Women Outdoors

Here's my moan(s): I don't know why outdoor brands and shops persist with this idea that women's equipment should be ostensibly fuchsia and light blue. This concept seems to have been around for about twenty years. It's almost like someone had the thought that we could market to women but understand that women don't really want to be the part. Appearance is seen as more important than function.

I like to be visible to the helicopters. If I ding my ankle in darkest Arundel, I'd like to be spotted. I don't mind a colour or a bit of camo but, mainly, I'd like the choice. I might not want to give the impression I'm doing Duke of Edinburgh Award but I want to be dry, comfortable, warm and if I want bright yellow, I want bright yellow.

Seems I've also fallen for the sell that maybe the designers might know something about the shape of women's bodies, so I'd probably go to a women section in a shop, not least because I'm on the smaller side of foot and menswear but I feel drawn to the option of, ooh I don't know, orange or maybe and a shoe that could occasionally take crampons. Besides, my feet are probably quite wide and not what you might call dainty, feminine hooves. Are there any real, gender-based differences in feet?