I can tend to overthink things. I couldn’t see any reason why someone would want anything other than a green tarp. The thought of paddling through the BW and seeing a bright yellow tarp wouldn’t be that pleasant so I for sure didn’t want to be that guy.

However, then I did a little research and a lot of people have a very good argument as to why one would want a color other than green. Light below, safety, being the main two reasons I see.

Is a green tarp really that dim below on an overcast and rainy day enough to bother? I have considered a multicolor tarp, but to me that screams even more, "hey, look at me!", even though the green and white does look nice.

I have read every thread on the internet at this point. I will be buying from CCS so I hope to have it a long time. Am I overthinking?

I don't think you're over thinking, especially for the large one time investment. The difficulty is everyone has a different opinion. When I'm in the "wilderness", I try and blend in as much as possible as to not bother anyone or ruin their sense of wilderness.

Have you been on one side of a lake in the BWCA and looked across and a guy is wearing a bright red jacket? Same guy wearing earth tones and you hardly notice. I have a green CCS tarp. I have never been under it a week, but it has not bothered me. That having been said, I don't think yellow is that obnoxious, would allow more light, and still block the sun.

If I had it to do over again, I would likely get the yellow.

My CCS is also green, I like it to blend in or at least be closer to realistic. But I see the others reasoning too. I don't seem to notice it being too dark on cloudy days

Green CCS for our crew. The question being raised about it being "dark" under a green tarp on cloudy days has never even been a thought of ours. I like how the green blends in and doesn't stick out like a sore thumb.

A different question: How BRIGHT will it be under a yellow tarp on a sunny day? My guess is that you might want to wear your sunglasses.

Green CCS 10' x 14 'tarp, green CCS Lean 3+, green CCS floor for Lean, green Nemo tent...

3/1/19 Update: I just added a Yellow Lean 2+ to the collection, but it does have the green CCS ground cloth.

yellow for me, super bright, even with low sun, sunglasses under tarp not needed, but when the sun is out i am not under it.

I’m amazed how the ccs multi colored “blended” or really didn’t stick out. An all yellow or white to me would be too much. But the multi colored none of which included green... was a good balance to me. Good color tones...

I used to think green or tan also, but wouldn't trade my multi-color CCS for anything. Don't think anyone would think it was "Obtrusive?" And if they DID feel that way, well, maybe they need to "Lighten up" a little?

I have green, white, and yellow Leans and tarps. And prefer the yellow lean and tarp the most, super bright even on cloudy days. Did all trips last year with my yellow lean and tarp.

I spent some time under a big CCS Yellow tarp and liked it. Indeed, pretty bright when rainy.

That said, I get that others may not admire it from afar and may find it garish in the arboreal forest.

I have a yellow tarp and a green tarp as well. green is fine, but i do prefer the yellow when its gloomy out. bright sun doesn't bother me under the yellow tarp, its a personal preference i guess.

I have a yellow tarp and a white Lean. I'm happy enough with them. You should buy what you'll be happy with.

em8260: "I have a yellow tarp and a green tarp as well. green is fine, but i do prefer the yellow when its gloomy out. bright sun doesn't bother me under the yellow tarp, its a personal preference i guess."

Ditto

I'm only ever under it to get out of the sun (darker color is better) or bad weather (color doesn't matter).
But green is my favorite color so there's wasn't a debate for me.

If anyone really wants to blend in, you could always see about having a nice tarp and tent made in Marpat camouflage. Problem is people would be be landing at your campsite all the time because they didn't see it.

Get whatever color makes you happy. I used to have dark colored stuff and wanted a black canoe, but have changed. Now I'm very happy with my yellow tarp, red canoe, and lime green Losi tent.

We like our yellow

I really like my green tarp. Blends into the surrounding woods.

Jaywalker pretty well stated my opinion; with the exception of the black canoe.
Black canoe; NOT gonna happen.

Which reminds me of the comments I got from the guy who restored my 1965 Chestnut Pal. It's original canvas color was deep green. I wanted red canvas when it was restored, and told him so.

His reply: "They made originals in both green & red. It's your canoe; you can have it any color you want".
It's red.............

BOB

CCS will combine whatever colors you want. I would have liked a green and yellow combination, but could not stomach the thought that a passerby might think I was a Packers fan. So I went with green and white.

For me function is beauty.
That said, when I bought my marmot limelight tent on sale, I had one choice in color. ORANGE. I thought it was bright & obnoxious & I thought I was going to dislike the color forever. I grew to love the orange & bought other orange things along the way. Once it became my home away from home, the color & the function blended into one.

My 2 nysil tarps are army green, they blend into the woods, they deal with falling leaves & pine sap. They get used on the ground to make a "gear burrito" at night. I don't find them dreary in the rain, I like the shade they provide, I certainly need it.

So my nysils blend, but you can see my tent from a long ways away, I guess it's a balanced campsite.

Green CCS here as well, provided much needed shade last August when it was sunny and mid-eighties our entire trip.

I thought I wanted yellow, but ended up with green because that's what was available at at a used gear sale. It turns out that shade/sun protection is more important to me than better lighting on a gloomy day. Glad I have the green as my primary tarp. It wouldn't surprise me thought if I added a smaller yellow tarp at some point.

You've already made the important part of the decision (CCS Tarp). Pick the color you enjoy. There is no invisibility requirement in the BWCA.

Yellow (bright) is bold.
Green is a blending-in mode.
Tundra (dirt) is stealth mode.
Multi-colored is lively mode!

I like CCS's green. It's a 'Spring' green and far from drab.
I own CCS 10x10 green & a CCS 8x10 multi green/robin's egg blue

mjmkjun: "Tundra (dirt) is stealth mode."

Does Tundra = Coyote Brown?

Yep, Midwest

I like being able to leave in my trip plans, "I plan to be on X lake, tent color orange/grey and tarps color white and blue."...or whatever color tarps I take on that trip. I like knowing that I can be reasonably easily found if needed in an emergency, especially traveling with kids. I also appreciate being able to tell if the site across the lake is taken, so that I don't have to drag everyone across only to find one occupied. But I am not easily offended by colors, or sounds, happy noises and singing. We go canoe camping to kick back and have fun, not do our best to hide from everyone. We practice good ettiquite, but I'm not going to shame or shusssh my family all day long and make everyone dress in camo. I guess that keeps the cranky people away, cranky-repellent.

My advice is to be yourself, buy the gear that makes you happy, and don't worry about what other people think. If that's green, great! If that's yellow, great! Heaven help the sucker that comes by and tells my wife her clothing color is too loud. That would be a fun one to watch.

mjmkjun: "Yep, Midwest"

Didn't even know that was an option. Google imaged CCS tarp coyote brown to no avail. Does anyone have a pic of a tarp in coyote brown? If it was a lighter brown I would be interested.

I have yellow, green, and blue CCS tarps. All different sizes, so I use them differently and at different times, but just for living under/around it, I prefer the yellow.

Pretty sure when I bought mine, I was flexible enough to purchase something they had "on the shelf" and thereby saved a few bucks? Does that sound like something CCS offers - a discount for a non-custom order? Maybe I just needed it quickly due to procrastination so had to take something he had in stock.

Anyway, I ended up with green, which is as good a color as any. Color was not a concern and wouldn't be on my next purchase either. I guess if I had to pick...who knows, would just be a spur of the moment, whatever I'm feeling that day kind of thing.

Besides, most canoes are yellow these days, so it's hardly a garish or uncommon color to see in the woods.

What colors of tarp has to do with how/ where it is to be used and personal tastes. Remember colors on monitors can be deceiving.

1.1 oz colors as of Feb 12 2019


1.9 oz colors as of Feb 12 2019

HowardSprague-- Packer fan colors

MidwestFirecraft: "

mjmkjun: "Yep, Midwest"

Didn't even know that was an option. Google imaged CCS tarp coyote brown to no avail. Does anyone have a pic of a tarp in coyote brown? If it was a lighter brown I would be interested. "

Surprise! Google doesn't know everything. ;-)

Coyote brown looks a lot like Flat Dark Earth. I be interested in a desert sand color. I'm always surprised at how well brown's blend into the woods.

Coyote grey tarp to blend in, Bright orange hammock tucked away underneath it which I could wave around if needed for safety reasons. I guess if colored tents across the lake are enough to bother you and ruin the experience, then maybe you should find more secluded routes or campsites.

If you're worried about it being obtrusive, then don't put up a tarp. That's the least obtrusive. If you're worried about being the most useful, get the brightest color you can find. If you need rescue, a big, bright tarp will catch the eye of a rescue plane/helicopter quicker than anything else you are carrying.

Seriously, most tents are as brightly colored as any tarp. Get the one you like... Don't sweat it.

Atrain: " I guess if colored tents across the lake are enough to bother you and ruin the experience, then maybe you should find more secluded routes or campsites. "

If you are at a secluded campsite it wouldn't matter, in fact it would make more sense to have brightly colored equipment for safety reasons.

BuckFlicks: "If you're worried about it being obtrusive, then don't put up a tarp. That's the least obtrusive. "

It's only been the last couple of years that I have appreciated people that go the extra mile, not for themselves, but for others. I trip twice a year to the BWCA with a man who has always picked up and packed out cans, glass, and plastic. In the beginning I gave him a hard time for cleaning up other people's crap and hauling the extra weight. Now I do the same and try and be respectful of other people's experiences. I have had people blare loud music till after midnight, scream, shout, etc. I never said anything to them, but it reminds me to be careful of how loud I am so as not to disturb another Dad who may have their kids there for for the first time, etc.

"cranky-repellent"
haha! Like that concept, scotttimm.

Get whatever color you like! A lighter color can actually help amplify the light even on a gray rainy day (nothing like spending 48 hours under a CCS tarp to appreciate owning one!).

I also sewed my own. I accidentally ordered what I thought would be a dark yellow and ended up with a “don’t shoot me” yellow!

DanCooke: "HowardSprague-- Packer fan colors
"

Dan, that gives me an idea - I see that tarp has six panels to it. What size does it have to be to have six like that? Wonder if I could do one that simulates Lithuanian flag.....

RCR1983,
Either color would be an excellent choice for the reasons listed above. Here's what each color looks like in the wild:

Howard- 6 panels 3 colors will work -15 x 15
Been away from the internet paddling the past couple of weeks

I love my "tarp of many colors". It let's people know that the site is taken and saves them the time/hassle of coming to my site.

In case of need, it also makes the "search" part of "search and rescue" shorter. That may not apply in the BW but it does in other places that I use it...

This is a shot of my CCS tarp while moose hunting in Alaska...

Green can hold the most water too

pamonster: "Green can hold the most water too
"

Is that the larger, revamped Katadyn Gravity Filter system?

HowardSprague: "

pamonster: "Green can hold the most water too
"

Is that the larger, revamped Katadyn Gravity Filter system?
"

LOL yes! 100% purified

Yellow might not be as obtrusive as you think, nor red.

That looks great!

Went with my original thought of the green. Arrived yesterday. As some pointed out it is more of a spring green which I think will be perfect. Thanks everyone for the help, and thank you Dan for getting it out quickly. Looking forward to setting up. I had such a hard time between the two, I think I will need a yellow 8x10 to go with the green 10x12 now!!

pamonster: "Green can hold the most water too
"

jacuzzi hammock

unshavenman: "RCR1983,
Either color would be an excellent choice for the reasons listed above. Here's what each color looks like in the wild:


"

those are very nice looking set-ups and campsites.

love yellow, keeps things bright even on a cloudy day.

I love my yellow CCS and my Orange CCS tarps. I find them rather cheery colors and as others have stated they are easy for other people to see at a distance. They blend in great during shoulder seasons too.

unshavenman: "RCR1983,
Either color would be an excellent choice for the reasons listed above. Here's what each color looks like in the wild:


"

Nicely rigged tarps! That is our set up as well. Love that stuff sack and ridge line set up.

cowdoc: "

pamonster: "Green can hold the most water too
"

jacuzzi hammock"

Brilliant!

3 days of rain and 45* buy my yellow lean 3 had everyone waking up happy. Someone even said, we always wake up happy and dry in our yellow tent. I have a multi color tarp that we love as well.

cowdoc: "

pamonster: "Green can hold the most water too
"

Jacuzzi hammock"

I thought it might be a solar powered hot tub...

I've had two Eureka tents used over the last few decades with gray rain flies. I have come to the conclusion that gray blends in with everything- tree bark and rock outcrops especially. So when I finally replaced my old Campmor 10x10 with a tundra tarp I paid the extra for gray. Haven't used it yet so no pictures.

Canoearoo: "3 days of rain and 45* buy my yellow lean 3 had everyone waking up happy. Someone even said, we always wake up happy and dry in our yellow tent. I have a multi color tarp that we love as well."

I love my Lean 3. But... It is tricky in the rain. I've had rivers of water flowing through my Lean. It is big enough that I could just avoid the water. But I've also had situations where I had 4 kids sleeping in the lean. It was a bit tricky to pick up all 4 bags and all their stuff to keep it out of the rivers.

Like I said, I love my Lean and will continue to use it. It has an amazing space/weight ratio. But it also has limitations that others need to understand.

Yellow for me.

I have been invloved in many Search and Rescues as a wild land firefighter.
We are always glad to know if the party we are searching for has a bright colored tent or tarp.
The SAR I lanuched last year in the BW, Lake County. I hit my PLB for an injured party I came across. That triggers a call to my wife from the local sherrif.
Dispatch asked my wife, her words.
"What color tent does he have, and don't tell me its green"

Bright/loud colors always for this emergency responder.

Mad_Angler: "

Canoearoo: "3 days of rain and 45* buy my yellow lean 3 had everyone waking up happy. Someone even said, we always wake up happy and dry in our yellow tent. I have a multi color tarp that we love as well."

I love my Lean 3. But... It is tricky in the rain. I've had rivers of water flowing through my Lean. It is big enough that I could just avoid the water. But I've also had situations where I had 4 kids sleeping in the lean. It was a bit tricky to pick up all 4 bags and all their stuff to keep it out of the rivers.


Like I said, I love my Lean and will continue to use it. It has an amazing space/weight ratio. But it also has limitations that others need to understand."

We haven't had a problem yet. Dan told me it has a lot to do with the way you set it up. Our lean 3 has never gotten us wet, however I do run a big sheet of plastic under the sod cloth that goes up all the sides a little ways. Even if water did run under the lean 3 it would go under that plastic and the sod cloth sits on top of that. The plastic weighs less than a pound and packs down really tight. I like the added protection of the innie (or outtie? lol) layer. Always have in any tent.

Both! It's what I did...

cyclones30: "My CCS is also green, I like it to blend in or at least be closer to realistic. But I see the others reasoning too. I don't seem to notice it being too dark on cloudy days "

Green all the way,hate to look across a lake and see bright colors.
It would be different if I was mountain climbing and a high risk endeavor.
If worried about being seen if need rescue you could always throw out a space blanket or carry with a light deer hunters orange or yellow display for a few added oz's.
I guess I can survive whatever one chooses.

yellow hands down, lets's the light thru.