High Sierra Topix

I thought the hideous day glo trend died forever in the early 90s.For some insane reason it has returned with a vengeance.Especially on jackets/shells/3-1.
Patagonia seems to be the worst offender.I will not buy anything in day glo colors.I am not vain but i wont wear something that is purposefully ugly!For some reason the highlighting of zippers with day-glo is really trendy!I can find plenty of day-glo reject clothing at the thrift store if need be.Rant over.

Don't ever volunteer for Search and Rescue. That trend will never die there...

I was at the Sac State ski swap a few weeks back and noticed the same thing. Tons of ski wear that looked like leftovers from the late 80's. I owned a neon orange TNF pullover for about a week back then. I looked in a mirror one evening and returned it the next week. (I still have the dark green fleece I bought with the store credit.) I said then, "never again" and thought the same thing at the ski swap.

Maybe every generation is now cursed with a fluorescent phase--the lasting legacy of that wonderful, if not fashion-challenged, decade.

Got myself a nice patagonia silkweight long sleeve baselayer at the thrift store tonite.It was wedged in between a phalanx of dayglo green-purple-orange-yellow apparel.There is never a drought of dayglo at your local thrift store.People like to get rid of that stuff.Im surprised it makes it to the store-the garbage can is oh, so much closer!

SAR would seem to have an excuse -- you want to be able to see them. For everyone else, clothing should blend in with the environment. There's nothing worse than a wonderful Sierra landscape dotted with bright orange people. Same thing with tents, although it sure can be hard to find a model you want that's in a subdued color.

When I solo, I take one very bright item so that in case of emergency, I can be seen. I also now take the brightest possible suff sacks, tent stakes, and other small items because my eyesight gets worse as I age and it is easier to find stuff when it is brightly colored. So there is a time and place for "day-glo" colors. Also, in some mountaineering situations you want to be very visible. Personally, I would buy a day-glo colored clothing item if it were on super sale. Color is the least of my criteria in buying backpack gear. I hate black gear- particularly black packs. They become the big black hole where stuff gets lost. On one trip my black rain pants ended up in the bottom of my black pack and for days, I simply thought I had forgotten it! In spite of my hate of black, I have many black items, because they were on sale.

I'm with WD... there are days I am wearing violent pink, olive green and black on the trail, plus the bright red and black of the jacket I got for SAR that also goes on hikes with me sometimes. When the price tag is single digit I ignore the little fashionista voice screaming in the corner of my mind... if it works and you need one, buy it.

Function and budget trumps fashion, every time. And the brightly colored items do make it easier to spot you from the air. SAR duds seem to be made to glow and leave afterimages, tho.

I'm with the fading eyesight crowd. Fluorescent Clothing? Bring it on.

HJ

I have a Pearl Izumi fluorescent yellow jacket for riding my bike on the road. But I eschew such colors in the backcountry. I'd just as soon blend in with the natural surroundings as much as possible.

Honestly, the brightness and intensity of day-glo would bother my eyes and give me headaches if not extremely distracting.I understand the safety aspect of it though especially in the city for bike riding or jogging.