Or maybe it is flat dark earth. I don’t really know but it is some sort of tan that blends in with absolutely nothing around here.
It’s a nice pack.

Could I just get some Rit dye in a dark grey and soak the thing in it and have a decently grey bland colored pack or since it is already a tan do I need to go darker like a black dye to get a grey?

You might be better served trying to trade it for one in a color you can tolerate; I assume this is nylon, or some other synthetic and it does not take dye well. You’ll probably end up with a weird color completely different than you hope.

As an example, I bought some silver Porter Cable ratchet straps to stabilize my chain on tree stand and used black Rit dye. They were too bright against the tree bark, and I worried they would flag my stand for thieves. Despite several days of soaking, they turned out purple and blotchy. I ended up using the tried and true method of rattle can makeover, which obviously isn’t going to work for a kicking around pack.

My wife dyes lots of stuff, she thinks that if you use dark grey and let it sit for a long time, you'll be fine. Good luck!!

Didn't think about nylon, if it is, dye won't make you a happy camper.

Or just get a multicam rain cover for it. Solves two problems.

Multicam Rain Cover

I'd suggest go with the color you want first, and then go darker or repeat if it's not dark enough. Also make sure to get the one for nylon/rayon if it is a mostly synthetic fabric.

I have some Carhart coveralls I plan to make camo for hunting, have black, gray, and dark green RIT dye, and am contemplating painting the dye on wet material in block camo pattern when it gets warm enough to do outside. Please post your results, I'm interested in how it turns out.

Edit to add link for synthetic dye.

https://www.ritdye.com/type/dyemore-for-synthetics/

quote:

Originally posted by dynorat:
I'd suggest go with the color you want first, and then go darker or repeat if it's not dark enough. Also make sure to get the one for nylon/rayon if it is a mostly synthetic fabric.

I have some Carhart coveralls I plan to make camo for hunting, have black, gray, and dark green RIT dye, and am contemplating painting the dye on wet material in block camo pattern when it gets warm enough to do outside. Please post your results, I'm interested in how it turns out.

Edit to add link for synthetic dye.

https://www.ritdye.com/type/dyemore-for-synthetics/

Looks like I’ll need to use a big outdoor turkey fryer thing as the synthetic dye needs to be kept boiling through the process.

The dye doesn't have to be kept boiling. I can't stand the ACU pattern (OK technically the pattern is UCP), now that the Army has officially switched I decided to dye the only nice thing in ACU I own that was a gift, a Camelbak assault pack.

I dyed it with a bottle of RIT Pearl Grey and about half a box of black powder kind in approx 3 gallons of water that was probably around 180 degrees. Came out great!

quote:

Originally posted by Strambo:
The dye doesn't have to be kept boiling. I can't stand the ACU pattern (OK technically the pattern is UCP), now that the Army has officially switched I decided to dye the only nice thing in ACU I own that was a gift, a Camelbak assault pack.

I dyed it with a bottle of RIT Pearl Grey and about half a box of black powder kind in approx 3 gallons of water that was probably around 180 degrees. Came out great!

Have a picture by chance?

Sorry, almost boiling.

quote:

*Important Note: Due to the complexity of dyeing synthetics, you must use Rit DyeMore with the stovetop method to maintain an almost boiling temperature for the duration of your dyeing.

I didn’t use the “dyemore” kind, just the regular

https://imgur.com/a/xK5Niem

Hmm, turkey fryer? I didn't get the synthetic, but it has the same recommendation. I don't want to use a washing machine, and my garment is huge, maybe a 55 gallon drum?

Since my desire was more of a pattern, I had been considering painting on the dye on a hot day, and letting it dry on sunbaked concrete, and then setting the dye by pouring on boiling water.

I really thought some tie-dye experts would know all the secrets and spill them here, but must be the wrong forum for that.

You also might try an automotive restoration/upholstery shop, or maybe Eastwood's Automotive. Used to be some spray on fabric and vinyl dyes for seats and dashes that might do the job.

I’ve dyed a tan silencer pouch with hot RIT black dye and can take a picture of the results. The plastic buckle didn’t turn out as well as I wanted. I dyed some nylon or plastic handles from a Kabar brand knife with dark grey and had good results but took several coats of soaking in hot RIT bath, dry, repeat etc. it may turn out more of a brownish grey unless you do several sessions. If you’re a stickler for color perfection I’d say trade it. If you are ok with it being different shades of grey or even closer to faded black color them go for it. I used a stock pot for my dye jobs and keep it aside for jobs like that since it leaves a stain even on stainless steel that would require abrasion of some sort to get off of it. There is a special RIT dye for plastics and nylons I believe.