Camo Gear

[16Grit]

Just joined this site and it is great. Anyway I am buying new camo gear and I hear good things about Canpac (Canadian) or Marpac (US) camo patterns. My brother uses the stuff as he has friends in the Canadian military. Any of you folks have any opinions of this stuff. I am at work and will try and post a link later where you can buy the clothing.

[thwack]

Hello 16 Grit:

Welcome to the forum....I use the US Marpat camo pattern and it seems to work well in the Alberta foothills areas....it has more brown in the pattern and I prefer it over the Cadpat. I find the Cadpat has too much bright green in the pattern for the prairies.

I had a successful hunt last year while stalking a whitetail doe. I managed to sneak up to her at 7 yards before she turned around and was trying to figure out what I was. I was camo'd from head to toe in Marpat and she seem confused. Anyway, I grounded her there on the spot at 7 yards with my 270 Win.

One thing to consider though, at further distances, Marpat still looks dark and your silhouette will be revealed in open fields. I've seen a new camo pattern being developed called Multicam. You may want to check it out too.

Good Luck!!!!

[16Grit]

Interesting comments twack....I live in coastal BC with lots of coniferous species so I suspect I may not have the same concerns you have. My brother who lives in Alberta has similar conditions to yourself and has gone with the lighter colours I believe. I'll go and check out the other site you mentioned too.

By the way, as I was reading your reply and got to the "7 yard shot" as had already assumed it was with a bow and got a chuckle when I read it was with a 270 Win.

Thx!

[thwack]

hi grit16:

that's how i challenge myself with hunting...i have been kicking myself for the past 2 years for not using my recurve bow...three deer kills in less than 20 yards each!!!!!

I am determined to use my bow this year though...i'm no expert...but it sure is a challenge....just play the wind right and lots of patience....but very satisfying......

[16Grit]

I hear ya....I took up bowhunting more for the reason that most of the animals I shot with a rifle were within bow range. I shot my last moose two years ago with a rifle but I am determined to not rifle hunt anymore as I love the challenge. I've had my recurve for 4 years now and this will be the second year I'll be going without a rifle. My real focus are mulies though as I love those cold November hunts and the opportunites that are presented when the deer are in rut.

[ehntr]

Hello 16grit

CADPAT (Canadian Disruptive Pattern). I'm thinking this would be good when everything is green. I own lots of it lol, but I have never taken it hunting (air force guy). My personal favourite camo is the Predator brand. It's not sexy but it provides maybe the best breakup on the market. Fall Gray, Fall Brown, Spring Green and Winter White are great camo patterns. Link to predator site:
http://www.predatorcamo.com/patterns.html

[16Grit]

Hi ehntr,

I am curious why you don't use the CADPAT hunting. My brothers military friends really speak highly of the stuff. What is your experience with it?

Thanks for the great link!

[thwack]

hi ehntr:

I like the predator line of camo patterns too.....but i have found that commercial camo patterns to be way too over rated and pricey for my budget. I figure that military patterns are somewhat a little cheaper and I have found that they work well enough in breaking up the body outline....and they look ...just my .02 cents but others may disagree.

16grit.....give the cadpat pattern a try...I believe most big game animals are color blind anyways....I just use the 'color' thing to hide from fellow humans...as i have been shot at in the past by yahoos in the field while wearing blaze orange. Now I just prefer to hide from all species including humans!!!!!

[ehntr]

CADPAT is not going to be cheap either. I have never used it hunting, but that is not to say I wouldn’t. I find the gortex coat to noisy for close-up archery hunting. In AB you can use camo clothing for rifle hunting as well…….so I wouldn’t hesitate to use it in the rifle season. However, I hunt 99.9% with a bow. If it was warm enough to hunt in just the shirt I would do that. Then again you could get a shirt larger than normal so you could use it as an outer garment. I have too much camo to pick from I guess.

[16Grit]

I haven't heard that CADPAT is noisey....good comment! I found this place in Calgary that sells the stuff and it didn't seem that pricey to me but then again I haven't purchased any in a looong time. How do their prices compare to what you have seen?
Thx,

http://www.sealsactiongear.com/

[ehntr]

I looked at the Seals Action Gear Site. They are selling knock-off CADPAT clothing. By that I mean it is the same material (apparently) used by the CF but not the actual item. Here is a quote “this shirt closely resembles the current Canadian Forces' Combat Shirt.” Pretty much the same statement is made for the pants, etc. There is no such thing as a “smock” in the CF CADPAT scale of issue. The noise I was referring to only comes from the CADPAT gortex coats…….so noise is not an issue with shirts/pants and maybe even the smock since it does not say it is made from gortex. I really don’t know what the going price is for CADPAT clothing……it is issue only, not for sale and since it hasn’t been around that long their won’t be a much of it sold off as surplus.

[16Grit]

Hmmm so if you were shopping, would you consider this "replica" of CADPAT? Or would you go with the link you provided above? Seems you have experience with both....
Thanks for the great responses!

[ehntr]

If I didn't already own CADPAT, I wouldn't buy it for hunting. Most camo patterns from a distance can't be distinguished as camo.......you just look like a dark blob. In my opinion, the best camo provides break-up by using a good contrast of dark and light in the pattern. That is why I like the Predator line of Camo. I hesitate to advise you to buy anything from the link I provided......I just included it so that you could have a look. I don't know where you are but I would try to buy it locally first. I'm in Wpg right now and I know I can Predator at Heights Archery on Portage Ave. ASAT camo is really good as well. This is another camo pattern that provides a lot of dark and light contrast. ASAT link: http://www.asatcamo.com/. There are lots of choices out there......some are just plain better than others.