Fall 2006

The Next Generation Of Camo

By JOHN KASUN
In many ways the hunting industry is in constant change with new equipment and new technology giving the hunter advantages that were not even thought possible only a few short years ago. One of those areas of change is the camouflage industry.
Camouflage is a key element for every hunter. It helps the hunter blend in with their background and increases their ability to remain unseen and get closer to game. Camo is important for the rifle or slug gun hunter but for the bow hunter, turkey hunter and the predator hunter is not only important it is critical to their success.

In this photo the author has positioned himself in front of the cover, ''in the open'', yet the ASAT Camo blends in with the surrounding variety of colors even when viewed from this close range. Note that this piece of cover, like most backgrounds, contains a variety of lights, darks and irregular shapes, the pattern on which ASAT Camo is based. Imagine for a moment that the author were to move slightly into the cover how easily and completely he would ''disappear''.

Over the past decade there have been many improvements in camo patterns and clothing continually making it more effective. However the newest thing to make a major impact on the camo market is a camo that has been around for a while but whose superior performance is now being fully recognized by dedicated hunters.
However before we talk about this camo pattern let's take a look at camo basics and ask, ''Why aren't deer green?''
Stupid question? Not really.
Think for a moment about how the animals of the world all seem to blend in with their surroundings regardless of the terrain or season. Their ability to blend in is not just convenient; their survival often depends upon it. Many prey animals such as rabbits have only two defenses, run or hide. Most often they chose to hide because they blend in so well with their surroundings. On the other end or the food chain the coyote and wolf depend upon their ability to blend in to get close to their prey without being spotted.
How many times did you not see a deer until it ran? Did you every have a grouse explode under your feet and wonder why you didn't see him first? Ever notice how quickly a turkey can seem to vanish? The examples are endless but the common theme is that none of these animals use the greens that make up the majority of our most popular camo patterns yet their very lives depend on their ability to blend in under a wide variety of conditions. Did nature screw-up or did the camouflage industry miss some key considerations.
In the dictionary camouflage is defined as; ''to deceive or hide and conceal by means of disguise.'' That is what every hunter is attempting to do when he dons his camo gear. The fact is any camo pattern will work well under a specific set of conditions however the hunter is faced with constantly changing conditions. Conventional camo takes on different characteristics depending upon if it is bright and sunny or overcast.
The background into which the hunter must blend is constantly changing especially in the fall. Greens quickly turn to fall colors and browns, tans and blacks become the base that your camo pattern must match. The best camo is one that works under any and all conditions and one that mimics it surroundings. The one camo that does this the best is All Seasons All Terrain Camo or as it is better known, ASAT Camo. Let's look at what makes it different.
ASAT Camo is made of up shades of brown, tan and black. The brown and black colors represent the background and shadows found in all terrains and in all seasons. The tan color serves a dual purpose. It not only provides a blend between the browns and blacks, but the tan color actually reflects the surrounding colors into which it is placed. This feature gives ASAT a chameleon like quality giving the hunter the advantage of a camo that ''blends'' into its surroundings instead of sticking out from them.
Instead of a pattern of leaves, sticks and tree bark, ASAT uses large irregular curved shapes of overlapping colors. While most camo patterns look very realistic up close when you view them from even a short distance they all loose their definition and turn into a dark blob and unfortunately that blob takes on a definite shape, that of a man.
The ultimate camo should not only disguise the hunter, but it is critical that it also breaks up their outline which in turns helps them ''disappear.'' ASAT's camo pattern of irregular shapes of tans, browns and blacks does not attempt to represent specific objects and therefore when viewed at any distance it does not blob up like conventional camo patterns which means it breaks up the hunters shape allowing them to blend in with their surroundings, not stand out from them.
ASAT now offers their camo pattern in the 3-D leafy camo as well. This new 3-D leafy camo breaks up the human outline by using a loose fitting outer mesh garment onto which a camouflage layer of leaf shaped material is attached. The 3-D leaves create additional shadows while breaking up the reflective light patterns making the camo even more effective. In addition the loose cut these outer layer add natural motion to the camo clothing's surface which adds in breaking up the hunters outline, producing the ultimate in concealment. These 3-D leafy suits are designed to be worn as an outer garment over your favorite hunting clothing and provide maximum concealment in every terrain or season.
The bottom line when it comes to camo is, do you want to stand out or blend in? The new advances in camo from ASAT may help you move to the next level in your hunting pursuits.
For more information on ASAT Camo check out their web site at www.astacamo.com.
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