Why camo?

[FLRider]

I live in place where there's a threat of future invasion, so i'm thinking about getting camo hammock and tarp for myself, but overall, I'm really confused.
Just want to ask what are the benefits of camo pattern?

Are you shy?

Ok, but really, I can understand it's a benefit in places where hammocking is restricted but is there any such place? If you are a hunter of wild photographer then swinging in a hammock would really mess with your aim.

Personally i don't see any reasons to hide from people and what comes to animals, the more aggressive color the smaller the change of animals running into your hammock, so, why camo?

For me, it's threefold:

One, I occasionally have very long days where stopping legally might be difficult. It hasn't arisen yet (mostly due to good planning on my part), but if I have to, I want to be able to stop somewhere if I'm forced to without having to worry overmuch about where I am.

Two, I prefer to blend with my surroundings rather than mug folks' optic nerves. The only exceptions to this are during hunting season and when I'm on the bike (both times involve my "Don't shoot me!/Don't run me over!" orange shirt).

Three, I actually really like the M81 Woodland pattern. Yep, everybody and their brother has used it, either in the military or elsewhere. That being said, I really do think it's an awfully pretty pattern, even if it isn't the best disruptive pattern available these days.

[OutandBack]

For me, it's threefold:

One, I occasionally have very long days where stopping legally might be difficult. It hasn't arisen yet (mostly due to good planning on my part), but if I have to, I want to be able to stop somewhere if I'm forced to without having to worry overmuch about where I am.

Two, I prefer to blend with my surroundings rather than mug folks' optic nerves. The only exceptions to this are during hunting season and when I'm on the bike (both times involve my "Don't shoot me!/Don't run me over!" orange shirt).

Three, I actually really like the M81 Woodland pattern. Yep, everybody and their brother has used it, either in the military or elsewhere. That being said, I really do think it's an awfully pretty pattern, even if it isn't the best disruptive pattern available these days.

I think many here are suggesting you can do that easily with earth tone solid colors.
Which will also save you weight and $$$

[Cali]

I use camo because I like it.

[mrjaw14]

Since the OP specifically is addressing a WROL situation (without rule of law) you not only have to worry about the invading forces, but also the society breakdown of the existing population. If you study WROL situations the general rule is to "blend in". No so much from a camo perspective, but you want to blend in with the other people so you don't "stick out" and draw curiosity. To me, camo sticks out. As has been pointed out, camo's really not that effective all the time. Aside from the color difference vs your surroundings, you also make lines not found in nature. That will draw more attention than the color will unless you have bright colored stuff, but it has already been said in this thread that most hammock gear suff is subdued colors.

There's also the mentality that someone with camo must have good stuff, so in a WROL situation those people will be sought as targets. So you have to be really effective with your cover, or blend with what everyone else has so as not to stand out. For this reason, I avoid camo. I don't want to get caught looking militaristic if someone comes accross me, I want to look like an average joe. That's easier to do if you don't have camo.

One thing that I've seen that is effective is subdued colors and have some of that netting that has fake leaves on it that's used to hide things. It breaks up the unnatural lines made buy our hammock tarps, so it's harder to see from a distance. So with that, if you're off the beaten path, you might have better luck hiding.

[StoneE4]

Then there's the zombies. Zombies can't see camo. Everybody knows that. They'll walk right past you laying in your hammock and go right for that dude in the Henry Shires tarp tent in Electric Blue every time.

Sounds like a good enough reason for me.

In a hardwood forest in winter everything is gray(treebark)/white(snow)/brown(leaves on ground) so green toned camo would stick out
In a hardwood forest in summer everything is green and gray so brown toned camo would stick out
In a hardwood forest in fall everything is red/orange/yellow/brown so green tone camo would stick out

In a pine forest everything is green/ gray/ redish brown(pine needles on ground)

Then you have desert, beaches, jungle, canyonlands the color spectrums are endless
and no one camo covers them all.

Pick a camo color and it's good for one type of terrain and one season.
hth

True, if the color is drastically different from the surroundings it can draw attention rather than camouflage an object. But, I’ve been in desert training exercises where woodland camo uniforms and vehicle nets were used. I went into those exercises with the same opinion as you and was quite surprised at how well they worked.
Another advantage of camo patterns, regardless of their color, is to aid in breaking up the outlines of objects. This helps to hide straight borders that aren’t commonly found in nature and the borders of commonly recognizable objects, like a human silhouette. Camo patterns can also help to disrupt depth perception of an object which won’t necessarily keep it hidden, but can still be of great benefit.

You are correct... “no one camo covers them all.” And matching camo colors to the surrounding environment is ideal. I certainly wouldn’t want to be caught in an open, snow covered field while wearing a woodland pattern, but, if given a choice, I’d definitely take it over olive drab.

[sargevining]

Where are the people who think camo is more expensive doing their shopping? I'd like to see a couple of apples to apples comparisons---and by that I mean fabric weight and method of construction.

Most items of gear and clothing that can be found in camo are Military Surplus, and what makes new gear in camo more expensive is more method of construction and materials (making it bomb proof as opposed to camper proof) and has no real bearing on the pattern. A back pack made of Cordura costs the same whether its camo or Electric Blue My Mulitcam quilts are expensive because of the Epsilon fabric, not because of the camo pattern. I can easily find that same pattern in another material (1.1 for instance) that costs one third of what Epsilon costs.

"camo people"?

[CamoEvo]

Most camo people seem obsessed by it -

You talkin' to ME?


DSC00094 by U.P. Evo8, on Flickr


DSCN2443 by U.P. Evo8, on Flickr

I'm painting it winter camo this summer.

[maggot]

Where are the people who think camo is more expensive doing their shopping? I'd like to see a couple of apples to apples comparisons---and by that I mean fabric weight and method of construction.

Most items of gear and clothing that can be found in camo are Military Surplus, and what makes new gear in camo more expensive is more method of construction and materials (making it bomb proof as opposed to camper proof) and has no real bearing on the pattern. A back pack made of Cordura costs the same whether its camo or Electric Blue My Mulitcam quilts are expensive because of the Epsilon fabric, not because of the camo pattern. I can easily find that same pattern in another material (1.1 for instance) that costs one third of what Epsilon costs.

"camo people"?

Warbonnet wants more for a camo BB then a green one. Same for the tarps.. He's one of many examples.

I'm in camo 8 hrs a day... I like camo

[Cali]

Since the OP specifically is addressing a WROL situation (without rule of law) you not only have to worry about the invading forces, but also the society breakdown of the existing population. If you study WROL situations the general rule is to "blend in". No so much from a camo perspective, but you want to blend in with the other people so you don't "stick out" and draw curiosity. To me, camo sticks out. As has been pointed out, camo's really not that effective all the time. Aside from the color difference vs your surroundings, you also make lines not found in nature. That will draw more attention than the color will unless you have bright colored stuff, but it has already been said in this thread that most hammock gear suff is subdued colors.

There's also the mentality that someone with camo must have good stuff, so in a WROL situation those people will be sought as targets. So you have to be really effective with your cover, or blend with what everyone else has so as not to stand out. For this reason, I avoid camo. I don't want to get caught looking militaristic if someone comes accross me, I want to look like an average joe. That's easier to do if you don't have camo.

One thing that I've seen that is effective is subdued colors and have some of that netting that has fake leaves on it that's used to hide things. It breaks up the unnatural lines made buy our hammock tarps, so it's harder to see from a distance. So with that, if you're off the beaten path, you might have better luck hiding.

If you are hanging in a hammock, they will think you have some cool, expensive gear, so you'd have to be extra careful anyway. Also, tent dwellers will get jealous when their backs hurt and you look so well rested. They will kill for your gear. You will have to stay away from everyone and hide in the piney woods in your nice camo hammock.

[sargevining]

Not an apples to apples comparison:

Color: Olive green
Weight capacity: 250 Lbs
Item weight (webbing/buckles): 1 lb. 9 oz.
Item weight (whoopies): 1 lb. 6 oz.
Fabric: 1.7oz/70D Nylon
Price: $160

Color: Multicam
Weight capacity: 260 Lbs
Item weight (webbing/buckles): 1 lb. 11 oz.
Item weight (whoopies): 1 lb. 8 oz.
Fabric: 1.9oz/70D Nylon
Price: $180

The price differential is due to fabric, not pattern.