#292584 - 06/26/19 06:19 PM
"survival colors"
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Stranger
Registered: 06/09/19
Posts: 1
Loc: --
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Hi folks!
I'm wondering if there is some report/article that, in some depth, looks into the "colors of survival": Why orange as the international rescue color? And pink in some of the VS17-panels?
Thanks!
PS. I think I read something 10-15 years ago, but my "archive" is lost on some drive.... DS
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#292586 - 06/26/19 09:00 PM
Re: "survival colors"
[Re: Mollerstrom]
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Geezer in Chief
Geezer
Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
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Here is some info via wikipedia:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_orange
I didn't realize there were different shades of IO. From SAR experience, I can assert that the color you are wearing has a definite bearing on whether others can notice (and assist) you. Our unit preferred that rescuers wear a IO shirt when in the field on ops.
_________________________
Geezer in Chief
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#292588 - 06/26/19 10:21 PM
Re: "survival colors"
[Re: hikermor]
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Geezer
Registered: 06/02/06
Posts: 5357
Loc: SOCAL
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Interesting that International Orange (IO) is distinct from Safety orange. Another good color and my preference for no particular reason is Safety Yellow.
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#292589 - 06/27/19 01:03 AM
Re: "survival colors"
[Re: Mollerstrom]
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Crazy Canuck
Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 02/03/07
Posts: 3217
Loc: Alberta, Canada
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I suppose it's all about contrast in different light conditions. But are we talking about visibility from the air, or visibility on the ground?
You don't see a lot of orange/pink fire trucks. But yellow seems to be more common than red. Yellow trucks stick out in the dark. Must be some science behind that.
The cops on foot, plucking speeders out of multi-lane traffic are in yellow jackets. They stick out like a sore thumb. They also have a lot more guts than I do. Yikes.
And then there's a totally different angle: consider the colours that will get you "found" on the ground when SAR is looking for you, and you are immobile.
The blaze orange and neon yellow still stick out, even in fall leaves. But they also make your fellow hikers' eyeballs bleed, and offend the aesthetic of the landscape, so nobody wears that stuff. But I find that anything in a light-to-medium blue, on the ground, catches my eye instantly. A knife or axe with a blue splotch of paint is instantly found; so is a fragment of those horrible blue plastic tarps. It's totally out of place.
This has me rethinking my blend-into-the-landscape solo walking gear.
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#292590 - 06/27/19 01:15 AM
Re: "survival colors"
[Re: Mollerstrom]
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Veteran
Registered: 10/14/08
Posts: 1517
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It is all about being visible. Orange is an unusual natural color, except in the fall, and is visible in most situations. The pink you refer to on VS-17 panels is also visible, but allows for a contrasting color for signaling, manipulating the panel to indicate certain things. A good vibrant blue is also very good, except in the water. Know your situation and environment and use the appropriate colors.
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#292591 - 06/27/19 02:17 AM
Re: "survival colors"
[Re: Mollerstrom]
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Carpal Tunnel
Registered: 04/28/10
Posts: 3148
Loc: Big Sky Country
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Blue is pretty good on land. It's extremely rare in nature aside from water.
_________________________
“I'd rather have questions that cannot be answered than answers that can't be questioned.” —Richard Feynman
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#292592 - 06/27/19 02:23 AM
Re: "survival colors"
[Re: dougwalkabout]
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Geezer in Chief
Geezer
Registered: 08/26/06
Posts: 7705
Loc: southern Cal
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Dougwalkabout makes a point about orange being offensive to fellow hikers, to whom I am tempted to say,"Tough luck."
A more reasonable approach is to be sure to have some items of highly visible color available for display and signaling. One of the best items I ever had was a reversible down jacket - dark green on one side and IO on the reverse.
Red is one of my favorite colors, but it is not favored because in low light conditions, it fades to black quite readily.
It is not just clothing Think about the color of your tent or vehicle when you are trying to find them in dar, stormy conditions.
_________________________
Geezer in Chief
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#292594 - 06/27/19 12:29 PM
Re: "survival colors"
[Re: Mollerstrom]
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Veteran
Registered: 10/14/08
Posts: 1517
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If you want to get someone's attention in any environment think color, contrast and movement.
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