December 22, 2009
Camouflage FAIL
The British are breaking out a new camouflage pattern for the first time in 40 years, as their standard issue DPM (Disrupted Pattern Material) isn't faring well in the varied terrain of Afghanistan, where soldiers have to shift from sun-washed arid desert backdrops to the deeper and darker colors of lush green river valleys within the same mission. Instead of helping hide British troops, their current uniforms were making them stand out. The new uniforms, however, won't hide the poor material support British soldiers are otherwise receiving.
The new pattern is based upon Crye Multicam, a pattern originally developed for the U.S Army that was shelved in favor of the digital Universal Camouflage Pattern (UCP) currently being worn by the Army... which is the same pattern that is failing American soldiers in Afghanistan.
Now the U.S Army is taking a second look at Multicam, along with different and darker version of the current UCP.
My advice?
Better start stocking up on the discount flecktarn camo from your local Army/Navy store, before Uncle Sam recognizes the deal and buys it all up.
Figures... My kids gave me a set of Crye MultiCams for my B-Day. Been wering them despite the odd looks I get around base. Talk about being ahead of the power curve. The funniest is the Romanian Army and Latvians already use off-the-shelf Crye Multis as S.O.P. over here. Great stuff and comfortable with all the pockets and such...
The only environment that the current ACU really excels at is at night. Something about affecting the rods and cones of the mark one eyeball renders a completely dressed soldier in the ACUs damned near invisible... in daylight, not so much. But at night, I've had soldiers in full battle rattle do a 'Predator' (i.e. materialize out of thin air like in the movie) esp. when they have the hands and face covered up as well... extremely good night fighter clothing.
The MultiCams would work for Affy. I just wish the military would stop worrying about an "all inclusive camo" and realize that it should be 'specific camos for specific jobs'... leastways til they come up with a real life 'Predator' style elecro-cammie.
Posted by: Big Country at December 22, 2009 01:33 PMJust go back to the Tiger stripes.
Posted by: Federale at December 22, 2009 03:46 PMThe ole USMC had two different versions for woodland and desert. I thought those woodland ones worked great, as long as folks kept still.
But people still claimed that the Army ones were better because it didn't have any little black squares. I dunno. Someone claimed that true black wasn't a natural color, and that it made it an inferior camo. I thought they were great.
Posted by: brando at December 22, 2009 04:58 PMWhat's really important here is that the word 'camouflage' should be changed to 'camoflage'. That U makes no sense and shouldn't be added to the word just to make it longer. What are we, British or something?
Posted by: Kevin at December 22, 2009 07:57 PMI like Fleck myself, but the Germans use women's dress zippers and they don't last. both my Parka and my shirt are snap only usage now.
The Goretex is damned good, but I work with chemical surfactants, and have gotten too much of it on the gore, so it no longer keeps me dry.
There are supposed to be some tricks I can do to revive the goretex I'm told.
Tigerstripe works damned good as well. There are now a few different versions that work well in several different enviros. I shy away from wearing current US military camo, but of those, lately only the MARCAM seems worth a damn. The UCP sticks out like a sore thumb in UV, and the material is comparable to pajamas.
