Survival is all about blending in.
If you stand out, you could become like the unhammered nail, begging for unwanted attention.
Whether you are carrying concealed or attempting to negotiate your way through a post-apocalyptic SHTF scenario, take notice that you don’t appear “militaristic” or tactical, as it will work against you.
Mark Twain long ago observes that “clothes make the man” – and the last man you want to be in an emergency scenario is a conspiracy theorist, an obvious doomsday prepper or an overzealous gun-toting idiot who beams controversy and strange looks wherever he goes.
Camouflauge fatigues, “fishing” vests and militia-gear will all work against your efforts, and put an exclamation mark over you while interacting with whatever remains of society, and potentially put a spotlight on your prepping efforts, your stores or retreats, and deflate your hard work to survive.
The last thing you want to do is look like someone who wants a fight, someone who could be stolen from or someone who could become a target or mark.
TheOl1911 explains his philosophy on finding common and even “trendy” clothing with muted colors and enough style to pass the “sniff test” that also offers advantages for concealed carry and tactical preparedness. There’s no one right answer here – but there are certainly wrong ones.
Author Jeremiah Johnson recommends in his Green Beret’s Guide:
Cargo pants. These are preferred because of what you can stash in them. You can hold an infinite combination of gear in them…a polar-tech cap and a balaclava, a “drive-on” (do) rag – the o.g. Army cravat. You can carry shooting gloves (leather for all-weather) and ear plugs (radians do tell!). With all of these things in the cargoes, there is still plenty of room for the main function: when you change your mags or speed loaders, you can shove the empties in your cargo pockets.
Loosely fitting clothing will break up the outline of your body. Also, remember all of the caps and do-rags I mentioned before? A quick disguise is where you find it; need I say more. An old Russian saying: “Do not be a white crow among black crows or you’ll be pecked to death!” Make sure that you blend in as best as you can. Earth tones in your dress if you have to dee-dee into the woods. Balance your tones with the discretion of common sense. Do not try to be a walking Realtree monster right next to downtown city hall.
Blend in and be inconspicuous; be the “gray” man in the crowd.
Police and most trained marksmen know the techniques to spot someone carrying concealed, and otherwise looking shifty. Tell-tale signs of behavior, including subconsciously checking pockets, and changes in the gait, shifting weight to one side, or uneven clothing (from the weight of the weapon in a pocket) are all give away to the professionals. You’d do best to know them, too, so you can spot others, and avoid giving yourself away.
Be aware of how your behavior can give you away, and dress to blend in with the local population. The styles will change depending upon what part of the country you live in, and whether or not you live in or near a city, or out in the countryside.
Psychology of Survival- Gray Man Concept
Instead, you should have the “uniform” of average clothing and accessories for your area, so that no one would notice you in a crowd, and few would remember you after the fact based upon your demeanor and any “give away” actions.
Read more:
The Prepper’s Blueprint: The ESSENTIAL Guide For Any Disaster
A Green Beret’s Guide To Planning Your Personal Posture: “First Things First: Always Be Armed”
I put almost three decades in the Chemical and Oil Refining Industries. Real Industry they were as opposed to the invented, “Hospitality industry”. The cunning smart workers had a saying for survival and ease. Waving their hand mimicking a fish they would say the below:
“Its like a school of fish”. “You don’t want to be in the front”. “You don’t want to be in the rear”. “Your chances of survival are best when your right in the center”.
I like that analogy. I think I’m gonna stick to what I know. I’ve said it a lot, hide in plain sight. It’s not hard to do, if you have to do that. But I’m figuring on being mobile. I know a lot of folks have their bug out spots, but mine is gonna be where I lay my head. I don’t usually talk about my army days but I’ll say I learned a lot about operating on the move and stealth. Regardless of how good of a job you do blending in, just being in a hostile environment increases odds of injury or death. My opinion is to stay away from people as much as possible. If you need to be around them, recon and gather Intel and make a plan of action and then contingency plans for unexpected situations. Think things through before you act. Especially you Braveheart. The way you talk, I’d be concerned that you’re just itchin to squeeze off a few.
“If you stand out, you could become like the unhammered nail, begging for unwanted attention.”
“Better to die in the flower of youth on the chance of winning a noble name, then live like SHEEPLE and die, unloved, and unreknown.” – Pericles
Life is about expressing what is inside, outside. To live your life as a “Grey Man” is to repudiate the Spirit of Life within you. WE live in amazing times. Plastic times when life and history are fluid and malleable. Be all you can be.
Put your stamp on it. 🙂
“A wise man walks with his head bowed low”
Chinese Proverb
“Never let them know what your thinking”
An Armenian border guard defector
A man with his head “bowed low” will never see the light at the end of the tunnel and he will never see the train coming until it hits him.
False humility is as big a character flaw as unbridled ambition or arrogance. With those in check: be bold, be noble. 🙂
Look up, your redemption draws near. 🙂
I don’t listen to Chinese proverbs. I keep my head up high. I walk tall. I don’t have a damn thing to be ashamed of.
Different strokes for different folks.
Pretend inferiority and encourage his arrogance.
Sun Tzu
If you haven’t read The Art Of War its highly recommended. William Westmorland should have, Giap did.
K2,
Westmorland should have retired, along with Bob McNamara. No book in the world will overcome a lack of guts when you openly fear your enemy, or at least fear pissing off those who equip him.
But think of all the change you’ll find laying on the street…
I thought Phillip Ahn said that to David Carradine in Kung Fu…
Jacknife, no I’m not either. I’ve only said what I’ll do if anyone with bad intentions toward me comes to me looking for trouble. I never go looking for trouble. I never have bad intentions toward other people. I’m not itching to do anything. I dread what’s coming and I also know it can’t be avoided. This is one mofo who doesn’t surrender to anyone for anything. Say what you will, but that’s my position and there’s no changing it.
I was in the military at one point in my life and in boot camp, the same set of rules applied to survive. Never be first, never be last and never EVER volunteer for anything.
LOOKING FOR A SAFE SPACE ON CAMPUS?
WE USED TO CALL IT “SEGREGATION”
Same goes for your house which is why I’m moving. Not standing out as a target will make survival of the entire family more probable.
This fine if you are in someone else neighborhood. Or they are sending you to a FEMA camp. Which they will know who I am because I’m fighting back.
For me a lot of the people in the area know me.
Sgt.
Sarge, I could be dressed like a clown and someone would still target me. Any unwelcome visitors at my place will be resisted and I don’t care what they’re wearing or who they are. MOLON LABE
Anybody dressed in a Uniform, when they start Gun Grabbing or other illegal or Unconstitutional BS, will be a target for dispatch.
~WWTI…
I totally agree with that Sarge. I won’t go down/away, just because the blue helmets arrive.
I have no plans to surrender to establishment or enemies…foreign or domestic.
Since i don’t live in an urban environment, the grey man camo is of no importance. Realtree, now that is the shit when you live near/in the woods.
IF, I lived or got stuck in an urban environment, I would wear the dirtiest and most ragged looking attire that i could find. A shopping cart with a 45 s & w, hid in a moldy loaf of bread, just may save me long enough to get tf out of Dodge city.
Young to 80 year old women could/would, be the most vulnerable.
I would defend them if possible, but in a gang rape situation, an aggressive male would not survive unless he had them out- gunned.
I had a friend once that was a whore dog. When he got liquored up, his motto when heading to the bars, was….18 to 80, blind, crippled, or crazy. Zombie thugs will be no different in the urban settings. However; I did just watch Mad Max…Fury…
Passin, correct. No one would wear a tuxedo to go hunting, as no one would don hunting gear to attend a classical orchestra play.
Well maybe some would.
Seems my personal stalker is at it again, cannot post anything without his input.
He has stated he would quit, but he lies constantly.
Notice I do not post jokes much?
Be well all, signing out…
Mac, this is one of the best articles you’ve ever brought us. I have ALWAYS been aware of and a believer in the ‘gray man concept’ and practice it religiously. My clothing is always conservative-looking, solid colors. Cargo pants are so common these days so I have several pairs of BDUs. In warm weather I wear polo shirts in solid colors, nothing fashionable. I wear boots all-year round of one type or another. I can and do ‘blend in’ as well as anyone else can. I don’t wear camo or anything else that would make me stand out. For footwear, make sure you have something that has arch support and is very comfortable. For extra comfort, you can add a pair of Dr. Scholls’ footpads which really help. I always prefer boots because of the ankle support.
Brave , its hilarious , but if you dont wear camo here you look like an outsider .
Gotta have your Duck Commander and Realtree .
Even the girls wear pink realtree.
Hammerhead, let me add a caveat. What I wrote above is for an URBAN environment. I do have some camo clothing but I only wear that in rural settings. Sorry for any misunderstanding.
Interestingly, where I live(Hawaii)jungle Camo is very common for work wear for blue collar jobs or the homeless. It is warm and wet here so Jungle gear works really good. I always strive to look like a homeless Vet with very short gray hair and beard.
Nobody ever gives me a second look. One time I bloused my pants, and boy did I get a second look, even though I was wearing a bright blue beer “T” shirt.
It is probably a matter of blending in where you are at.
Rel: hahahahah! You bloused your pants!
Agreed… I live in Montana in a small town. If you’re not in camo at the local grocery store, you’re an outsider. Pick your attire based on your locale… 🙂
Lots of gun toting real bad ass bikers in my area. Some biker gangs, and some really nice people. Some just pleasure riders. I never have any problems with them. Be nice to them and you are in. Just don’t cross them or hit on their women. And stay away from them if they get to f-up’d drinking. I also have a good friend who knows many of them and he won’t let them mess with me. He carriea 2 guns at all times. Then we have the Redneck hicks, some are knife carriers and some are just drunks. The rest are old people and tourists. There is a half dozen bar’s in the 15 Mile area. People move from bar to bar to watch the live band’s. Country life is different than living in a large city. Lots of people wear camo and combat boots Here. I dress with no threat and normal street clothes, jeans etc.. If you wanna dress like a bad ass with an attitude, you better be able to back it up. I rarely ever see any county deputies out here poking around. I think they stay away and avoid conflicts with the locals or just too busy dealing with domestic issues or druggies. Why get shot over small issues. Still way safer out here and is 98% white people. Vs. Half minorities in the cities.
-WWTI…
I always believe in dressing poor and sloppy. Wear something comfortable but make certain it doesn’t look new or stand out. Always avoid clothing with easily identifiable markings on them like patterns, slogans or product marketing (remembering “that guy in the gray tee shirt” is not as likely as “that guy in the Bernie Sanders tee Shirt.). Grays, blues and greens work well as does looking unshaven. I would also consider a pair of good quality flip flops as they scream unprepared.
I would also avoid bumper stickers on your vehicle as good opsec. This doesn’t just pertain to some sort of government crackdown either. If someone is looking for a robbery victim and needs a gun, is that person going to choose to break into the house with the Camry out front or wait until the guy with the F-150 with the NRA, AR or AK outline, etc. stickers on it goes out? Giving away too much information at a glance just makes it easier to become a target.
Another thing to consider is the appearance of your bug out bag and how to conceal it. My preference would be a car with a black interior and a black bag as it is easiest to make it blend into the background. I’d also always have vehicles with the darkest legal window tint on them. Either way, consider matching the color of your bag to the color of your car’s interior and carrying a matching tee shirt so that it doesn’t stick out at a distance if you need to escape on foot.
Ill blend flip flops shorts and beer in hand
Incognito sunglasses
Wont appear a threat just envied
LOL, Too cool , Don Johnson …..hahaha
Just take off on your power boat , while listening to some rock power ballad , its all good .
“In the air tonight” by Phil Collins.
“Southern cross”. certain times of the year I can see it from the summit of Mauna Kea.
Mark Twain fled the Civil War. He didn’t want any part of killing. He had spent a brief time in a Confederate platoon and then deserted. He went West along the Platte road to Carson City to write about frogs and such.
As to dress, I prefer battle rattle and a sniper rifle. The gestapo won’t have to look for signs of a pistol. He won’t get that close.
f ’em
Mark Twain lived in Angels Camp close to Sonora Ca. on Jackass Hill road. I used to ride my motorcycle to his cabin (monument) and rest up a little. Angels Camp is where the frog jump is at every year. I lived about 20 miles away.
According to Mark Twain, the irregular unit he belonged to at its formation in his home county was chased by and dispersed by Union forces from Saint Louis sent to catch them after just two weeks of existence. They (he) did not desert, he was routed and apparently the irregulars had no connection (nor was there likely to have been any so early in the process) to any Confederate Command Structure. After that experience he decided to move West. He did not desert (unless you count him a liar)
<bb
Mark Twain was a deserter. He was from northern Missouri and was briefly in a Confederate unit.
Claiborne Jackson was Missouri’s governor and he took his government to the southwest of Missouri with Sterling Price, former Missouri governor, as his Confederate military leader.
All but the southwest portion of Missouri remained in Union hands with headquarters in Cassville, Missouri.
Rather than transferring to Jackson’s Confederate command, Mark Twain deserted.
Twain had a lot of company as many thousands deserted from both sides, Yankees and Rebels.
Mark Twain deserted.
As I agree with the ideas of with the gay man. When we get to WWOL I want to look like the BADDEST ASS I can. So that the bad guys will think twice before they try anything.
t.
Or wear a rabbi outfit and a long trenchcoat with an arsenal underneath lol. Walk around babbling some shit like your insane 🙂
For some reason SGT I don’t think the word GAY
And BAD ASS should be in the same sentence
Plus I though you were married to a woman
Lol proof read your posts a bit boss
Proof I can’t spell thought
Lol
You know I’m just razzin ya
Where would we all be without this site ?
Umm Getting something done to prolong our suffering, yup that’s it
E
You are correct. The wife was telling me to come on get off the computer and I didn’t proof read. She was taking me out for supper. So I ran like crazy. God I love free food!!!
Should read GRAY MAN. LOL!
Sgt.
sarge!!! I am really surprised at that admission….hope acid does not see it…
I can sit on my tractor in blue jeans and camo tshirt, with my trusty 3030 safe in the scabard .
Just like a regular day !
This blending in stuff is easy .
I would say so sittin’ on a tractor out in the ‘back forty’. ‘Bout the only thing gonna fuss with you is a blue jay or squirrel.
Damn , woodchucks make a mess of the hayfield.
Everybody wears camo here where we live. Kids, women, men and even dogs wear camo kerchiefs. You drive a pickup truck and wear camo. We are all invisible.
My pickup has camo too , lol .
My chickens have camo over their pen .
So much for grey man , i guess he meant my hair ?
Said it earlier, grey and black. Grey in low light situations and black in close combat situations. Said it already. So wear grey when possible, black ware is only hopeful in a hand to hand (unless you usually wear black long sleeves like I do).
I’ve always dressed in drab my entire life. Thrift stores have good finds cheap.
Blending in depends on where you live… The suburbs, cargo and golf. The country, cammo is fine. The urban areas, I don’t know what to tell you, other than get to the outer suburbs or country ASAP!
Yep
Guess who came home and got a Vortex Viper in the mail!Warchild,you dumb ass,you didn’t remember to order a mount till last night,sigh!The world needs to hold together just a few days till mail again,please…….!
I agree to the grey man philosophy in action and in dress while also not appearing weak,smooth and steady wins the race(hopefully).Things go south,well,screw it,game time,hope it never happens but even without mount am ready as will be today.
War, for some great mounts at a great price check out the swfa mounts at swfa . com 🙂
How about a ghillie suit.
Got 2 of them and desert and woodland camo suits too lol. Now I just need an afro wig and some black shoe polish lol.
They way people dress today, most draw attention to themselves with body piercings, tattoo’s and bizarre clothing. You can get away with bright colors if they do not have slogans or pictures of an offensive subject.
Really, color your hair purple or green. Not so shocking anymore.
But if you showed up on Wall Street you would get attention.
Yep ditto.. We have massive amounts of spanish moss in my area, and makes great camo for IR cameras or to enhance the Ghillie. Even have a long camo swath for my kayak to paddle stealth and hide under the treeline by shores. I also bought several camo color thermal safety blankets to carry to try to mask the IR thermal image. A thick black garbage bag spray painted camo will also defeat IR night cameras. Some good YTube vids on that.
~WWTI… looks like the usual dementia crybaby here is whining again for sympathy. pathetic. lol
Straw hat and suspenders…
I live in Amish country. Giddyup.
I live in Amish/Mennonite country.
I guess I could make my plain cape dress out of camo.
I’d still stand out though. 🙂 My little white cap would give me away.
Genius
Gathered some broom sage and Spanish moss for added camo on my ghille suit.
remember to kill the bugs that hide in both foliage.
Sling, good point! Nothin like bugs when yer trying to go unnoticed lol. I made my own by taking camo coveralls and glueing camo drape (the stuff with wavy cutting green and brown) to them with shoe goo adhesive. I reinforced the knees and elbows with pieces of innertube rubber glued the same way. Just stick some local foilage through the slits and it works great. I also took boonie hats and did the same thing and made rifle covers too. Camo gloves and od green socks to match.
Yep. Can’t afford to have sunlight glinting off them shiny ole barrels. Pin-points your position every single time.
Try burlap bags. Cut in strips and Peel apart the strands, spray paint them in various local colors of camo. Loads of vids on that. Also good for camo-ing traps for food capture. Beatiful Gobbler came by today full fan and puffed out large- He was falling in love with my smoker Grill. Funny.. Bow Season for spring Turkey starts this Saturday. My smoker grill will be making love to that Turkey this weekend hopefully.
Just Love the smell of Hickory and Turkey cooking. Meals of prepper bliss.
-WWTI…
Sorry….but I refuse to dress like a Mexican.
Or wear pajama pants worn out house shoes with your mouth open canted to one side while starring at Cheerios in the cereal isle for long periods of time.
Village people rant over
Justonemore
Alls you need is a big sombrero at siesta time. Pedro says only 5 more miles to de south of the border…….
Lol! I have a shirt I bought when I was doing my internship at Casa de Nacimiento in El Paso,that and a pair of old jeans and I could blend in anywhere in TX! However I’m farther north. If I were closer to the Mennonite communities, I could make the cape dress I wore when I was younger, but we are too far away. Is there something that blends in with Black bears, rocks and pine trees?
A gun and a horse.
You all can camo out.. Just gimme can of Crisco .. I’ll smear it all over my naked body .. And No one is gonna catch me!!
I bet they will just leave my crazy Ass alone!
Just plain working mans clothes work boots hooded sweatshirt if it’s cool enough wrangler jeans. A guitar case with an ak in it. No one bats an eye at working mans clothes. Facial hair but not to grizzly. Especially if you look young. Or tan khakis button down shirt hard hat glasses with clipboard and an official looking badge not with your name though a made up one. I see it all the time you’d be surprised where you could go. How about black timberlands a black hoody pants falling down with your drawers showing and black face paint with big fat lips and a Mac 10. Sunglasses are a must no matter what. The real tree is the bomb everyone rocks that. mossy oak is nice too. It is almost impossible to spot hunters in the woods they disappear if the don’t move around. It’s actually better than mil camo IMO. Be a master of disguises. The homeless look is nice just the cops bust your balls. That’s the last thing you need.
Well I’m boned. I apparently stick out like crazy because I almost daily get people who walk up to ask “what branch?”, “where’d you serve?”, or my personal favorite “were you like SEALs or Delta Brah?” I’ve read a good bit on the grey man theory though. Personally, I think it depends on the individual and what your mindset is. I’m more of a “get shit done” high intensity kind of guy. And hell people apologize just for walking in my path. Why change that up? Some people see that and don’t try anything because of individuals like that. “Grey men” to me are just passive. I suppose that is the idea though….
Get real. In a true SHTF scenario you could be wearing a Dora the Explorer backpack and you’d still be a target.
I wish we could have an article for women. How do we disappear?
Removing tits would help.
I plan on going bra less. I would look like an old country bumpkin! Lol. Sports bras are de riguer now, as the straps don’t fall down. Gives a softer profile, as well.
Actually Rebecca, you raise a very important point. I suggest dress like a man, ball cap an hide your poney tails in your shirt, or cut your hair short. Women need to fear of getting raped in SHTF, so surely don’t dress like a slit or attractive. Same goes for your daughters. It sucks but those are the facts. Just look at all the rape going on by Syrian refugees in Sweeten and Germany. Blond hair is a dead giveaway. Need to hide all your femininity to avoid being a victim. No perfume at all. I will gladly kill any bastard raping women in SHTF. BLOW HIS BALLS OFF. So stay armed yourself and carry a concealed fire arm or at least a good sharp knife. Element of surprise will be your friend to stick it to em.
-WWTI…
Rebecca
Good point. I think you should try to look like a male in the city if it comes to that. Maybe cut your hair short and wear loose clothes. I don’t mean any disrespect in the rest of what I am going to say but it would have to be said in a SHTF scenario. If you have big breast then wear whatever tight you can to hide them under clothes. Wear layers if possible too. You could try a fake mustache as well. I have never seen one that looks real but wear a large hat with it. Keep your head down and try not to let people get a good look. Put mud on your face and clothes if that would help.
Don’t wear a bra. You don’t want your breast raised or the straps on the bra to show. Try to look fat around the midsection too. This helps hide the breast.
Your clothes must hide your breast. Wearing layers may not be possible if it does not fit in. Another thought would be a very tight corset.
I am glad you said what you did in your post. It caused some thought on my part.
No disrespect intended
try to look as homely as possible , no jewelry, try not to look like a woman , or at least not one with any promise , or wealth
once the shit really hits , dont shower , or at least find a way to smell bad with out compromising hygiene
make your face break out , or look like you have something nasty
Walk with a cane,hobble a bit…….
You can dress down or drably all you want, but you may be in a place where your uniform is your skin.
…”you should have the “uniform” of average clothing and accessories for your area, so that no one would notice you in a crowd…”
I was gittin worried. But I got relieved, because at the very end of article, the author included the above advice to prevent being spotted by CIA snipers on roof tops. Because, in several western and northwestern areas of the United States, if you’re not decked in cammo,strolling along with a lop-sided swagger caused by packing heavy heat in all available pockets, you’ll stand-out like a black mule in a snow bank.
What goes for the clothes goes for the other stuff you carry. I saw a video from a guy that suggested using a guitar case backpack, rather than something tacticool. Considering what will fit rather nicely in a guitar case, it’s probably a good idea – and a step up in capacity from violin cases they used in the 1920s.
Interesting article. I was not familiar with the phrase “grey man” but it makes sense.
Interesting article. I was not familiar with the phrase “grey man” but it makes sense.
I go as gray as I can, but if I’m hoofin it , it won’t be in flip flops ! 18 to 20 miles you best have good work boots on. I’m running Keen Milwaukee’s. With my friends Glock and K-Bar .
I prefer cammo..because when chinese or Russian and jihadist soldiers enter my area, cammo is way to go to means that I am a Phucking civilian combat soldier and being created it’ll not stop them from capturing you, beheading you or capping you.. I won’t use bullets on soldiers that I take down and come upon,. My large 12 inch knife is there to stay chinese soldiers into There eyes, throats, etc I believe in maximum suffering it make it a living hell on earth for the enemy. No gad damn mercy when soldiers attack my city..
The only way to live free from now on and into the future is face the enemy head on..i should know because I was brutal beaten and tortured every hour, very day from Agency 5-12.. I will be telling you all about the fact of life story in me.. it’s hard to believe and 100% true..and the fact that one of the abusers was my own father..i no longer talk to him and if dies I could car less I won’t even attend his funeral..i hqv enter hit over 70,000 times and get this starved because I am from a third world communist country. This is real and not a make up story..others have their reason why they prep and I have mine.. very extremely bad things have happened to me in my life and now I will hav to tell you what really turned me into to what I am today..the Russian that approached me up my face in the Galleria of Houston had no earthly idea what he had encountered..I would have killed him in fact he is lucky to still be alive.i would like to fight him with that russia martial arts to see how effective it is..my girlfriend cannot believe what I have been through..she thinks I need to put it behind me but this is where she is wrong because the new enemy I face is coming into my city with the and AK47, and is a murderer, a rapist. A child rapist, and cold blooded killer, and abuser of women and children, and far worst, a jihadist. So I will have to be ready..
Aka,
HCKS
Brass balls are hanging underneath me.
Question: How do you know when a hcks story is all bullshit?
Answer: The moment he claims it’s 100 % true!
I guess my original idea of carrying a bottle of bourbon and running around naked does not work. They would probably shoot me just because of the horrible sight. Then again if it is a SHTF scenario at a nudest resort I would fit right in.
In all seriousness. The point above is it depends on where you are at, what you are doing, and the culture in your area. Just don’t dress to impress. Dress so that you will not be looked at. Another idea is to look scruffy. Don’t shave. If you look clean cut, well fed, and satisfied that is sure to draw attention in a SHTF scenario.
For both men and women you may want to try to intentionally smell. Rub dog, chicken, pig, or cow dung on yourself. Mud, grease and things like that can be used.
Again it all depends on where you are, where you are going, what the terrain is like ect.
Hope this helps.
I just don’t want to be appealing to anyone.
Won’t disagree with anything the video says about Carhartt. Own a few pairs. They’re an excellent pair of pants, almost impossible to kill a pair. Colors work everywhere. Only drawbacks are that they’re all cotton and not cut for climbing.
My preferred “grey man” pants are 5.11 and Duluth Trading. I’ve trained in martial arts for 14 years. These manufacturers are cut like martial arts pants. That means they’re cut properly for climbing and defending yourself with your legs. The 5.11 material is what you want in wet or humid conditions. I’ve gotten caught in 2 to 3 inch per hour rain in them. Get out of the rain, and they’ll dry through body heat in about 45 minutes. Duluth makes pants in all materials, including quick-drying nylon cargo pants (great for packing an extra pair of pants or two with little added weight or space taken up). Thing to remember with Duluth: they’re not cheap, but you are paying for quality.
PF: I like Duluth Trading.
Going unchallenged from the urban into the rural will always be a problem for every survivalist, so I purposely chose my small rented flat because it backs right onto a national forest (100 years ago this site would have been just inside the forest), so I can leave my place behind dressed in woodland camo and within 120 yards I’ll have melded into the greenery.
I know few have that option but I have hidden two caches in the forest and have another to go out, and I have spare clothing, so I recommend wearing nondescript to get into the countryside but have some spare camo clothing hidden out to change into.
STUPID: If you are being funneled into a check point your ability to “blend in” is meaningless. If your city resembles Nazi occupied Warsaw your ability to “blend in” is meaningless AND stupid. If you live in a place where you NEED to “blend in” just to survive and you are not KILLING the “occupiers” you DESERVE your suffering. Or march down to the train for “resettlement in the east”. See if your drab clothing helps you in the gas chamber.
Depends on where you live , if you live in a rural area camo WILL blend in, if you live in the city it wont…. camo in NY city no… slacks and a polo in a country town… no etc
It is all down to where you are as others have pointed out. A factor not mentioned here is race and ethnicity: the factor you cannot easily change. A big black man on a train in Russia; the skinny white guy in the ‘hood; an Asian man in the Congo etc.
There are many environments where we will stand out straight away just for being from another race. This is where you need to deploy ‘respect’. Respect tends to only come in such environments by acknowledging you are the freak to these people but you must either come across as a freak but smart/rich or a freak but batshit crazy and violent. A white amongst blacks would best go the crazy and violent route. A white amongst Asians would be better off being smart/rich. An Asian amongst blacks must go smart/rich as well as with whites. A black amongst Asians must go ‘Great Protector’: be benign and do not overtly wield your power because they will swarm you and take you out. Obama made this mistake when he visited China and they just laughed at him. A black amongst whites needs to be non-threatening: threatening taps a centuries-old defense mechanism and won’t end well.
White amongst latinos is cool (both tend to jones for each other sexually; same goes for whites and Asians). A black amongst latinos is problematic because of the legacy of gang culture. Need to play it cool and calm and not seem a rival.
Hi Frank, helpful sum-up about fitting in, thanks! I have a little experience with this from my days of occasionally walking or bicycling through Cincinnati’s huge slum to go to or from downtown. I was aware that as a small white woman, I would stand out and perhaps attract attention from cruddy people.
Especially when on foot, I wore oldish clothes and made my hair look slightly dirty, sometimes by applying a little cooking oil to it. I wore no jewelry. I walked in a brisk and business-like way, looking straight ahead. If anyone gave me more than a passing look, especially a man, I gave a quick smile, wave, and continued moving fast.
Once when on my bike, from the corner of my eye I saw a boy pick up a large rock as I approached. When I came close to him I turned my head and gave him a big, evil smile, with wide-open eyes (like Hillary’s usual expression while campaigning, lol)! The kid froze, his eyes got real big, and the hand holding the rock opened and the rock fell to the ground. So as you mention Frank, “crazy” can be useful in some of these situations, and “friendly” at other times.
FT: I know you mentioned races but you didn’t mention how difficult it can be to hide in a foreign country simply because you are an American.
I was able to use a Eurrail train pass in the late 1990s to travel around Europe.
People knew I was American before I opened my pocket and dug out my passport. I remember getting off of the train platform in Belarus and being told that I was being deported and that I only needed to wait for the next return train. A few hours.
It was crazy. To begin, I was huge compared to the locals. Not fat, just tall. At least one foot taller than most of the border guards in uniform. Everything I had said that I was Amercian. From my boots to my duffle bag to just everything, it was like I got off in Belarus and landed with a neon-fricking sign over my head that said “AMERICAN.”
I wasn’t loud. I wasn’t obnoxious. I was guilt and respected the local LEOs. I made eye-contact and also smiled. I made it back to Europe, intact, and with no bodily harm and none of my money or personal effects stolen.
Connecticut fiscal crisis has hit , 45,700 Layoff Warning Notices sent to State workers
CT deficit is around 266 million dollars
This doesn’t durprise me- we left there in ’72 for that reason.
EoS- the star of Connecticut has screwed with the good and respectable, law abiding citizens of the entire country with so called “progressive” attitudes and legislation re: gun control for a few years now. The libs may refuse to accept the fact that running prosperous, successful businesses out of the star with theses insane policies has hurt the tax base, but I would have to observe the facts speak for themselves. Firearms and accessories for them have been a huge contributor to the Connecticut economy for well over 170 years and libtards decided that heritage needed to be denied and forgotten. I say if you can’t bring about change in attitudes among the brain dead, cool aid drinkers, move away before they smother you with their crappy ideals and financial drain. They are blood-sucking idiots, who drain life and incentive from everything they touch
It’s kind of hard to follow the advice of this article when you carry a Versa Max with a 28″ barrel. It doesn’t fit well down my pants.
Personally I’ll just wear regular clothing unless I have to head to the bush. I don’t plan on going for a walk about all tactical looking unless we are in a combat mode. Even then my plan is to not be seen at all and hide out till all the idiots kill each other. After all isn’t that why we prepare so we don’t have to go looking for stuff during a SHTF event?? Being a Grey man is merely the power of observation and dressing accordingly…
Lets face it 75% of the population doesn’t know who the president is, do you really think they know what Molle on a backpack looks like?? For us the only question is friend or foe!
Thank you, PatriotIsm-I wouldn’t plan or expect to be doing much shopping or socializing in a SHTF scenario and yes, isn’t that what we prep for… to shelter in place? I would say, in the unlikely event that one must venture out that the dress would depend entirely on the mission. I don’t imagine that once the SHTF there would be any such thing as a standard dress or fashion particular to any area/ locale. Especially in urban areas, I think there might be two styles/ fashions… that of a military design worn by police/ military/DHS/FEMA and that worn by roving gangs of looters/ scavengers. As for me, I will have enough to do to shelter in place, subsist and protect me and mine rather then being out and about socializing.
LOL, TheOl1911 is such a rookie. He’s caught up in it. His use of the word “cool” gave him away. He must stick out like a sore thumb in public because as he said himself others stop him and comment on how “cool” his clothing choices are. And of course he had to disclose he’s toting a gun to justify his “cool” gear. Stay far away for geeks like that. Even to a cop fresh out of the academy any vest simply screams “gun”. TheOl1911 could use a lesson in keeping things real.
Most of us live in town or even the suburbs. Wear business casual when around town. Blend in. Become the forest. The urban forest.
“At a private luncheon in Washington, DC, a group of GOP establishment elites gathered to lament the rise of Donald Trump and discuss what can be done to defeat him.”
“All He Has Going for Him Is a Lot of Votes”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkYbBStofDo
I spend a lot of time on the streets in this small town I like subdued colors and I dress down ,when others see me drive my truck (seldom) they think I stole it . If you dress up some the pan handlers wear you out it would be worse in SHTF
Decades ago my vehicle was a moving Second Amendment billboard. Over time I thought about the stealthy techniques TPTB used and ditched the advertisement. When Obama was running I acquired a few pro Democrat / Liberal bumper stickers and put them in the glove compartment. In the event some craziness happened against him I intended to pull over and put them on my car which in effect was becoming a political chameleon.
Camouflage comes in many forms.
There is a problem with this strategy for many of us:
Many of us are not “sheep” for the most part because we *can’t* be. We tried, like everyone else, we just failed. It meant we didn’t fit in, didn’t have friends, got picked last for games in school with the argument being over who would have to take us. We tried *HARD* and failed.
Sure, we can eventually figure out how to *look* like everyone else, though they do it without figuring anything out, be we *cannot* ACT like everyone else. Most of us learn just how violently the crow pecking can get when they see that you *look* like them, but then feel *betrayed* when you don’t act like you look! Like they caught you lying.
Many of us figured out we can avoid more violence, and maybe even stay out of jail, if we intentionally look *different* from everyone else, so they expect our behavior to be different as well. Sure they don’t like it, but at least they don’t feel the righteous indignation of betrayal.
For us, the “gray man” strategy is extremely superficial and cannot be maintained for long, resulting in a great deal of attention when it inevitably fails. Quite dangerous. It’s usefulness barely exceeds the time it takes to adopt it.
A lot of people around here wear camo. I was at the Wal-Mart today and saw a black family of three people, a young male, a young female, and an older female. Both of the young people were wearing camo t-shirts. A lot of the Mexicans wear cowboy hats.
As for me, I usually wear the local old people uniform of an older plaid sport shirt with grey or khaki pants. Most older people around here are wearing walking shoes. I don’t care about fashion, just about comfort.
If the crisis mentioned is just more of the same ole, same ole bommie bash, then what’s the fuss about clothing? That asshole wouldn’t recognize an American no matter the clothing.
If the crisis is anarchy and SHTF, as is the overwhelming theme of this site, then I’ll wear my battle rattle, and in my case I’ll carry my scoped sighted bolt action far shooter with lots of ammo and lots in reserve.
And then there’s my deployed fire team and they’re pissed.
f ’em
It’s not about keeping your head high or having no fear. It’s about blending in to the crowd. The next time you watch a candidate working the crowd pick out the Secret Service. These guys are scanning the room looking for cues. If they see you look away you’re on their radar. Hands in your pocket, looking around, you’re in their sights. I have a farm and when I work around it I wear coveralls. Out here it blends in. If I go into town it’s blue jeans and a T-shirt (no logo), not new, not torn just the same old jeans and T-shirts half of the folks wear.
We are the Hollow Men
Not with a bang, but a whimper
“Mr. Kurtz, he dead.
A penny for the old Guy.”
Guy bombed Parliament. Then it was a whimpering climb and a long drop with a short rope.
Let’s see… talking about being the ” gray man” and dressing to blend in… what scenario are we talking about? Shopping at the mall or grocery store, going to town to party bills or fill up the car or stopping at the building supply store? In a SHTF scenario with the grid, government and services down, I don’t expect that I’ll be out socializing much or often. If we’ve done what we’ve said and prepared then, at least, I’ll be too busy sheltering in place, subsisting and protecting me and mine. If there were a need to venture out then my dress would depend entirely on my mission. When the SHTF, especially in an urban area, I would imagine there to be only two styles of dress, or fashion… that worn by police/ military/DHS/FEMALE and that worn by looters/ scavengers/ opportunists. I would think that anybody venturing about will be a target to someone. Shelter.Subsist.Survive.