Thoughts on low visibility colors

johnelmore · September 14, 2013, 03:49 AM

I authored a post on high visibility colors so I thought one on low visibility colors would go well with it. Low visibility colors can be used in a number of situations where you do not want to draw attention to yourself. For example walking through an inner city area or traveling outside of the USA where muggings are most common.

In the daytime light desert like colors are most desirable for the modern urban area. Khaki or light brown are excellent solid colors for this type of area. Dark colored clothing like blue jeans are actually highly visible in the urban area as it contrasts against the lightly colored background. Most urban areas are painted and colored with light-bright colors. Rarely will you see a black or blue building.

At night, black is the best color for true low visibility for obvious reasons. Those dark blue jeans were horrible for the day, but are perfect for the night.

The police generally like to use black because its highly visible in the daytime contrasting against the light colored urban background but invisible at night. In the day time police need to standout in the crowd and also be effective in their role of traffic control but at night its better to be low viz. Black also tends to be an intimidating color which projects authority. Its also easier to match a car paint with black then any other color. Thus police enjoy black. Black, however, is a horrible low visibility color for daytime.

Olive drab, ranger green and other greens are only good for forest or jungle like atmospheres. In an urban area it contrasts and makes the user more visible contrasting against the buildings. What buildings are colored green nowadays?

Coyote Brown would be my choice if I could only choose one color to wear. The USMC has decided to color most of their individual equipment this color. Brown is present in almost every environment. It goes well with urban and forest. It blends nicely against most buildings and goes well against the forest.

If I were to travel abroad or into a high crime area or other area where my safety might be in question, I would focus on dark blue and black at night...blue jeans for example. By day I would go for a light brown and other lightish colors like khaki pants and a light grey shirt.

**OldMarksman** · September 14, 2013, 08:58 AM

"Low visibility colors" would not be very helpful for mitigating the risk of being hit by a car, a truck, a motorcycle, or a bicycle--or a jogger, for that matter.

Nor does the idea of minimizing one's contrast with buildings sound like an effective way to avoid muggers.

Someone has posted something on this, but I cannot find it. The recommendation was to wear clothing that does not stand out in a crowd, and to avoid wearing or displaying watches, jewelry, or electronics.

Sarge · September 14, 2013, 09:15 AM

Best not to dress like Corporal Klinger. Beyond that, pretty much anything goes these days.

I generally wear earth tones anyhow but regardless of what you wear, the bigger issues are paying attention to your surroundings, avoiding/getting away from danger zones and being ready to drive the OODA cycle like a dragster. That will convey to potential predators.

johnelmore · September 14, 2013, 09:26 AM

Let me come at this a different way. If I had to walk through an area of Detroit or parts of Los Angeles with gang activity I wouldnt do so with my high visibility shirt.

Some of us here have to go through risky areas maybe as a part of our job or because of another reason. Avoiding contrasting colors is a worthy part of self defense. Earthy tones is probably the words I was looking for in a daytime urban environment. Light colors. Blue jeans and dark shirt for night.

When I discuss a topic like colored clothing keep in mind Im just talking about one particular variable in the concept of self defense tactics. Of course there is a lot more to it then wearing a pair of jeans or khaki pants.

**OldMarksman** · September 14, 2013, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Earthy tones is probably the words I was looking for in a daytime urban environment. Light colors. Blue jeans and dark shirt for night.

The important thing is to not stand out in the crowd and to not look like a victim. Expensive clothes, fancy shoes, a shiny watch, an iPhone, bright colors during the day...

But for a pedestrian, dark clothing at night poses a serious risk.

**Frank Ettin** · September 14, 2013, 10:54 AM

And off topic.

September 14, 2013, 03:49 AM	#1
johnelmore Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2013 Posts: 456	Thoughts on low visibility colors I authored a post on high visibility colors so I thought one on low visibility colors would go well with it. Low visibility colors can be used in a number of situations where you do not want to draw attention to yourself. For example walking through an inner city area or traveling outside of the USA where muggings are most common. In the daytime light desert like colors are most desirable for the modern urban area. Khaki or light brown are excellent solid colors for this type of area. Dark colored clothing like blue jeans are actually highly visible in the urban area as it contrasts against the lightly colored background. Most urban areas are painted and colored with light-bright colors. Rarely will you see a black or blue building. At night, black is the best color for true low visibility for obvious reasons. Those dark blue jeans were horrible for the day, but are perfect for the night. The police generally like to use black because its highly visible in the daytime contrasting against the light colored urban background but invisible at night. In the day time police need to standout in the crowd and also be effective in their role of traffic control but at night its better to be low viz. Black also tends to be an intimidating color which projects authority. Its also easier to match a car paint with black then any other color. Thus police enjoy black. Black, however, is a horrible low visibility color for daytime. Olive drab, ranger green and other greens are only good for forest or jungle like atmospheres. In an urban area it contrasts and makes the user more visible contrasting against the buildings. What buildings are colored green nowadays? Coyote Brown would be my choice if I could only choose one color to wear. The USMC has decided to color most of their individual equipment this color. Brown is present in almost every environment. It goes well with urban and forest. It blends nicely against most buildings and goes well against the forest. If I were to travel abroad or into a high crime area or other area where my safety might be in question, I would focus on dark blue and black at night...blue jeans for example. By day I would go for a light brown and other lightish colors like khaki pants and a light grey shirt.

September 14, 2013, 09:15 AM	#3
Sarge Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2002 Location: MO Posts: 5,457	Best not to dress like Corporal Klinger. Beyond that, pretty much anything goes these days. I generally wear earth tones anyhow but regardless of what you wear, the bigger issues are paying attention to your surroundings, avoiding/getting away from danger zones and being ready to drive the OODA cycle like a dragster. That will convey to potential predators. __________________ People were smarter before the Internet, or imbeciles were harder to notice.

September 14, 2013, 10:54 AM	#6
Frank Ettin Staff Join Date: November 23, 2005 Location: California - San Francisco Posts: 9,471	And off topic. __________________ "It is long been a principle of ours that one is no more armed because he has possession of a firearm than he is a musician because he owns a piano. There is no point in having a gun if you are not capable of using it skillfully." -- Jeff Cooper

September 14, 2013, 08:58 AM	#2
OldMarksman Staff Join Date: June 8, 2008 Posts: 4,022	"Low visibility colors" would not be very helpful for mitigating the risk of being hit by a car, a truck, a motorcycle, or a bicycle--or a jogger, for that matter. Nor does the idea of minimizing one's contrast with buildings sound like an effective way to avoid muggers. Someone has posted something on this, but I cannot find it. The recommendation was to wear clothing that does not stand out in a crowd, and to avoid wearing or displaying watches, jewelry, or electronics.

September 14, 2013, 09:26 AM	#4
johnelmore Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2013 Posts: 456	Let me come at this a different way. If I had to walk through an area of Detroit or parts of Los Angeles with gang activity I wouldnt do so with my high visibility shirt. Some of us here have to go through risky areas maybe as a part of our job or because of another reason. Avoiding contrasting colors is a worthy part of self defense. Earthy tones is probably the words I was looking for in a daytime urban environment. Light colors. Blue jeans and dark shirt for night. When I discuss a topic like colored clothing keep in mind Im just talking about one particular variable in the concept of self defense tactics. Of course there is a lot more to it then wearing a pair of jeans or khaki pants.