Tent colors

I can only say that I wanted the red version of the Akto, but bought the dark green simply because I didn't want to stand out against the surroundings. Colors look especially great on expanses of snow, and there's a good reason to have a brightly colored tent, but that's a small percentage of most people's camping experience. I'll take stealth.

Mary Lee,

Is your 1973 North Face the one they called the "Mountain Tent" — with snow flaps, zippered cook hole, snow tunnel entrance in one end, a full-zip opening at the other end, aluminum A-frame poles for each end, the velcro-attachable frost liner, and solid as a rock when pitched with all of the tie-outs staked?

If so, I have one of those great tents, too. It goes real nicely with my old Kelty framed pack that squeaks so much that it sounds like the Tin Man is coming down the trail (that's Dorothy's Tin Man, not the alcohol stove fellow).

Of course, the combined weight of that old "Mountain Tent" and the Kelty pack is . . . well, just say it's a lot.

JRS

Edit to add: And just to stay on topic, my old "Mountain Tent" had a navy blue fly with the inner tent done up in a nice two-tone of navy blue (lower) and yellowish gold (upper). Oh, and there's a neat round tunnel vent (capped with mesh) that pulls out above the snow tunnel entrance.

What an interesting thread, tent color.
Like John I have the red Akto. I used it last in a state park on Long Island NY that has no camping signs plastered all over the place. I guess I'm a rebel because such things only attract me and I make double sure to leave no trace.
An exciting ambition of mine is to thru hike LI in all the wrong places such as the well treed intersections of a parkway clover leaf. The amount of wild life in such places (raccoons, rabbits, red tailed falcons) is amazing.
Red's for me.

It's easy to understand the yellow tent thing. I used to wear yellow lensed shooting glasses on foggy days to brighten my outlook. I've lost my green tents in the woods once or twice.

Stealth is good but real stealth is an unseen yellow tent.

That caused a guffaw here. The only way I ever figured to have a yellow stealth tent is to have the yellow covered by something stealthy! Like taupe or OD. Yeah!

In answer about the old TNF, no, mine's not the one with the snow flaps and cooking hole. I am aware of that one, but mine is just a good ole double A-frame. It has a triangular window that zips open from the top in the back and cross-ventilation in the front is adjusted by zipping open the door from the top, same way. Like I say, looks all taupe from the outside except for a very small portion of the yellow inner tent pole sleeve visible in the front. Oh, man, you talk about your old Kelty pack. I remember wanting one of those so badly but not being able to afford it. Got something cheaper but pretty darn good from one of the few backpacking suppliers I could find in those days, in lower Manhattan (New York City). Down on Houston Street, if I recall. Luckily I have a long torso since I am 5'6" and there certainly was nothing available to fit a woman. The thing still was a bit big for me and I eventally gave it to a large hunky boyfriend after years of use in the Adirondacks…. well, I gave it away when I bought my early internal frame Lowe pack in Seattle in 1978 cuz I was going out on the trail for the whole summer in an effort to help establish the Pacific Northwest Trail. Wonder how that trail is doing? Ah, reminiscenses!

There is a great description of tarp fabric colors on owareusa.com under the fabrics section. The various uses of fabric color are described.

I prefer the stealth grey color…call me boring!!

I'm on both sides of this one! For summer, I love my inconspicuous grey tarptent and green Terra Nova Laser Comp. Even better is my green Hennessey Hammock- I can pitch that thing in the most unlikely spots and no one will EVER find me! Doesn't get more stealth than a green hammock pitched on a steep sidehill. :-)

In the winter or when mountaineering though, I prefer my red Hilleberg or Rab. In those conditions, it's a little extra assurance that I'll make it back to my tent (or the helicopter should things go really awry).

For inner tents, Hilleberg or Terra Nova yellow is my favortite so far. Nice and cheery on endless downpour days.