Keeping up with the times yet? Have you watched the television and seen everything that is going on? The civil unrest? The destructive protests? What are you doing to prepare and still be ready to go, but in the shadows? Now enter in the Gray Man.
This term has been circulating for quite sometime now on the ole internet and we decided to put together some information concerning how to be a Gray Man and blend in with your surroundings. First things first, being a Gray Man is about blending in and not bringing attention to yourself…aka…Being Inconspicuous. This goes without saying that the nail that sticks out the most gets hammered first, and this goes true when it comes to trying to survive. If someone is flagrant and blatant they can become a target, but if someone us blending in with the crowd or lurking in the shadows, the chances of survival increase.
The term Gray Man doesn’t necessarily mean wearing all Gray. I say this, because what you wear depends on where you are living at and what you do for a living. For example, if you are living in the more urban and metropolis areas where suit and tie is the most common, then wearing a suit and tie will let you blend in better. But keep in mind, that with a suit, comes limited items that can be carried as an EDC. But lets say you live in a more rural area and/or small town/city vibe, then it would be a bit hard to blend in because everyone may know you. If you are traveling, being a Gray Man will suit you well. Knowing where you are going and how the environment is will definitely give you an edge per-say.
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Clothes
What are some typical items that can be overlooked when trying to become a Gray Man. Well, for starters, it seems like everyone that is in the gun community has some sort of Tactical Bag and wears Tactical Clothing all the time. Now, I’m not saying that wearing your 5.11 or Tru-Spec cargo pants all the time isn’t a fashion statement, but lets be real…it does make you stand out some if you are wearing the pants accompanied by some sort of Tactical Shirt or Tactical Pull-Over/Jacket.
Photo Courtesy of IG User door.gunner.inc
Being a Gray Man, again, means blending in. So maybe ditch the Tactical Pants every once and awhile and go with maybe a straight leg pant that is still comfortable in moving about. We recommend the LAPG Terrain Flex Straight Fit Jeans, for the ones wanting to rock blue jeans.. As far as outer garments, why not look at maybe a Conceal Carry Flannel Shirt from LAPG. This would work great in the Fall and Winter months. I would also say stick with perhaps a neutral color hoodie/pull over or even a zip up up to blend in more during the winter months as well. As far as the Spring and Summer months, I would suggest maybe ditching the Grunt Style, Ranger Up, or Nine Line Apparel shirts and go with something a bit more less “I’m a gun toting citizen” approach. Maybe try finding a button down shirt that you can leave unbutton to help with printing issues you may have when carrying your EDC.
It’s better to stay away from the black shirts and tan cargo pants apparel and stick with maybe still a darker shirt and/or neutral color shirt and if you still want to stay with the cargo pants, just stay away from the tactical ones, or maybe a more average style or even blue jeans. I would also highly recommend staying away from any camouflaged pants and military style job shirts. Again, this is all subjective to the area in which you reside.
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Hats/Caps
Although hats can be overlooked it can also make you stand out. If you are wearing a “loud” hat, then people may recognize it or remember it. One thing to remember is something that will blend in. Maybe a solid color baseball hat, but nothing that has a velcro on the front or back, but maybe something like from Oakley, Under Armor, or your favorite sports team. In the Winter months, a simple skull cap/beanie/toboggan will work very well. Another hat that gets over looked is a flat cap or scally cap. One company we like is the Boston Scally Co. for flat caps. They offer a wide variety of caps and styles and not just flat caps. They offer baseball hats well. But from Boston Scally Co, we recommend “The Worker” style cap during the Spring/Summer months and the Fall/Winter Months we recommend something that is a Wool/Poly blend for warmth, like the Boston Scally Co. “Bourbon” or the “Bare-Knuckle” cap. But honestly when it comes down to hats/caps, it just depends on the environment you live in.
If you are in a college town, then wearing the local college team hat would make you blend in better than say a cowboy hat…unless you live in Texas or the Mid-West.
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Shoes
Do shoes really make a difference when trying to blend in? Some say yes, some might say no. To be honest, we find that it does.
If someone is wearing say a military style boot in the middle of say winter, it may not be noticed that much. But during the summer months, this may be a bit odd. Wearing sneakers may not get the job done in some instances, but in others it will make you blend in more. For example, if you are having to move about in the urban areas and may have to travel through a high traffic area, like a mall to hide out, then wearing sneakers is highly recommended.
For the summer months, a good shoe with support makes a huge difference. I would potentially stay away from sandals or open toed shoes in general, unless at the beach. But even at the beach, you can get shoes that are made for water and the sand.
We recommend a few lines of boots that tend to lean more towards a “civilian style” than say a “military style” like Altama OTB Maritime Boots, Salomon XA Forces Boots, Danner Trailcomber, and Merrell MOAB.
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Backpack
If you are on the move and getting to your spot of comfort or trying to elude a mob that you just came up on, well having a military style backpack may or may not be your friend. In some instances, a military backpack in a rural setting that has a lot of woods, will work better than in an urban setting.
If you happen to be in that urban jungle setting, having a lot of MOLLE webbing on your backpack that is holding all your gear is kind of obvious what you are doing. I would suggest getting something a bit more subdue, yet will still blend in very well. If you are in a college town or something a long those lines, then having a normal backpack looks more natural.
Backpacks can carry a lot of gear, but a backpack for essentials is what we are going to showcase. We recommend the following backpacks for an urban jungle setting: L.L. Bean Ridge Runner Day Pack, 3V Gear Redline Anti-Theft Backpack, Grey Ghost Gear Scarab Day Pack, Grey Ghost Gear Griff Pack, and Oakley Enduro 30L 2.0.
For the more rural areas, we recommend the Velox II Quick Action Tactical Backpack, Oakley Kitchen Sink, 5.11 All Hazards Prime Backpack, 5.11 AMP72, Maxpedition Livthvore, and Cannae Gear Phalanx Duty Pack 37L.
Whatever bag you choose, I would make sure that you are able to carry your concealed weapon inside the waistband while still wearing the backpack and possibly have a way to place a Level III armor plate in it to provide that extra coverage. Of course, it isn’t necessary to have a plate, but it is nice to have in the event something was to pop off.
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Gear
When it comes to your gear that’s in your bag a few things come into factor like: where you live, where you’re at in said area, and what your end goal is (Get to your bug-out location, Get home, etc). When it comes to your gear, less is sometimes more, but at the same token, more is often best…like the Boy Scouts, always prepared.
Honestly, having a good EDC kit makes life a lot easier for sure or even a Bug Out Bag in the vehicle. Often times, I keep two kits in my truck just to be on the safe side or if I’m traveling with my wife. You items may vary from mine and that’s okay. I will say, train with your kit and make sure you are familiar with your gear.
If you have items in your vehicle that are stationary, then that can also help out in the event you are traveling, especially during the Winter/Fall months and even the Spring/Summer months.
If it really turns for the worst, having some sort of Plate Carrier readily available can go along way, be it a slick carrier that can be worn under your zip up hoodie or just a standard minimalist plate carrier. We recommend the following plate carriers: T. Rex Arms AC1, Shellback Tactical Stealth Low Vis Plate Carrier, Velocity Systems Law Enforcement Plate Carrier, and Ferro Concepts Slickster.
For saving weight, we recommend the Hesco L210 Level IV Plates. Hesco makes great products and these plates weigh in at 5.4lbs each, saving a ton of weight, yet still having great protection. Other viable options for Level IV Plates include: LAPG Level IV Plates, Spartan Armor Systems Ceramic Plates, Shellback Prevail Series, and Chase Tactical 4S17M Level IV Rifle Armor Plates.
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Weapons
The most important thing to remember when it comes to carrying a weapon, either be a firearm or knife, please know the laws of your state or local municipality that you are going to be in. I know that sounds very cliché, especially if your are trying to blend in and avoid confrontation, but at the same time, if Civil Unrest is happening you want to be prepared regardless.
I will say having a good concealed weapon on your side is always a plus, but remember to have some sort of medical on you in the event things go south. If your backpack is big enough to carry a broken down rifle caliber pistol or rifle, that’s even more of an advantage if you were to need to engage in a multiple threat area. Just keep in mind the repercussions that may occur afterwards if any weapon is used.
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Conclusion
At the end of the day, a lot of factors come into play when you decide to become a Gray Man. I hope this helps out for the ones looking at changing up their ideas of getting home safely or getting to your Bug-Out location without drawing attention to yourself. If things do array, stay vigilant and keep your head on a swivel. Always look for the exit and have a plan of attack and retreat in mind wherever you are. At the end of day, safety and being invisible is key when it comes to a Gray Man.
As always, ya’ll be good and be safe!
