Color difference in gear

[GunnerMax]

Gents/Women,

I am just starting my SHTF tactical gear collection, but I am limited (due to price and availability) to having my gear be different color.

Some are ACU, some are Olive Drab, some are woodland, some are Tan.

I live in the city, with no real camo setup being perfect. I actually think the mix will be beneficial.

dont expect to stay in the city, but be mobile to wherever I might go.

I see other sets with all ACU, but thats just too damn expensive to keep everything ACU...

What do you guys think? I

[Towanda]

As long as your gear works for you, color coördination doesn't matter much.

[phil_in_cs]

mixed up stuff = red neck multicam.

Mines a mix of what was on sale at the time I bought it plus what I traded for. Various makes mean different things by coyote brown and olive green, anyway.

[Bubba Enfield]

Various colours/patterns of gear = average joe using what's available/affordable.

Full matching military camo= dude playing army.

Just my opinion.

[sawgunner0311]

As long as your gear works for you,, cam patern dont matter much,Not like your rolling out with the First Marine Div. Looking less like an actual soilder might be a good thing in real world shft scenarios, it could be the soilders are the zombies in real life.

[Rob Salem]

My EDC/GHB stuff tends to be black. I'm a little picky about it, but at the moment I'm pretty much a WalMart prepper so it's not that expensive for me to picky when it comes to looks. My BOB/INCH stuff tends to be RealTree AP Hardwoods or Max-4 with a little Mossy Oak mixed in. My BOB gear is my hunting gear first, doubling as an extended BOB (that could probably be pushed to an INCH set up with some work). The way I figure it though, survival isn't about fashion it's about survival and functionality. What I have is what I use. I'm new to prepping and making due with what I have but I already know that stuff will be changing (first priorty will be a BOB pack upgrade - bigger with more utility) as my resources and priorities allow.

[Big B]

Sometimes I get a little anal about my gear and want to make it all one color or pattern, my "war belt" is now all Multicam. I still have a mix of black, OD green, Coyote brown, MARPAT, etc stuff. As long as you aren't required to have your gear a certain color/pattern (like for work or something) I wouldn't worry too much.

If it does bother you too much you can always dye or dust with spray paint to give you the color you want. I've done that with some ACU pouches on my plate carrier (I use my PC at work so I have to have it and the pouches on it be specific colors ).

[Priest0817]

like Big B I am a bit asinine about my gear. But it doesn't really matter. all my stuff is matching but I use all of my stuff for my job get to write all of it off as business expense. before I had the job I do now most of my kit was mismatched. I have never been able to stomach ACU though, but Rit dye will fix that for very little money. You can grow into better kit later. I did. and end up donating my old stuff to friends or family members that are prepping and just starting out. it is a good way to build friendship and in the end strong friendships will be the best preps of all

[SouthPAW]

The important new looks in tactical fashion for this season is definitely the "gear acquired by high speed/low drag operator over years of ops" look.

Woodland and tigerstripe camo are sooooo Vietnam, and the old style desert camo are sooooo Desert storm, so, this years fashion conscious operators are either wearing the new ACU pattern trousers, or a neutral earth tone 5.11 cargo pant. Couple that with a coyote tan t-shirt, and tan chest rig, with a nice tan, or tan/black shemagh to complete the whole "Blackwater" look.

Thigh rigs are about as fashionable as parachute pants these days, so be sure to put your glock 19 (you do have a glock 19, don't you? That would be like J-Lo without a Prada bag) in a chest rig mounted kydex holster.

Next, you must make sure that your boots don't clash with your Kifaru ruck; If you have black boots, any color ruck will do; but, if you have tan boots, try to not have a black ruck. Also, eye color and skin tone need to be taken into consideration. If you have darker skin, avoid black, and try to go with more earthtones. If you have light colored eyes, a tan shemagh will do wonders to bring out their natural brilliance.

Also, remember to pick sunglasses that not only protect your eyes, but frame your face properly. They can really make or break your whole outfit.

That's your fashion tip for the week from "Operators eye, for the civilian guy".

[skelco]

That's your fashion tip for the week from "Operators eye, for the civilian guy".

highlarious

[DeadCanadian]

Most of my urban gear is black so a lot of my woods gear ends up being black too, but if not black then green or brown. I don't like blaze orange Thermarests and yellow tents. My North Face Cat's Meow has a fair amount of blue but I had no choice in that, I pick by quality and meeting my needs first and colour last.

[BullOnParade]

I was going over some gear last night and decided, in a SHTF scenario, foliage, OD, and tan would roughly add up to woodland.

When I'm buying pouches, I usually hold out until somewhere is having a sale. Spec-ops ran a large sale over the summer, I picked up tan mag pouches. 5.11 ran a sale on OD for ridiculous prices shortly after. Tac gear is one of those things that you only Need if you use it for work. If you don't Need it then you don't need it to match.

[oldsoldier]

Mine is green-for 2 reasons. One, I live in the northeast-green is pretty damned prevalent here. Two, its cheap-cheaper than anything patterned. And ALWAYS on sale. I just cannot tell the difference between green, foliage, OD green, or Ranger green-so, it may be mismatched, but its all green (I am colorblind, and have a hard time differentiating shades).
Besides, anything that doesnt match, will, after a liberal application of Krylon.

[phil_in_cs]

Besides, anything that doesnt match, will, after a liberal application of Krylon.

Or mud.

[arrowolf]

Most of my gear is coyote because the vegetation around here is brown in winter and brown in summer. And the soot from burned up trees makes it own pattern when it rubs all over whatever you are wearing.

[Bonecrusher Doc]

As long as your gear works for you,, cam patern dont matter much,Not like your rolling out with the First Marine Div. Looking less like an actual soilder might be a good thing in real world shft scenarios, it could be the soilders are the zombies in real life.

Not long ago many of the "actual soldiers" had all sorts of mismatching gear, especially in garrison. Will probably happen again soon.

[Vidar]

I think ACU is ugly and gimmicky and not practical as a working camouflage. If you're going to pay extra for cammo patterns, stick with ATACS or Multicam. I have different kits, some being based on Flat Dry Earth, others black and others still Foliage, and so far have managed to avoid all that stuff. Sure there's variances in color from different companies and it all wears differently in exposure to sun and sweat, but if you really want to preserve it I suggest spraying it down with 303. Its an aviation product that protects nylon from UV rays and will keep the colors true. Much of camouflage is about breaking up your image, not just 'blending in' to natural colors. The only issue I can see with mismatched color kit is drawing attention through your motion. At that point I don't think the color of your kit is going to matter much anyway.

[oldsoldier]

Besides, anything that doesnt match, will, after a liberal application of Krylon.

Or mud.

I dont get my gear dirty!!!!!!!!

[AKFTW]

Mine is green-for 2 reasons. One, I live in the northeast-green is pretty damned prevalent here. Two, its cheap-cheaper than anything patterned. And ALWAYS on sale.

This for me, all my stuff is some sort of OD and it works well with all sorts of camo patterns that I use based on the season or AO.

[Doctorr Fabulous]

I will generously offer to buy your old, outdated gear for $.10 on the dollar, so you guys can recycle some of your funding for the newest stuff.

[BullOnParade]

I will generously offer to buy your old, outdated gear for $.10 on the dollar, so you guys can recycle some of your funding for the newest stuff.

$.11, and I'll cover shipping.

[Doctorr Fabulous]

I will generously offer to buy your old, outdated gear for $.10 on the dollar, so you guys can recycle some of your funding for the newest stuff.

$.11, and I'll cover shipping.

Alright. I make it 15 cents on the dollar, and I'll cover shipping as well.

[Keith B]

I used to run coyote on everything when I lived in Texas, now I live in Washington and I am switching everything over to Foliage/Ranger Green. But I'm still not afraid to mix and match both colors on the same gear. It's really more of a preference thing, I just have a better excuse to run Foliage now, which I like more anyways.

But in response to your ACU cost issue, I'm sure it will be dropping more in price here shortly after the military transitions away from it completely.

[ninja-elbow]

Besides, anything that doesnt match, will, after a liberal application of Krylon.

Or mud.

Or dust... like adventure dust and not sitting on the closet shelf dust.