|
|
Post by cweston on Sept 14, 2023 14:06:54 GMT -8
I'm inconsistent...I prefer muted colors for tents. If others are in the vicinity of my camp, I'd generally prefer that they not notice it, ideally.
But I tend to pick bright colors (currently, fire-engine red) for my rain shell. I figure that's what I'm likely to be wearing (as the outer layer) if the day has really taken a turn for the worse, and being visible to others in my party (or SAR for that matter) might be a real advantage.
All of my other hiking clothing is typically unobtrusive colors: black, khaki, etc.
|
|
trinity
Trail Wise!
Posts: 2,901 
Member is Online
|
Post by trinity on Sept 15, 2023 9:56:53 GMT -8
But I tend to pick bright colors (currently, fire-engine red) for my rain shell. I figure that's what I'm likely to be wearing (as the outer layer) if the day has really taken a turn for the worse, and being visible to others in my party (or SAR for that matter) might be a real advantage. This seems to me like a very sensible approach. I just happened to see this video over on Dixie's video channel. I am now convinced that I need to start carrying something with high visibility, and reminded that even the most experienced backpackers (Dixie is a triple-crowner) can get into trouble, especially when solo. |
|
ErnieW
Trail Wise!
I want to backpack
Posts: 9,893
Member is Online
|
Post by ErnieW on Sept 15, 2023 11:16:36 GMT -8
Someone had suggested that everyone should carry one of those disposable Mylar emergency blankets since they are so shiny for the rescue reason. It turns out that is only for the daytime. A SAR person chimed in saying that if they are searching for you at night with a thermal scope the Mylar blankets mask you from being seen.
I carry a tiny little plastic signal mirror. Beside for rescue its sometimes good to have a mirror.
|
|
downriver
Trail Wise!
Posts: 878
Member is Online
|
Post by downriver on Sept 15, 2023 22:35:00 GMT -8
Thx for posting, Trinity! I’ve enjoyed Dixie’s YouTube channel for years. Glad to see she was okay. Prompt response by BCSO—-super!
Happy Trails,
DR
|
|
ErnieW
Trail Wise!
I want to backpack
Posts: 9,893
Member is Online
|
Post by ErnieW on Sept 16, 2023 10:58:37 GMT -8
She's had a couple of other health issues:
|
|
downriver
Trail Wise!
Posts: 878
Member is Online
|
Post by downriver on Sept 19, 2023 11:54:46 GMT -8
Wow…! Too bad for Dixie. Hope she gets back to the trail and is healthy.
DR
|
|
gabby
Trail Wise!
Posts: 4,539
|
Post by gabby on Sept 20, 2023 8:19:19 GMT -8
My current tent is orange. Blazing orange. I’m very needy. I like attention. FYI: I have a bunch of “blazing orange“ tents – – they’re all old MSRs. Of course, most of them are delaminating ‘cause the PU has long since “hydrolized”. So it goes. |
|
|
|
Post by FarOutFarley on Oct 6, 2023 9:40:00 GMT -8
Just got back from a trip where I had to forego kayak camping at a desirable lakeside site of unknown ownership because my yellow tent would have revealed my location. I would have felt comfortable camping there had my tent been tan or forest green. A yellow tent would have been visible far down the lake.
|
|
trinity
Trail Wise!
Posts: 2,901
Member is Online
|
Post by trinity on Oct 8, 2023 8:20:53 GMT -8
Just got back from a trip where I had to forego kayak camping at a desirable lakeside site of unknown ownership because my yellow tent would have revealed my location. I would have felt comfortable camping there had my tent been tan or forest green. A yellow tent would have been visible far down the lake. I've been in similar situations canoe camping on Texas rivers, on land that is technically within the public riverbed, but where landowners are sometimes hostile towards campers. Muted colors are definitely a big plus in such situations. |
|
rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,672 
|
Post by rebeccad on Oct 8, 2023 17:26:16 GMT -8
I might point out that my Tarptent is granite grey. Blends in very well indeed in the places I hike.
|
|
BigLoad
Trail Wise!
Pancakes!
Posts: 12,923
|
Post by BigLoad on Oct 8, 2023 17:41:40 GMT -8
I might point out that my Tarptent is granite grey. Blends in very well indeed in the places I hike.
I'm quite happy with the Tarptent color, and like many others, I prefer low-key colors for tents in general. My orange Patagonia hoodie is an anomaly in that regard - it was on massive discount.
|
|
zeke
Trail Wise!
Peekaboo slot 2023
Posts: 9,880
|
Post by zeke on Oct 9, 2023 4:41:11 GMT -8
Just got back from a trip where I had to forego kayak camping at a desirable lakeside site of unknown ownership because my yellow tent would have revealed my location. In a kayak, I always have room for a large tarp of a grey color, which then acts like an invisibility shield over my tent. |
|
jazzmom
Trail Wise!
a.k.a. TigerFan
Posts: 3,059
|
Post by jazzmom on Oct 9, 2023 7:28:15 GMT -8
Just got back from a trip where I had to forego kayak camping at a desirable lakeside site of unknown ownership because my yellow tent would have revealed my location. I would have felt comfortable camping there had my tent been tan or forest green. A yellow tent would have been visible far down the lake. I'm honestly not trying to be obtuse but I'm trying to understand the point of your comment. Why, if you have such strong color criteria, did you (a) buy a yellow tent and (b) take the tent on a trip where you wanted stealth? It would seem to me that yellow/orange would be the *most* conspicuous tent color choice. Are you implying that no one should make or sell bright-colored tents? Since I haven't shopped or bought a tent in a while, I thought I should look around and see what the current landscape looked like before I commented. And, while I agree that there are a lot of yellow/orange tents on the market (and quite a few blue ones, which seems like a new thing to me), they are, IMO, the usual suspects that are "signature" brand colors, e.g., Big Agnes, MSR. On the other hand, here's what I saw - - Big Agnes - many of their popular models (e.g., Copper Spur) comes in a beigey "olive green" option, their 'Blacktail' line comes in green/gray, 'Crag Lake' in a deep forest green, 'Fly Creeks' in a muted white - Nemo has a lot of grays, greens, tans (along with that unusual bright blue) - Pretty much ALL "cottage" companies (I checked Tarptent, MLD, ZPacks, Big Sky, Hilleberg) have gray, tan or olive green options - North Face tents have gray or orange options - ALPS Mountaineering has a mix of whites and grays, though with some bright red trims - Kelty and Marmot are the two makers I saw that are clearly not catering to stealth campers. Kelty, especially, seems to have lost its mind. Anyway, I don't know... seems to me you have a lot of opportunities to *not* buy a yellow tent. Just saying. |
|
BigLoad
Trail Wise!
Pancakes!
Posts: 12,923
|
Post by BigLoad on Oct 9, 2023 7:38:40 GMT -8
- Nemo has a lot of grays, greens, tans (along with that unusual bright blue) Nemo has come a long way pretty quickly since they started up. Their tents are definitely worth a look. |
|
trinity
Trail Wise!
Posts: 2,901
Member is Online
|
Post by trinity on Oct 9, 2023 11:08:24 GMT -8
Anyway, I don't know... seems to me you have a lot of opportunities to *not* buy a yellow tent. Just saying. This seems true, but, as you indicated in a prior post, to some degree this is a recent trend. I remember a decade or so ago, it seemed like everything was dayglow. I recently purchased a BA Copper Spur in the olive color, which is lovely. But it seems to me that it was only available in orange for many years. I personally am pleased that your prediction that we will soon be seeing more green tents is proving accurate. Not that I need any more tents....  Nemo has come a long way pretty quickly since they started up. Their tents are definitely worth a look. They do have some great looking and highly reviewed tents. Even their early stuff was pretty nice, I still have a Meta 2 that I bought used from Ray Estrella over 10 years ago. It was a cutting edge piece of ultralight gear, at the time. |
|
