Need Advice on Updating Camouflage - Ontario Region

[Spookums]

Hello out there, ASC people!

I've been getting that itch from winter defrosting to get back into airsoft this season, waiting for the ground situation to improve at the local field and getting gear all lined up. :hammer: I could use a bit of advice though regarding something that has left me in a bit of a quandary - What camouflage would be best for my situation?

Some details of where I am at with current gear and location:
My current camouflage setup is CADPAT jacket & pants, OD long sleeve shirt
My current vest is CADPAT as well, and a more heavily armored OTV plate carrier in OD.
Region of play is in Southern Ontario, so deciduous forest and some pines, etc.

I have had fun using my current camouflage gear but I feel its a good time to move to some new camo, and maybe keep the cadpat for an occasional game. I am planning to invest in both a new set of shirt/jacket and pants, as well as move to (possibly) a battle belt + H harness setup. When looking at getting complimentary camouflage, is it best to match both your jacket or shirt with the same type as your vest, or can having some slight variation work to your advantage, such as a bit of extra brown on the vest to add darkness to your center?

I have given some searching on the forum and found another post where someone was looking at getting German Flecktarn camo, as seen here:
https://media.midwayusa.com/producti...556/556420.jpg
The pattern here does not look all that bad actually, but from a small search so far, have not been able to find a great deal of vest gear with that pattern, but will definitely continue to research after this post.

Another member suggested Kryptec Highlander in response, which is seen here adjacent to Kryptec Mandrake pattern:
http://www.hyperstealth.com/c3/Krypt...Highlander.jpg
I do like the pattern of the Kryptec Mandrake more so over the Highlander, but I am concerned over being able to find a vest that would be able to match it effectively.. Anyone with experience using either of these two able to make a recommendation for them?

Beyond those, the other camo patterns I've been looking at are:
Multicam (http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...P/Multicam.jpg),
Marpat (https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...145d604819.jpg),
A-Tacs FG (http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/...20130409003140)
How do the members of ASC feel about these patterns, or the three listed up above?

With the current Cadpat setup I find that it is "too" green without much of any other colour to help break out my silhouette next to the trunks of trees or in and among dirt or browning foliage in the later part of the season. I am hoping I can find a great new pattern to help when setting up next to trunks and other backgrounds, because not everything will be a great green colour behind me, no matter how hard I wish it! :lol:

[Datawraith]

If CADPAT works well for you, take a look at Pencott Greenzone. Still a bit of a special snowflake pattern, but there are more people starting to use it. UR-Tactical and some European retailers have kit in it.

Flecktarn is very very dark. From a distance, it looks almost like a black blob. Great for very shadowy woods, especially in the fall, but doesn't quite work otherwise.

Some games don't allow Highlander, as apparently people get it confused as both Tan and Green. Mandrake seems to be more effective anyhow. UR-Tactical stocks gear in Kryptek.

Multicam is your standard go-to camo. Unfortunately, you also stick out like a sore thumb in the middle of summer if your field is very green or if there is not a lot of cover (like a big open field).

MARPAT is nice, but you won't be able to get gear for it (plate carrier, pouches, etc) because USMC runs Coyote Brown gear. If you wear it with CADPAT gear, it should fix your "too green" problem though.

ATACS... mixed feelings. From a distance, you'll look like a greenish-tan blob of vomit. Up close, you'll look like a greenish-tan blob of vomit. Gear is easy to find, but... you'll look like vomit lol.

There's also Multicam Tropic, but it's made up of about the same colours as CADPAT, so it'll be very green and a touch dark, so it might not do what you want.

So yeah, take a look at Pencott Greenzone and MARPAT a little more, as I think those are your best solutions. If you want a tan loadout, then look into Multicam or Pencott Badlands.

[Desmodus]

As long as you have a decent pair of woodland and tan styled camouflage you should be good for most seasons. I suggest sticking with CADPAT, Flecktarn, Kryptek or a good quality Multicam uniform for a tan kit. In terms of gear its entirely up to you if you want to run it in matching camo but I personally just use flat colours (OD, Coyote etc) as it can work across multiple patterns and save you some money haha.

I think Flecktarn is a great pattern for most of the year. When its washed a couple times it usually loses that darkness to it, plus its aesthetic as fuck, easy to acquire and wont break the bank. I usually pair it with olive drab coloured gear and it looks fine.

I really like MARPAT and I think its pretty damn close in effectiveness to CADPAT but only if you get the REAL issued uniforms. There are way too many copies out there that look like shit and fade terribly when washed. You can pair it with OD gear if you cant find coyote.

I couple of my teammates use Kryptek Mandrake and its pretty damn effective in the summer and fall months. Unfortunately I cant comment on where exactly they got their vests and belt systems from.

Multicam is easily one of the most common patterns in use now for a reason. It works pretty well across the board. Just make sure you get a quality set. Much like fake MARPAT, it will fade really badly if you get a bad set.

[Ricochet]

I wouldn't wear flecktarn if I was fighting in a flecktarn factory. There's a few other patterns like that out there, but there are a lot of good ones too.

You can never go wrong with Multicam. It's available everywhere in everything and works stellar in most environments. They also now have tropic, which is more forest based, but is testing really well.

Marpat and AOR2 are good, but as far as patterns go, digitized doesn't usually stack up against some of the more modern patterns.

Kryptek tested well, look into their highlander and mandrake colour schemes. There's also A-Tac IX, which is a really neat looking pattern that works better than their other alternatives, such as FG and AU, etc.

Pencott pops too much, like Cadpat, so loses in the multi environment category. Remember that forests can heavily change every few feet, depending on trees, dirt, rocks, deadfall and foliage, not to mention, time of day and season. So vibrant green patterns are out.

Classic M81 woodland works pretty good, but it's not versatile and getting harder to find.

Want to buy a quality set at a reasonable price? Then go to UR-Tactical.com. Near Crye quality at half the cost.

[Datawraith]

Originally Posted by Ricochet

Marpat and AOR2 are good, but as far as patterns go, digitized doesn't usually stack up against some of the more modern patterns.

I disagree. The modern patterns (except Multicam) are digitized for a reason. It's more effective to create a macro pattern and a micro pattern and blend them using a digital pattern than an analogue pattern.

Originally Posted by Ricochet

Pencott pops too much, like Cadpat, so loses in the multi environment category. Remember that forests can heavily change every few feet, depending on trees, dirt, rocks, deadfall and foliage, not to mention, time of day and season. So vibrant green patterns are out.

Greenzone wasn't designed for forests/woodlands persay, more for fields or areas with heavy foliage. Pencott just released the Wildwood pattern with much more muted greens than Greenzone that should work amazing in a woodland.

http://i.imgur.com/SUWM77v.png

[geon]

One of the local stores will be carrying OPS gear from UR-tactical.com soon. You can probably check them out in person if you're not in a hurry.

[lurkingknight]

pencott greenzone is very effective in the ottawa area. I know a couple guys that run it and they disappear within a couple steps into foliage.

marpat is ridiculous in the spring and fall, super effective, and good during the rest of the warm year.

You can combo marpat and cadpat depending on how green things are for the time of year.

multicam does work very well at any time of year and at this point, it's very available and getting a cheaper to get gear and clothing if you are surplus diving.

If you go with a more oddball pattern you'll be stuck trying to get certain gear unless you go with RG/OD/CB, at which case you might get a price advantage due to patterned cordura costing more because of licensed fabrics. It's up to you, spend a bit more on the pattern to get clothing and go base color gear. If you want to match and have camo gear, multicam is the most common, some companies ran some kryptec for a while but then they liquidated it. Pencott gear is just starting to come out but very limited and only a few manufacturers are using it.

Run the numbers for the kit you want in the pattern and that might help you decide if prices get retarded fast.

[Ricochet]

I swapped out my load-out to CB, so I can rock any camo with it. It's easy to match a solid colour to a pattern. Watch out for transitional patterns though. Multicam with a green rig, makes you look green as hell, while Multicam is typically on the tan side, so you'll get TK'd a lot.

[kaotiskt]

I like classic woodland

However I'm switching over to USMC MARPAT to match my team.

[WPJ]

Like Ricochet said go coyote brown for you lbv you can get anything in CB these days. This will save you money on your gear as you can wear it with any camo and it will blend in. It is also the colour of the new gear the CF is issuing.

I like MC tropic for a green environment
Margot irks well as it has a lot more brown to it
For the tan is there is always CADPAT AR
Also use atacs for a tan look

[iMat]

If your looking for A-TACS FG I have a lightly used set for a good price if it fits you


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[Spookums]

Reporting back in after some days of busy work. I wanted to thank each of you for your recommendations in what camouflage to choose from, I appreciate the experience behind these suggestions.

Having done some additional research and prowling the internet for possible gear to add onto a vest in a particular colour, I have chosen to go with Kryptek Mandrake as my new camouflage type to work with.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....7L._UX385_.jpg
Mandrake upper wear with reinforced padding along elbows and forearms.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/Dq...RNAXXTaIfVUPVV
New vest will be an AK 47 Chest Rig by Beez Combat Systems in Mandrake

http://cdn1.evike.com/images/large/13swp0hy-2.jpg
HSGI Sniper Waist Pack in Highlander to provide waist and rear molle webbing to carry magazines, so that I can go to prone easily if need be, this will be added shortly in the future.

I was able to find 556 magazine pouches in "Taco" style that can be found in a matching or very similar colour scheme, as well as smaller pouches for pistol magazines, and a dump pouch as well. Also found were magazine pouches in similar camo patterning that has a closable flap, which will probably work better if I am planning on hugging the dirt often as well, heh..
Only thing now is to look for a good sidearm holster that will allow me to draw fairly quick, but be able to do so as a left handed user, and to not interfere with the need to go prone.

Thank you once again for your suggestions and recommendations. Among all of the options suggested, I really liked the look of the Mandrake patterning and I will give a review on it after a game or two!

[Datawraith]

Look at getting a custom Kydex holster done. You can even get it in Mandrake!

[Spookums]

Datawraith that sounds really awesome! Any websites you might recommend to check for that kind of thing? My current sidearm for active use is a KJW M9 C02 and green gas compatible model.

[Spookums]

An update:

Almost have every piece of new gear for the new loadout, just waiting on a 7.62 / .308 chest rig from Beez Combat Systems to come in from shipping, in the meantime here is what I've got right now:

Kryptek Mandrake outfit
Gloves
Pew pew!
Beez Combat Systems 762/308 Chest Rig (Will be in Mandrake camo, not multicam)

For clothing I have picked up a fairly breathable and light Mandrake camouflage over-shirt and some pants with good stitching throughout. Was having an annoying time at first finding a pair of pants in a good matching size, and was impressed when they were pretty much the same color tones despite ordering from different sites.

Found a matching baseball cap as well, and a wire half face mesh mask with some padding along the inside of the frame for comfort. Will be attempting to add some additional brown tone or maybe some darker green along the side of the mesh that is painted white to lower the contrast. The gloves are from Allen gloves I believe,and are some for of 3d camo. they blend well in front of the jacket, are lightweight and flexible as well as have extra graphics on the palm side, and were only $3.

The belt pack is the Sniper Waist Pack by HSGI (High Speed Gear Incorporated) and it is in Kryptek Highlander camp, as I could not find it available in Mandrake. :c

The new rifle is a VFC SCAR-H Mk17 Gen 3, and the sight currently on the rifle is a 3-9x40 scope by Killhouse. Not pictured here is the Shrike aimpoint by Killhouse that will be swapped out once another rifle arrives.

The jacket/shirt and hat were purchased from Amazon.ca, the pants, battle belt and a couple of EG18Burst grenades were purchased from OutdoorHeroes .ca, and the rifle, sights and gloves were purchased from Forest City Surplus in London. Friendly and approachable staff for a first time visit, although they didn't seem able to clarify on some questions I had at the time but cannot seem to recall now. Would definitely visit and support their store again.