Gear Choice: "Sheeple Friendly" a Factor ?

Tainted mind? Nonsense?

Everyone stereotypes and gets impressions from the way people look, in a lot of instances they are at least somewhat correct. If you see a man get out of a late model Mercedes, well groomed with a suit on, chances are he does not flip burgers for a living. If you see a young man with tattoos on his face and neck, wearing a "wife beater" t shirt, khaki shorts with a folded bandanna displayed in his back pocket, chances are he is not doing missionary work.

Back to the subject at hand, if you see a man with surplus BDUs bloused into army style boots with a huge knife on his belt on a local trail he is going to stick out and draw attention to himself.

What I am trying to say in a nut shell is if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck you can be relatively sure it is not a kangaroo. Chris
 
I would say the sheeple factor is very big for me. I like to do the grey man approach and not be remembered by someone the next day for some reason. I've always been sort of a low key person, and most of my gear is normal REI or other chain camping store type. If I have my 12 inch Ontario or a Fiskars hatchet along, they are in the day pack out of sight.
 
this thread has certainly changed my mind about some things. I dug out an old mid-size pack made by oakley that has a vertical pocket on the side that completely hides my bk-7. Its black but the oakley logos keep it from screaming military and it is tough as hell. It holds everything I need it to with a little extra room to be flexible and its not large. Now no strange looks.
 
I recently started carrying a Case yellow trapper as my EDC because of the funny looks I would get from people at work when using my knife. And to get back to basics a little. The case and my LM wave never get a second look.
 
Not everyone that plays Disk Golf is a hippy! :) I actually played yesterday, and had a knife belted on (in addition to my EDC folder). Even got a compliment from a woman walking her dog! :D Really kinda freaked me out as this is MD, a sheeple paradise...
To answer the OP, I do choose gear sometimes that is less 'scary' looking. When I am in school on Thursdays, I carry only a BM 707. It is small, pretty, and very capable. When I am out and about woodsbumming or camping, I take what I consider to be appropriate. I was at a state park a couple of weeks ago, and used my BRKT Journeyman to fix a splinter in a friend's hand, and also to help out a lady who had an overzealous dog who got tangled in some fishing line. No comments about that, but then again, It isn't camo'd and doesn't scream 'covert de-animation!'

David
 
Tainted mind. What you meant to say, I'm sure, was "Hey that makes sense to blend in". I normally put people into "ignore" once they use the word sheeple but as this thread opened opened that way I have read all the posts. Those people who don't mind their surroundings and wear military camo while "hiking" in a city park are the ones who claim to ignore PC. BS! They are the same people who think themselves as natural born killers when the reality is that they are armchair commandos. It's real easy to talk tough on the internet while remaining "nameless and faceless' in the name of personal security. It is the same as the guys who post here claiming to be survival instructors and having instructed hundreds of students but they won't give out their name. BS!

If you want to stand out from the crowd and wear full military camo, carry an AR-15 in a park, or strap on a 7" blade for a walk downtown go ahead. Just post the pics for all of us to see.
 
If you wear a nice Polo, a great pair of slacks and some Ferragamo loafers and do not shave and wash your hair you look like a slob. If you wear a pair of jeans and a pressed T-Shirt and you are clean, everything thinks you look great. The same thing is true of gear...if you have a Busse HOGFSH and camo pants it will get some looks but your demeanor will make the most impression not the clothes. With that said dress, pack and carry appropriately. Join the NRA and help protect our rights and inform the US.
 
I usually don't carry big huge knives although sometimes a khukuri, but in general not because I'm afraid of scaring "sheeple" but because I don't want people laughing at me for looking like a greenhorn.;) :thumbup:
 
Maybe everyone can dye their green packs pink as not to intimidate the sheeple and make us look like free spirited hippies, and while we are at it dye everything on us; pink knife handles, sheaths, shoes(you know brown leather is scary), belts, water bottles.. etc:eek:
 
GIBBY said:
Maybe everyone can dye their green packs pink as not to intimidate the sheeple and make us look like free spirited hippies, and while we are at it dye everything on us; pink knife handles, sheaths, shoes(you know brown leather is scary), belts, water bottles.. etc:eek:
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If "free spirited hippies" are what you see most of the time where you live, then what you suggested is excactly what you should do.

It never fails to make me chuckle when I see someone dressed in black or green BDU style pants, rocky boots, a ball cap with a glock logo on it, dark shades and a photographers vest in 90 degree weather. The first thing that goes through my mind is not "WOW that is a dangerous dude", it is somthing along the lines of "What a dork".
 
Grrr! Hippies. I live in the land of "old hippies, lesbians and dead head types." I do believe in blending in but I will never wear tye dye. Anyway, RB shares my view re "dangerous dudes". Well put RB.
 
Put some binos around your neck and people tend to for get OR do not even see your knife on your belt or pack. Try this and see if it works for you. My binos are on my sling bag and always get put on just for this reason. I get more comments on my binos than on my other gear.
 
I don't care abot being PC usually as I just don't care about what people think and would rather have reliable and solid gear. I also feel that most people don't care about what you have as long as your friendly and polite.
If I really want to blend in with the "sheeple" I just go with a "regular" backpack (book-bag, school pack whatever you wish to call it). And for those who swear by their BDUs I reccomend a khaki or grey pair.
 
magneto said:
Gee hollowdweller, if they are hiking with you and you need to thin them out some, show them that picture of you holding your favorite axe. It will be like stepping on a covey of quail.
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All the hippies I know have their own axes(and gunz) and look much more intimidating than I do with them.:thumbup:
 
runningboar said:
If "free spirited hippies" are what you see most of the time where you live, then what you suggested is excactly what you should do.

It never fails to make me chuckle when I see someone dressed in black or green BDU style pants, rocky boots, a ball cap with a glock logo on it, dark shades and a photographers vest in 90 degree weather. The first thing that goes through my mind is not "WOW that is a dangerous dude", it is somthing along the lines of "What a dork".
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As a survivalist and a gun nut who burns through 500 rounds of ammo every weekend, and an active participant in the whole "bring CCW to Canada" movement, I would have to say, man, I sure agree with you. Those guys look like uptight fools and I always wonder how long it's been since they actually got laid.

Relax, you geeks! Stop wearing your stupid vests every where you go!
 
I don't know... the belt is for the using knife (ie small fixed blade, pouched folder ..etc) the pack is for everything else> if I don't have the boy with me I usually wear a belt with my psk on oneside and my fak on the other my fixed blade (usually a mora) is clipped to the outside of the PSK I keep a sak in my pocket everything else in a daybag, epsecially my grenade belt and my AK ...LOL...I've done more camping hiking and fishing in shorts and sandals than anything else I save the camo for turkey season and paintball....but that's me I do wear alot of khaki bdu pants as they are durable readily available and cheap...but m wary of the military colors,,I lean much more towards the hippie side that the SOF side but again that's just my 2 cents and in todays world 2 cents doesn't buy much... no matter what you wear or what gear you bring, if your outside enjoy it, respect it, and be courteous to the people you meet while your out there (at least till you get to know them)
 
Well, I don't think I've ever been "hiking" on public land. I do all my woods loafing on our own ground, and carry whatever I want. If I actually came across a stranger in our woods, well, nevermind... The only time I've spent in a public forest was for hunting, and I was carrying a gun. Except for maybe one or two times when I went running on the trails with some friends when they got on a health kick, and then I carried only a small folder because I didn't want stuff banging in my pockets; not because of what others would think.

I dunno. I don't try to cause a scene or anything, but carry whatever I feel I'd need as long as it's legal.
 
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