In reference to safety, I havent read much about color preference (clothes/packs) for ladies. Is it more desirable to "blend in" in neutral tones (brown/tan/khaki) or "stand out" (red, yellow, royal blu)?

I like to blend in, except during hunting season, then I like to stand out.

Panzer

And "stand out", at least during hiking season, means that you're wearing blaze orange; in fact, in many cases, this is required. It's amazing how few A.T. hikers do this, even in well-known hiking seasons.

When I was boring "Oldkathy" I wore beige or fossil green. Now that I'm "Red Hat" I stand out in my purple and red.