Konrad:

Your (and others') devil's advocate role has been helpful for me. I don't have a rebuttal to SAR issues about low-vis clothing. I tell everyone where I'm going and sign all trail registers, but still, I cover 40+ miles in a day and I could conceivably fall off a trail before thinking to put on my yellow trash bag.

Something I've done for years now is photograph my luggage (and the kids) with my cell phone. When I get to my destination and am asked, "What did your delayed bag look like?" I'm able to say, "Exactly like this. Can I have them back soon?". I've never had to tell someone, "I've lost my kids, they look just like this" but I'm ready to. Maybe I'll start having my wife photograph me on my way out the door for a hike. I text updates on checkpoints and ETA if I get any reception on the way but more breadcrumbs are better.

"One of the seven Leave No Trace principles is "Respect other Visitors" One of the ways of doing that is by not wearing bright colors."

Of course, that depends on what side you're on. One of the ways of respecting other visitors is also not expecting them to change their clothing choices to suit you.... ;-)

I'm not sure where y'all hike, but where I hike the forests are alive with bright, vibrant reds, yellows, blues and other colors. Would you prefer those colors went away too so we could have a muted grey landscape to backpack in? Just saying' :o)

Edited by idester on 12/27/2011 17:49:52 MST.

if you like bright dayglo colors in something like a Hoodini, then you have what you want and you should be happy. No reason to try and convince everyone else of your impeccable taste :) If you don't like those colors as it seems at least some people on here don't, then perhaps, the shareholders of Patagonia would be interested in knowing why 50% or whatever, of their sales are being lost, due to poor marketing research. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

"I like earth tones and colors that are easy on the eye and that are not in sharp contrast to the natural surroundings."

A big +1. I don't go up into the mountains, or anyplace else for that matter, to be seen. Quite the opposite. That said, if the worst should come to pass, I can rely on my gawdawful yellow O2 Rainshield parka and WM Summerlite sleeping bag to attract attention. There have been a lot of otherwise fine pieces of gear that I have passed up because of their obnoxious(to me) colors, but somehow I always seem to find something acceptable that works just fine. To each their own.

I prefer black, everything black...... black pants, black shells, black gloves, black socks, black shoes, black hats, black sunglasses, black sooted titanium pots, black cameras, black puffy jackets, black shorts, black....... except my MLD Trailstar, it's bright yellow.

Several years ago I reviewed some research about how certain animals seemed drawn to brightly colored apparel, tents, etc. - to include grizzlies. Since then, it was earth tones only for me.

what people wear really is up to them ... im not a fan of certain brands, but its up to people if they want to spend the moola and wear those in the wild ...

as konrad said, there are more important things to worry about that actually affect the wilderness ...

Doesn't matter to me though my preference is gray; I'll go olive drab and tan for stealth, ... or brilliant neon for snowsports in the backcountry however. Just depends, and I have mucho military surplus to wear out (Gen III ECWCS that touched skin doesn't get returned when retiring). Might add a generic multicam shirt if needed for stealth camping. Although ....

Recently trying to replace all my smaller items (clothing, etc...) in "brilliant" colors so when breaking camp, they are easy to spot.

I have a Patagonia Houdini in Clementine orange and got a great deal on it. The only Patagonia gear that I own. I love it. I really wanted a windshirt and I did a lot of research on what to get based on weight, fit, breatheability, comfort, quality, construction, etc. But I forgot to consider the most important factor: what color should I get and what will other backcountry users think of me and my windshirt, if I pick a color they don't like, in that 1-15 (15 if if you like to chat, 1 minute if you don't) minutes you see me when we pass. I'm still trying to figure out which is more vain, that someone would wear a piece of gear to get noticed, or that you think someone so wants your attention, that they would wear a piece of gear just to try to impress you. Personally, if I was worried about what someone thought of the way I looked, I'd first ditch the goofy looking sun hat. But that isn't happening either.

So wear whatever you want. If I find it that offensive, I'll close my eyes for a minute.


@clay "The squeaky wheel gets the grease."

Whenever someone tells me that at work, I tell them that used to be true but in the modern, modular times, the squeaky wheel gets replaced. :)

@clay "The squeaky wheel gets the grease."

Whenever someone tells me that at work, I tell them that used to be true but in the modern, modular times, the squeaky wheel gets replaced. :)

Sounds about right, I'm due for replacement anytime now. ;)

I do like the way you turned the table there Randy, but the truth is that I really don't care what other people wear or what they think of what I wear. I just wear what suits me, because if I buy something that doesn't, then it just collects dust in the closet. I just think if half the people want subtle colors and the other half don't, then why not make both?

Edited by Reluctantwaterhauler on 12/27/2011 20:27:04 MST.

Re Randy:

"I have a Patagonia Houdini in Clementine orange and got a great deal on it."

Great deals can be found when "last year's colors" are being cleared from inventory once all the "popular" colors from last year have been sold off at non-discounted (higher) prices and the "new" colors are on the way to the market.

All else being equal, I usually prioritize great deals over color selection.

Although I might choose a different color if someone wanted to finance my purchase of some color popular for them, if it also appealed to me.

All else being equal.

Eugene, That's great. I just got a mental image of a big ol' bumble bee hiking through the woods!

As for the marketing discussion, most companies always provide a black or grey color option to every one of their products making this entire thread nearly pointless. Patagonia is the exception to that rule, but it was founded by some dirtbag climber who enjoyed the 70s and 80s, so what do you expect?!

I think the general deciding factor here though is from what they pursue in the backcountry. General hiking folks seem to prefer the muted colors, and when I'm doing general hiking I do too. People coming from some form of mountain or snow sport prefer the bright colors and this is a simple safety issue. In the spirit of lightweight is it better to have some fancy electro-gizmo for finding your base camp in a whiteout, or is it lighter to just have a neon yellow/orange shelter? It's this safety issue that I think has influenced the colorfulness of snow sports culture more than any psychedelic brain chemistry aspect.

And just so you know I'm not oblivious to fashion rules, I never wear white trail runners before Memorial Day or after Labor Day. :)

I am fairly moderate. My typical worn clothing is more subtle, but even my wind shirt is a bright-ish red (my rain shell is blue). If I need to be seen, I have a hunter orange pack cover that I take under those circumstances. My 3-season shelter is stealthy, but my mountaineering tent is bright red.

@ Eugene - are you going for the Johnny Cash of backpackers vibe??

Anyway, we had a saying in the 80s - "just say no..........to day-glo". Sounds like good advice for now. Unless I'm on the bike, then I have some god awful bright jackets and jerseys.

@ Joe,

I'm thinking more of a recovered UL Black Panther member kind of vibe.

;-) Kidding of course.

People coming from some form of mountain or snow sport prefer the bright colors and this is a simple safety issue.

i think its a simple question .... if you get caught in an avalanche, or take a fall and need SAR to rescue you ... what color do you want to be wearing?

I would have never thought that one might perceive my choice of bright colors as a need for vanity attention. That said, for backpacking, I do prefer earth tone colors....but always carry a bright orange wind jacket with the understanding between my wife and friends that it will be used as a spotter should something go awry when soloing (I'll up the colors during hunting season!). My current jacket, which would make some if not most of you cringe, is a modified thrift store special.....hunter orange with 1" wide strips of reflective material on the sleeves and chest (Reflecto man at night!). I added 5 stake out loops so it could be staked to the ground (have 2 friends w/ planes) or fastened to a tree. I also use this jacket as a visibility item when riding my motorcycle to the trailheads.

I carry this practice over from whitewater kayaking where bright colors are really needed in the dimly lit canyons we frequent.... for keeping track of comrades.... or being found (I walked by a friends body under a foot of water several times without seeing him. He was found several days later after the levels dropped. Clean water but dark spot with dark colors). Unfortunately, and amazingly, few kayakers consider this ....though it has grabbed more attention as of late.

You can get most Patagonia items in subdued colors. But then you'd have to admit to yourself that Yvon sells hardcore outdoor clothing to the US military, 'cuz that's who drives those colors: "alpha green", etc. And its driven not only by regular grunts, but by the most evil of evil spec ops units, which are the ones with the funding to afford Yvon's stuff.

Then you'd have to ask yourself why Yvon is OK with "profiteering" via eeeeeeevil military sales...! :)

But then you can relax while envisioning Yvon spending tons of bux to have his window panes sealed with beeswax and thread, since it's more environmentally friendly.

I like some bright colors but some I find a little too much and bit over the top for my taste.
But -thats just my personal taste. I like a few items to have bright colors but not all.
I do not know why people are offended by what others wear.
Colors are just a little bit of personal expression. They are a part of what makes us human. Look at native peoples around the world that live close to the land and you will see a whole lot of bright expressive color. Maybe they know something we don't? Or we forgot?