Choosing colors of gear based upon underwater visibility

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A good review can be found in: Adolfson, John. Perception and
performance under water / John Adolfson, Thomas Berghage. New York :
Wiley, c1974. The section on color discrimination under water is pages
82 to 88. Adolfson and Berghage quoted Kinney, Luria, and Weitzmen
(1969) on page 85:

Code:
 A. For murky, turbid water of low visibility (rivers, harbors, etc.) 
     1. With natural illumination: 
          a. Fluorescent yellow, orange, and red. 
          b. Regular yellow, orange, and white. 
     2. With incandescent illumination: 
          a. Fluorescent and regular yellow, orange, red and white. 
     3. With a mercury light source: 
          a. Fluorescent yellow-green and yellow-orange. 
          b. Regular yellow and white. 
 
 B. For moderately turbid water (sounds, bays, coastal water). 
     1. With natural illumination or incandescent light source: 
          a. Any fluorescent in the yellows, oranges, and reds. 
          b. Regular yellow, orange, and white. 
     2. With a mercury light source: 
          a. Fluorescent yellow-green and yellow-orange. 
          b. Regular yellow and white. 
 
 C. For clear water (southern water, deep water off shore, etc.). 
      1. With any type of illumination fluorescent paints are superior. 
          a. With long viewing distances, fluorescent green and yellow- 
 green. 
          b. With short viewing distances, fluorescent orange is 
 excellent. 
     2. With natural illumination: 
          a. Fluorescent paints. 
          b. Regular yellow, orange, and white. 
     3. With incandescent light source: 
          a. Fluorescent paints. 
          b. Regular yellow, orange, and white. 
     4. With a mercury light source: 
          a. Fluorescent paints. 
          b. Regular yellow, white. 
 The most difficult colors at the limits of visibility with a water 
 background are dark colors such as gray or black.
 
yes violet is purple! but go try to find it in more than just a trim! my fins snorkel and mask are white with violet trim (TUSA) i'd like to find a bc that i like,that had a lot of the color in it! I may have to add more yellow though, that seems to be the favored color for being seen under water. I hate orange! :)
 
I just read the shark report. Interesting to say the least, not to sure on the wording of molesting sharks though :D you have to 1 tough hombre for all that, but is good to know I am 15 thousand times more likely to die in a car crash than a shark attack.
 
There have been several studies on what color has the best visibility in various conditions, and every time the high vis yellow comes out on top.

If you want to be seen by your buddies, go with the high viz yellow gear.
 
Dive gear colors. Yellow seem to be the best for visability.

Dork Rule#2 Dork Divers may safely use any type or color of dive gear.
Welcome to the club!


Dave
 
sharks wont think your a seal. your slow and blowing out huge bubbles and should travel with a partner at depth. you wont be confused with food. get whatever color you want as long as you mark it well.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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