Grey Man

[Jonesy]

What does this mean to you?

I've seen the term tossed about and even an article in the latest survival magazine but how have you really applied or prepaired to put it into action.

Should it even be considered?

[1stimestar]

Never heard of it.

[Tokwan]

Hmmm..could it be someone with grey hair..?

[Tokwan]

Found it...
1. A grey man is a person working undercover.
2. A Black British term of a "white man"......I wonder what I will be termed as I am neither black or yellow or white! I was born brown.......hehehe
3. A survivor is also a grey man..he/she who does not draw attention to him/herself..
4. A man who can blend in to any scene or situation without standing out, hiding his skills and capabilities.
5. A grey man is a person who have authority over all things.

[DomC]

http://www.survivalthinktank.com/201...directive.html

Dom

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk HD

[Winnie]

This term is huge over here in the prepping community and frankly always makes me laugh. I personally don't put much stock by it, simply because the the liklihood of actually having to put it into practice in my country is remote to zero.
Anyhoo, over here the term means to blend in with everyone else, not draw attention to yourself.
On a certain Forum over here there was even a suggestion by one particular crackpot armchair 'prepper' to buy secondhand oversized clothes so that when the world goes to custard, like the rest of the population you look like you're starving; thus hiding the fact you a feeding well! (some of them really can't wait for the end of the world)
So, in answer to the op I suppose it depends on where you live and your level of paranoia.

[hunter63]

The idea is not drawing attention to your self.....I think is sound.
And applies to perceptions people have as far as military clothing, gear EBR etc. vs. civilian gear, clothing and a cute little pink pistol.....But wearing old over size clothing is taking things a bit far.

In the real world for example.....Why would you give a 10 year old kid a $500 iPhone when walking down the street, and not expect something bad to happen.

We need names for things that used to be "just common sense".

[RandyRhoads]

Grey men are those people that come at night on the big whirly light thingies and put things places they shouldn't be.

[kyratshooter]

Where the wilderness survivor seeking rescue wishes to stand out and be seen from miles away TEOTWAWKI crew goes into hideing mode when confronted with their particular set of scenarios.

The term is used almost exclusively in the urban survival context, although it can have some application in rural situations.

It is now being applied to homes, vehicles and property as well as the clothing or person themselves.

It is often used when discussions of the "proper" camo clothing are presented. Some folk, especially urban folk, view camo as more attention drawing than standard clothing, yada, yada, yada.

Of course camo is the state color of the entire southeastern US from late September until February so wearing it does not make either male or female stand out in our crowd.

Most adherents take the grey man theme to extremes, like almost everything the "survival/prepper" community does.

[Rick]

can you actually see a grey man in camo in the fog? I must admit I was a grey man for a while. I had just finished blowing insulation into the attic. I was grey until my wife vacuumed me off. Then I was kinda splotchy. Is there a survivalist term "splotchy"?

[Winnie]

can you actually see a grey man in camo in the fog? I must admit I was a grey man for a while. I had just finished blowing insulation into the attic. I was grey until my wife vacuumed me off. Then I was kinda splotchy. Is there a survivalist term "splotchy"?

Yep, it's called camo.

[crashdive123]

can you actually see a grey man in camo in the fog? I must admit I was a grey man for a while. I had just finished blowing insulation into the attic. I was grey until my wife vacuumed me off. Then I was kinda splotchy. Is there a survivalist term "splotchy"?

Yep, it's called camo.

Yep. Realattic Camo.

[Tokwan]

can you actually see a grey man in camo in the fog? I must admit I was a grey man for a while. I had just finished blowing insulation into the attic. I was grey until my wife vacuumed me off. Then I was kinda splotchy. Is there a survivalist term "splotchy"?

Yep....I agree with replies it actually called Camo....its spotchy camo....you are "The Grey Man" in the attic....!

[Eastree]

I've read off and on about being a "grey man" for a while now. I don't really put a lot of effort into it, but then I don't have an outstanding wardrobe, but at the same time I somehow have one of those faces people seem to recognize quickly -- even a school friend's parents going on a decade after having last seen them, and growing up.

But it's ok for those who are worried about being grey and still being fashionable:
http://nymag.com/thecut/2014/02/norm...ion-trend.html

[Phaedrus]

I think the concept of the grey man is useful in day to day living. I don't wear expensive clothes or fancy watches. Well, of course partly because I'm poor! Seriously though it's not my style and I don't need the attention. Biggest thing to me is that while I'm a gun nut I don't wear gun company T-shirts, I don't plaster my truck with gun stickers and I don't put up the absurd "I don't call 911- I shoot a 1911" signs up in my windows. I want to blend in with the herd for the most part. However, if a predator comes around I want to "decloak" enough to let them know they'd best look for an easier meal.

[Jonesy]

I think the cocept is worth considering for sure. If nothing else it makes you examine your survival approach if you need to go near dense populations in almost any situation. I have arranged my life in such a way that "grey" or common is pretty much standard without looking like an easy target. I admit I was into the flashy phone, watch, car, "stuff" mode for a long time. It only took one situation where I thought the watch on my arm was going to create a life threatening situation in what appeared to be a safe place. All that crap quickly became a burden and now it's all gone.

[LowKey]

I've been "gray" all my life. Something my dad taught me a long long time ago.
Nothing extreme. Just a casual demeanor. No standing out from the crowd. No looking the easy mark.
And the same goes for any vehicle I drive. We call things like red sportscars and blinged street machines "Police Magnets" here.
No NRA stickers, no bumper stickers.
Maybe that coat or pants pocket holds a weapon or maybe it doesn't.
No wallet in the right hip pocket. No visible cell phone. The iPhone is "work only" so I rarely have it in public. Never wearing earbuds.
Always aware.

But the survivalist extreme is nothing more than amusing.
If you are ever in a situation where you have more assets than others, you aren't going to be able to hide it.
Having guns and ammo? Noisily obvious.
Having more available lighting? Obvious.
Having a generator? More than Obvious.
Even having fuel for a fire suggests assets. The smell of smoke, and what you are cooking, travels.

[Rick]

I appreciate that post. It's all too true. It's one of the very reasons I've stocked dehydrated foods and meats that are precooked. Not only are they easier to prepare in a dire situation but if push comes to shove you don't have the aroma of fresh food wafting through the area. Incognito is neato.

[LowKey]

And why I am taking up archery as a new competitive sport.

[kyratshooter]

One also must remember that there is a time to be "grey" and a time to not be grey.

The grey man is for hiding mode, normal times, avoiding trouble, avoiding sharing of goods. Could we even say during a guerilla war?

There is a distinct instant between the time one wishes to blend in and not be a target and the point when one wants to insure they are not going to be considered and easy target or one you would want to mess with.

As an example, I have always purchased and equipped the women in my life with nickel pated handguns. I have always trained them to not show the handgun until they were ready to use it.

Why?

Because there is nothing more terrifying that a frightened woman with a big shiny gun!

The concept of "deterrent force" still works. Nuclear subs, missile silos, M1 tanks for a nation, unified force for a neighborhood. Disaster strikes and looters enter the neighborhood, I want my neighbors out there beside me with their shotguns.

Afraid for people to know you have fuel? A generator? Afraid for them to smell your food?

Where do you people live and what are you preparing for?