Reflective or mute blending in colors for ropes and hammocks

**Woodsie8** · 08-08-2015, 01:11

I have heard, Leave no Trace, included while you are there, not disturbing the environment by colors or standing out. People don't want to see it. To basically not have a trace while or after

**KiwiMark** · 08-08-2015, 11:29

Originally Posted by Woodsie8

I have heard, Leave no Trace, included while you are there, not disturbing the environment by colors or standing out. People don't want to see it. To basically not have a trace while or after

I've not heard of that. But, wow, that really sounds silly - how can you camp in the bush with no trace of you while you are there? Surely there is a camp, maybe a fire, some sort of tent or hammock setup, etc.
I just can't imagine a few orange guylines really spoiling things for someone else, especially when they are only there temporarily and after you have gone there will be no trace left.
I think some people get a bit carried away and take an idea to a crazy extreme.

I do agree with leaving the wilderness unspoiled by your trip there, taking your trash out with you and not damaging trees or harming the environment, but I just can't see the harm in brighter colours for the short time you are actually there.

**Rain Man** · 08-08-2015, 19:35

Originally Posted by KiwiMark

I've not heard of that. But, wow, that really sounds silly - how can you camp in the bush with no trace of you while you are there?

Think sight (not site) pollution. Folks go out into the wilderness, look out over a nature vista, and see a bunch of rainbow-colored tents. Not really what most folks want to see, thus the discussion some years back about visual pollution. Think "roadside billboards" if that helps. That is the main sort of "Leave No Trace" while camping, not merely after packing up and leaving.

**SilvrSurfr** · 08-08-2015, 19:50

Leave No Trace has some really silly ideas. They can't even deal with hammocks - the best they can do is say that LNT "does not have a recommendation either for or against tents and/or hammocks." That's how brave they are. They're seriously worried about offending their corporate sponsors like Subaru.

https://lnt.org/blog/hammock-camping

Personally, I don't buy into the "sight" pollution argument, especially LNT's version of it:

"Bright clothing and equipment, such as tents that can be seen for long distances are discouraged. Especially in open natural areas, colors such as day-glow yellow are disturbing and contribute to a crowded feeling; choose earth-toned colors (ie. browns and greens) to lessen visual impacts."

https://lnt.org/learn/principle-7

You could poke a hole in these arguments without even trying - they're not remotely based on science, from what I can tell. I could argue that bright clothing and equipment is just plain common sense. Do you think deer and bear can tell that my tarp is earth toned? Are critters susceptible to camouflage? Do they know that "you can't see me" is the game I'm playing?

Leave No Trace definitely needs to have a serious talk with the canoe/kayak industry. It's like they've never heard of Leave No Trace - canoes and kayaks, in general, are about the brightest things on the planet!

**Bl@ckbird** · 08-08-2015, 20:13

I like bright, neon colors.... My gear looks like a poison dart frog.

**Morticiaskeeper** · 08-09-2015, 02:21

My lines are black, with a reflective tracer. The angle of reflection is so narrow, of two people stood together, only the person with a head torch will see them.

**WaffleBox** · 08-09-2015, 06:28

Originally Posted by irondog

Duuuude... Really? How much of a collapse need it be, before mindless, stumbling humanity becomes THE pest to be avoided? I'd say we're that collapsed already. I'm not out to meet the fine folk I'm getting away from, when I'm out there getting away from them. This calls for some high-concept/low-tech avoidance. I've plenty enough experiences to convince me of it. Owing to my adherence to this policy, I've been missed and passed over by uncountable persons who would've been nothing more to me than just more of what I'm out getting away from. -Maybe it's just my special luck, or maybe it's just due to the total time I spend outdoors, but, I've a few occasions wherein I'd been in my hang, while police, concerned family, park rangers, etc. were out calling and searching for a missing someone; looking for a rogue bear; and so on. -I been passed right nearby of, by libidinous couples looking for a suitable spot to demonstrate their affections. -I been passed right nearby to, by a Marijuana Eradication Team (With dogs!) on their way to rip out a few plants on a hillside just above my hang, and they even had chopper spotters (Ridiculous!). -Adventurous fly fishermen, cutting it short to another hot riffle 'round the bend of a river, have soft-shoed it right up on my hang and passed me right on by. -More than 5times, I been come right up on by those sneaky metal detector enthusiasts. -Then, naturally, a few elk hunters have come near to poking through the thick-'n-dark to visit me in my hammock, while I been gnawing some cold meat breakfast and sipping cold coffee. Seems elk hunters are the folks most likely to discover me, and probably it WILL be an elk hunter is first to do it. They just start sharper and try harder, and they got no scruples opposing them to bellying through any kind of thorny, snaky evil.

All that (and SO much more) has been neatly avoided me, by a simple policy of thoughtful avoidance; and this, in the country where I am a native son. So, color me drab, and color me glad.

I guess it just boils down to the two of us having a different philosophy. I can't think of what the negative consequences would have been if any of those people had noticed you were there. Even if they had then come up and talked to you, so what? But I don't go into the woods to get away from people. I go into the woods to get into the woods. Different strokes, etc.

**smashdn** · 08-09-2015, 11:42

Originally Posted by SilvrSurfr

Leave No Trace definitely needs to have a serious talk with the canoe/kayak industry. It's like they've never heard of Leave No Trace - canoes and kayaks, in general, are about the brightest things on the planet!

My kayak is camo. I can drag it up on the bank and like a branch or two on it and hike off into the deep woods and know in a day or three when I return it will still be there.

My guylines are tan but have reflective strands woven in. You have to hit them with a headlamp just right to see them.

I camped the other night on the blue moon and didn't need any additional light. Was eerily bright.

**Woodsie8** · 08-09-2015, 17:21

What lines are only reflective when hit with light, otherwise they blend in? Are there some, better than others that people can recommend?

**Morticiaskeeper** · 08-10-2015, 01:30

Bushcraftstore in the UK sell a 550 para cord with a reflective trace. It has a very narrow reflective angle. Walking back to site last year, my wife couldn't see it, I was next to her with a head torch and it was like the Christmas lights!