teaching her a valuable lesson in self-perception and unnecessary pressure.

‘You don’t want people to think that you’re unhealthy. You don’t want people to shame you, but they never did,’ she says. ‘The biggest learning for me was to surround yourself with people who care for you and support you when you want to tackle something big or try something new.’

For anyone aspiring to be a trailblazer, Sam’s advice is simple:

‘You have the power to blaze your own trail — we all do,’ she says. ‘Just take that first step, embrace the fear of the unknown, and watch it start to feel normal.’

And, if that’s not a trailblazer, then I don’t know what is.