Would black colour gears like mat, bags etc a nightmare shooting during the day time not in winter

[thexman]

Gonna buy some gears like mat and bags etc for shooting outdoor during non-winter season, mainly in a long distance shooting range without covered during the day. Temperatures would be between 15-20 Celsius(60-70 Fahrenheit) and 25-30 Celsius (77-86 Fahrenheit).

Personally I prefer black colour, but heard black would be bad for outdoor shooting especially under the sun in summer.

Not sure how bad it is. I can imagine a black shooting mat would impact the shooting experiencing a lot, but not sure about other gears like shooting bags, range bags, even rifle and scope.

Any experience on using dark colour gears? Thanks.

 

[Mike Casselton]

Based on your spelling choices and use of celcius, I would think that you're somewhere across the pond from here, but not in the UK.

Personally, I don't think it gets hot enough over there to worry about it.
Black becomes an issue over 90 farenheit.

What temperatures do you usually shoot in during the warm months?

Our temperatures here in Florida are above 90* for more than six months of the year.

 

[thexman]

Based on your spelling choices and use of celcius, I would think that you're somewhere across the pond from here, but not in the UK.

Personally, I don't think it gets hot enough over there to worry about it.
Black becomes an issue over 90 farenheit.

What temperatures do you usually shoot in during the warm months?

Our temperatures here in Florida are above 90* for more than six months of the year.

Currently in Ontario, Canada, I would say most of time the outdoor temperatures between late April/early May and October/early November is somewhat from 10 to 28 Celsius(50-82 Fahrenheit), some extreme cases, it could go up to 34 Celsius(93 Fahrenheit), but only for a few days. 15-25 Celsius (59-77 Fahrenheit) is probably the most time I go outdoor for shooting without cover with others.

If I go to New Zealand, I won't worry about the colour at all. Australia would be as it easily get over 40 Celsius during summer, probably like Florida or California.

So I guess black colour should be OK?

 

[XLR308]

I use a Thermarest camping mat for prone shooting since I have several allready the thin closed cell foam type.
They are fairly inexpensive and are very durable and weight little more than what a spare pair of underwear and socks do.
One side is grey and has a coating that radiates body heat back to you in cold weather and the other is a fairly light color of green that doesn't get very hot in the sun.

 

[trophyhunter]

I use all black gear in Deep South Texas, I’m talkin 80-110* it’s never been a problem. If it was leather or plastic I could see where it would be warmer but nothing I own is that material. My bags are Wiebad, my backpack is GPS and my mat is Voodoo tactical. It’s never been uncomfortable or to hot to use. Only downfall is the dirt. We have lots of chalky dirt so my stuff ends up chalky at the end of a match, shake it off and it’s black again.

 

[thexman]

I use a Thermarest camping mat for prone shooting since I have several allready the thin closed cell foam type.
They are fairly inexpensive and are very durable and weight little more than what a spare pair of underwear and socks do.
One side is grey and has a coating that radiates body heat back to you in cold weather and the other is a fairly light color of green that doesn't get very hot in the sun.

Thank you, that sounds an alternative option.

Thanks for the idea, never thought about it before.

 

[thexman]

I use all black gear in Deep South Texas, I’m talkin 80-110* it’s never been a problem. If it was leather or plastic I could see where it would be warmer but nothing I own is that material. My bags are Wiebad, my backpack is GPS and my mat is Voodoo tactical. It’s never been uncomfortable or to hot to use. Only downfall is the dirt. We have lots of chalky dirt so my stuff ends up chalky at the end of a match, shake it off and it’s black again.

If black works in Texas, I am sure it won't have any problem up in the North. Worst case, carry some white tower to cover the mat if it gets too hot for me.

 

[shoobe01]

I think black looks awful, shows dirt badly, etc. It is hard to find things inside black bags, and pouches. So, I do anything but black, when I have a choice. But if you like it, go for it.

Wearing black clothing makes you hot.

Black metal and plastic (guns, cars, scopes, tripods, etc.) get hot. Really hot.

But black fabric things have never, IME, been hot enough from laying in the sun to be burning hot. Black plastic can be, so keep in mind hardware on them, including zippers and plastic clips, but it shouldn't be a catastrophe.

 

[thexman]

I think black looks awful, shows dirt badly, etc. It is hard to find things inside black bags, and pouches. So, I do anything but black, when I have a choice. But if you like it, go for it.

Wearing black clothing makes you hot.

Black metal and plastic (guns, cars, scopes, tripods, etc.) get hot. Really hot.

But black fabric things have never, IME, been hot enough from laying in the sun to be burning hot. Black plastic can be, so keep in mind hardware on them, including zippers and plastic clips, but it shouldn't be a catastrophe.

Thank you for your advise.

I just always thought black or other dark colour is less obvious for dirty stuff, but maybe quite obvious for soil kind of stuff.

The only concern to me is the temperature. For sure, I won't wear black top if it is right under the sun during summer season.

So I guess a black shooting mag, probably not the mat as CrossTac doesn't make black one like others, and maybe a rifle caddie with range mag bag(purse size) for accessories would still be OK.

 

[phantomskittles]

Black fabric isn't as bad with heat as rubberized surfaces. I have a midway mat that has a rubberized surface and if you leave it in the sun it is like laying on a grill.

 

[hlee]

If black works in Texas, I am sure it won't have any problem up in the North. Worst case, carry some white tower to cover the mat if it gets too hot for me.

The material plays as much as the color. The rubberized nonskid material used on some shooting mats can get hot enough to leave a burn in the Texas sun. Black cordura can get uncomfortably hot, but I've never been burned by it. Black anodized aluminum can get- literally- scorching hot too. Black plastic rifle furniture gets uncomfortable to hold sometimes.

Even if they can get VERY HOT a bit of forethought can mitigate the worst of it. Like, flip your mat over while setting up or checking targets. Hell, flip your mat over, on top of your rifle to get double the protection. For range shooting, bring a canopy or sport-umbrella. Wear long sleeves and light gloves. Shoot in the shade. Lots of ways to skin that cat.

But, if you're going to shoot on a sunny day, in August, at noon, under the sun, in Texas, there are better options than black...

 

[thexman]

The material plays as much as the color. The rubberized nonskid material used on some shooting mats can get hot enough to leave a burn in the Texas sun. Black cordura can get uncomfortably hot, but I've never been burned by it. Black anodized aluminum can get- literally- scorching hot too. Black plastic rifle furniture gets uncomfortable to hold sometimes.

Even if they can get VERY HOT a bit of forethought can mitigate the worst of it. Like, flip your mat over while setting up or checking targets. Hell, flip your mat over, on top of your rifle to get double the protection. For range shooting, bring a canopy or sport-umbrella. Wear long sleeves and light gloves. Shoot in the shade. Lots of ways to skin that cat.

But, if you're going to shoot on a sunny day, in August, at noon, under the sun, in Texas, there are better options than black...

True.

Luckily CrossTac doesn't have black colour, I am going to get the MultiCam one, so it should be OK.

Would be shooting in military base long range shooting range, not sure if they allow to get a umbrella, otherwise I could buy a cheap and really light mat just to cover the CrossTac and gears.

Nah, I am not in Texas, someone up North in the cold places, so black shouldn't be too bad in summer.

Thank you for your explanation and advise.

 

[Rick H.]

The material plays as much as the color. The rubberized nonskid material used on some shooting mats can get hot enough to leave a burn in the Texas sun.

Completely agree, and you don't have to be in Texas.
While shooting the NJ Service Rifle State Match a bunch of years ago, it got up to upper 90s to low 100s that day. I have a Creedmore mat, that one that folds up in thirds. Laid that thing down and after a while in the sun, the rubberized pads up front got too hot to touch. No big deal for the coat or gloved hand, but bare skin was painful on that black rubber.
I can count the number of times that has ever happened on my thumbs though, so it's probably a complete non-issue in Canada.

 

[thexman]

Completely agree, and you don't have to be in Texas.
While shooting the NJ Service Rifle State Match a bunch of years ago, it got up to upper 90s to low 100s that day. I have a Creedmore mat, that one that folds up in thirds. Laid that thing down and after a while in the sun, the rubberized pads up front got too hot to touch. No big deal for the coat or gloved hand, but bare skin was painful on that black rubber.
I can count the number of times that has ever happened on my thumbs though, so it's probably a complete non-issue in Canada.

I guess if it is too hot, i would not go outside and shooting under the sun, I would be sweating even just stand outdoor if the temperature goes over 30 Celsius (86 Fahrenheit) no matter where it is.

But thanks, I will be careful when the temperature rises, I will take some protection clothing too.