Does color matter (when buying gear)?

[carole]

You’re looking for a new pack, find one you like and now have a choice of 4 colors. Do you pick one that goes with, say, your shell jacket, or does it matter? In replying to the gearaholic thread it got me thinking and I know I’m not the only one. I remember a picture I took (which didn’t take because it was too cold) of the three guys I was hiking with – red, yellow and blue. One had a red shell and red pack, the second had a yellow shell and yellow pack and the third, yes, blue shell and blue pack! Standing on the summit with white snow all around, they made the perfect picture.

So how color coordinated are you? Do you try to match colors (gaiters, shell, hat, gloves, …more)? Will you not buy or wear something if the colors clash? Will you turn down a perfectly good piece because you don’t like the choice of colors or buy the least offensive color?

I know I’ve done both. I seem to have several things in yellow, but I don’t really like yellow, but I like the item (winter boots, snowshoes, pack, altimeter watch). I also have passed on something because of color choice.

 

[Puck]

Good question.

I stay away fom bright colors. I feel I am not out there to pierce someones eyeballs with blazing swatches of color and light. I try to do the same with my tent selection.

I guess my birding passion spills over. I tend to dress in drab so I don't scare anything away.

 

[lx93]

I consider how difficult it would be to spot if it rolls 20 feet down a hill at night.

For example, I bought an ugly yellow/olive crampon bag instead of a blue/purple crampon bag.

 

[cbcbd]

To a certain extent I care about color. If it's possible and easy I'll match or get a color that I prefer.

But, as I always say, "function over form".

 

[ripple]

Most of my gear is bought on sale/closeouts. For the most part I get the colors that are left over. When there are color choices, I stick to earth tones. Function and price, way before color. I have never seen a fashion show on a summit.

 

[4000'er]

When I was younger,

I went with more bold (read Loud) colors. It was, afterall the 80's. Nowadays, it seems like I usually end up with blues and greens. Oh no, I've turned into an old man.

I do have a bright red Trek 8500 though
I guess there is still hope for me.

 

[slamdog]

Cost,,,

Cost, cost, cost. Anyone I've hiked with knows I'm not out to make any kind of fashion statement. After all, finding "Plus Size" hiking gear is hard enough. If it's on sale, and it fits, it's mine!

 

[Stan]

On basic clothing I usually go with muted natural colors so as to minimize the attraction to biting insects. The exception to this is if I wear shocking pink jogging shorts with blue long johns ...

On gear or outerwear I lean towards bright colors for a couple reasons. It adds a measure of safety around hunting seasons and, hopefully never an issue, it provides a better search object in the event one became necessary.

 

[blacknblue]

I was once tromping along near Ethan Pond in the wintertime, looked down, and noticed that all four layers of upper-body clothing were a shade of green. Moreover, all three layers of lower-body clothing were black.
Hmm...
Since then, I've purposely spruced things up. I have an orange backpack, mint green jacket, red boots, yellow axe, et cetera. It clashes horribly; it's wonderful!

Like somebody said, unless the color serves a practical purpose (like being able to see it at night or in a whiteout), I really don't care.

 

[Clown]

I have to agree with lx93 and Stan. It's easier to spot when it's brighter if you say, drop your compass in a pile of leaves or (knocking on wood) if you get hurt and people are searching for you. So I stick to brighter colors with the exception of a tent maybe.

Edit: Actually we found a water bottle a few months back and would not have noticed it except for it's colorful cap, since it was buried in the snow.

 

[Gris]

Ok, i think it's now safe to say "must be a chick thing..."

 

[Blue]

For the most part, I only wear blue, which is really why I took this username.
I looked around one day and realized that just about everything I had on was blue... and well, the tent was blue, the car at the time was blue, etc.

The exception - my bright orange LL Bean Gore Tex jacket. I had to have it and it has stood up to the worse you can get in the winter.

-Blue

 

[Pete_Hickey]

Like Ripple, I get whatever is left in the sales bin. Usually, it is the ugly colors that nobody wants to buy.

I have this lycra shirt, in shocking pink. I bought it because it was cheap ($5). It is supposed to be skin tight, but it is way too loose for me. It is a size 52. I mean, what kind of designer would THINK a size 52 guy would wer a skin-tight shocking pink lycra shirt?!!!??? Ya gotta wonder about things like that.

I wear it with a wool sweater underneath it, in the fall, and commuting on my bicycle.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Like many, I try to buy gear/clothing when it's on sale, but rarely buy a needed item it the color is horrible. I've found the older I get the more colorful my clothing choices. Especially purple!

For cold weather shells and hats, the more vivid the color the better. Much easier to spot and be spotted in low-vis conditions if you're wearing bright, multi-colored clothing.

 

[Roxi]

You’re looking for a new pack, find one you like and now have a choice of 4 colors. Do you pick one that goes with, say, your shell jacket, or does it matter? <snip>
So how color coordinated are you? Do you try to match colors (gaiters, shell, hat, gloves, …more)? Will you not buy or wear something if the colors clash? Will you turn down a perfectly good piece because you don’t like the choice of colors or buy the least offensive color?

My favorite color is purple. If the piece of gear I want to buy comes in purple, that's my choice. I own a day pack, headlamp, gortex rain jacket, anorak, fleece jacket, bandana, 2 nalgene bottles, sleeping bag, and several other pieces of equipment that are all various shades of purple. It's not about being color coordinated as many of my purple things actually clash. I just happen to like purple. One of the benes of that color is that it's easy to pick out in a sea of other hiking gear. However the last pack I bought was red, only because purple was not an option. Now if hiking gear came in octarine, that would be my first choice!

 

[Nessmuk]

Now that we are coming into that season, do this experiment...
Take a break while hiking and put something blue down on the ground.
Put something else of similar size, any color but blue next to it.
Count the number of black flies (if you can count that high) on the blue item compared to the other color. Your observation will make you never wear blue in the late spring woods ever again.

LNT will tell you not to display the visual impact of bright colors unnatural to your surroundings. In some cases safety and "where did I put that darn thing syndrome" will say otherwise. I prefer dull greens, grays and very muted colors in the woods. You choose.

 

[Danielle]

Color

As others have stated, both Trailbiscuit and I tend to buy things on sale, which means some wacky colors. But on the other hand, I don't care much about how I look when I'm out on the trail. I figure, I'm hiking, I'm sweating, I'm dirty, so what if I'm wearing bright orange shorts or a purple shirt? Not that I particularly like orange or purple but...hey, on sale is on sale.

I don't think we took a photo of me while we were in town last year on the AT, but my town clothes consisted of a skirt that was red with yellow/orange flowers, my orange Crocs, and a tank top that was purple and had stripes. Hmmm... perhaps I'm not the most fashionable person out there!

 

[Flounder]

yard sale

For outer layer gear - If I have a choice I will get some sort of earth tone or dark blue; I stay away from neon and other ultra bright outer gear.

If the gear lies under the outer layer i look for the best deal on the best gear and really don't care what it looks like (fluorescent green may be a stretch)

At times in the winter when I take my outer layer off, I look like a yard sale coming down the mountain... after 12 hours of hiking I don't care what I look like.

 

[Mark Schaefer]

Color schmolor

Who really cares. Color me drab or color me on sale.

Over the years I think I have read that just about every bright color (take your pick) is the worst for attracting bees, wasps, and other bugs. I take all of that with several pounds of salt which probably attracts more insects than any color.

For road biking I usually wear white for maximum visibility, even after labor day. Some of those white shirts unfortunately get reused for hiking to stay cool in summer. But in general if there is a choice of color I will buy light tans or other drabs to maintain a low profile in the woods. I not one for real camouflage though.

Would I turn down a good buy based on color ... probably not unless it is some overly putrid pink, puce, fuchsia, or chartreuse.

 

[JeffAndrews]

If it was possible, all of my gear and outdoor clothing would be black, brown, dark or olive green, blue, white or khaki. Just like my civilian clothing.

Maybe I spent too many years in NYC. I just don't understand pastel or bright colored outdoor gear. If I wouldn't wear it around town, I probably am not going to wear it in the woods.

Of course, this makes shopping all but impossible, but what can you do?