Why is mountain gear so black?

[Einar74]

I am on the market for new gear for the season. I have been looking at the offerings from the major companies.

There is one thing that stands out for me, that is the fear of colors and some fresh styling when it comes to blending some high visibility colors with the basic color.

I live in Iceland. Here the weather can change in minutes. I personally want to where something with high visibility.

New when I look at the offerings. what to you get

Klim: OK, high visibility is an option for most jackets, but the styling is so unexciting. Look at the top of the line Valdez Parka. You might think that the styling is for 50 year old or older. I would never fear something with so little style.
I know that styling is not #1 priority when it comes to keeping warm and try in the mountains. But for that price I would want more style.

Motorfist: I have there boots. I like them. But as much as I would like to take the change on a new company that wants to do it´s best for mountain snowmobilers.( even if the price is the same as Klim) I was almost shocked how plain and unexciting there styling is.
So sorry Motorfist maybe next time.

HMK. they are maybe ok, but not my style overall.

FXR racing: This company has made some wild snocross gear. but I think they are to much in the other direction with there mountain line. It is black or dark for the most part or something that makes you look like a sebra

Tobe 2.0 : Maybe there stuff in good and is high visibility. But the styling is almost a joke. I would never wear that.

Anyway after all. I am leaning towards the Klim powerxross pullover in orange and free ride pants(only in black,but I understand that with pants) . I think it both good for visibility/style and suit my needs. In Iceland we never see the extreme in cold like in the rockies. maybe 10-20 fahrenheit the lowest and then the wind is a factor. But powerxross would be my choice from Klim.

 

[capnkirk]

in the words of the mighty Pantera..."Bad Guys Where Black"!!

Why not check out some of the many ski/snowboard gear companies, seems to be all about being "stylish". I saw burton pants that looked exactly like jeans, but felt like snowpants and where made with goretex.

sry man, i never gave a crap what i looked like as long as i was warm and dry. Klim gear for me all the way!

 

[Dam Dave]

Helps to absorb the Sun and stay warm, watch the snow melt off anything black on a bitter cold day, that's why I wear black



<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/iXRmJyIyJbM" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>



.

 

[PJ-Hunter]

You live in Iceland. Talk about being picky.

 

[joshkoltes]

your so right they need to bring back the checker print, hot pink, and mesh so i can wear it in public and really stand out in the crowd.

there are advantages to neutral black, remember back in the 90s when you got matching jackets for new sleds. then got a different sled of totally different color? i have six jackets in my closet from that era

black= many years of contrast

 

[WYsteph]

Have you looked at the sledneck gear? Its pretty gaudy.

I like the more neutral stuff though. Kind of like a little black dress, slimming and always in style.

 

[Bburrap]

Why not check out some of the many ski/snowboard gear companies, seems to be all about being "stylish". I saw burton pants that looked exactly like jeans, but felt like snowpants and where made with goretex.

X2
Dam right, style matters...to some, I'm one of em!
I'd say the same, BUT Shop smart and they will last. The pant's take a real beating, especially if you wear armour. You can easily get by with a 10 000K pant without having to spend for GoreTex prices $4-450.

 

[Einar74]

Guys to you really just want to wear black? I am not saying I like to have a 80´s style one piece ski-suit, But there is a big difference between all black and all color.

I don´t fully believe, when someone says he don´t care about style. Every bare has opinion on style, specially when paying top dollar for it.

I just thought visibility where a bigger factor in the backcountry. we are not trying to look like "ghost rider" on a sport bike so there is no way to identify you from the crowd and hide from the police.

Here in Iceland the weather is a big factor, so wearing high visibility or reflective in the mountains has always just be like common sense. The rescue crews to not wear black.

But I just find the styling overall so outdated for the most part. But I guess the reason new companies like Motorfist don´t take more change with there style is because they think black is what the majority wants.

Also It is a little strange that colorful wraps are in fashion when it comes to sleds. But the riders want to stay completely neutral.

 

[PJ-Hunter]

Black is what the majority wants. It goes with everything. It's a practical thing, along with the style or design. It goes well with vests, you aren't fighting with fancy collars and frills when you put on a pack. Plus the new MF gear is light. You can move in it. My jacket weighs as much as a windbreaker but yet somehow in subzero temps I remain warm and dry. You start adding all that crap for style and fashion you take away from the protection the gear is designed for. Plus coming up with "fashion" designs for sled gear is costly, time consuming and who do you think pays for that? The consumer. Personally, I think the MF gear is worth every penny.



***I'm confused with something. How is it a guy who's ancestors wore dead yaks and hats with horns on them into fashion??*****

 

[mikew5945]

We don't look so fat in black.

 

[PJ-Hunter]

We don't look so fat in black.

It's slimming. That's very fashionable!

 

[Dam Dave]

They sell black because black sells.......................

 

[sledhooligan]

When did sleding in the mountains become about fashion? I want gear that works. Everything I wear or have on my sled is about function and if it looks decent than fine. If you want fashion over function sell your sled buy a Harley bagger and go hang out with all those live to ride tools. "Harley the only apperal company that has its own motorcycle line".

 

[aebsledder]

Black is what the majority wants. It goes with everything. It's a practical thing, along with the style or design. It goes well with vests, you aren't fighting with fancy collars and frills when you put on a pack. Plus the new MF gear is light. You can move in it. My jacket weighs as much as a windbreaker but yet somehow in subzero temps I remain warm and dry. You start adding all that crap for style and fashion you take away from the protection the gear is designed for. Plus coming up with "fashion" designs for sled gear is costly, time consuming and who do you think pays for that? The consumer. Personally, I think the MF gear is worth every penny.



***I'm confused with something. How is it a guy who's ancestors wore dead yaks and hats with horns on them into fashion??*****

What, Vikings can't be fashionable?
I do see where he is coming from though. I'm not saying the stuff has to be designed for a runway, but why not mix it up a little? I am sure that someone has done some market research somewhere that indicates black is probably the best all around color, but it would be nice to have a choice of some other solid colors to throw into the mix. Especially bibs or pants. I think some gray bibs would be kinda different, or how about white?

I think if the apparel guys stuck with solid colors (snow camo is sooo 2010) they might be surprised at the results...

 

[MORSNO]

It's either black or this (Over dressed parking lot poser thread) http://www.snowestonline.com/forum/showthread.php?t=188185

I guess I'm to old to appreciate some of the Skittles/Teletubby colored sleds and gear we've seen the past few years. Black always has and will be the most popular color for all the reasons posted previously.

 

[Einar74]

Ok guys you win

But, does high visibility not matter in the backcountry?

PJ-Hunter:You start adding all that crap for style and fashion you take away from the protection the gear is designed for
Are you saying it works better because it is black? what stuff are you adding?

It goes well with vests
Are avalanche vest something that is better to where then backpacks. I have been looking at that also. I where armour isn´t it hard to wear avalanche vest with armour. I have in the past usually never had anything on my back. just used that huge storage in the m-series seat.

Sledhooligan: When did sleding in the mountains become about fashion.
There is a difference between something looking nice and fashion. I am mainly talking about adding some more high visibility mainly for safety. Are you saying all these sled wraps are all just for function! not to add style

 

[mtsummitx]

your so right they need to bring back the checker print, hot pink, and mesh so i can wear it in public and really stand out in the crowd.

there are advantages to neutral black, remember back in the 90s when you got matching jackets for new sleds. then got a different sled of totally different color? i have six jackets in my closet from that era

black= many years of contrast

I was thinking the same thing!! Prowler coats, XLT coats, Exciter coats, my dad has a red and purple Ski-Doo coat that matched his Formula500 of 15 years ago but nothing now I got a simple black and yellow SkiDoo coat, simple and plain, but there's usually always at least a little black and yellow on just about any Doo.

 

[sledhooligan]

Ok guys you win

But, does high visibility not matter in the backcountry?

PJ-Hunter:You start adding all that crap for style and fashion you take away from the protection the gear is designed for
Are you saying it works better because it is black? what stuff are you adding?

It goes well with vests
Are avalanche vest something that is better to where then backpacks. I have been looking at that also. I where armour isn´t it hard to wear avalanche vest with armour. I have in the past usually never had anything on my back. just used that huge storage in the m-series seat.

Sledhooligan: When did sleding in the mountains become about fashion.
There is a difference between something looking nice and fashion. I am mainly talking about adding some more high visibility mainly for safety. Are you saying all these sled wraps are all just for function! not to add style

How visable do you want to be? Do you want to look like a school crossing gaurd or a DOT worker at night? I wear a Klim orange helmet becuase people can see it but that is as hi vis as I get. My sled doesn't even have a headlight and if the tail light wasn't made to cover part of my tunnel it would be gone too.
As for an Avy Vest I wear one and realy like it. The new ones have pads built into them. Not as beefy as my tek vest but better than nothing. A smaller guy could probably wear both.
Don't get me started on wraps. To spend that kind of money on a sticker to make a stock sled look cool is a joke. Sled wraps on a stock mountain sled are as much clown shoes as a NFMH.

 

[m8magicandmystery]

well you can dig in under a hood in fancy colors on the mountain if ya want..but its coming back out black..and then face the carnage from an angry wife wanting to clean it....

me .i like black going under the hood cause its still black coming out..

 

[Hardass]

I like colors as well but what i do not like about them is how easily they show and retain a dirty look in no time at all.