tents

[TKAZ]

For when we go on camping trips and will be around the car in a camp ground we use these: my buddy has the orange North Face and my wife and I use the blue/white from REI.

Morning frost on a nice fall morning.

 

[OwenM]

I would say there are two schools of thought here for all outdoor products.
1) Subdued colors - blend in, keep a low profile
2) Bright colors - safety, ease of finding, high-style

For tents, I don't know of any brands that offer the same tent in multiple colors.

I agree, but my school of thought is 3) personal preference.
Recently bought an Integral Designs bivy that is available in bright yellow and dark green. For practical purposes, though mostly for some unforeseen future use, the yellow is probably better. I do like the way it looks, too.
My preference is usually for dark colors or earth tones, though, and after some debate, I went with the green.
Have a Mountainsmith pack on the way to try out that is available in a fairly eyecatching "lotus blue", and a rather drab "pinon green". Having seen a review with real-life pics, I thought the blue looked really good, while that shade of green varies with ad pics, and I'm not sure what it will actually look like. Went around and around over that one, too, but again ordered the green.
My old inflatable pad leaked on me last week, and I decided to update with a much lighter foam one that folds up. ThermaRest's Z-Lite is longer and less than half the weight. It's also an almost flourescent looking yellow color called "limon green"
I may or may not have checked to make sure a black stuff sack that doesn't have a use right now was an appropriate size for the pad(and tent or bivy) before ordering...

 

[Bumppo]

I have found I trip into them equally well in the dark.

Allthough the brighter colors do lighten the inside up a bit, yellos anand reds can get pretty harsh if you are trying to nap in the noon time sun. Blues and greens are a little easier on the eyelids. If you are trapped in your tent for long periods of time, like never ending rain, or illness, the color might affect you some as well. I do have most of my tents in the less gaudy colors but use reflective tie down cords or tags on them to find camp in the dark.

 

[lambertiana]

I buy my tents based on the features, not the color. Some are dark drab colors, some are brighter. But when I go solo, I use a bright one:

 

[thebear]

hey decided on this one.
https://www.sierradesigns.com/p-152-zolo-3.aspx
after seeing several comments and researching colors, decided to go with a blue, since it is a calming color. Better for sleeping compared to the marmot orange tent I was looking at. Orange is energetic and alerting on the psyche, thought unless I was far out in deep snow maybe not go with a color like this to sleep in.
Thanks for the help!

 

[stingray4540]

Not to knock your purchase or anything, but at 6lbs. that tent is a beast!

Personally I like greys or greens for tent colors, to reduce the visual pollution of the area I'm camping in. But, color is the last thing I consider when looking for a backpacking tent. If I have to carry the thing all day long, I want the lightest tent that will still offer rain and bug protection.
My current tent is 5lbs. and it's a back breaker. I'm looking to replace it with the haven with the inner net: http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=68
It only weighs 2lbs! Now if I can just convince the wife I need to spend the cash...

 

[PropThePolecat]

Like others have stated, i buy my tent based on the features, weight, reputation etc. If you start worrying about color, youll limit yourself even more.
I had a dark green tent Haglofs tent which served me well...it was a 4 season mountaineering tent, so it was a bit overbuilt for my needs. I sold it off and got a lightweight MSR Hubba HP which im real happy with. The MSR got a bright yellow color, which im totally fine with.

I read somewhere that another reason for the yellow/orange colors, other than visibility, is that on rainy/bad weather days where you are forced to stay in your tent for extended periods (1 day plus), the bright yellow color had shown itself to have a positive influence on the occupants mood ie. they were less likely to feel down compared to the occupants of the dark earth-tone tents. I guess thats why many high-alpine mountaineering tents come in all sorts of garish colors. Plus theyre visible from afar, which is important in high-alpine settings.

 

[spoolup]

I prefure the natural colors... greens, browns etc. Use to use a golite shangrila3 but last week I accepted my latest package from Kifaru, a supertarp, annex and small stove. Will be taking the new setup up mirror lake highway probably around dueschene tunnel over memorial weekend. Ill post back with results and photos, but was able to seam seal it and get the initial burn in on the stove Friday... Cant wait to use it outdoors... Posted more photos in gadgets and gear section.

Colors may help if stuck in the tent a while during a storm or what not, but a nice warm tent is even better.

And it still packs down smalls and depending on configuration, can weight VERY little. Left rear package is a G2 woobie for a size comparison, middle package is the bode, right green pouch is the stove, just below that is the annex, below that is a med pull out with 18 MSR ground hog pegs. left is the Kifaru supplied 19 durapegs and pole kit in XL pullout. trekking poles for setup in front.

 

[remmmm]

I can't decide if that setup is awesome or ridiculous.

 

[DocGP]

I can't decide if that setup is awesome or ridiculous.

That is because you have never used one. Once you use it, you will have no problem deciding, I promise. Nothing like a toasty warm tent when things outside are going sour.

Doc

 

[redpoint]

Any avid backpackers out there? Is it good or bad to have a bright color tent when backpacking?

I know what you're saying. I actually have both. When climbing, I prefer a bright tent so I can find it when returning at night or in bad weather. You'll never see a mountaineering-specific tent that's a subdued colour or white, they're usually bright yellow. A bright yellow exterior also elevates your mood when stormbound for days. The tent I use for hiking/backpacking is an olive drab green that camouflages into the landscape. When there are a lot of people in an area, I like to be a little more subdued ... really, just to be off their radar. More for security reasons than anything else. Especially if you leave a bunch of gear in your tent while doing day trips. Being in places where there is a lot of humanity or easy access, necessitates a little more incognito action.

Being subdued also has it's limitations like the time last year in Yosemite when some drunk guy stumbled out of the woods and into my tent @ 0200 [which he couldn't see] - presumably looking for a good place to piss or looking for firewood. Me, my wife and 9 month old daughter weren't too keen on that situation.