I like the looks of a black hammock, I just havent got one yet cause I didnt want to roast myself lol
I set my tarp up for sun just as much as the rain. I hate it, avoid it at all costs. Luckily I'm in the pines 9/10 times so I'm shaded year-round. But I haven't noticed any more heat from a black vs. olive. Besides, the material is so thin it's not really doing any heating. The UQ, that's another story. But when I'm using one, I want that heat.
p.s. I just noticed kitsapcowboy beat me to it, regarding the "no thermal mass"
Yes, the thermal mass of a tarp is small but that does not mean that the darker tarps will not absorb heat. The heat will transfer to whatever is under the tarp more so if there is low or no airflow like a winter tarp with doors closed.
Likewise a black or dark hammock will be fine until a person is in it and in direct contact with the fabric. Your body becomes an extension of the fabric's mass. You will get hotter than if in a light colored material.
I like color. I enjoy color in the wilderness and get bored if all I saw was brown, black, and drab green.
Never have been a fan of camo anything unless specifically for hunting needs.
Outdoors > Indoors
I love me some XeroShoes
“An optimist is a man who plants two acorns and buys a hammock.” ― Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
Many years ago I read an article in a backpacking magazine where some wildlife researchers in Alaska set up an experiment on a salmon stream well-used by grizzly bears. First, they set up a typical brightly-colored backpacking tent on the tundra, about a hundred yards from the stream. Then they hid on a distant hillside to watch. Each and every bear that came wading up the stream spotted the tent and went to investigate, sometimes trashing the tent in the process. There was no food in the tent.
Then, they set up a camouflage-patterned tent in the same location. Most of the passing bears didn't even notice it, or if they did, just gave it a passing glance before continuing on their way.
Bears or no bears, I'll stick with camo.
All my tarps are low key,as are my hammocks but I might be re thinking that Blaze Orange outer shell on my underquilt about now!On the bright side,it usually goes on shortly before dark anyway.
One thing we have not mentioned in this thread is odor blocking bags like Loksak and Base Camp etc. and other good practices like going thru your pockets and pack looking for anything with an odor that needs to be bagged and hung before you turn in for the night.
I don't worry about bears but around here the mosquitoes swarm the dark colors.
That said I still avoid the neon colors and tend to go for olive or tan colors. They don't seem to draw the skeeters like black or dark camo colors. Wonder if cougars are drawn to certain colors....
>Wonder if cougars are drawn to certain colors....:lol
Mostly if the color is tan, has four legs, a tail, and/or is running.
Around here the word is, "If you've spent any time at all in the outdoors, you might not have seen a cougar, but it's a pretty sure bet they've seen you."
Well our game and fish finally admitted we have cougars after many years of us seeing them, catching them on game cameras, and even people shooting them. But according to G&F the cougars are not breeding so I don't guess tan, 4 legs, tail, and running applies. Guess they must be attracted to the black bears G&F say we don't have contrary to the same proof otherwise.
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