Camoflague in urban environment

I have never thought of camoflague until recently. I live in a city and only go camping occasionally , and any color will do for my stuff.

Last few weeks I was uneasy with some nosy folks who ask more questions than I can take. Though nothing I have is special grade or high price, but I don't like too much questions and too much handling of MY stuff.

One example is when I drop my kids at school then head to my office. I open the car trunk to get my bag, and at the same moment some colleagues are passing and will notice and ask : WHAT ISSSSS THAAAAAT ???? ( bought a new car and it had a bright red emergency bag containing working gloves, FAK, air compressor .. etc. ). It is very annoying for me to stop, explain and he tries to open it and see the contents. I really have no time for this. So, I started to get my bag at school, and not open the trunk at work.

Similarly, somone needs a ride and I open the glove ( or other ) compartment and he sees a bright orange flashlight and starts to handle it. He may even light it ( very bright ) at night when I am driving !! It bothers me a lot.

I was pleasantly syurprised a few times, however, when I noticed that BLACK colored stuff is often not noticed. Like a multitool in a black nylon sheath can hardly be seen inside a compartment near the gear stick. At last , something to help against nosy people.

I was so please with this discovery that I started to bet on it. One night I stayed working late in office and when I decided to go home, didn't think of taking the bag with me. I had to bring it next morning anyway so why bother taking it ? I was sure it won't be norticed by a casual passer-by remaining in the building ( like maintenance staff ) because its black/grey color combo makes it hard to see in dim light if you are not specifically looking for it.

Do you have experiences ( negative or postive ) in using camo in urban environments ??

Just to flip this around for a sec, but if these are friends, maybe it's a positive thing that they notice your first aid kit or a flashlight or whatnot because it raises their awareness and may give you an opportunity to get them interested in being more prepared. Maybe. Sure, sometimes it's annoying when people are touching your "stuff" but then again, it's just stuff. What is the point of that stuff? To help/assist people, you or someone else.

Of course, I'd hate to crash while driving because my passenger suddenly switched on the disorienting strobe feature of my super high power flashlight and can't figure out how to turn it off!

That said, I do prefer to keep those things low-profile mostly to lessen the risk of theft. Whatever people would normally carry will generally draw the least attention. Could be a messenger bag or daypack in many places, or something more formal in an area with lot's of white collar workers. I have had times when I kept car kit stuff in shopping bags in the trunk so it looks totally innocuous when your trunk is open. A cooler is another container I have used. It is extra handy because it can help moderate extreme temperature swings.

I don't think the environment here is the same as your's,but everyone I associate with is very well aware that things need to be hidden or covered up,& this has been a general rule of thumb,Always!I was at a major hardware supply store one time,& my truck was parked about center of the huge parking lot,when I exited the store I noticed alot of activity going on near my truck,it turned out 3 vehicles/trucks had been burglarized,2 on oneside/1 on the otherside of my truck,yet my truck was untouched.I carry alot of tools but they are well hidden from view,hence my truck was camo'd enough to not need any, unwanted attention.The working class People here in general are taught early in life,not to touch anything that doesn't belong to them though, there are many who ignore that lesson,or are ignorant thereof!We are in need of 1 or 2 laws that your country employs to the ignorant,lol!

I have the feeling that old, cheap. worn bags in subdued colors get less attention than tactical bags or bags with actual camo patterns. Arney's idea of using shopping bags is what I'm talking about. I sometimes drape a tarp or blanket over stuff. Actually, I keep a blanket in my car (a part of my kit), and I put it over the car kit. This is not to stop the curious from asking questions, but just to stop any would-be thieves from figuring out whether I have anything worth stealing.

Since we love our equipment so much, we want the right bag with plenty of pockets for our stuff. That will probably attract attention. My car kit bag, for example, is a nice one with a good strap, sensibly arranged pockets, etc.

I also agree that in many cases, we can turn encounters with non-preppers into an educational experience. No need to be embarrassed or secretive. Most people will get bored fast and can't wait for us to shut up about our little hobby.

DB

I don't mind showing and discussing stuff , but within a narrow scope:

1 - The person should be someone who shows geniuoine interest and shows respect for this stuff. Only one colleague qualifies, and we have exchanged gifts of that nature ( flashlights, multuitools ..etc. ). The rest , well, I prefer they do not know what I have.

2 - The time and circumstances should be right for discussing this stuff. It is one thing to talk about favorite type of multitool in the lunch break, and it is another thing to explore the contents of my bag while I am rushing to finish an urgent job.

People don't mean any harm, but they sometimes behave "too friendly" and assuming that you do not mind.

Judging behavior of your friends in different situations ( like going out in the field or bsuiness trips) can give a good idea who is who. Some of them unfortunately will explore stuff just to make a joke about it.

So, back to camo.

Sometimes, had to leave my cell phone charging on the desk and go to do other jobs. There too, I utilized the grey/black color combo to "hide it", almost in plain sight, by placing it among computer speakers and other miscellaneous gadgets and books. The charger wire was also extended along with mouse cable , etc.

Richlacal

Same virus that hit other socities is creeping here too.
We are slowly becoming like the U.S. , where "rights" of criminals are important than rights of the victims. I look back at the past with some sadness and wish harsher laws are brought back.

Back to subject
In one site I read something about prepper items that do not necessaily look like prepper items. For example, they had candle lanterns in the living room. They were decorative and would if someone noticed them, they would admire their beauty. However, in a power failure, they are there as candle lanterns.

First, you are too polite if you actually drop everything to explain what's in a bag in your trunk. The person who asks is nosy and really it's none of their business. The guy who tries to open a container in the trunk of my car will find the lid closing on his arm, head or whatever appendage in the way of me closing the trunk. But back to your question about urban camouflage...

I keep stuff in drab to black duffel bags and sometimes in very toolbox looking containers. People see a toolbox in your trunk they think "tools". I won't open the box.

The stuff in my trunk is long term, a bag for the office rides on the front seat.

On the opposite side -- I like my First Aid kits to be red...often with a white cross on them. Seems to be easier to find and most people know that they are.

The FAK in my trunk is blue.

Like Teacher and Russ, I like my first aid kits to be hightly visable in an emergency. All the big trunk kits are either red or blaze orange, and the smaller kits either AMK yellow or blue with a big white cross on the front like the one shown here:

My trunk is full, and no mysteries. I gave a guided tour to a co-responder the other day: things like a fire extinguisher, crow bar, first aid kit (my bloodstopper bag for accident scenes), roadside assistance stuff (manual pump, fixa flat, fuses reflective vest), blanket, spare rain coat, BOB (earthquake, weather), ham radio bag, Red Cross go kit, bag of teddy bears for Red Cross, bag of comfort kits for Red Cross, bag of old fleece jackets and some spare clothes for Red Cross (for clients who got out of fires without clothing etc), and a mass casualty bag with enough kerlix, tape, coban and other FA stuff to treat ~50 people. A zip lock bag with area maps in it. Also a 12 pack of canned lemonade (which doesn't spoil - good for after hike beverages). A z-rest pad. Snow shovel and chains in the winter time. I'm sure there's stuff I've forgotten.

I usually pull the Red Cross stuff when I go on hikes because it really doesn't belong to me, but leave the rest of the stuff in all the time. I use everything except the BOB, large FA gear, and area maps on a more or less regular basis. After I downgraded to a $100 HT in the ham kit the whole kit and kaboodle probably isn't worth much more than the insurance deductible if I lost it in a break in. So why not have it? Why keep your stuff a mystery? Its in the back of my Prius, under a sun shade, can't be observed - parked in one of the safer zip codes most of the time, and some of the more car prowler friendly zip codes the rest of the time, but if I worried about car prowls to begin with I wouldn't be there. If you want it and can find my car you can steal it, if you want to hassle with me while breaking in.

I've gotten some comments on my BOB when the trunk of my car is open. Mine is a Camelbak in hunter's camo -- I would have preferred something less attention-getting in urban environments but it was on closeout.

Note that in addition to active signalling gear I have a large blaze orange bandanna in my BOB if I want to be more visible.

In urban environments I work hard to be discreet. Weapons and tools are concealed. My "stuck on a train" kit is kept in separate pockets from everything else in my laptop bag. Dark, muted colors are the rule. I'm glad to talk prepping with friends but I err on the side of caution with strangers. That means keeping things under wraps.

a lessons learned on gray man.. from a post on a similar thread, I had a situation in upcountry Thailand in 1973...the ability to blend in with local passengers on a baht bus was critical..
after the incident, I made changes to my off duty wardrobe to include..

shoes similar to population
tan pants, not Levi's
local print shirt
non logo ballcap

for an urban situation today, using public transportation or on foot, I would look to..

athletic shoes not associated with a gang
a gray "hoodie" or dark hooded wind breaker depending on season
dark ball cap without logo
wrap around sun glasses
backpack

The only thing I wonder about are things like the G20 and Occupy movements. This attire sounds a little like the black-whatever-they're-called that ramped things up there. Dark clothes could be mistaken by the police as the clothes of a professional, radical protester. I'm more inclined to go with earth-toned browns and greens.

That said, the older I get, the less inclined I am to spend time in cities, especially big ones. I like to hope that, with this in mind, if the worst does happen, I'll want to be found not camoflauged.

All that said, my trunk's loaded with gear that's kept out of sigh unlese the trunk is open. If anyone does ask about it or the bag under my desk, a great answer is "I'm a Scout Leader."

Big cities have all kinds of people dressed all kinds of ways, all the time. Unless you're streaking naked, dressed like a street-walking prostitute or wearing a professional sports uniform in DC, you're unlikely to stand out.

Anyone who has gotten a glimpse into my ample car gear knows that I'm an outdoors enthusiast (i.e. backpack, boots, hiking poles, paracord...) and like to be self-sufficient in regards to basics like tire air compressor, jumper cables, etc.

No one has shown a propensity to rifle through my stuff. If they did, they would not get a second opportunity.

Get one of those nondescript military blankets and keep it over your gear bags, tuck the edges under. If you need the bags, just toss the blanket aside.

Sue

Car stereo installers have gotten quite creative at building false floors or dividers. If you have a false seat back or false floor (in the trunk) covered with the appropriate automotive carpet almost no one is going to notice unless they are looking for it.

You can get a fair amount of stuff in a 4-6" false floor or a 12-15" false seat back.

A cheap, large, nondescript duffel bag without any exciting logos will conceal a lot of stuff too. If you have kids in sports like I do we always have several extra duffel bags laying around collecting dust.

A black fleece blanket ( or scrap) over whatever is visible in your seats/trunk makes them nearly invisible. Also, remove your GPS and GPS mount.

That's largely true in "downtown" areas but much less so in residential neighborhoods, such as you might be walking through to get home.

I like storing things in coolers for a low profile. Big cooler in the car or a lunch-sized one at my desk. A beat-up cardboard box, especially if labelled something like "books to donate" is good for the car too.

+1 on the cooler. Water/ dust proof. sturdy and soooo common and boring.

Urban= you want to blend in
Wilderness and lost = you want to stand out

Urban wear then: you want to look like everyone else on the bus, only more so.

Thanks guys

Yesterday, I found one of my kids leftover school bags. It is a beaten up messenger bag that looks used on the outside but seems to be OK in the inside. So, I want to transfer the contents of my GHB ( usually in the trunk of my car ) to this bag. It is of the right size and have lots of pockets outside and in.

Colors of this bag are navy blue in general, with writing and stars in dull silver. It is all OK, except for a red part in the front. Its area is about 2-3 in x 7 inches, and it is not straight. Sort of like a hawk's beak.

Is there anyway I can hide this red thing, making the bag look even more "un-attractive" and "un-interesting" ???

I am thinking of duct tape or black gorilla tape, but this red thing is not straight. Maybe I should take the time to cut the black tape to exact size and shape, but I thought maybe you guys have better ideas.

Thanks.

black spray paint or marker?

Depending on how the bag is constructed, a patch can be sewed on if you have someone you can take it to who can sew.

Jeanette Isabelle

I've been using a North Face Surge in place of a
briefcase in a professional enviornment. To further tone it down, I blacked out the white lettering and reflective panels with a black permanent ink marker. This has worked out very well. It might work for your issue, as well.

And to think, Home Economics was pushed off the curriculum as not being as "important" as other subjects. Cooking? Some simple sewing? Nah, that'll never be useful.

I'm reminded of that classic line by Val Kilmer in the movie, Red Planet, in a tense moment when a group of astronauts that crash land on Mars need to calculate where they are so they can reach shelter.

"This is it. The moment they told us about in high school...where one day, algebra would save our lives."

I do believe in the importance of handy skills like sewing , carpentry ..etc. but time hasn't helped .... Actually if sewing is an option I can ask someone to sew a larger pocket to cover the whole flap .. but then again, that would look "new".

Maybe the permenent marker is better, but how "permanent" is it ? I had another bag where an ink pen ran through the fabric of the bag. Also, leaving the bag in the trunk for weeks and weeks in summer heat & humidity will not peel off or discolor the ink ?

BTW, are there any nylon batches that are self adhesive and come in different colors ?

You are right.
This might be helpful for anyone who is thinking about it.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DztIyFvHCJM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uA3FAdwJRhs&feature=relmfu