CAP Talk

Operations => Tools of the trade => Topic started by: LSThiker on February 11, 2016, 04:41:51 PM

Title: Color of Equipment
Post by: LSThiker on February 11, 2016, 04:41:51 PM
I just ordered a custom-made 800-fill down sleeping quit.  I spent nearly 3-days deciding the color of my sleeping quilt and it got me thinking:

What color is your equipment (e.g. sleeping bag, tent, sleeping pad, etc)?

I know some of you grab the ASNI orange for the LBE, vest, type of equipment, but I am curious about the other equipment.  Of course, I understand color comes secondary to function and price.  This is more-or-less a light-hearted topic with no real serious objective to it.
Title: Re: Color of Equipment
Post by: Garibaldi on February 11, 2016, 04:54:16 PM
Most all of mine is military color. I have some orange tape on some areas, to break up the monotony and for higher viz. But as far as stuff that goes in a tent overnight...no. We also have that glow in the dark stuff we can sew on hats and other items so we look like little fireflies at night.

On the subject, I try to keep the cadets away from the tak-ti-kewl things like plate carriers and so on, but we got a transfer in from another state who has one, and I just asked him to demonstrate the utility. He was able to demonstrate very well how he organized everything so it would be on hand, so I said yes.
Title: Re: Color of Equipment
Post by: THRAWN on February 11, 2016, 04:55:11 PM
Quote from: LSThiker on February 11, 2016, 04:41:51 PM
I just ordered a custom-made 800-fill down sleeping quit.  I spent nearly 3-days deciding the color of my sleeping quilt and it got me thinking:

What color is your equipment (e.g. sleeping bag, tent, sleeping pad, etc)?

I know some of you grab the ASNI orange for the LBE, vest, type of equipment, but I am curious about the other equipment.  Of course, I understand color comes secondary to function and price.  This is more-or-less a light-hearted topic with no real serious objective to it.

Depends. I always used the OD LBE/LBV. Most of my other stuff is cobbled together from a variety of sources and is usually a flavor of brown, back or green. One thing that I always kept the same color was my tent: red. Bright red. There was never a question of where I was camped. Made it easy if anyone had to find me in the middle of the night during missions or bivouacs.
Title: Re: Color of Equipment
Post by: vorteks on February 11, 2016, 05:20:30 PM
Quote from: THRAWN on February 11, 2016, 04:55:11 PM
... Made it easy if anyone had to find me in the middle of the night during missions or bivouacs.

... or which tent to stay away from when you were having your nap.  >:D
Title: Re: Color of Equipment
Post by: THRAWN on February 11, 2016, 05:24:33 PM
Quote from: varitec on February 11, 2016, 05:20:30 PM
Quote from: THRAWN on February 11, 2016, 04:55:11 PM
... Made it easy if anyone had to find me in the middle of the night during missions or bivouacs.

... or which tent to stay away from when you were having your nap.  >:D

Funny that you bring that up. The guys in my shop were discussing crew rest not too long ago and it got me thinking about how many hours I'd be awake during training schools and missions. There were a lot of times that the envelope was pushed and the line was crossed by a lot. Guess I'm old, I'm begging to realize that I'm not totally indestructable.
Title: Re: Color of Equipment
Post by: NIN on February 11, 2016, 06:08:11 PM
I was always a big fan of solid color, usually green.

When they started making field gear (rucksacks, canteen covers) in camouflage, I stuck with solid green.   I don't know why, but I always thought wearing camouflage and having your gear camouflaged was like... overkill? 

My camelbak and rucksack are both in foliage green, which should come in handy soon. :)

Title: Re: Color of Equipment
Post by: AirAux on February 11, 2016, 08:06:52 PM
All my stuff is leather, I am old school....
Title: Re: Color of Equipment
Post by: Al Sayre on February 11, 2016, 08:36:49 PM
I'm a fan of green too.  Specifically whatever removes the least of it from my wallet.  I usually look for U.S. surplus, green, black, or camo...
Title: Re: Color of Equipment
Post by: Garibaldi on February 11, 2016, 08:44:22 PM
The only thing I miss about Arkansas was the surplus shop there. They had a bargain bin and I would find all kinds of good stuff in it. Nothing like that here...
Title: Re: Color of Equipment
Post by: BFreemanMA on February 13, 2016, 01:41:35 AM
Most of my gear is black with retroreflective tapes. We have a decent Army/Navy store nearby our squadron and it makes for a one-stop-shop for most of the gear we would need. I have a black backpack and duty belt to hold my most frequently used items (notebook and pencil, compass, flashlight, etc).
Title: Re: Color of Equipment
Post by: RRLE on February 13, 2016, 01:10:49 PM
This guy has some good ideas The Color of Prepping by TheUrbanPrepper (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EBgCNyMeJM).
Title: Re: Color of Equipment
Post by: GroundHawg on February 20, 2016, 03:13:13 PM
When I was the GT Leader and ES/SAR Officer at my last squadron, I had a SOP typed up that directed any and all field gear be in solid OD Green or Orange. I went a step further to specify that camo of any type would not be permitted.
Title: Re: Color of Equipment
Post by: USACAP on February 24, 2016, 12:50:25 AM
In a volunteer organization where everyone brings their own ...
How about whatever color was FREE.
Title: Re: Color of Equipment
Post by: Luis R. Ramos on February 24, 2016, 02:39:47 AM
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:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:
Title: Re: Color of Equipment
Post by: Luis R. Ramos on February 24, 2016, 02:47:52 AM
On my second iteration of CAP, when there was not the exacting language that exists today on the prohibition of Health Services Officer, and my EMT certificate was current I used to take a stethoscope to the field. I chose the color orange, because it would be most visible, I thought. The EMT shears I used to take had similarly colored orange handles. Then I dropped the shears on the ground.


;D 



The ground cover on the forest we were in was yellowish with orangeish hues. It took me some time to find those orange shears, as their orange color was almost the same and in some the same as the fallen leaves...


:D :D :D
Title: Re: Color of Equipment
Post by: Storm Chaser on February 25, 2016, 09:04:55 PM
My 24-hour pack/vest is orange and my 72-hour pack is woodland camouflage.

While it would be nice to have standardized gear color, that's just not practical in a volunteer organization where most members buy their own gear. Requiring a specific gear type or color beyond what's prescribed by regulations would require units to provide the gear to their members.
Title: Re: Color of Equipment
Post by: LSThiker on February 26, 2016, 02:49:44 PM
Quote from: Storm Chaser on February 25, 2016, 09:04:55 PM
My 24-hour pack/vest is orange and my 72-hour pack is woodland camouflage.

What about items such as your tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, etc?  Are they the standard military items or a rainbow of color?
Title: Color of Equipment
Post by: Storm Chaser on February 26, 2016, 03:37:19 PM
Quote from: LSThiker on February 26, 2016, 02:49:44 PM
Quote from: Storm Chaser on February 25, 2016, 09:04:55 PM
My 24-hour pack/vest is orange and my 72-hour pack is woodland camouflage.

What about items such as your tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, etc?  Are they the standard military items or a rainbow of color?

My tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, etc. are all different color commercial items, mostly dark or earth colors.