Camo Again!

[Timelord]

I see that DPM is popular due to its v.low price in the UK at the moment. That is a useful thing and it is a good camo system. For purveyors of camo clothing, here is some useful info to take into account:-

One of primary reasons that modern militaries have moved away from camo the likes of DPM and similar is because those types of camo whilst being quite effective, still had some drawbacks. With the advent of technology & more scientific methods, it was found that although the pattern & colours worked well at close to mid range - they were poor outside of overhead cover at longer ranges. This was a considerable flaw when groups of wearers could be more easily observed from the air (which is even more applicable now with the rise of "Drones") or by land based vision optical or natural. The patterns in use at the time then stood out as darker shapes in the surrounding landscape. It is a feature of optical perception and colour tones/light refraction over distance.

That is why the modern camo patterns are of a lighter colour and are more indistinct. This last point is that the modern design works well at close to mid ranges with the more intricately designed pattern that breaks up the outline like standard camo but the overall configuration is more bland at distance and this is where the lighter colour tones now blend into a distant perspective landscape. The pattern works in two different ways to achieve the camo objective over different distances.
The name multicam is due to this and also the fact it is designed with colours/tones to be suited to a variety of different temperate zones or a "desert" type version is also available for arid zones of operation.

What we can learn from this is also borne out by the effectiveness of German "Field Grey" (or Confederate grey) for personnel and vehicles. While not being an earthy/vegetation colour, it still blended in well and was effective adequately with the distant perspective. Not perfect but a good example of the colour and tone being effective in a multitude of environments.

We can take from this that darker colours are suitable for close to mid range camouflage or in heavy vegetation areas. Urban camo can also ideally include dark elements due to the close nature of the built up environment. Mid to lighter or washed out type colours can be effective across the broadest range of environments. These will also blend well at night (not always very dark) and black is severe and limiting whereas grey which is similar & has a broader range in those type of environments - although other urban type of block colour clothing in mute shades work even better, depending on the specific urban background.

While DPM is cheap and good kit, it has its limitations. Also it was not designed with the modern urban sprawl in mind. It could make you look like a soldier or just a threat to other armed groups in times of anarchy. The same might apply to some other camo clothing but of course it will depend on your location and scenario. (Yes I know BP, "you live in the country and it is standard work wear there" at the moment pre SHTF anyway) Camo clothing is fashionable at this time and there is a vast amount of ex foreign mil camo surplus recently dumped on the market this last decade as national militaries upgrade to the new multicam type systems. Selecting carefully an uncommon foreign nationality item of clothing and mixing it with good quality work wear, possibly in brown or grey tones will break up the military look and may appear more as a fashion or just civvy utility wear item. This also may benefit the urban colour tones so that the older patten camo clothing item, mixed with a more urban clothing item will be a compromise for working across a broader range of environments. Keeping the cost down by going military surplus for the camo item will be the idea behind this.
If you are able to invest slightly more than only mil surplus, then some carefully picked grassland type camo for hunters has similar colours and hues to modern multicam systems, although slightly more defined/contrasted when new! This is an interesting and valuable insight!... I have found that a much worn and now slightly faded grassland camo jacket has resulted in more muted but very effective tones/colours across the broadest range of environments. Not perfect in urban for visual i.d. but the lighter more muted colour tones still work fairly well in that urban environment, especially in areas that are not pure inner city tower block areas. Suburbs and industrial areas it works well. Another big advantage of the garment is that I do not look like I am wearing mil surplus or any mil based gear at all. It looks like either a hunters item or civvy fashion wear.
The slightly washed out colours have now muted the pattern to some degree and this gives the same twin effect as the multicam with the near/far visualization.
My tip would be to buy some cheap branded washing powder which usually contains more bleach than other brands and to run the garment through wash cycles until it slightly fades to the desired tone. Don't go too far or it will lighten up too much as the original predyed white thread of the fabric weave will start to become apparent.

Another approach would be to buy a camo body warmer and do the same. Then put it over a single more urban colour muted tone jacket, so that the arms are observed as solid colour block shapes and even carry dextrous gloves of a different possibly mid contrast to the arms colour. This will more easily mislead human brain receptors scanning an urban or semi urban environment. The main body mass is different from the limbs and this should also work well in non urban environments. The ability to remove the bodywarmer will further improve urban concealment if suitable.
In the outdoors, having solid block coloured trousers is not as critical as the main torso, as the angle of sight line and surrounding vegetation will to some degree mask the two lower limbs from easy I/.D. , compared to the main torso and head. That is why work wear in a muted colour like mid to light brown or grey is good. Green is possibly better but does not blend so well in the urban environment and can contribute with any other mil type kit to appear militarised. Not always the most neutral look! lol

I like the patterns that nature employs for reptiles and amphibians. The vividness and even bright colours with the complexity and regularity of the pattern is quite striking and it works amazingly well - in the right environment. Another observation is that I have found urban but woodland type pattern camo to work well against animals in the outdoors and equally well for the urban environment- of course. This would bear out many animals recognising patterns and movement rather than colour. Not the same for humans I'm afraid. happy hunting. TL>

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That last bit should be that I have found urban coloured but woodland patterned camo...etc..

[Midnitemo]

Dpm is a steal right now and as you said still a decent choice , I have a mixture of stuff and will continue with that , but dpm's cost can't be ignored right now if you're trying to kit out a group , I think the fact that dpm is no longer current issue is a bit of a double edged sword, the public may think you're forces and avoid you(good thing) but the forces will know you're not and may take an interest(bad thing)my expect use of camo is for bug out , scavenging , ops and hunting......bug out being the main use for the group.

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my mix is quite eclectic , flecktarn , dpm , olive green , realtree , tiger stripe .......will be mix and matching most of this with various greens browns and beiges out the wardrobes.....the 95 pattern gear can be turned inside out to make a useful olive green at a push , works really well with the goretex over jackets.

[bigpaul]

I buy camo just cos I can get the size 3XLFB!! in a farming area like this, camo is NORMAL working gear-nobody lifts an eyebrow......but it would be different in a city.

[Scythe13]

Multi-Cam all the way. Cheers TL.

[Midnitemo]

The modern reasons for the adoption of multicam don't hold true in my future scenario's ....I don't wish to pass unseen from satelites , drones or even aircraft just other civilian's in the main and DPM in my part of the northern hemisphere still does a more than passable job considering its cost , I live in rural wooded upland area and if multicam was the same cost I still wouldn't by it as I don't think it would suit my environment quite as well as good old DPM now if some of the realtree design's were as cheap that would get my cash.

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Multi-cam......the clue is in the name "multi" which loosely means of many the bean counters have got there way ... why have 4 different issues of clothing when you can get away with one(well provided we can fob of any snow duties from Nato) I think multicam is a compromise based on technology and cost ...mostly cost.

[Timelord]

(5 December 2013, 20:26)Midnitemo Wrote: Multi-cam......the clue is in the name "multi" which loosely means of many the bean counters have got there way ... why have 4 different issues of clothing when you can get away with one(well provided we can fob of any snow duties from Nato) I think multicam is a compromise based on technology and cost ...mostly cost.

?? Please re-read the optical development & benefits of the multicam pattern.

It is not cheap to develop new systems and neither is it cheap to re-equip a nations armed forces with it. It would be cheaper to keep turning out the original designs.
Multicam can be provided in different shades for different operational areas as far as I am aware. It was found with original pre multicam designs that shifting between different vegetation types and also in and out of built up areas resulted in the traditional camo types not working effectively as hoped across the changing range of backgrounds. Combined with the modern camo studies which showed the pre-multicam types to be poor at longer range concealment when in more open terrain. This was the brief the multicam designers worked to fulfil. It was achieved quite well but any generic camo will always be a compromise to some level. This is where specific camo's surpass a generic camo when operating in the environment they were designed for. It will all depend on your local surroundings, whether you envisage being around that locality if TSHTF and again, whether you wish to utilise camo at an everyday level across different environments including work and urban environments. That is where the lessons from the development of multicam can be used to the benefit of some preppers, without it appearing so to casual observers. Always ready with a comfortable inconspicuous fit... Might be useful.... - when not garbed in full regalia for your local environment. Regards, TL.

[Midnitemo]

i agree the digital age has brought forth multicam when the enemy is mostly viewing you on screens i'm sure in most applications this is acceptable...its to do with a general purpose camo rather than a theatre specific...of course they will save money only a quarter of the current spend on issue...much less storage , much less transport , much less quartermaster hours... i don't beleive its specifically better in all roles and theatres ... its just a cost concious all rounder

[Midnitemo]

Squadies never get the best kit sometimes its just barely fit for purpose , its usually a cost compromise from boots to body armour to assault rifles ...why do you think so many squaddies spend there own money on kit? the bean counters rule and always have done.

[Scythe13]

(6 December 2013, 02:05)Midnitemo Wrote: Squadies never get the best kit sometimes its just barely fit for purpose , its usually a cost compromise from boots to body armour to assault rifles ...why do you think so many squaddies spend there own money on kit? the bean counters rule and always have done.

True as that is, MultiCam has proven to be more effective at medium and long range, and equal in short range concealment. I used to hate MultiCam. But with a little study, I love it now.