Underquilt Color Preference

[Al Icks]

Hi, everyone. First post and new to the hammock world. Trying to convert from a ground setup. Just received a Warbonnet Blackbird XLC 1.1 DL and have set it up in the yard a few times and I'm liking it so far. I ordered an Enlightened Equipment Prospect full-length 30 deg uq and it should be here in the next couple of weeks.

I'm wondering if anyone can chime in on uq color preferences, specifically the inside color. The hammock is (olive?) brown and the uq I ordered is black outside, forest green inside. I already have and am planning on using an Enlightened Equipment Enigma 20 deg quilt as the tq and it is forest green outside and black inside. Wondering if I should email EE to see if it's too late to change inside color.

Would it be better to have contrasting colors so I can see where the uq is in relation to the hammock? Or even to differentiate tq and uq. Something like orange, which stands out against brown more than forest green does?

Or would it all blending together be ideal? I'm sure it's probably preference but I thought I would ask since I couldn't find any posts asking a similar question. Thanks!

[Wiley]

Anything not brightly colored. Apparently brightly colored things are more likely to illicit the curious nature of a passing bear. Don't know about you but I don't want to ever wake up to a bear sniffing me wondering if I'm a tasty brightly colored burrito.

Don't have a quilt setup yet but when I do things will be forest colors.

[Ratdog]

Bugs like bright colors. Some, such as bees, have specific color preferences.

Generally I use a muted earth tone on the outside and a bright color on the inside. The bright color provides a potential signaling option if needed. I avoid color like white or yellow because they will show soiling more easily and dirt or mud just seems to find it's way into gear.

All that said, get something you like. Any purchase of a couple hundred bucks should make you feel good when you use it.

[aka.jobbe]

I'd go for the eath toned colors.
They blend in the beds.

[pgibson]

I have read all sorts of info over the next ears about colors and how animals and bugs react to them only to find an article or my own experience that contradict the last one. I personally just go with colors that I like and ones that will show up good in pictures and video. From a functional point of view it's just color...one won't make the gear easier to use or see when/where it's fitting to the hammock.

[Firesong]

After tree planting for 4 years and back woods camping the only Color I avoid is yellow. Wasps investigate and Mosquitos are attracted to it. It's more the wasps that bug be. Animals could care less, most are more smell orientated anyway. Which has no bearing on Color. Only time I saw bears at a tent (tree planting in black bear / grizzly territory) was when a guy was stupid enough to hide some junk food in his tent after a town visit. That and one who was wanting to check out the cook tent. The rule up north was a 3 strikes rule... Scare them away and after the third they get shot. We really didn't want to do that because the ranger / conservation officers had to be flown in. The planter who tent got destroyed was kicked off the crew and flown back to civilization.

[gunner76]

I like my UQ to be a different color from the hammock so I don't try and sit on the UQ. Can be embarrassing.

[Gqgeek81]

Its been a long time since I read Jardine's book but I think his recommendation on the top quilt was to have at least one side black to help it warm up in the sun and dry out any perspiration caught inside.

[ShooTa]

i will chime in here - as i have done exactly that - make my interior material colour very vibrant vs my exterior - hunting orange/black - this is so i dont accidently sit in my UQ at night missing the hammock - aslo worst case scenario and i need to raise attention - i can use the UQ as a signal - Orange is great to do that.

[billygoat]

Same as Shoo TA - I order all the insides of mu UQ's to be blaze orange. Almost all my UQ's and TQ's come from EE. They are so far behind right now, it's likely Peter can change the color.

The reason for blaze interior on my UQ's - I do a tremendous amount of off trail, solo hiking. Being no one ever really sees the inside color - I chose to let it do double duty as a good, high visibility signal. Here's to praying I never need to test this theory.

The outside colors and TQ colors are usually black - they dry faster.