Camo's? Different seasons...different camo's....

A

aaronswill

Joined
Dec 11, 2012
Messages
15
I've looked at too many different camo's to count...and I'm still not sure which ones to use. I want camo for 1. a bug out bag (so i could switch them out each season) and 2. for airsoft. I am looking for 3-4 different camo's that blend into each season.
I live in western PA,
We have bright green, leafy summers (but also almost always have dead leaves on the ground).
Brown and kind of colorful (leaves) fall
It depends, but lots of times we have snowy winters
The spring is a lot like the summer, but with a bit more leaves.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

~aaron
 
i've tested multicam against coyote brown and for me multicam wins...see my overnighter thread, starting at post #4 where i do a side by side test of the tarps: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/919674-another-2-nighter-2-types-of-shelter-used.

the pics in that link was taken during the winter/lots of snow on the ground...this one was early march. it's a 10'x10' setup as an a-frame...you can blend in even better if you get creative with the shelter's shape or put branches here and there.

039_010.jpg



i've seen kryptek come out with really good patterns but so far there's no camping tarp that's available (from the usual tarp makers anyway) so i haven't tested one out yet.
 
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Look up M2D (Made 2 Deceive) camo. If their videos are accurate, it is literally the most versatile and effective camo out there, blending in with just about any natural background regardless of lighting.
 
Kryptek. I was skeptical when I first saw it. In action it is practically invisible. It is on my wishlist, but those who have used it, love it.
 
aaron,

What your asking for is difficult for anyone to answer for you. If this question was easy then selecting the one "best knife" for your application/environment or one best "firearm" et al would be easy. This is something you'll have to figure out on your own. The question of developing the one best universal camo has plagued mankind for a long time, and in modern memory since WWII. Opinions on camo are like elbows and everyone's got one. I'm going to throw out a non-conventional wisdom alternative for you to consider. It will not be popular, easy, or "chicks dig it cool". But it will be based upon what has worked.

Here are some basic principles:

> For bug out...you want to avoid drawing attention to yourself. If you decide to dress in camo and are spotted you're immediately targeted as "that guy" in a non-hostile or even a hostile environment. Which under a SHTF scenario could be either one (hostile or non-hostile). If you go out camping practicing bug out and are decked out in camo then you WILL be labeled by on-lookers as "that guy" and will be held under suspicion "what is the guy in Army camo over there up too?" Granted this is not an issue usually during hunting season but that only lasts for a short duration of time. Your objective is to not draw attention to yourself.

> What you're really wanting is to become not invisible but "blending in." That means walking/leaving an urban area for the wilderness and/or returning for supplies/comm/whatever you'll be immediately ID by your camo. So in order to blend in...you must become a gray man. Meaning just wear normal clothes everyone else wears but in neutral or natural colors - greens, browns, some gray, and even shades of blue. Wearing blue jeans and a flannel green with brown stripes shirt will not draw any attention to yourself in an urban or rural environment. And it will blend in as well (especially if you've made a good selection as good as any commercial camo). I realize it isn't really "cool" but it is pragmatic. Go to a Salvation Army store, buy cheap oversized (one size larger than you for layering) shirts and experiment.

> Learn the principles of blending in, learn how to use available natural or man-made cover and concealment (urban and wilderness), shadows, tactical crests of hills, how to travel off main roads, how to get water from non-populated watering holes etc. Use dirt and natural materials to make a Yeti suit. Get some 1" x 1" netting and make a ghillie blanket to drape over you when you need it. Learn the skill of camo, deception, stalking, tactical movement.

>If you must have a commercial camo...then here is my suggestion...first ignore anything we said (including myself). Go to a surplus store and/or Salvation Army and buy handkerchiefs in every "recommended" camo you can find. Included in this are some of my suggestions (clothing in natural colors) Go out into an urban environment and wilderness environment (at different seasons and different times of the day) and drape them on branches, grass, ground, trees etc. Step back 3 yards and observe (and take pictures). Then move back 15 yards and do the same thing. Then move back 50 yards etc. You will immediately notice some camo sticks out like a red shirt, others like a black shirt on a yellow background! Other patterns/materials will not seem 'right' and then two to three will be 'okay, alright, good 'enuff'. So, narrow your "one best camo" down to a short list of two or three that are "doable". Then find a buddy...go out ahead of time and place the items and then ask this non-bias friend to look for the items in a given amount of time. He/she should not be able to easily discern them. They should have to look for them or question what they see. Wahlah...you've found what really works for your environment "best universal camo".

> If what I've suggested is too much hassle, time, and energy invested and you just want a universal camo then disregard what I've shared and look at Multicam, Natural Gear, or Kryptek. These three patterns have done well in my urban and wilderness testing as I've outlined above. None are perfect but they work well. Good luck.
 
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thats the thing....I don't need one completely universal camo...I was asking for 3/4 different ones for different seasons.

Thanks,

~aaron
 
Here in North Florida, the camo pattern really makes no difference. Frankly, no camo at all works as well. Subdued earth tones, browns, greens, gray.............they all work.
 
aaronswill said:
thats the thing....I don't need one completely universal camo...I was asking for 3/4 different ones for different seasons.

Thanks,

~aaron
Click to expand...

Then take my basic principles and apply them. There is no way anyone here can even get you close to two or three patterns for a four season application in your environment. Borrow, beg, or do whatever you have to do to get a variety of common patterns (small swatches work) and test them for yourself. You are the one who has to live with this decision so base it upon real hard empirical evidence!

Now for starters the three I mentioned earlier (and mentioned by others) plus A-TAC, standard OD green, coyote tan, and Marine Corp digital are seven all around good patterns to start out with for experimentation. Also get some natural colored clothes from your closet or the Salvation Army and include them in your test. You'll be surprised how effective old flannel or wool "wilderness" clothing of our hunting forefathers works!

Or better yet, make yourself a ghillie suit or Stalkers suit which can be adapted to any environment, anywhere, at any time. At least make a boonie cap ghillie that goes to shoulder length. Get a face mask and learn how to stalk walk and you'll vanish if you know how to use tactical movement. You can look like a Bigfoot but if you do not have the correct knowledge and skill to apply the suit/camo you'll just stick out like a red berry on snow.

Now if you just want to cut to the chase...and just get some camo - then Multi Cam should work in most seasons in your part of the world as will the Natural Gear. If you get snow then the winter Natural Gear works well. Real Tree and some of those others are real location specific....the Multi Cam, A-TAC, and Natural Gear work well in most seasons/environments.
 
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Quirt

Great advice

Last year I purchased a Kelty hunting backpack in realtree or something like that
I purchased it because it is a great pack not for the camoflage
BUT
When I am not in the woods backpacking the damn thing sticks out brighter than day glow orange!
The camo pattern on the pack is totally unsuitable in an urban situation or as a travel pack
I wanted to use the pack as an all round travel bag, but I just can't use it

I ended up buying a Kelty Redwing 50 in Forest Green
It is totally neutral as a travel pack and blends in anywhere including in the field

I wear a lot of grey as it is visually a neutral color and blends in the field
Chinos and work shirts in tan and grey
Flannel shirts with their different color patterns are also amazing camo that you can change according to the seasons colors

Camoflage is an atttitude
 
I wear multicam. It seems blend well with everything for me. Ive killed plenty of animals with it on so that suits me fine!:)
 
> For bug out...you want to avoid drawing attention to yourself. If you decide to dress in camo and are spotted you're immediately targeted as "that guy" in a non-hostile or even a hostile environment. Which under a SHTF scenario could be either one (hostile or non-hostile). If you go out camping practicing bug out and are decked out in camo then you WILL be labeled by on-lookers as "that guy" and will be held under suspicion "what is the guy in Army camo over there up too?" Granted this is not an issue usually during hunting season but that only lasts for a short duration of time. Your objective is to not draw attention to yourself.
Click to expand...

In Western Pennsylvania it seems like people wear camo year-round, even at Wal Mart and restaurants. ;)

But Quirt's viewpoint is the first thing that jumped into my head too. If some fantastical SHTF scenario goes down, I absolutely do not want to look like some military guy out in the woods; I intend to look as harmless and ordinary as possible.
 
I like lighter (desert) camos because they don't attract the mosquitoes like dark cammies do. I'm not trying to hide from anyone at this time.
 
Predator camo is by far the best, its a really open pattern, an they got a full system a pattern for every season

for late fall and winter get (Fall Grey) they also have a snow camo but the fall grey is more versitial
Fall Grey:
6545
closeup of fall grey:
predatorfall.jpg


for early fall when everthings brown go with brown deception
Brown Deception:
6599
closeup of brown deception:
WTP%20-%20494%20-Predator%20-%20brown%20deception%20-%20coming%20soon.jpg


and for summer geat either spring green or green deception
Spring Green:
6564
closeup of spring green:
WTP-502-Predator-Spring-Green.jpg

Green deception:
6582
closeup of green deception:
WTP-498-Predator-Green-Deception.jpg


an for a more multi-season id go with their evolution camo pattern
Evolution:
6609
evolution closeup:
PredatorEvolution.jpg


all of em compared:
camos.jpg
 
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Bob W said:
I make my kid wear bright orange in the forest. :D
Click to expand...

I was thinking the same thing.

As for camo, my favorites all have big blotches of color.
The original VN tiger stripe and ww2 and beyond Italian army camo
Italian Army


Personally I think it is about breaking up the human silhouette.
I'd wear the Italian army jacket, VN Tiger pants and carry a stone gray backpack.
The backpack looked like a rock, the pants blended in with the underbrush and the jacket worked well at a distance.

Having said that, I've always wanted the ASAT stuff :)
 
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