Is there really any need for camoflage?

[Shewie]

I think the folk who wear camo have a little bit of Johnny Rambo in them, I don't buy the line about it being cheap, hard wearing and bomb proof, so are a lot of other cotton based garments. Camo is purely to stop you being seen by other humans, animals don't give two hoots if you're in dayglo orange or pink.

I do wear the bushcraft uniform of olive green though, it just has to be done at any kind of meet or gathering, it's the law

 

[Vyvsdad]

How do you go about waxing a tarp or did you buy ready waxed cotton?

I brought the canvas, dyed it, stitched the edges and put brass eyelets on, a few other bits of work then waxed it myself.
I can't remember the exact quantities, you'll have to google it, but it was basically:

heat up turps in a water bath;
melt paraffin wax in turps (best done if you grate it in);
paint onto what ever it is you want to wax;
seal in with a heat gun or an iron;
repeat;
done.

Easy, gratifying and best done out doors.

 

[Hammock_man]

I have a mix of civvy and ex-army styles. All bought on the idea "whats available at the time and can I afford it", including an orange fleese which I think I look a right "$£%^&" in. It was 99p and is well warm. I also have two pairs of ex-army pants which is the best £15 I have spent on gear. They have truely stood the test of time.

In short if you are going the buy/give me new civve stuff I will take it, if not I will go for what seems the best price for me.

Having said that I do understand the thinking "Oh look! Another group of would be rambos behind the trees" and yes sometimes we all look like clones!

 

[resnikov]

I have a pair of camo gortex trouser and at £10 why not.

 

[Sappy]

Personally i wear dpm trousers because they were free and the best outdoor trousers i've ever had. used to have a dpm bergen before didnt bother me. Personally i wouldnt wear the whole lot but couldnt care if somoene else does, if your sound you can join my fire any day regardless of your gear if your a dcki then whatever you wear your a dcki

 

[TomBartlett]

Personally I don't have any DPM kit, but, like many other members, my wardrobe does have a bias towards greens and browns. I don't see much of a problem with wearing bits of camo gear, but I think head-to-toe can be a little intimidating.

 

[John Fenna]

Camo is purely to stop you being seen by other humans

Sometimes that can be an advantage

 

[andybysea]

Ive got ex army kit, og civi kit, and bright coloured civi kit,i wear a mix of kit and dont think im Rambo,i see myself more John Matrix,

 

[Treeclipper]

I only have my dpm jacket and a couple of side pouches that I use sometimes, the reason for the dpm jacket, I was at a local shooting club and was wearing a to tight italian olive green jacket and the chap standing next to me had a to large dpm jacket, got talking and swapped jackets, never been happier with it , I wear it all the time and not because I think it's outdoorsie, just because it's comfortable and I like it . I occasionaly get comments at work but never outdoors.
The wife bought me a black trendy jacket to wear out , but it's noisey and it doesn't fit the same as the dpm, so dpm it is for me. Other than that most of my clothes and gear are earth tone stuff, lol unless it's my purple rugby shirt, I love purple even my htc has a purple case.

Andy

 

[santaman2000]

I think the folk who wear camo have a little bit of Johnny Rambo in them, I don't buy the line about it being cheap, hard wearing and bomb proof, so are a lot of other cotton based garments. Camo is purely to stop you being seen by other humans, animals don't give two hoots if you're in dayglo orange or pink...

You've never been dove hunting, duck hunting, or gosse hunting have you?

 

[widu13]

I wear whatever is cheap. I have greens, browns and camo (of all countries). Research has PROVEN that animals see in colour albeit in bi colour rather than tri colour (think faded). It's only the Rambo wannabes but can't be's that are adverse to camp because it's camo

 

[santaman2000]

I rarely wear cammo (unless hunting as in the previous post) but no I'm don't usually think anything of it when I see someone who is. My opinion is probably biased though because here it is likely to be "the average public, i.e. the dogwalker" who is wearing it. More likely here to be Realtree though. Every Autumn the hunting public (almost everyone here over age 3; town or country folk) buys a new supply for hunting season and wears it all year until it wears out.

 

[santaman2000]

I wear whatever is cheap. I have greens, browns and camo (of all countries). Research has PROVEN that animals see in colour albeit in bi colour rather than tri colour (think faded)...

Color vision varies with individual species but generally birds see in full color and I think JonathonD will verify that many reptiles see (or sense) colors beyond the spectrum humans are capable of.

 

[mace242]

Cammo only when hunting - that's because I don't like it getting all smelly of washing powder and it's easy to keep apart. But I do tend towards earthy colours. I like to belnd in a bit and I think they do that quite well without being cammo. I've been sat just off paths in woods with public access just enjoying the day and had people walk right past not noticing me - so to blend in you don't need all that dpm stuffs.

 

[Shewie]

You've never been dove hunting, duck hunting, or gosse hunting have you?

No I don't think so, is it fun?

 

[Vulpes]

I think this is a subject that's been done to death. I wear a mixture of all things from jeans, to camouflage, to trainers, to wellington boots. Haters gonna hate - so what?

 

[PatrickM]

I'm not one for judging what people wear - that's their business. I have been wearing dpm daily for over 20 years, I even go out
for a meal with my wife wearing it - in fact I am wearing dpm right now. I do not consider myself as a Rambo wannabe or a soldier of fortune.
It is simply what I like to wear and it is cheap. I personally don't give a rats hoot what people think - they judge me when they meet me.
I suppose when wearing my olive green clothes (woolpower, country innovations smock and trousers etc) I may look like a wannabe bushcrafter - who cares.


PS Did John Rambo ever wear dpm?

 

[calibanzwei]

I saw a camouflage clad fashion nightmare the other weekend in town; faded US desert pants, brand new british DPM smock, german para boots, and USCM (that's right, United States Colonial Marines) patch on both arm and cap.

 

[carabao]

PS Did John Rambo ever wear dpm?

The real Art John Rambo was killed by an RPG in 1969 in Vietnam, he was artillery and DPM was not issued in those days, so Rambo probably never did, apart from his bin lid cover.
I dont see any problem with guys wearing dpm, is it practical, is it comfortable, is it up to the job, if it ticks the boxes crack on. But and there is always a but, some guys and dolls that meet up at weekends and re enact as soldiers, do make me snicker, particular the ones who have never missed seconds at a dinner table, I'm no slim jim, and my days of doing a ICFT are long gone, and so I wear a size that fits my second tyre

 

[Aaron Rushton]

Well i wear camo bottoms when bushcrafting because they're cheap, durable, and i dont mind messing them up. My best raincoat at the moment is in realtree becasue i do a lot of hunting and i think camo genuinely helps when hunting sharp eyed animals like pigeons and squirrels. With rabbits its not so vital. As my hunting gear is the gear i get muddy and never wash, it's usually my bushcraft gear because of similar activities of squatting in the dirt and kneeling and generally getting all mucky. I can see why people might ahve a problem with people who dont hunt wearing full camo for bushcraft. I don't really mind myself. they could wear a tuxedo or a astronaut suit for all i care, no matter how innapropriate they are. If they want to learn bushcraft skills and enjoy it, then why should what they wear mean they are ostracized or frowned upon. I do agree with the fact that wearing full camo can be a little threating to the general public. whenever i see a dogwalker or someone else on the edges of my permission, i always pull down my scrim scarf or take off my hat, even in the middle of stalking an animal, and say good morning to them and be friendly. People will be less likely to jump to "crazy people in the woods" when they think of bushcrafters if you show them your not mental.