I was watching one of the shows that mostly films out west, and they listed ASAT Camo as a sposnsor. So I figured what the heck, why not check it out? Now they CLAIM that this is All Season All Terrain, but I'm not sold on how it would work in the Midwest. I could be hunting farmland one day and thick pines the next, depending on where I'm at here. I looks like there would be potential, but like I said, I'm skeptical. Has anyone tried this stuff? If so, what do you think?
Couple years ago I had the ASAT 3D suit. Dude, it blends in to pert near anything. That light tan is highly terrain reflective.....It's hard to explain, but it just seems to blend in to any color around. Kinda would like to have that suit back, actually. I have a problem.....It seems I have to try a new pattern nearly every year.... I also had the ASAT ground blind, and it is truly amazing. I used it during turkey season and had it set in the woods about 15 yards off a field. If I walked 30 yards into the field and turned around, I couldn't see the darn thing. Highly effective pattern, IMO.
Ahh man, that stuff is horrible... Enigma and Predator are WAAAAAY better! :d :d :d I keed I keed, ASAT is a great pattern... you can't go wrong with any open pattern. If you can find the garments you like... go for it.
I love the pattern. In fact, I have no reason to switch (other than curiosity of other patterns). I've had the pattern prove itself to me time and time again in the field. It works on the ground, in the trees, in hardwoods, in pines, etc. Love it. I also have the 3D suit.
I have the 3-D Suit and while I have to say that pattern is very effective, the quality of the garments isn't that great and will end up preventing me from purchasing from ASAT in the future. My suit faded pretty bad and the pants wore out on pretty quickly. The zippers were the first to go, then a hole formed in the knee and that spread quickly. I ordered replacement pants last season and found they they are even less quality. The "leafs" on the pants started falling off within the first three hunts that I used them. I will either be going towards a Predator suit or getting the Dream Season suit in Mossy Oak Treestand.
With open patterns, or atleast ASAT, I don't think it really takes away that much from the effectiveness simply because of how effective the pattern is, but with other patterns (Mossy Oak BU, RT Hardwoods, ect) it would start to make a pretty big differance. The one downside I see with the fading of ASAT is that it doesn't seem to have the "depth" that a fresh ASAT garment does.
ASAT is a great camo. As far as "blending in with the Midwest"... it depends upon what you're trying to accomplish with your camo. A lot of people want to "blend in" and look like a bush or their immediate surroundings. In my opinion, that's a bill of goods that's been sold to the general hunting public through successful marketing techniques by some of the biggest mainstream camo companies. I know this will sound contradictory, but my goal is NOT to blend in when I put on my camoflauge; it's to have it effectively obliterate my outline. Take into account that 99% of the time when I'm hunting, I'm in a treestand with my quarry below me -- which means my background consists of a confusing mass of straight lines and geometric shapes formed by limbs crossing at an unbelievable variety of angles, and a grayish-blueish haze of sky. I haven't seen a mass-marketed pattern that's effective at masking the human outline in those circumstances. It's going to take something like an ASAT to do it. I personally prefer another pattern, but it's among the same genre you've discovered, which is called open-concept patterns.
I own the 3-d suit, but don't wear it much here, because I mainly hunt in pine trees and oaks. I don't feel that would blend in well with the background of the sky, or the darkness of the pines, but on the ground or out west, hell yest it works great. When I first bought it, I went right outside my front door and sat on the ground w/some brush and small birch tree, scared the hell out of my kids. they never spotted me. But as anything, take it w/a grain of salt. I think that most patterns are specific to were you use them. I think that the open patterns work best, but they too have to be close to what your hunting in.
wow! Thanks for the replies guys! I really appreciate it. I've been thinking that an open pattern is more the way to go, and I was looking at the 3D suit as well, so I might just have to give it a shot after all the positive responses here. As far as fading and such goes, I'm not terribly worried about that. I think that just about any brand will fade, and eventually need replacing. Greg/MO - to me, "Blend in" is the same outline breakup. You want something that doesn't scream "HUNTER" to whatever you're pursuing. Thanks again for the replies, guys. I appreciate all the help a newbie finds here!
You definitely came to the right spot when looking for insight on "open camo patterns"!!! A lot of good solid information coming from guys who have honest opinions on just about every open camo pattern out there. They know their stuff from years of experience and trials. They might have their favorites, but I think when you are going from a "blob-type" pattern to an open pattern, you are getting a better pattern, hands down. And that is regardless of what pattern it actually is.
ASAT is one of many good open patterns. The only place I will not where ASAT is when I have a big tree trunk behind me. Good luck
ASAT is a very effective pattern.I have been stunned a number of times as to what it has allowed me to get away with.I have purchased ASAT clothing directly from ASAT,and those garments were cotton.Cotton is more apt to fade.If you go that route turn them inside out and wash them in cold water on the delicate setting,then hang dry them.They will hold up a lot better. For garments that wont fade in that pattern you can go to DAYONE CAMOFLAGE and order two different weights of fleece,a heavier wool,and I believe a material called Saddlecloth.Grey Wolf Wolf Woolens also has ASAT in fleece now.A company called Firstlite has garments in Merino Wool in the ASAT pattern.
Personally, I think faded camo becomes blurry camo and the contrast disappears. When it fades, it all becomes closer to the same color and tends to blob out. And besides that, if I pay good money for camo.........it better not fade.
MO - don't they all fade to some degree over time? I like the washing inside out and line drying tip. Suddenly my military training kicked in and it was like "Oh yeah, that's right... gotta remember that!" Used to do that to keep the old BDU's in good condition. I'm so glad that I found this site...reminds me of a fishing website a few years ago before it got too big...and P.C.
The difference to me is that many companies attempt to produce a pattern that "blends in"... and, unfortunately, as I mentioned above, the average hunting public has bought into this lock, stock and barrel. What I mean is, when someone is evaluating a pattern that they are looking at with the intent of getting themselves to "blend in", they usually do so while looking at the camo at arm's length, and simultaneously envisioning what their terrain and corresponding cover look like in their mind. As long as the same general tonality is present, they think they're good to go. What they don't realize then is that minutia of detail that's so attactive on the hangar in the store's rack becomes a solid blob of color when viewed at a distance of beyond 20 feet. Put that same pattern up in a tree with your quarry on the ground looking up at you with the sky and branches behind you as your backdrop? Forget about it. Yes, I've seen ALL the manufacturer's advertising pics of how they get their camo patterns to "blend in". These are taken in VERY carefully controlled environments, staged so as to put the perfect backdrop in place to minimize the "blobbing effect." Ask yourself: When was the last time you saw a Realtree ad with the hunter standing BESIDE the tree trunk, and not using it to break up his outline and "blend in"? In the real world, unless you're using one of those tree-sling type devices where you can keep adjusting and keeping the tree between you and your quarry, you WILL be exposed out to the side more times than not -- WAY more, I'd argue. Even if you could or was willing to use one of those sling-type stands, you couldn't do that anyway because of all the movement. Take a look at this thread I put together a few years ago, and I think it'll help clarify some of the concepts I'm alluding to. I'm not trying to push a certain pattern; you asked about ASAT, and I said honestly that it's a great pattern. I've just got all the material put together in this particular thread, so it's easy to link to: http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=2399285&mpage=1&key=Predator%2cpics� And Don (Mobow) nailed it as to why I don't want my camo fading, and one of the main reasons I switched from using cotton to high-peformance synthetics that are color-fast and resistant to fading. I've preached "contrast" in any camo discussion I've participated in over the years, and I truly feel it's one of the main ingredients to an effective camo. It's why I absolutey could not get on board with the first generation of Enigma (it's far better now), and why I don't consider NatGear an open-concept camo. I've said it before, but a blob's a blob. You can have a dark blob (e.g., Mossy Oak Blackup) or a light blob (First-generation Enigma), but a blob's a blob. You need contrast to break up the human outline, and contrast that doesn't disappear past 20 feet.
It depends on the print method. I'm not up on all of this technology, but I know they way it's printed makes a HUGE difference. I've got a set of Enigma that I've had........uhhhh......2 or 3 seasons now, I can't remember. I couldn't tell you how many times it's been washed, and it's not faded one bit. My scent lok is the same way. It's a couple years old and has been washed several times......Still looks brand new. The inexpensive cotton stuff fades something terrible. Or it has in my experience. I believe though, that if one spends a little money on quality clothing it won't fade. There are too many good printing methods out there right now for that to be an issue. I just know that if I spend $200 on a camo suit, it had better not fade, or rest assured I won't ever buy that line again.
I'm with you on that one. At that price, it better last for years and years to come. The cotton fading is one of the reasons I'm leaning more to the leafy 3D stuff. Not cotton, machine washable, etc. Greg - point well taken. I think we're on the same page, basically, just going at it from opposite angles. :d I appreciate the open candor on this subject. Thanks a ton, guys!
And it has a LOT to do with the materials on which that pattern is printed... your Enigma suit you referenced is printed on Wolfskin, which is the same fabric I purchase all of my camo in these days. Of course, I know that YOU knew that... just clarifying for everyone else. :d
LOL.....it IS?? :d And I think what really makes the difference in the materials is the method they can use to print it. I believe the most effective form of printing is some type of heat transfer.....And cotton simply won't hold up to that. Just one of MANY reasons to drop a little coin and get a decent camo suit. CAN a guy kill deer in faded, cotton camo? Surly. Will he be as comfortable in the stand? I highly doubt it.
