Say goodbye to leaves and branches, non-traditional camo patterns are definitely here to stay and here's why.
I've always been pretty traditional when it comes to my camouflage patterns. I was an early fan of Treebark, Advantage and Mossy Oak because they always kept me hidden well despite what season it was. They were also available for purchase in just about every sporting goods store across America. Regardless of whether I was out hunting spring gobblers or sitting 20 feet up in a treestand during bow season, the patterns looked good and helped to get the job done.
It wasn't until a few months ago that I made the switch to non-traditional camouflage patterns and feel confident that I'm going to stick with them moving forward. When I decided to make the switch to something non-traditional I must admit that I was a bit hesitant since it's so extremely different than what I've been used to for the last number of years. It's awful to say, but it's that feeling of being judged by other hunters when you're at the gas station filling up with fuel after your morning hunt-- c'mon, you know what I'm talking about! But the results really speak for themselves and I'm ok looking different than the rest of the hunters in the woods.
Patterns such as Kryptek Highlander (above) do an insane job of breaking up your silhouette and have incredible depth, which creates a real optical illusion in the wild. Here in the Hill Country, the Highlander color palette does a great job in cedar trees to open grassy meadows, something that really only a couple of traditional patterns would be able to match. Conveniently, this pattern also helps to keep me hidden 20 feet up in a treestand due to the light color tones and depth that help your outline fade into the backlight. It's truly an outstanding choice for the hunter that travels frequently across different geographies.
If there's anyone out there that knows me, then you know that I can't stop with testing out one non-traditional pattern. So, I've committed to seeing how the Approach pattern from Badlands will hold up on my South Texas whitetail hunt this fall. It's similar to Kryptek's pattern style, however they use more of a hollow pattern to create their version of depth and illusion. Can't wait to check it out!