A camouflage pattern might look great up close, but what about from 20 yards away? If the trees-and-leaves pattern blends into a solid mass, the whole point of wearing camouflage is defeated. Too much close-knit detail means that the pattern will fill in as the distance between the hunter and his prey increases.

So What Makes a Good Camouflage Pattern?

For most hunting situations, how the pattern breaks up the silhouette is more important than the pattern itself, and contrast between light and dark areas is more important than color. In paintball, airsoft, and military use, however, color and pattern are more important, since you are disguising yourself from humans rather than animals.

Most experts will tell you to choose the camouflage pattern that most closely matches the environment you will be using it in. So what do you do if you hunt in a number of different environments? Or what do you do when the environment changes—for example, the leaves changing color in the fall or seasonal vegetation changing the landscape? That’s a lot of camo patterns to buy. Not to mention the variety of hunting blinds, clothing, ghillie suits, or other gear you’d need.

How Do I Choose the Best Camouflage Pattern?

Your goal should be to find a camouflage pattern that is adaptable to your environment. Look at the pattern from a distance as well as up close. Does the pattern turn into a dark blob as you back away? It will act the same way in the woods or marsh, outlining your silhouette instead of concealing it.

Ironically enough, a pattern that might look wild and intimidating up close can become completely invisible at a greater distance. The choice many hunters make is to select a camo pattern based on how attractive it is. Unfortunately, attractiveness has nothing to do with how effective a camouflage pattern will be.

Loose patterns often work better than complex, detailed patterns. Also, patterns laid out over an open or neutral background help break up your profile no matter where you are hunting.

Look for contrast between light and dark. If the pattern is primarily dark and complex, it will blur into a solid color and pattern from a distance.

The best camouflage pattern is one that breaks up well in a variety of different environments. Choose your camouflage wisely, and it should work well for you in almost any setting.