Tent Colors

[hootyhoo]

What is up with tent colors - I have been looking for new tent - why are some blue, some yellow, some orange - hilleberg even has red ones. Is this for marketing or is there some reason for having a color - i.e. maybe blue is more soothing, or red gets you fired up for a summit bid?
The one I want is blue - I don't want blue, but it has the features I am interested in. I would prefer something more stealthy, but have not found one.

[Franco]

Some colours are just fashionable or the specific colour for that brand, like the Marlboro Red on a Ferrari (formerly it was a Ferrari red....) , others it's because of safty. Not that easy findig your green tent if bush bashing nor a light blue in a snow blizzard.
When rescued in the middle of the Tasman sea , the spotter on the Hercules saw the 6" safety raft (orange) but could not see the 42" white ketch. Similarly only a couple of weeks ago a mate that was rescued in Alaska was spotted from the air because of his orange bivvy .
Not relevant at all for camping inside established camp sites.
Franco

[cupid]

I personally prefer standard "backpacker green"

You know, that green that seems to be on every piece of hiking equipment ever.

[big_muddy]

This is from Oware, who makes tarps and other goodies. It helps explain the different colors, etc.

Navy - NOLS color choice for their Thelma Flys for blending in.
Pros-blends in well at dusk and dark, doesn't attract attention from people
or animals. Dries quickly in sunlight. Makes the best shade if an ample insulating
air distance (3 ft) is kept between you and the tarp, Best projection from snow
blindness.
Cons-lets less light through, dreary in dreary weather, can be hot in hot weather i
f fabric is close to the body.

Purple,Brown,Royal
Pros-blends in well at dusk and dark, doesn't attract attention from people or
animals. Dries quickly in sunlight. Makes the best shade if an ample insulating
air distance (3 ft) is kept between you and the tarp, Best projection from snow
blindness.
Cons-lets less light through, dreary in dreary weather, can be hot in hot weather
if fabric is close to the body.

Grey - most popular with backpackers
Pros-blends in well in many settings. Doesn't attract attention from people or
animals.
Lets lots of light through.Cons-dreary in dreary weather, lets radient heat
through in hot weather (doesn't give very dark shade) gives little protection
from snow blindness.

Bright Orange or Chartruese- SAR and survival kit favorites
Pros-cheery in dreary weather, easily spotted in emergencies or when returning
to camp
in stormy weather. Lets lot of light through. Hunting safety
Cons-shows dirt, may attract unwanted attention from people or animals,
gives little shade, gives little protection from snow blindness.

Leaf green - bowhunters choice
Pros-blends in well in many settings. lets some light through, good compromise for
all around use.

Gold - boaters pick
Pros-cheery in dreary weather, easily spotted in emergencies or when returning to
camp in stormy weather. Lets lot of light through.
Cons-shows dirt, may attract unwanted attention from people or animals,
gives little protection from snow blindness.

One thing to consider if you do snow camping and spend time inside
during the day, yellow lets in a lot of light which can lead to snowblindness
on a sunny day. Years ago REI did tests of colors and decided a dark orange
was best for mountaineering tents- they were cheery and easy to find, but
cut down on light more to help stave off snow blindness.

Most folks that buy our shelters and fabric prefer-
bright colors if they snow camp,
navy, black, green or gray if they trail hike (to hide from the crowds),
black or navy for desert for better shade with high pitch,
orange or yellow for emergency shelters and search and rescue,
yellow for river trips for mood enhancement on rainy days,
blaze orange, green or gray for hunters (depending on the type of hunting military
tactical)gray or green for those in bear country ( to avoid visually attracting them)
photographers like a bit of color in their photos.

[modiyooch]

I paid extra for my green hilleberg tent. I didn't want the red. When I inquired about the color, it was explained to me that it is easier to spot in rescue situations for rock climbers.

[Jayboflavin04]

This may be kinda trivial. Most red colorants have a very poor life span due to UV light. Anything red colored fade very quickly.

[Feral Bill]

Decades ago, when Gerry tents were around and popular, they were all blue. The rationale? Mosquitos like blue. "If a mosquito does get inside, I would much rather have it crawling on the tent than on me." (Gerry Cunningham)

Decent tents. Mine finally died from UV light.

[MintakaCat]

My Kifaru is brown, very hard to spot in the woods.

[Mags]

So it seems grey or green is the way to go? My shelter is gray-ish green...

I've always liked subtle colors myself...

[theinfamousj]

:: shamefully admits to having more than one shelter ::

My two person is olive drab. My One is bluish-grayish. My bivy is red. My WalMart Special is bright blue, bright green, and yellow.

Overall, I'd say that my shelters tend to the "cool" colors, though not necessarily subtle in the case of the WalMart Special.

Oware's color analysis also seems to tend to the "cool" colors.

Then again, so does nature.

As for bright -- Has anyone had a hunter shoot at their tent before or heard of such a thing happening?

[Panzer1]

lite colors like yellow let sun light in. Good in early morning to help you get up.

Panzer

[OldStormcrow]

Most of the really high quality 4-season mountaineering tents are some sort of horrible school-bus orange for high visibility. That, and the cost are the two reasons I don't own one.

[freefall]

So it seems grey or green is the way to go? My shelter is gray-ish green...

I've always liked subtle colors myself...

Has my vote! To camp in those colors is good for stealth if need be.

[hootyhoo]

Decades ago, when Gerry tents were around and popular, they were all blue. The rationale? Mosquitos like blue. "If a mosquito does get inside, I would much rather have it crawling on the tent than on me." (Gerry Cunningham)

Decent tents. Mine finally died from UV light.

Excellent - that reminded me of a trivia fact - they used to paint porch ceilings blue in the old days, also for skeeters.

[Pedaling Fool]

What is up with tent colors - I have been looking for new tent - why are some blue, some yellow, some orange - hilleberg even has red ones. Is this for marketing or is there some reason for having a color - i.e. maybe blue is more soothing, or red gets you fired up for a summit bid?
The one I want is blue - I don't want blue, but it has the features I am interested in. I would prefer something more stealthy, but have not found one.

Someone needs to notify the tent manufacturers that they are violating sound LNT principles.

[Tipi Walter]

So it seems grey or green is the way to go? My shelter is gray-ish green...

I've always liked subtle colors myself...

And I believe there are some places that require subdued tent colors and will ask a person to remove his tent if it's too bright.

lite colors like yellow let sun light in. Good in early morning to help you get up.

Panzer

Everybody knows a bright yellow tent offers a bright inside during cloudy dark conditions. The difference between a dark brown tent and a bright yellow tent on overcast days is amazing. A bonus for the green Hillebergs is that while the outside is dark green , the inside is bright golden yellow, helping to bring light inside during dark days.

I spent years stealth camping in a North Face Westwind, bright yellow, and had to carry an Army poncho along to hide the thing. On a 17 day trip into the Sierras in '89, I used the dark green poncho over the tent with good results and to protect me from prying eyes. Sometimes it's important to not be seen . . .