# SHTF Gray man help



## Odinsman (Sep 29, 2018)

I keep seeing so many people think about the topic of being gray and part of me wonders how it would stop the truly desperate.

But where I am moving to, basically I'd be literally unable to be gray, not possible. So in a SHTF scenario when would it be best to NOT be gray and how to keep yourself in your area of strengths. Assuming the SHTF event is an economic collapse(Full/Partial Weimar Republic)
If one was literally unable to be gray, what would you do?


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## Swedishsocialist (Jan 16, 2015)

Odinsman said:


> I keep seeing so many people think about the topic of being gray and part of me wonders how it would stop the truly desperate.
> 
> But where I am moving to, basically I'd be literally unable to be gray, not possible. So in a SHTF scenario when would it be best to NOT be gray and how to keep yourself in your area of strengths. Assuming the SHTF event is an economic collapse(Full/Partial Weimar Republic)
> If one was literally unable to be gray, what would you do?


hello there Odins man,

Everything depends. If you cant be gray, dont be a target might be a general rule? If you will be a target, be the least desireble target?

Be an asset of some kind, gather friends around you and.. everything depends on the situation


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## Sasquatch (Dec 12, 2014)

Odinsman said:


> I keep seeing so many people think about the topic of being gray and part of me wonders how it would stop the truly desperate.
> 
> But where I am moving to, basically I'd be literally unable to be gray, not possible. So in a SHTF scenario when would it be best to NOT be gray and how to keep yourself in your area of strengths. Assuming the SHTF event is an economic collapse(Full/Partial Weimar Republic)
> If one was literally unable to be gray, what would you do?


Your, for lack of a better word, scenario is too vague to be able to give you any solid information.

If you can't be gray man then maybe a better option is being part of an organization. If you are a first responder you will have credentials that will get you to places the regular public can not go. Same is possible if you are some type of volunteer. Maybe look into CERT training in your area or volunteering at a local hospital.


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

Welcome to PF

If you don't stand out your gray, even if that means wearing a rainbow afro wig and big floppy red shoes if your at a clown convention, or carrying a skateboard if your by the skate park.
Although if you have blue skin and your in predominantly orange skin community, it could be a little more difficult.

You don't want to give anyone any reason to notice you. Looking like you don't want to be noticed makes you stand out. Aside from your clothing, how you walk or look around also makes a difference.
Try and walk at the same pace as those around you, don't look around as if your looking to see if your being followed, if something draws the others attention and gaze, look where they look.

The harder part in my book is dealing with a possible incoming threat, that is the thugs, police or whomever you're trying to avoid singles you out. With thugs the idea would be to make yourself more of a threat to tangle with then they are willing to, but that might mean they get reinforcements and everyone else is probably going to notice, which might be a good thing, or not.
The police are a completely different situation, unless you pull a mini cannon from under your coat, they will keep coming, so you need to ditch them, blend in and exit the area quickly as in any situation you get spotted.



.


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## RJAMES (Dec 23, 2016)

I always suggest buying camping gear in muted colors instead of military CAMMO as being one way to be grayer and not stand out as a prepper not realy what you are asking . 

Other than trying to appear homeless I do not think you could ever convince others you had nothing . You could do this for a little while but not long term as no one wants to do it. 

You can, however choose a modiest home rather than a mansion in your area. Look for one with a basement and hide preps in it, tunnel over to a modest garage/ outbuilding. 

I have seen some every very nice metal barns built - look like a machine shop but it was actually a house. Insulated and walls built after it was up without anyone noticing- this house/ barn was built in a rural area and listed as agriculature ground as far as taxes . Not till they went to sell did the county governemnt found out it was a very nice 6 bedroom 2 1/2 bath home. It did not have a lot of windows but had some . However they did not have a septic system just ran out into a pasture. Put in a septic for your "shop "bathroom make it big for several bathrooms and run it thru your local governemnt like 
you are supposed to . Hiding completely will cause, issues not hide them. But as far as government is concerned you built a nice machine shed on your rural property with a bathroom , shower and someday you might build a house. 

The other thing I have seen is a couple of small sheds/ cabins but what it realy was was the entrance to a underground bunker complex. I do not know how they managed to install it without drawing attention I would think it would take a crew? But even a simple tunnel between buildings would be helpfull to have. Tornado shelters are pretty common and easy to do - tell folks that is what you put in. 

With vehicles you want an older but in good condition without a lot of flash. No sports car. A work truck not a fancy truck,, hidden winch not a winch that can be easily seen, and not a military 2 1/2 ton as a daily driver. Same with tractors - older in good condition but nothing new or expensive looking. Talk a lot about not having money , needing money. Don't show a lot of money, don't bank local or at least do not bank all your accounts local. Buy property talk a lot about it took every dime of what your uncle left you. 


In your case why do you think you will stand out? Language, accent you speak? Skin color? 


Last thought I knew an old man who drove a very old wornout truck always wore the "same" clothes. Blue short sleeve shirt and coveralls in summer, Red and black flannel shirt , hat , work boots and bib overalls. One day he is broke down so I offer him a ride he says he had been putting off a new truck but today must be the day. Could I drive him to the car dealer? So I do , figuring he will need a ride home or to the bank to get money I hang around a minute to see if he needs a ride. Folks at the car dealer say hellp qne call him by name then go get Manager . Manager is happy to sell him something of course then ask did you just want to sign or write a check today and which truck looks good to you we can order of course . They had not yet settled on what he wanted. He says I think I can just pay cash points at a truck says how much is that one. This is in th early 80's I think it was about 25K but what ever he pulls out a Mail Pouch tobacco pack form his biibs that he wore every day and starts counting it out. Turns out they all knew him as he owned several apple packing houses , thousands of acres of apples and other farms in the area. The guy I thought was just an old guy without much money was a multi millionair . 

Had people tell me latter he almost always carried that pouch with a pile of money in it along with one with chewing tobacco.


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## Odinsman (Sep 29, 2018)

Allow me to explain in more detail then,

The home that I'd be living in would basically make it IMPOSSIBLE to be a gray man (Not by choice but by familiy Fiat (We as a family stick together and move together). The house style, the size, the land, all scream prepper or rich person with stuff. So come to an SHTF scenario, I am wondering what areas would it be best not to be gray and how to pull off the non gray approach and survive in a SHTF. If you are unable/impossible to be gray. How do you do it?


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## K7JLJ (Sep 25, 2018)

I'm curious what you mean by being "gray"? Are you talking about how your home looks, how you look out and about during SHTF, hiding your preps in general?

Please provide more detail. If you are not "gray" now, then others in your AO will remember you in SHTF. This can be a good thing or a bad thing. If you are seen as the "slightly off" guy, fear of the unknown can be a good thing sometimes.

For years I lived across the street from two drug houses and they stole everything I had when I moved in, had their kids coming through my dog door to scope the house while I was sleeping. After the camera's went up (fake) and I started working as a Reserve Sheriff's Deputy (uniform on when leaving house), they left me alone.

Being gray is not always the way to go, because you can be mistaken for a "mark". Criminals are there to get paid, they will take the easy mark every time. I suspect many on SHTF will do the same.

Setting a precedence in your AO:
When some turkey hunters came up behind my house (just over berm), my dog alerted and I checked out their hide with an AR15 in hand and followed their trail back a ways. I took down their decoys and left a note to please move father East, which they did the next morning before dawn.

I'm pretty sure they saw me looking for them because the dog was alerting in their direction even though I spotted nothing (need to get that thermal monocular!) and I believe the "show of force" worked in that case to make them think twice trespassing near my land and will likely not bother my house in SHTF. If they do, that's what the target hardening plans are for.

If you have your lights on when everyone else doesn't, then you are on the other side of the coin. You are not being gray or hard, just stupid. Looking "gray" should never be preferred to looking like a hard target if it can be taken as looking weak.

Without more detail, I'm just throwing stuff at the wall, let us know what is your concern.


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## K7JLJ (Sep 25, 2018)

Cross posted... if you look rich you are a target. Better work on a good defense plan and have 10-15 to defend any large area.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

If your not grey then prepare to repel all boarders. Thorny dense vegitation. Trip wires. To alert you. Real booby traps have legal consequences so you have to decide if the situation warrants it. You will need constant patrols and servalence. Everyone will need to be armed to the teeth. No such thing as too much firepower. Posting red flags and quarantine/biohazard May help. If possible grow a tree line to hide as much as possible from view. Having good guard dogs would be helpful. Be the biggest baddest place imaginable. A good supply of @Slippy pikes with real heads on them may convey the message.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

I'm not even sure now that you can make yourself a gray man. As you know, I tried just make sure I stayed within club rules. I had my new duds on when I met with my therapist, and she told me that even with my haircut and somewhat new clothes, I still looked like a biker.

In the long run, it made sense. When I had my "adult job" I would see young executives at meetings. They wore a stiff suit, pulled on their jacket cuffs and changed positions like they were sitting on an ant hill. It was their first new suit.

I think the idea to dress the part is fruitless, you won't act like a gray man, you'll act like "you" without even thinking about it. If you have to switch clothes for some reason, you should start with jeans and sneakers. Every country wears that.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

I read something interesting not long ago. I don't know if this is what you're looking for but it's a place to start.

https://www.thebugoutbagguide.com/gray-man-theory/


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

what's the big concern about being a Grey Man? >>>> it probably means you're somewhere where you shouldn't be - if you are at work or out & about for the day and your regular transportation craps out and you need to travel back thru ***** Country - toning down your obvious differences and not drawing attention would be advised ....


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

inceptor said:


> I read something interesting not long ago. I don't know if this is what you're looking for but it's a place to start.


That was an excellent article and it touched upon all the main things to watch out for. As you guys know, I saw my first "pink cap" last week. And strangely, I felt I knew just about everything she stood for and cared about. Funny thing, this is Madison, home to lots of libtards. Yet, only one pink cap. She stood out.


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## Odinsman (Sep 29, 2018)

Camel923 said:


> If your not grey then prepare to repel all boarders. Thorny dense vegitation. Trip wires. To alert you. Real booby traps have legal consequences so you have to decide if the situation warrants it. You will need constant patrols and servalence. Everyone will need to be armed to the teeth. No such thing as too much firepower. Posting red flags and quarantine/biohazard May help. If possible grow a tree line to hide as much as possible from view. Having good guard dogs would be helpful. Be the biggest baddest place imaginable. A good supply of @Slippy pikes with real heads on them may convey the message.


I guess this is closer, What would others do if they are unable to be gray.

What sort of Thorny Dense Vegetation would work? Black Berries? Anything that is edible that is also thorny that could grow in climate 4?

Holding 25-40 people at the place wouldn't be too much of a problem. But about food costs would be my next part. I am working on the math myself for that one as I try and keep to myself as much as possible until I am ready. Just well finding 25-40 people that one could trust not to sending 2-3 more people plus themselves is an issue.


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Odinsman said:


> I guess this is closer, What would others do if they are unable to be gray.
> 
> What sort of Thorny Dense Vegetation would work? Black Berries? Anything that is edible that is also thorny that could grow in climate 4?
> 
> Holding 25-40 people at the place wouldn't be too much of a problem. But about food costs would be my next part. I am working on the math myself for that one as I try and keep to myself as much as possible until I am ready. Just well finding 25-40 people that one could trust not to sending 2-3 more people plus themselves is an issue.


I would get dense, thorny, tall vegitaion on the perimeter and save the thorny fruit barring plants for a second line of defense. Saves the fruit for your group.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/gmp2924/9-plants-deadly/

https://thecrimepreventionwebsite.c...fensive-plants-shrubs-and-trees-shrub-fences/

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/shrubs/shgen/using-defensive-shrubs.htm

You will have to do a search to see what grows well in your particulyclimate. Check out gurney's or other nurseries.


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## Tango2X (Jul 7, 2016)

Being a gray man does not mean being invisible, it means blending in with others in your surroundings.


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

inceptor said:


> I read something interesting not long ago. I don't know if this is what you're looking for but it's a place to start.
> 
> https://www.thebugoutbagguide.com/gray-man-theory/


I ran across this a few months back, made a ton of sense to me.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

K7JLJ said:


> Cross posted... if you look rich you are a target. Better work on a good defense plan and have 10-15 to defend any large area.


Bull-Shat boy.
Let's play what-if...
What - If someone looked like a rich bad-ass? Would you still think that person to be a target?


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## K7JLJ (Sep 25, 2018)

Slippy, you must not see what I'm saying with that post... "If you look rich, you better be a hard target".

So we don't get into the weeds on my 10-15 person and "large" area, that's all subjective and based on the terrain. Any area with 24/7 manning is at least 3 perimeter positions at 6hr shifts. That's without a patrol element, without base numbers for cooking, etc.

A hard defensive target is nice, and if you have extended family and have put away food for this, then it's a possibility, but finding bodies you can trust is not so easy, and most don't have the preps to support them.

Better to have a remote, small BOL to go to IMO if you can.


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

If you can't blend in, bring the boom or plan to bug out.

Bringing the boom would mean setting yourself up as the alpha of alphas. You must be ready to meet ANY potential threat with lethal response.
Be the guy nobody wants to target, cuz all your enemies end up dead. This is generally a grizzly existence fraught with paranoia and eventual assassination.

If that doesn't sound appealing, and you already assume you'll be a target, your first plans are to defend what's yours long enough to get you and yours safely out of the area.

I'm still not clear on why you feel you can't blend in. If you think it's hard to look like an average slob, I've got good news for you!


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

If you live in a Mcmansion in a shanty town I could see the issue, but one would assume your house pretty much looks like all the rest on your block. 
Small things might make the difference, like an NRA sticker in the window vs the neighbors ADT security sticker and little sign in the flower bed.


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## WhatTheHeck (Aug 1, 2018)

In my neck of the woods, being gray could mean anything from Carhart, to MossyOak, to jeans and flannel. 

In town, it could be whatever those service members uniform of the day is, slacks and button ups, polo shirts or even suit and tie.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

Personally, I don't know what to do. We had riots in the 60s and 70s, but because I wore my colors to class no one bothered me.

Times change, and any thug would probably assume that a be-spectacled guy in his eighties is safe, but guys in biker jackets or flying NRA patches would have guns and be the first to be eliminated.

What are we supposed to do, wear pajamas to go shopping?


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

The Tourist said:


> What are we supposed to do, wear pajamas to go shopping?


If your shopping at Walmart, yes.


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## Lunatic Wrench (May 13, 2018)

In the high density area I live in there is a bit of everything as far as how people dress, even going down into the downtown core it's not predominantly business suite's.
But if your in Mossy oak or flannel land your business attire is going to stand out. 

I think it's more to do with how you act, walk and carry yourself. If the crowd is rushing around in a panic and your walking thru all calm, cool and collected, you stand out, look panicked while making your way thru or following the crowd for cover is going to let you blend in.


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## Odinsman (Sep 29, 2018)

Lunatic Wrench said:


> If you live in a Mcmansion in a shanty town I could see the issue, but one would assume your house pretty much looks like all the rest on your block.
> Small things might make the difference, like an NRA sticker in the window vs the neighbors ADT security sticker and little sign in the flower bed.


Kauboy, this pretty much sized it up. I am not saying I couldn't blend in, I am saying because of the house in question basically a McMansion in a shanty town, I would be unable to be gray at all. So if you are unable to be gray. What would you do?

I am not able to bug out because of children, some of which are special needs. So it would be how to make the hard target a survivable concept.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

Lunatic Wrench said:


> In the high density area I live in there is a bit of everything as far as how people dress.


That was my point. Madison is the Capitol of the State, we have students who wear what they find at the curb, and we have government representatives. State Street might as well have sign saying, "Welcome to the Zoo."

If you go there after bar time, find some vomit to roll in or they'll know you're a tourist.


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## GoodSam (Oct 1, 2018)

Being the proverbial "Gray Man" is a good thing when society is functioning normally but if things got bad enough it won't help you very much. There will be roving gangs of thugs setting up roadblocks in various places robbing and shooting at anything that moves. They will care less how you are dressed or how you behave, they will only want whatever supplies it is you may or may not have. 

In such a scenario it would be best to be part of a group, the larger the better. Few will make it alone for any extended period of time in an urban setting.


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## Nancy1954 (Sep 26, 2018)

Hello...I wish I knew what being gray meant. I wish I knew a lot about the subject of prepping but the sad is I don't. I just joined a few days ago. 

Prepping is important to me so any information and help will be welcomed.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Nancy1954 said:


> Hello...I wish I knew what being gray meant.


It means being inconspicuous. Not standing out. Blending into the crowd. Not attracting attention.



Nancy1954 said:


> I wish I knew a lot about the subject of prepping but the sad is I don't. I just joined a few days ago.
> 
> Prepping is important to me so any information and help will be welcomed.


Stick around here. If you have thick skin, you'll learn a lot.


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