I get a laugh out of "Desert Tan"

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Every now and again my inner "Tommy Tactical" will shine through. Can't help fighting that urge. I once worked a Saturday in my bank lobby wearing 5.11 pants, Bates desert boots, Blackhawk Rigger's belt, and one of my tan bank shirts. One of my range buddy friends showed up and laughed his butt off. No one else got the joke.

I stopped shopping for hunting clothes at Bass Pro years ago when I grew up and realized that RealTree Hardwoods doesn't blend well with South Texas Mesquite brush. Now, I still can't help it when I hunt, and have to pop out the digital ACUs from time to time. Complete with SERPA thigh holster and tactical sling for my .30-06.

I shop the army surplus stores now for all my hunting clothes. It's so easy to pick the right colors and cheaper than BPS or Gander these days. Desert Tan, OD Green, and Coyote Brown are the only colors I really need. I've also picked up some camo I thought might blend well with the South Texas terrain; German BGS (desert camo), ACU, MARPAT, and recently picked up some MultiCam (haven't hunted with it yet). Nobody judges me at the lease and I could care less what others think when I'm in public. If the camo don't work at the lease, I just wear it around the house when doing yard work. The wife thinks it's cute when I wear camo while pushing a lawnmower.
 
If I could find clothing that allowed me to be as comfortable walking, climbing in and out of heavy equipment, lifting and sitting for hours on end, without being able to do more than shift around in a seat and was priced as reasonable as camouflage /Real Tree, fatigues and provided the warmth and protection from the sharp edges and corners encountered in my everyday work environment, then I would purchase it.

To me it is normal, everyday wear, though when I go out with the the SO, I am threatened with couch time:scrutiny: and suspension of privelages:what: if I don't dress nicer:D

Camouflage, breaks up your outline, it mutes unnatural lines and can make prominent forms, that can draw the eye recede and bring shadowed area's into prominence.
 
Desert tan matches my house. If i had it in my yard it would blend in better than any color. Not that I have desert tan. hmmmm...?
 
Funny. I am wearing desert tan camo style shorts right now, that Ibought off the rack at WW for like 10 bux. I like the pockets most of all. Those cargo pockets on the side are nice.

Burt for real tac work, it's still black for me. Work the graveyard, you'll understand.
 
I'm wearing ' Retro Michigan camo' right now...Blue jeans & a plaid shirt. I'm not willing to spend the extra money camo generally costs, as I don't think it makes any difference in the woods, and I don't expect to do any house-to-house urban combat (in the desert or anywhere else, for that matter) any time soon...
 
Good point. Remember: cammo depends on context. Wearing "desert tan" in this Starbucks would NOT be 'camouflage', but my all-denim is pretty low profile.
 
Once global warming really kicks in, most of us will be living in desert areas anyway, so why not make it harder for zombies to see your firearms? :scrutiny:
 
I think it completely depends on your point of view. For instance, I think any color other than black is just counterproductive. Of course, the reason I think this is because every handgun I own gets carried and my holsters are black, I often where black shirts so a black gun blends in VERY well and thats my "camo". I am sure others have different points of view, as other members suggested such as hunters, or those that enjoy being couch commando's or weekend warriors.

For me a gun is about dependability and use as a tool, for others its about beauty, and if they find tan or OD green pretty...more power to them. To be honest, I would like a NP3ed or chromed HK, because I think that is sexy, but that wouldnt camouflage well...
 
I made a bad call earlier in closing this thread.

Carry on!

pax
 
As I said before I can understand the desire for the gear that is issued to our military and LEOs. Heck I would love an ACOG to put on my M4gery if I could justify putting a $1000 scope on a $800 rifle even though there are cheaper scopes that do the same thing. My point is just that camo was designed not to be fashionable but to serve a purpose. I dont get it when people buy a $200 stock for their AR to make it more functional, and then order it in a color that doesnt blend into their surroundings. Oh and forgive me I forgot about the Michigan sand dunes before, but you get my point. As I said in my first post on this thread buy what you want with your money but know that you will stand out like a sore thumb with a tan AR in a woodland enviroment. Also while on the topic the "urban camo" pattern that some companies offer really is a hoot. In all truth I started this thread after I wanted to order a part for my AR in black only to find out all they had left was "desert tan" :banghead: .
 
Actually, its been known for years, at least to some of us, that a tan,or light based camo blends well in just about any terrain, or surrounding. Khaki has been around probably the longest, and the earliest "pattern" I remember using with a light tan base was the old, and very effective "ASAT" pattern.

Like I said, its not "new", these were painted about 20 years ago now.
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I still have a couple of sets of the pattern stashed away, and it always worked very well, year round, just about anywhere.

Its only taken the military this long to finally figure out that "green" isnt the best all around color.

Some of the tan desert patterns work well in a lot of environments, not just the desert. I'm also a fan of the German "tropentarn" patterns.
 
I personally think a well done desert camo job on a rifle looks great. To each his own, I don't see why this bothers you so much. The people do it because they want to and that is just as good a reason as any. What if I say I hate glocks and black guns.... would I be wrong.
 
I personally think a well done desert camo job on a rifle looks great. To each his own, I don't see why this bothers you so much. The people do it because they want to and that is just as good a reason as any. What if I say I hate glocks and black guns.... would I be wrong.
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It does not bother me I just think its funny. If you hate Glocks and black guns thats fine. I was just put off that a company allowed their stock in the most popular color to sell out, and offered me tan as a substitute.
 
The Brits were decked out in tactical tan around the 1900s... personally think it's a 'less agressive' color than black, though that ain't the reason I like it. I like it 'cause it's hot as hell in Tejas. Good bit of the year. The lighter the colors, the less heat you're getting stuck with. In theory, anyways.

Most interesting sight I've seen Re Camo and Tennis Shoes: an indian gal (indian as in Ghandi, ghurkas, etc) with woodland camo pants with pink-and-white tennis shoes.

If the Tactical Tan craze spreads, though, I may become a Khaki-Kung-Fu-Manchu, as opposed to Mall Ninja.
 
I agree that silly "tacticool" people are silly, regardless of the pattern of the year.

I wore out and threw out the Woodland pattern BDU's I once had from the Guard. But in the 'after time' they were just well worn comfy work clothes with good pockets and freedom of motion.

In the coming years we'll be seeing a lot of people wearing them as they were intended to be worn : work clothes.

There's a pro gun t shirt site around with a DeWalt yellow & black AR on it. I'd be happy to own it.
 
tan or woodland does not matter deer and most other animals are color blind.I just want it to break up the outline:p
 
wait till you see, flat dark earth, or coyote brown. These colors, in any even remotely building type conditions,city type, open space type, dusty type, etc., really hep a weapon outline to 'dissappear'. which is what you want. So I'm down.
 
Tan is fine, no issues here. The kids are leading the trends today as we did when we were kids. I see kids in camo outfits everywhere nowadays. As for guns, all mine are black, stainless, or whatever they came with. No camo here, but I've thought about it simply to do something different and break up the front of my shiny stainless guns for coyote hunting.

Now I'm starting to think keeping my black guns may just turn out to be different if this trend continues. Bring on the nostalgia look, I'm already there.
 
Desert Tan was never an issue when guns were made out of metal and steel. To me it's akin to putting racing stripes on a 1911.
 
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