History of Digital Camouflage

[Darius137]

While admittedly I've never used a night vision device, I've never seen an appreciable difference in camouflaging ability between MARPAT, Flecktarn and M81 at range. Close up M81 falls behind due to its large pattern, but at a more realistic combat distance for real firearms (100m to 500m) the three are all good at what they do. I've never seen the massive advantage that digital supposedly gives.

You know, I keep trying to compare camouflages at range, but every time I go to an op I only see people at close range. It's like they all hide whenever they're far away!

You should note that people waste the effect of camouflage usually with softshells in solid colors, gear in solid colors, skin showing and an abundance of black and unnatural colors in small items all over.

[Darius137]

Badass, that's me and my MP5 as the header of the website.

You're kind of a big deal.

I saw your autograph on Martin's a$$ cheeks.

[Orwell]

You should note that people waste the effect of camouflage usually with softshells in solid colors, gear in solid colors, skin showing and an abundance of black and unnatural colors in small items all over.

I completely understand. Why even wear camouflage if you're going to wear a big green plate carrier? >.<
Also, tan in the woods.

[Solid]

You should note that people waste the effect of camouflage usually with softshells in solid colors, gear in solid colors, skin showing and an abundance of black and unnatural colors in small items all over.

I completely understand. Why even wear camouflage if you're going to wear a big green plate carrier? >.<
Also, tan in the woods.

Shut your dirty whore mouth, talking down on Olive Drab...

The best I've ever seen ACU work was in the dead of night. Using either NVG's or trying to see with your eyes adjusted, it's hard as shazaam seeing that stuff at night.

[LiquidSnak]

I think the army needs to calibrate their printer, since ACU sucked so bad.

It has its place.

Yes it does

[$tealth]

I have a DPM shirt (which I wear as a jacket because it's so big) and faded woodland pants with an OD chest rig. At Operation Blacklist, I sat on a plant for about 30 minutes and no one saw me until I shot at them. OD blends in OK with a woodland environment, and would probably do well at night, but otherwise I doubt it would do well anywhere else. DPM works just as well as woodland, and probably better than CADPAT. That's my 2 cents, don't much about what I don't have. I do know that ACU is NOT very stealthy in any environment, except rocky/grassy cliffs and hills like the picture.

@Liquid: Haha, that would work great in a nursing home. :P

[Foxhound_1_SA]

I used to run with ACUs exclusively, and frankly there is a time and a place for it. Hands down, the most effective I've ever seen it, was on a moonlit night at the SA home field (Nitehawk). Layered over the rocky and dry grass looking terrain there, at night, and the stuff can disappear to the point that you could be simply kneeling in the open and have people look right past ya unless you're moving. Otherwise, it was more about practice blending in than it was about having a decent camouflage... single best piece of advice I have for people, and it doesnt matter what camo style they're using, is to roll around a few times in the dirt as soon as you get to the field. Dirty up your gear, and it'll blend in much better... even if some people will give you funny looks for doing so. However, one scenario is not a good enough reason to make something a universal kit.

My thoughts on the matter are to simply go back to OD service uniforms, unless you're deploying to a specific theater. Then you can issue the appropriate form of camo for that environment. That, and do away completely with that ABU crap the air force is using.

[Darius137]

Foliage colors are actually perfect for further East where it's all sage. Sage green is sage green for a reason.

Very limited use, though.

[VogonFord]

I'm pro-OD or khaki myself. It's a simple uniform, keeps costs down and works well in a wide variety of places. Hell, even the Israelis still use it. Issue a theater camouflage for "hot" areas, but if you're just sitting around at a base in god-knows-where where there's never anyone shooting at you, OD makes a lot of sense. It does keep your visibility down, and anyway camouflage is more about how the person acts and uses terrain rather than how good the camouflage is. If it's decent enough, you can disappear.

[congofal]

The IDF uses OD uniforms to save on cost , when they need to , they do issue "Stealth' suits to their troops , they have Urban , Sage , Woodland and Desert / Rocks suits.

[SleepyDave]

Goddamnit, where's that picture of me at Grid 18...Stand by!



Its not an exact match for MARPAT (Its Tru-Spec Digital Woodland, dated 2006), but its pretty close, and I think it shows home well soaking wet Digital Woodland works. But, as many have pointed out, its about more than just what pattern you use. Its about backgrounds, other materials you have on you, that sort of thing. That shot screens the big black MP5 I'm holding, and I'm not wearing much gear (ALICE belt with a big black SMG pouch on my left hip, and a buttpack). Stand by for camo not working considering background and gear.



Here's me and my buddy Roadkill at Iron Anvil. Woodland BDUs, gear, rifles, the works. Against the background, we probably stood out more than blended in. Granted, those splashes of orange probably didn't help, but the overall point is, some patterns work better than others, and some patterns are completely inappropriate for some areas. Some places, camo doesn't matter. When you're knocking down doors and clearing a house as a SWAT unit, for example.

[VogonFord]

The IDF uses OD uniforms to save on cost , when they need to , they do issue "Stealth' suits to their troops , they have Urban , Sage , Woodland and Desert / Rocks suits.

As I said, keeps down on costs. Keeps things simple.

[SleepyDave]

That, and do away completely with that ABU crap the air force is using.

You're just mad that ABU is the best camouflage pattern. Ever.

Well, wouldn't want our airmen to be called "army men". Thats why Marines went with their pattern, and now the Navy pulls a Me Too and gets NWU II/III or whatever the hell its called, and the Army is moving right along to a whole new pattern after only a decade using the current one. Nowadays, armies have to have a brand image, like you're serving Big Macs and Happy Meals, and you want everyone to know exactly what warzone they just walked into based on what everyone around you looks like. One Team, One Fight is an outdated notion.

OBTW, I do think ABU is cool. I also think ACU/UCP is cool, and I really want a set of 5.11s in Multicam, so clearly I'm not a good judge. But ABU was always meant to be a garrison uniform, like NWU, which is stupid. Also, the chest pockets on ACU are now backwards. They worked when people wore Interceptor, but ACS managed to disprove even that one. Speaking of ACS, has anyone seen a single ACS shirt that hasn't been ripped to shreds?

[Darius137]

The IDF uses OD uniforms to save on cost , when they need to , they do issue "Stealth' suits to their troops , they have Urban , Sage , Woodland and Desert / Rocks suits.

And don't forget their big floppy hats to break up the shape of their Jewish heads (noses). Mitzenefet?

Sage:


Rock suits:
I like the crinkle-cut look to break up the outline. And they're so sad over in Palestine!

[Raging Hormann]

I had no idea the IDF had so many soldiers with tumors!

But seriously, neat concept.