Video: Becoming the Grayman.

[N8RV]

"Daddy shaped" LMAO ...

You see, that's the problem -- I already start my day "daddy-shaped" ... tough to find obscure places to hide very many goodies.

 

[Trigger Time]

Anything Maxpedition = not gray in my neck of the woods. Nice bags though.

The Fatboy ticks out as a geeky manbag or tactical bag a mile away around here. Maybe everyone wears them in some places, and hence they're gray, in those places. Same goes for just about any largish belt pouch - draws attention.

Around here, anything other than a messenger bag or book-bag-type backpack will get noticed (no external MOLLE). The more well worn the better.

I agree. that's why I carry that type of bag. About every cop knows what your packing in a bag with Molle on the outside and in places carry is not allowed it could compromise you.
Not to mention all of the former and current military folks or even gun people who think the same things when they see Molle webbing.
There's a couple out now from different manufacturers that don't have Molle.
Not to mention those fat boys dig into your neck.

 

[TiminMishawaka]

Anything Maxpedition = not gray in my neck of the woods......Around here, anything other than a messenger bag or book-bag-type backpack will get noticed (no external MOLLE). The more well worn the better.

I have a patagonia backpack that fits in well around urban sheeple, especially coffehouse types. You can also keep a collapsible type of another bag inside it.

 

[esrice]

Follow-up question for those who subscribe to the "grayman" idea.

Would openly carrying a handgun be in direct conflict with such a mentality? In other words, can one truly be a grayman while OCing?

 

[BravoMike]

Looks like Mike Rowe hosting Doomsday Preppers.

Haha! That's what I thought!

Follow-up question for those who subscribe to the "grayman" idea.

Would openly carrying a handgun be in direct conflict with such a mentality? In other words, can one truly be a grayman while OCing?

I thought the answer would be obvious that, yes it is in contradiction to that mentality. You would be drawing attention to yourself.

Nice vid btw. I use the "grayman" idea not only in the clothes that I wear, but the vehicle that I drive and the house that I live in. I want to blend in because I believe it to make me less of a target. I support the NRA and donate to the ILA, but you will never see a bumber sticker on my car. Those go on my gun safes!

 

[thoroughbred]

Follow-up question for those who subscribe to the "grayman" idea.

Would openly carrying a handgun be in direct conflict with such a mentality? In other words, can one truly be a grayman while OCing?

In the city yes...country or rural setting maybe, maybe not. I get the whole grayman idea but in some circumstances you can make the person trying too hard to blend in my opinion...I guess what I'm trying to say is you have to find the right balance.

 

[WETSU]

Just like make up, you can over do it and it looks unnatural or out of place.

My Grayman has been honed through years and years of emersion. I can swim through a sea of people and not really be noticed. Details matter. I could not pull it off everywhere I'm sure. But for most places I need to transit, I can do it well. Other places, it might just give me a minute or two head start and thats it.

Regarding the Fatboy. I like it, slap a COEXIST patch on it and its GTG. I also have a black messenger bag I've used over the years, but not as well built as the maxpedition gear.

Open carry is a NOGO for me in general, and for Grayman, absolutely not.

 

[CathyInBlue]

The concept of the Grayman is highly context dependent. If you're in a place where most everybody is wearing a gun on their hip, to NOT be OCing would be the thing that makes you stand out.

I'm not so concerned with being the Grayman in everyday life, so I OC. I study and practice Grayman techniques so that when TSHTF, I can assume the Grayman identity while bugging out.

 

[M1 carbine dad]

The concept of the Grayman is highly context dependent. If you're in a place where most everybody is wearing a gun on their hip, to NOT be OCing would be the thing that makes you stand out.

I'm not so concerned with being the Grayman in everyday life, so I OC. I study and practice Grayman techniques so that when TSHTF, I can assume the Grayman identity while bugging out.

I agree that it's very context dependent, but I think he did a good job of alluding to that in the video. The problem that I see is that if SHTF when you are in an area where you are definitely NOT gray, you either need to keep "gray" clothing in your vehicle, or do the best you can with the situation you're presented with.

Although, in a full SHTF scenario, you're going to see plenty of everyone milling about. Almost anyone could be gray if the situation is dire enough.

Great concept and one I think most are trying to emulate. Nice video! One thing I would've liked to have seen is after saying all the "stuff" you were carrying, a little display of where/ how you were carrying it.

Good stuff! Keep it up!

 

[TheDude]

Another thought for the going "unnoticed look" is doing the "Bum/Hobo look". Not only will you go unnoticed but people will go out of their way to not notice you. This may not work for everyday life but in other situations. Your actions and movements will need to be gray as well. Someone from a different area will differ from locals usually. Im guessing undercover narc cops understand this?








"Daddy shaped"? Just get it over with and say "Fat". LOL

 

[bwframe]

...I like it, slap a COEXIST patch on it and its GTG...

Years ago in the early days of MADD, they handed out red ribbons to hang on your vehicle antennae to show support for their organization. Many "party folks" of the time learned that the ribbons often dismissed further observation by the authorities and dime droppers.

Good info about the logos. I'm not much of a hat wearer unless purpose driven, but I always have a hat or two around. They all read, INGO, Daniel Defense, LaRue, Hornady, etc...

 

[Trigger Time]

If I was a cop I would run every "D.A.R.E." plate I came across.

I don't want to stand out at all. No INGO sticker, no NRA sticker, no Obama sticker (for sure), no hippie stickers, nothing. I don't even get a veteran license plate because I do not want to be targeted by anyone.

 

[bwframe]

If I was a cop I would run every "D.A.R.E." plate I came across...

As they should for the FOP badge on the plate bribery!

...I don't want to stand out at all. No INGO sticker, no NRA sticker, no Obama sticker (for sure), no hippie stickers, nothing. I don't even get a veteran license plate because I do not want to be targeted by anyone.

I'm with you on this, but I do understand covering an obvious attention getter (murse) with a removable distraction, IE; COEXIST, BabyDaddy, Depends, etc.

 

[Trigger Time]

As they should for the FOP badge on the plate bribery!



I'm with you on this, but I do understand covering an obvious attention getter (murse) with a removable distraction, IE; COEXIST, BabyDaddy, Depends, etc.

I agree on the plate fop things. I'm sure it doesn't matter to some cops but there's obviously a reason they are placed where they are in many states. I had one when I was a teen but I'd never do it now as a grown adult.

I think a hemp bag would be the only type those hippies would believe, lol.
Na I think the coexist patch is brilliant

 

[CathyInBlue]

If they could be easily ans quickly ripped off, I might put a set of daddy, mommy, sis, bro, cat, and dog stickers with the name "The O'Myra Family" on one side of my rear window and a "In Loving Memory, Jethro Muldrew, June 14, 1985 - March 5, 2004" sticker on the other side of my rear window.

I'm a fat, single, middle aged woman with no children or pets, my name is not O'Myra, and I know no one named Jethro Muldrew, nor anyone born on that date, nor died on the other. If someone grabs those details off one car, they'll have a helluva time pinning them to me while driving another. And in a SHTF scenario, pick up the tab with the thumb and whip them both into the gutter for the true Grayman experience.

 

[bwframe]

"In Loving Memory,...

I don't quite know how to perceive the untimely death tributes stuck to vehicles? Younger generation cluelessness?

 

[CathyInBlue]

I guess, but I see them everywhere, so having one on my otherwise non-descript vehicle would just help it blend in in the general scheme of things, but in SHTF, it would just be a name people would use to peg my car at the scene.

 

[Shay]

Good video, Wetsu.

 

[Trigger Time]

Good vid for sure. Not to pick on WETSU but I sometimes hate seeing videos that share trade secrets with the general population. Not so much this video but as the whole "Prepper" movement gains steam a lot of proprietary information is leaking out to the average person and therefore bad people as well.
While I don't believe you can just read a training manual or watch a video and become a ninja, there are disadvantages of sharing so much information.
Sure almost everything seen in these videos is not secret info but it just makes it more redily available to fools who in my opinion don't deserve it. People who earned a advantage by working hard and developing skills now must readapt or change certain preps or plans in order to stay invisible or at such an advantage in certain situations. It's likes magician showing how all the magic tricks are done to average people. It hurts the other magicians. Or telling everyone your secret hiding spot so now it's the first place people will look for you.
So in certain situations where I see a person using a method of trade craft It might take a second longer to realize if they truely are a threat to me or just some Internet warrior. This video doesn't give any big secrets away but some videos out there (not WETSU) have. I think it's a point for discussion. Of coarse the majority of people will disagree with my opinion because they are the ones who otherwise wouldn't have the information.

 

[WETSU]

Cathy, I like the cut of your jib.

Trigger Time, you make a good point. I never give it all away.