UKH

Blatently following on from Duncan_s's thread but on a different note.

As a woman (honest) i really appeciate the recent increace in women specific kit and clothing, i find that, for me, it really does usually fit or work better due to the smaller size or different shapes etc.

However, can someone please enlighten me as to why, oh why the makers always insist on making them Pink!!

I understand that they are trying to appeal to the wider market, many of which women do go for pink but really specific technical kit is only ever really used by outdoorsy women, few of whom that i know rarely wear pink or a skirt etc. It even seems to work the same for MTB's for goodnes sake.

Girls i'd particularly like your views on this, do you like pink more than other colours?

In reply to Suze6:

pink, mauve, baby blue, or black seem to be more of a British market thing. Go to (for instance) Spain and women's outdoor gear (sourced from all over europe) seems to be in a wider range of bright colours.

I'm not a pink fan - my kit is red, blue, black, yellow, orange. Much like my legs after a day at the crag, it seems...

In reply to Tall Clare:

What a great excuse for a trip to spain!

In reply to Suze6:

I think you're just looking in the wrong places... admittedly my climbing harness and rock shoes are baby blue but the rest of my kit is a plethora of colours... my soft shell is a really unusual orange (not hideous!), my primaloft is green, my base layers are every colour you can think of, I have a purple waterproof... etc etc. It's just a case of shopping around, usually the tinterweb has plenty choice, and if you can find someone that stocks the Americanised versions of things we get here (Brands like TNF, Mountain Hardware) or if you go to big outdoor shops in cities (eg Snow and Rock) they generally have a wider variety of colours. Blue and pink is just generally what sells to a wide market rather than a small shop taking a big risk on more unusual colours.

Happy hunting!

In reply to Suze6:

Lol - A woman after my own heart! I've just bought a camouflage print Helly Hansen Lifa because I thought it looked deaad cool!!!

I recently went to get a replacement pair of Merrells for basic day to day living, walk ins etc etc and was gutted to find out that they're no longer making a womens version and the mens versions that are really cool but only go down to a size 7. The mens versions of outdoor shoes are always in cooler more practical colours.

In the winter I bought a pair of TNF duvet slippers - went to the display stand and saw the smart camo print ones then found out that oh no there the mens version and they would be like wearing canoes.

I hasten to add that when I wear a suit for work I have the pick of some 7 different pink shirts! But that's workplace fashion not my outdoor life.

La Sham

In reply to Suze6:

Sorry "their" not "there" for the pedants who are about to correct my vocab!

In reply to Suze6:

It's definitely a Brit thing and starts very early with baby gear/clothes all but a few in mawkish, girlish, sickly pink.

I ain't buying anything in pink, ever, I just shop around.

In reply to Sandrine:

Gosh yes - my daughter is five months old and trying to avoid an entire wardrobe full of pink has been one of the hardest things about having her.

In reply to Suze6:

A woman after Lady Blue's heart...

http://www.ukhillwalking.com/forums/t.php?t=348465&v=1#x5109127

In reply to psd:

I know! Just bought some gifts for a new born baby girl: all in bright red, but it took some searching.

In reply to Kirsticles:

You are right, it is possible to find not pink things, i have many, but still manufacturers do have a habbit of making things look more girly when really all we want is for it to fit better

Oh and psd, good point well noted. got some baby girl atire to buy for friends soon, will avoid the pink where possible

In reply to John_Hat:

Oh yeah, i remember that thread.

Yes i'm definatly with her on that, down with pink, do you think we could start a campain??

In reply to Suze6: sexism is alive and well..

In reply to Suze6:

Another anti-pink vote! I don't mind the purples & blues I have for my climbing kit, but would have been nice if it wasn't mainly pastels!

In reply to Ireddek:

Yes, that's right, anything pastel is blooming boring too.

To Suze: happy to start a petition against anti-pastel and specifically purple and pink sporty gear!

In reply to Suze6:

I have a beautiful carbon fibre tri bike but similarly the only colour the women-specific version comes in is pink! All my cycling kit is red and I clash horribly :0(

In reply to TeaGirl:

Aaaarrrgggghhhh! all that money for pink! barstewards, i feel your pain

In reply to Sandrine:


Oi, leave purple alone!!! It's my fave colour!! But I mean proper purple ... not that insipid wishy washy lilac rubbish

In reply to TeaGirl:

The only way for you to retain any credibility is to spray paint your bike black .... go awn.... you know you want to!!

In reply to Suze6:
As the only girl in a large family, I spent my childhood being as tomboyish as possible. All grown up, I still turned my nose up at some women's climbing shoes because they were pink; however, my male climbing partner thought the colour was lovely and would definitely have bought a pair if they had gone up to his size. (I know quite a few men who love wearing pink.) He thought I should rise above all the gender implications and just wear colours that I like. I still prefer blue to pink, though.

In reply to Suze6:

Thank you.

I also once lost an argument with the designers at Inov8 about pastel colours not being appropriate for off-road shoes, even if they are just being worn by girls. Baby blue it is then!

In reply to dinkypen:


Thats it! That can be the name of the campaign - Girls against insipid wishy washy lilac/pink/general pastel shades rubbish on outdoors kit!

Its catchy i think!

In reply to Suze6:
to be fair, not all shades of pink are pastel. It can be very striking.

In reply to TeaGirl:

I've got a pink bike too (well, pink and black), my 'get a bargain' gene is much stronger than my 'i hate pink gene'

In reply to Suze6:

Feck hell yeah! It's a winner, I tell ye <snigger!>

In reply to TeaGirl:
one day they will realise that brown is the way forward. My approach shoes never look dirty: they were that colour straight out of the box....

In reply to Suze6: any of you girlz like to try my tent out?- it's xtra long!

In reply to Suze6:
I tried writing down the initials to see if it made a suitable acronym, and ran out of room on the page

In reply to subalpine:

Clearly you are on the wrong thread - this is all about colour, length is irrellevent!

Is your tent pink?

In reply to Suze6: doh, faded green;(

In reply to subalpine:

Doh! You lose!

In reply to Suze6:

BERGHAUS are the evil source of colours such as "hot pink rose" and "blue shadow" and "nightshadow and chicory"

Mountain Hardwear, Rab and Montane tend to get it right. Although then you have problems such as Rab Vapour Rise Trail Lite - not made for women!!!

Buggers.

In reply to Suze6: I happen to be having the same conversation today at work. I was discussing what waterproof I would buy next and after choosing one I then decided to wait until Autumn just encase they make the item in something other than Pink or Light Blue.

For me it’s not a dislike for pink and light blue, it’s the fact that it makes a visual reference to being a minority. This is something I am very aware of in situations like winter climbing, I find that I already receive a lot of attention for being female and it can be distracting.

I enjoy wearing female specific outdoor kit and think it should be made in the same colours as the male range to advertise equality.

In reply to La Shamster:

i have the same ones in camo and think they're ace:

http://chezmorgs.blogspot.com/2008/12/north-face-down-mules.html

was a bit disappointed i couldn't get them in yellow or red which they stock in France.....so yes i feel for you, and anyone who can't get clothes in the colour they want.

Morgan (fan of bright colours)

In reply to Suze6:

Back to the OP though, I suspect the reason that crappy colours are so prevalent in the outdoors market is because manufacturers are trying to extend their market.

It's a common thing in the UK to try and sell 'specialist' (in the broadest sense) gear to people who will never need it but who want to look like they do. Hulking great tractors to scale the mighty ranges of speed humps on the school run. Full-suspension mountain bikes with wheels that buckle if you so much as look at a kerb. Manufacturers of outdoor gear already have you - you need that kit - so they try and chase the other markets - the kids who hang around "Maccy D's" (witness the trend for Berghaus a couple of years ago), the pensioners who want to toddle around garden centres, the chavs in their souped-up Novas... Sadly, all these groups seem to think outdoor gear is somehow safer to wear if it makes it entirely clear that yes, you are still a girl.

It doesn't really excuse the sheer laziness of most manufacturers, and certainly not in things like harnesses, but it does provide some kind of explanation as to why they do it.

In reply to psd:


I've never seen a chav on a time trial bike so it can't be that mine's pink to appeal to anyone else other than those who take their triathloning seriously...

In reply to Sandrine:

Can we stick to anti pink & pastel in general... sad to admit I'm a dark & bright purple fan...can I still join the club though? Pretty please?!

In reply to TeaGirl:

Well, yes, there is that... I honestly believe that for things like clothing, however, it plays a large part.

There's also the problem that there's a market for 'girly' colours that isn't going to go away. Those who are more interested in function are going to go for whatever fits best (especially with bikes), and bollocks to the colour. Those who worry about being seen as 'unfeminine' for doing something sporty may well gravitate towards pink, and those who care most about aesthetics probably aren't going to be buying top-end sports kit. Produce a range of colours and drive your manufacturing costs up. Drop the pink and lose the market that chases 'girliness'. Make the best bike you can for the price, paint it pink and you get both the serious athletes who want the best they can afford and the muppets who think their ovaries will whither if they're ever seen on black.


FWIW, carbon fibre is supposed to be black - it's bloody carbon! What's the point in spending all that cash on a lovely bike if nobody can tell how expensive the materials are?

In reply to Morgan Woods:

Awwww now you've just made me right jealous!!! I would look great in my camo lifa and a pair of those

In reply to Ireddek:

Maybe it wasn't clear in my post. I too like bright dark purple, maybe I should have called pastel purple "lilac".

In reply to Sandrine:
so, it's the 'Society for the Prevention of Inflicting Pastel Colours on Outdoor Kit for Women'
I'm in!

In reply to practicalcat:

He he I like this thread! How many conversations have I had with (male) shop assistants that run along the lines of "can you get this in any colour other than pink?". I'll sign on the line for this campaign.

I've just bought a new waterproof and it's taken a lot of searching and it's still blue...but at least it's turquoise. Not a fan but I don't want black (not high enough vis, I want to be spotted by mountain rescue!!) and the other option seems to be lilac or pink. Plus it's all well and good shopping around but this doesn't work when you want a specific brand that ticks all the boxes except colour! Hence the turquoise compromise....

Don't get me started on Rab. I love the vaporises but the women's cut just seems to be a smaller men's...they don't seem to realise women have boobs!

In reply to hereanthere:

I bought a small mens RAB Latok it was a much better fit than any of the womens sizes.

In reply to Suze6: Just a thought in general by why do women of the outdoor variety dislike "girlie" colours such as pink?
I know none of my kit is pink because pink doesn't suit me but also because I felt if I wore pink other's would judge me as a (heaven forbid) girlie girl. I know I wasn't comfortable in my baby blue jacket until it was scuffed and dirt covered. Nevermind it fitted and ticked all the boxes I needed it to, I was concerned people would look at me and prejudge me based on a colour.

It's just something I've noticed with ladies in general on UKC (and I am as bad as the next lady). It's a bad thing to be "girlie" or to be assosciated with girly qualities such as pink.

Just some Thursday musings.

In reply to Suze6:

Pink clothing is my personal hate - i refuse to buy it on the grounds that sooner or later they might stop selling it.

Also not happy with any pastel colours or that kind of dirty pastel colour they all seem to use (berghaus you know who you are).

For one thing - outdoors in bright light bright colurs look better and take better photos - and who doesn't want to look better in photos?

They also help you get seen better by freinds or (hopefully not needed) the emergency services. My MRT brother recommends bright primary colours as the easiest to spot.

on the other hand my other half looks pretty cute in HIS pink hat.

In reply to Zygoticgema:
For me, I just don't like pastel colours in general for 'big' clothes like jackets: they are too wishy washy. Fine for t-shirts, though: I don't mind be labelled a girl .
For outdoor jackets that I'll be wearing climbing etc, I prefer high visibility colours so I can be spotted easily if in trouble (although I tend to buy whatever is on the sale).
Also, pastel colours just look terrible once they get a bit of dirt on . Mud etc just looks so much better on bright colours or black, and just blends in with brown or khaki boots/trousers etc.
It's not really a a big issue for me: more of a preference.
My evolv climbing shoes are a lilac colour, and I actually like it! They are also great shoes.

In reply to Zygoticgema:

good point and one I've shouted about before - there were some fecking hilarious threads a couple of years ago featuring some of our female posting chums trying to 'out bloke' one another. I like being female and think I do a good job of it

Also speaking personally, I'm just not a very pink person - though I am coveting a very nice pink T-shirt at the moment. I also can't really talk as my lovely new ME goretex matches my sunglasses... and my cragging rucksack... and one of my pairs of rock shoes... purely by accident, but even so.

I think that the argument is more about the fact that there just isn't the colour range to choose from, so one is forced into a pink/mauve/baby blue situation if one doesn't rummage extensively for other options.

In reply to Tall Clare:

Exactly. Ladies should embrace feminity, we shouldn't see it as a weak or neagtive thing.


I completely agree. Alot of my kit if either blue or pale blue. I honestly think in the past I've turned up and people look at me and judge me for it. I've made conscious choices to buy clashing colours for when I go climbing to "show" I know what I'm doing. Yellow Shows, grey harness, purple beanie.... it's a good look

In reply to ebygomm:

Me too - I have 3 pink fleeces, but they were all on sale price (which suggests to me that they were the ones that nobody wanted to buy...) I did go through the whole pile of "2 for £20" (or whatever it was) fleeces; but the only ones in my size were pink... so I have 2 identical ones. I do like bright colours though, and they are a nice bright pink, so I don't mind too much.

I do agree that there's a sort of "I am not a girly girl" attitude, which I share - almost not wanting to be seen as feminine? The way to equality/acceptance is to be an honorary man? A desire to rebel against what is expected of us (or what appears to be expected of us)? Just random thoughts.

In reply to fimm:
ah, but the thread is railing against pastels . Bright pink is great!

In reply to Tall Clare:

Several of you now have stated that you don't really see the problem with pink/being girly and in a sence i agree, but everyone of you then followed it with i'm not really a pink wearing sort of person or something similar and thats the problem.
Not only are pastel colours wholy impractical but none of us actual outdoorsy girls actually like it! I buy hardly any pastel shades in my noram everyday clothes but suddenly when buying outdoors kit i'm faced with a barrarge of pastel - i just don't get it.

Oh and while i'm having a rant i has anyone tried to buy womens winter MTB boots - they don't seem to exist - a gap in the market for any bike shoe manufactures out there - apparently women bikers stay inside when its cold and wet outside???

In reply to Suze6:

indeed in fact most bike shoes don't make it below size 39/40 - which aint great when you are a 37/38

In reply to Suze6:

I suspect the buyers are catering to a more 'occasionally outdoor' market. Either that or they're flying defiantly in the face of consumer preference! Maybe the thinking is that pastel colours help our pale english skin to look a bit more tanned

with shoes and stuff, I am, as my username suggests, a lanky bugger, with feet to match, so I end up with men's. Problem solved.

In reply to Tall Clare:

Lucy you - i am approximatly the opposite so have little choice but the womens - fortunatly, in bike shoes anyway, those they do make seem to be pretty much the same colour as the mens.

In reply to Zygoticgema:

Ah, now we're touching on the point that irks me - I like to be female, but I don't like having femininity defined for me (especially in pink)!

As far as I'm concerned female is as female does. So if women climb, then climbing *is* feminine, whether wearing pink and make up, or camo and mud.

Actually I've a dusty blue cag I'm very fond of, but I do loathe pink on me. Someone tried to use the pinkness of a surf kayak as its selling point, the other day - I think he was surprised at the response...But then my male friend *was* drooling over the purple sparkly beast next to it!

In reply to Suze6/thread: Some really good points - I think psd is spot-on about why there is a prevalence of pastel shades in outdoor gear.

I am anti-pastel without seeing that as being anti-feminine, if that makes sense? I'm perfectly happy being feminine - although I don't see that as the same as being 'girly' which is more about infantilising femininity... why can't feminine be 'womanly' instead?

Pastel shades are just impractical for a lot of outdoor activities, that's why I'd avoid them and look for an alternative if it's available.

In reply to Suze6:


hmmm, I own quite a few pink clothes as I have come to rather like the colour now I'm over the rebellion stage. As I said in my post somewhere above, it's more that I don't like pastel pink for outdoor clothes because it's just not practical.

In reply to Alyson:

well said.

In reply to kamala:

Spot on I agree completely!

In reply to kamala: I wear pink gear because I think its quite funny. it appeals to my inner kitsch person with no taste.

In reply to kamala:

I totally agree, i am feminine, i wear heels to weddings and the other odd thing, i wear make-up most days, i take pride in my appearence (most of the time) and a number of other things but i dislike pastel shades in general. So why do manufactures insist on trying to make me have them!

On a positive note though, i have noticed that things are getting better, i am able to buy non pastels shades more frequently now, its definatly the lower end of the maket that still cater for the masses

And incedently i also own a pair of TNF tent slippers, they are green and i love them - i'm wearing them right now infact - oh the delights of working form home!

In reply to Suze6:

that would be 'from' home

In reply to Suze6: I don't like pastel pink.....BUT my fave jumper is pink and purple striped fleece hoody

I used to not wear any girly colours at all, it has taken ages to be comfortable with being feminine at least some of the time.

I am loving reds and purples, sometimes pink, as long as it is not head to toe and they have to be offset with black, karki green etc,

OMG!!!!! I am starting to sound like the legal secretaries that I sit next to at work !!!! (loving certain "looks", "offsetting", I'll be saying if something is "on trend" soon, I think I need a holiday).

In reply to Bob kate bob:

Quick read a climbing mag and block your ears!

In reply to Bob kate bob:
when I was a girl/teenager I definitely rebelled against the 'you're a girl therefore you wear these colours' rather than against the colours themselves; hence I've started wearing some of them now that I'm more confident and less argumentative

In reply to kamala:

Spot on!

I see me as me - i'm female - i like what i like - who is anyone else to tell me how i should look or what i should do.

Who is anyone else to define what being a woman is - that's up to every indivdual to define.

It annoys me that pink seems to be the default setting - think female> > >Pink! why that connection? why do we even have to have 1 colour to define our sex?

In reply to Suze6:

I actually quite like pink and pastels. Not when I was younger though, mostly wore black, grey and white then. Never been a huge fan of bright primary colours then or now, too bold.

But colour isn't the strongest decider in buying clothes for me, it's only the decider if there's two to choose from, which doesn't happen often. (Of course there are some unacceptable colours like livid green!) So as a result my clothing doesn't reflect my tastes. The tops I most frequently wear climbing are baby blue or brown, my vapour rise is primary blue, and my duvet is black (mens fitted better and that was the only colour they had, preferred that to the lady's bright red). I've got another top that's maroon, a more interesting coloured top, but not that technical, just to wear when climbing in grotty conditions cos it was cheap, or around town.

I don't buy clothes that often, and when I do they don't seem to come in the colours I like, I've never seen these racks of pastels everyone else seems to find!

The most recent clothing I bought was motorbike leathers, they're black with reasonably subtle pink patterning on. Was quite sold on the pink thing, but didn't want them totally pink or too bright. I'd say that they're feminine but not girly.

In reply to Suze6:

Because you're all such pretty, delicate little things and pink makes you even more pleasant for men to look at.

(Dons flame-retardant suit )

In reply to Sarah_Clough:

I definitely know that feeling! I've a black fleece (not female specific) despite wanting something brighter for visibility on the hill, but it was the only one with the other features I wanted.
In contrast, the only female-fit paddling cag I could find is cream(!) and plum - quite pretty, but already showing ingrained mud despite more washing than is good for it. Who on earth decided that was practical?

In reply to Altitude Addict:

potpourri??

In reply to Alyson:

Just read the rest of the thread (only read half before posting). I agree with you about wanting to look feminine (and not having the definition enforced on you) rather than girly. Although I have been known to go for girly too - I don't have just one clothing style, am a bit of a mish mash.

In reply to Alyson:

Spot on! I love being female & it's a great excuse when I have a "bad day" & climb like a weakling! I climb mainly with guys & their stuff looks really cool & then I come along in pastels... I don't get on well with the male fits so girly stuff it is for me.
I'd also like to know who thought cream's a good colour for walking/climbing trousers?! There's loads @ the mo - I don't mind looking like I've been outdoors @ the end of the day, but being mud splattered after just getting kit out of the car isn't good.

In reply to kamala:

This is a really important point for me. What is feminine anyway? Who gets to decide how we define it? And is there only one way in which a person can be feminine? Standard, simplistic notions of 'femininity' do nothing to recognise the fact that women (like men) are diverse.

I think for lots of us, these pastel colours - and there seem to be even more lately to me - are annoying because they're impractical but also because of a particular connotation of femininity that they bring to mind. To me, pastel colours represent a fairly traditional view of femininity as being soft and girly, and the lack of practical usefulness of pastel colours for sport or outdoor stuff brings to mind the idea that women are more concerned with aesthetics than with performance. And I think it's a shame that this picture of women is the one that is prompted by the kind of clothes that are being pushed at the moment. I don't object to pastel colours, as such, but it bugs me when that's all that's on offer or when it's not practical.

I can see what people mean about not wanting to somehow be ashamed of being female - but what's 'femininity' (especially when it's a narrow thing, defined by somebody else) got to do with it? I know what it means to be female but what is *femininity*, as such, all about? I'm a grumpy, old-fashioned feminist and this kind of thing just really bugs me because I can't seem to be dissuaded from the belief that seeing 'femininity' as singular, simple, narrow and vastly different from 'masculinity' is what underpins inequality. It emphasises the differences between men and women and plays down the similarities (and the differences between different women). Pah! Post-feminism: Burn your brain and keep your bra.

In reply to Altitude Addict:

<admires Altitude Addict's flame retardant suit, available in a choice of exciting colours because he is a MAN! >

But yes, we are all pretty

In reply to Alyson:
That made me giggle

In reply to Suze6: What really irks me is that men can buy loads of really cool T-shirts which funny slogans on them and there is nothing for girls!

In reply to Zygoticgema:

there's loads for girls if you know where to look - howies, alpkit, grumpygirl all spring to mind off the top of my head.

In reply to Tall Clare: ah.....well there you go then..... I no longer have a gripe.....I am without gripe..... I am gripe less.....I feel empty inside.

;-P

In reply to Zygoticgema: Have you seen teepay.com? I'm going to design one!

You design a t-shirt and it has 14 days to get orders. If 50 people want to buy it they'll print it for you and you get a cut of the profits. Also they do all t-shirts in both men and womens sizes.

In reply to Zygoticgema: Threadless type tees (the ones specifically with slogans on) do all theirs in boys and girls sizes. http://www.typetees.com/

In reply to Alyson: Wow! now this what I'm talking about!

In reply to Zygoticgema: Looks like I got it wrong and you only have to get 30 for it to go to print, although it may be 50+ where you start getting paid. I love that mountain bike one - 'When times are bad, ride it out' - think I might have to order it as it's only got one day left.

In reply to Zygoticgema:

how about the gutter bunny t-shirt from minx girl - http://www.minx-girl.com

In reply to Tall Clare:
I've got some great Howies tshirts, back from when they were a brand new company and before people started getting all het up about their ethical status
Patagonia and Prana also do some great t-shirts, which being a skinflint I always wait until the sales before I part with my cash.

In reply to hereanthere:

Being of distance-runner physique I'd never had a problem with fit around that area in any item of clothing before I got my vapour-rise. Who are they making them for?!

In reply to Alyson:
that's a great site! I'm banned from buying more t-shirts, but I really like the 'when in doubt make tea' one....

In reply to Suze6: Can't be arsed reading through the whole thread, but I like pink. Not just pink though. I love colour fullstop! Pink is lovely, it can be a soft and soothing colour or it can have hints of red and be vibrant and energetic.

My bedroom floor is painted a pastely pink colour (mainly cos I couldn't afford a carpet or a rug, so painted it instead and though pink was a nice soft colour.

But, like any colours, too much of it is sickly. Just in the same way that too much of any colour looks a bit silly (bar black)

Re clothes. The only woman's specific thing I have is my winter boots (dark blue) and my winter trousers (black)

I find it more annoying that most things come in blue or black. I'd love a bright red pair of winter climbing breeks (which arn't buffalo)

Montane is Olive (which I'm not *that* keen on as it's a bit of a muddy colour) but it was on sale and in my size so I wasn't going to quibble over colour. (even if I'd prefer a red one) Mind you, if I ever find red breeks, I'd look a bit like a postbox with red breeks and jkt.
Red and Olive would be nice though, contrary to that nonsense that says you should never wear red and green. Red and green looks ace together.

In reply to practicalcat:

Genius! Must have it!

In reply to cathsullivan:

Slightly at a tangent to the point you are making about femininity - I disagree that pastel colours are impractical and I'd rather see a lot more men's gear in lighter colours. Trying to regulate temperature with dark layers is so much more difficult than with light layers because the temperature varies far less as the sun goes in and out.

In reply to SonyaD:

I'm firmly of the opinion that red goes with everything, even orange and pink in the right circumstances!

In reply to Suze6:
THank you! Ok fair enough you can find different colours if you search a lot, but in lots of places the female alternative to a piece of kit is always wishy washy pastel stuff. Apart from the fact that this is generally quite ugly, it also gets dirty so easily!After one route at the crags your lovely pink shorts will turn a nice shade of muddy brown!

In reply to Alyson:

Twenty Quid a pop is a little steep....

In reply to ebygomm:
I agree! And orange and pink can make a fantastic combination - I've got a lovely top in those colours.

In reply to Suze6: This is so the rescue team will know who to rush to 1st... in an emergency, when clad in puffa gear men & women can look almost identical as their perm is under a beanie & their beautifully manicured nails under gloves. Time getting to a woman is vital in an emergency situation whereas the man however can blatantly hold out much longer & is only waiting to ensure that the woman is OK until rescue arrives

In reply to practicalcat: Yes, not to mention orange and purple together, or is that just me?

The pink thing is not just an outdoorsy marketing colours thing. There as an organisation / agency called Rethink Pink which basically advsied companies how to market and design things for women, other than just making them pink (and thinking job done).

Saying that I like pink and have some pink outdoors clothes, including baby pink, and many other colours too. I am not a girly woman.

In reply to Joking: ah, those pre climbing manicures.....

In reply to Blue Roses:

womens specific tend to have alot of pink (cos we are women) or girls for that matter who have always grown up with the saying... PINK for girls and BLUE for boys (thats my theory anyway.. hahah
For cycling i wear black with pink thread and blue t-shirt, there are alot of colurs out there... i think for summer tho their tends to be alot of pink around in different shades (its doesnt always have to be baby pink !

In reply to es:

Though you can always use a bright orange survival bag or bothy bag for this! In my experience of searching they're pretty easy to spot. It's mighty rare someone's not in a position to get it out of their rucsac, though obviously not impossible.

I'm also a hater of pastel kit. At least women's kit first started coming out, it was mid to pale blue, and I could just about live with that. Pale pink and lilac I loath, at least in top to toe effect.

But to be fair, it does generally seem to be the retailers, rather than the manufacturers, are to blame. At least it makes it easy to spot the women's section in store, I suppose. Presumably it's what the mass market wants, but I find it fairly hard to believe. But if you look at manufacturers websites/catalogues there are often other choices, and I've been known to ask if a shop can order one in for me.

I've not done too badly over the years getting brighter stuff, it's not too bad if you don't have to buy in a hurry, iyswim. But I do have a pale blue down jacket, as a result of selling my old "unisex" one, and needing to replace very quickly, which is down right ridiculous for something that's not easy to wash.

Oh, and I agree, Rab have a very strange idea of women's fit......

End rant.

In reply to Carolyn:
>> At least it makes it easy to spot the women's section in store,

And then avoid it. :

In reply to Suze6:

That's quite interesting because I've never seen any pink gear, not that I particularly wanted any. I usually find that the women's stuff is black or blue. My harness has a slightly pinker band than the red on the men's version but other than that I don't have anything pink. I did fancy the idea of a pair of pink rock shoes at one time but never found any that fitted properly.

In reply to Suze6:

Damn straight.

In reply to Wingnut:
*hijack* Wingnut you're profile picture is hilarious!!*hijack*

In reply to Wingnut:

(Un)fortunately it fits me better. I always have a big bum, and at the mo, breastfeeding means I actually have some boobs too