This is borderline off-topic, but it came to mind and I thought I'd share it anyway.

Myself and another producer where shooting a video in the Wind River Range. We needed a shot of a signal mirror reflecting in the distance. I dropped him off on a roadside ledge with the camera and a view of the opposite ridge.

I got in the car and drove to the other ridge, maybe a half-mile away and got some gear together. By happenstance, I pulled out an all-weather blanket and jammed it on the outside of if my pack under some bungee cords with the shiny side out. As I scrambled up the slope I created intermittent reflections from the blanket that marked my movement.

I found a location and started to signal with the mirror. We caught some of the reflections on camera and used them in the program, but it wasn't quite the shot that we had hoped for. When we discussed the shot later, he said that my movement up slope with the reflections from the blanket on my pack was more visible than my stationary use of the mirror. When I wasn't moving and without any reflections, I pretty much vanished from sight.

I'm not quite sure how this relates other than, at a distance, anyone can be hard to spot and movement has a lot to do visibility.

I have a mixture of civilian colours and OD for the big stuff (clothing and pack). I like OD because it blends in the background. Having the same colours as the surrounding makes you feel more a home. The more moderne and lighter weight equipment seams to be all civilian so i'm shifting to civial colours.

However all mine small stuff are equipped with reflection tape or glow-in-dark and reflective cord. I had search for mine stuff too often...

I carry the best I can afford, regardless of color. I have the stuff I need to be found if needed, and I know how to hide if I need to. When camping, I carry little that is in subdued colors. My kids are in all lemony yellow and orange orange stuff. Backpacks, ponchos, clothing, tents, etc. It is difficult at times to find clothing and equipment suitable for camping which is not tan or green. These colors hide dirt and stains well and they sell better than most bright colors to people who camp.

Carry what works and what you need. If you are alive, there many ways to be seen. If you are dead, then subdued colors do not aid in finding your body, but then you won't care anymore.

No camo for me, but I do prefer muted colors for my campsite and my backpack (green and grey, at the moment). Even my car is a muted green (Honda Element).

My dog is bright white so she practically glows in any surrounding that's not snow-covered.

Same here -- subdued colors, earth tones, OD or dark/black. OTOH, I don't have anything that would qualify as camouflage.

Guys, here is a simple test for those of you who wear black so not to be seen, (1) go out on a very cloudy day, (2) at dusk and (3) at night wearing black and then a dark grey and see which one is easier to notice. You might be surprised.

After reading these posts, I wondered if wearing camo was best for hunters, so I googled 'do deer see color'. The answer was NOT what I expected!

What Deer See: http://www.bowhunting.net/artman/publish/atskodeersee.shtml

I guess a lot of hunters didn't know that! Bambi doesn't see what we see.

Sue

I don't really care about gear color to be honest. I bought a tangerine-yellow Osprey Stratos 32 backpack as a daypack and for search and rescue mostly because I liked it's features.

I use a Black Diamond Bullet 16 which is black, this is my summit pack/short hike pack. Bought it because is was rugged but still lightweight.

I use a blue Arc'teryx Bora 50 pack for much longer hikes, bushwhacking or overnights. Got it super cheap off a classifieds site. It's blue.

My first LARGE pack was a dark green 70-liter Karrimor pack, I got it during a clearance deal but I harly use it.

So my purchases usually depend on :

1) intended use
2) price
3) closet space

Sure, but attracting attention can be achieved more easily than blending in. If you're wearing OD or camo it's good practice to keep a large, bright plastic bag or tarp. When deployed properly, it will be seen a good distance, much better than a neon blue backpack. But if all or most of your gear is painfully bright and you look like you just went to a rave party you'll have a very difficult time blending in or even camouflaging should the need arise.

Thanks, all. I appreciate the answers. Some very good thoughts expressed here.

Seems like there are several reasons people wind up with camo/black/od gear. And as I stated earlier, I understand hunting and hiking with woodland-type gear. And now I also get the fact that for some things the civillian equivalent is more money or not as tough.

But to draw this back one more time to dedicated emergency gear, I have a sense there are some folks that do choose gear with half a thought to hiding out during a crisis if needed. Here are my thoughts around that...

Personally I do not plan for, nor want to be part of a scenario where I feel the need to "go commando" and hide out in the woods with my wife and children. Hence there is not a single piece of emergency gear/clothing I own that will help me escape detection. Just the opposite in fact. Perhaps I am flawed in that thinking. -shrug-

However I do plan for emergencies, which by my definition are short-term interruptions to our regular life. Even when an entire section of the country was affected by a disaster and the government response was slow as in hurricane Katrina, I didn't see anyone needing to hide in the woods from the helicoptors/marauders/zombies/et al. Are there scenarios I can conjure up in my imagination where society itself breaks down and I need to hide? I suppose so. But while that type of thing makes great movie fodder, it's just not what I plan for.

But it sounds like there are lots of reasons we choose the gear we do. Thanks for sharing yours,