Recently, someone posted pics where they RIT dyed their tarp. I believe they used two or three colors in the process. It seemed to have favorable responses. I don't know if there was a longevity report to see how it weathered - pun intended - the exposure to the elements. Maybe someone can track the thread down and holler at the OP.
STinGa
Sarcasm is a dying art.
Eagle Scout September '85 Troop 339 Smyrna, TN
That may have been me. the threat is here:
http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/s...ad.php?t=55328
It seemed to wear well. I had switched over to a painted tyvek tarp for the summer. I was just about to break out the the 12x12 dyed tarp for winter. But I can't find it! If I can find it I will up date my thread and let everyone know how it is holding up. Most importantly, if it is still watertight.
The best camoflauge would be, as others said, using natural cover. The color really won't matter, as you have 2 things going against you; horizontal straight lines, and a solid object against the background.
Just got this in the mail today. Ordered 10yds X 60" wide. That will be enough for my cat cut tarp. It's finally time for a "proper" hammock tarp.
"The question that oft' makes me hazy... am I or the others crazy?" Albert Einstein
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." Thomas Edison
This has me thinking, What would you pay for stealth hammocking?
How about... http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=JKPVQal851U...If I only had a tarp like this...
Enjoy and have fun with your family, before they have fun without you
It has been hinted at here, but never clearly stated;
Camouflage is only effective in small patterns, and on multi-planed surfaces.
The various militaries around the world have conducted several multi-million dollar studies on the topic of camouflage and camouflaging.
The sole purpose of a visual camouflage is to confuse the brain.
Interesting note: The human brain is preprogramed to automatically identify the shape of the human body. (hence the need to camouflage or confuse)
Lots of money has also been spent trying to find ways to camouflage large equipment. Predominantly speaking, the result of these studies and tests have been that an environmentally neutral solid color is sufficient. This is because the human brain doesn't expect to see, and therefore 'ignores' these neutral colors from it's image scan. As presented several times before, distance helps, but even the wrong pattern can stand out at any distance. Even the right 'pattern' becomes visible if it is too repeatitive across too small of a distance (as is the case with large equipment and/or unnatural shapes).
This is also just as true with the human body, again, because the brain is programed to "see" that "human pattern" under any circumstance -
Environmentally neutral camouflaging large unnatural shapes is difficult if you have the wrong color, wrong lighting and/or visibility. I've known of folks being completely unseen trailside with a (slightly faded)blaze orange tarp simply because it was in the middle of Fall and the true environmentally neutral color was a bright yellow/orange/red. Likewise, I've hidden vehicles in the wide open (but backed up against the treeline) with nothing more than a OD Green netting (designed for equipment/vehicles), simply because the position of my observers was such that the outline of the vehicle was not visible against the treeline.
Another aspect of camouflaging is IR (infrared) image distortion, which simply means that rather than confusing the brain, you 'confuse' or distort the IR 'image' of an object. Every thing on this planet has an IR signature, trees, rocks, water, humans, flora, fauna, etc. Certain types of camouflage is designed to project different IR signatures per section of material (ie, brown has one signature, green another, grey yet another, etc.) place them all together and in a pattern and you quickly distort the IR signature of an entity.
Basically this all boils down to one thing, to effectively hide in any area you will need to use several different tactics and have environmentally neutral colors for each environment you find yourself in. Position, location and environmentally neutral projections (color, lighting and shading) are all necessary and important.
But simply put, large objects hide better behind solid colors
We all know of the original "Walk off the war" thru-hike - but, check out these guys, they're helping folks 'walk off the war' today -
Donate to help fund gear for the warriors who are coming back home and need help walking off the war!
WarriorHike.com
- Loki my videos
"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.
Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.
The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy,
while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn." — John Muir
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