The results of the unscientific poll of SSD readers to chose their preferred US Army camouflage is Kryptek. Congratulations guys!
The shortcomings of the poll are myriad and it was all in good fun, especially knowing that the Army won’t spill the beans on who they selected for at least a while.
Thanks to everyone who voted and thanks to these great companies who developed some very innovative camouflage patterns.
Looking at them all now, it’s again striking how very different and distinct the style of each family of patterns is, though each has apparently thus far performed admirably.
It’s also interesting to note the shift in popular opinion since the last time these all were featured in a similar poll.
So what is the Kryptek draw? It has too many geometric shapes that can easily be noticed. To me, I won’t look for colors, I will look for the scale looking shapes, which is so consistent it negates the color to me.
I just can’t get on board with it and I feel like it is a fad.
IMHO, both Kryptek and US4CES create a 3D illusion that fools your eyes into thinking there is no flat surface there. To me, that is ultimately what I want in a Camo. I do think that Kryptek is too fadish for the Brass, there would have to be alot of quantitative data in it’s favor to push it into the winners column.
Agreed with Doc B, the folks who voted for Kyrptek will likely never have to wear that crap in actual combat conditions…
Have you worn it in combat to determine the effectiveness of the pattern Lucky? While I have my thoughts on the pattern, I’m curious as to how you have arrived at the conclusion that it is crap.
Yeah, Nothing like an E-4 CPL telling a bunch of LTC’s and COL’s how crappy the universal pattern is. I still remember the look on my PSG’s face at NTC in 2001. I’ll be retired before I get a pattern that works.
Nothing from nothing, but last I checked there were a lot more colporals risking their backsides in combat than LTCs or COLs. It is this type of logic that got us the $5 blillion boondoggle called the Advanced Combat Uniform, that only works in grevel parking lots and the dirty Afghan snow.
The most interesting about this is that 37% want a pattern that they haven’t seen before.
I find that interesting also. Who knows though, maybe Crye will announce what camo they submitted since the selection is being delayed.
Even if it was just the MultiCam pattern, I think enough people are happy with the performance it’s had in the field.
I love how disruptive camo is being considered. The whole history of camo in WW2 by both sides is very interesting and think it is a good thing to look into. Though, I wish the Army would get rid of the velcro and go back to buttons and sewn on patches again.
Proof positive that any polls of this nature should require a CAC to cast a vote, in order to calculate its validity. That Kryptek stuff is Airsoft homowear, so at most you’ll get airmen to wear it, but seriously – what was that tenet about lines inside camouflage again?
Of course, as I think it’s the dumbest thing ever*, it likely got chosen to replace the ACU. Screw it, let’s just shred some burlap and go ACU ghillie.
*Not literally, just in this context.
LOL, I completely agree. Wearing the UCP garbage now, I have no interest in replacing it with something even MORE stupid looking. Thank you for your submission Kryptek, please go away.
Keep in mind Kryptek was one of the 4 downselected. This means it outperformed MARPAT and AOR and all the other baselines, which I think also include the current issue multicam.
It looks funny, but so did digital when it first came out.
I’ll let the data speak for itself. After all,you’re not the SMA, right?
Oh, I get that it was in the finals. The data gathered, eh, whatever. Statistics and data can be made to say whatever it is that a given person or party needs or wants them to say, not that I’m making accusations, here. I’m just saying that I give it the weight that I feel it deserves.
After all, someone once used some form of data to pick out the ACU, FFS. Maybe even a statistic, I dunno.
In any case, I personally like all of the (displayed) finalist patterns, except for that one. That and $.50 might get you a cup of coffee, someplace.
I agree with you that it looks real funny and I don’t really dig it. But like ian said it did perform well. I doubt there was any kind of statistical funny business. Plus Chris Kyle championed it, and I figure that guy probably knows a thing of two about concealment. All that being said US4CES has my vote.
Doc, that airsoft comment is hiliarious
Just like my ex wife, this vote was stuffed by a lot of people more than once, and most of them just because they wanted to, not because they cared.
It would be interesting to see Crye’s submissions, but honestly, I’d rather just hear the announcement and see the full lineup after the fact. I actually trust the senior leadership considered the data this time around and will make the best choice based off that and not looks.
You can thank CAC user’s for the patterns out there today, think about it. Sometimes concepts from outside can be beneficial.
Based on historical DA selection processes.
This poll indicates that DA will chose Brookwood.
Kryptec over multicam? Kryptec is a clown suit. Give the troops a uniform which would boost moral instead of destroy it like the ucp and multicam is a favorite. The world would laugh at us if we wore a reptilian suit.
Now we know, the people don’t like our 7-color Version-D US4CES shown in the photo! Given that this coloration was never submitted to the Army, and our Version-D 4-color version was not even down-selected for the finals. I am going to protest this vote.
I brought up the same thing when the voting started. Why not use a pic of the actually pattern and not it’s cousin?
Tongue in cheek?
I must agree with Guy. The Version-A Transitional looks much better than the one shown for the vote. IMO/E, the Kryptek and ADS/Cramer patterns look to be the most innovative and effective.
That being said, I voted for Kryptek. For me, ADS was second, Crye third, and Brookwood 4th.
I’ve seen the US4CES patterns at a trade show. Great stuff. I think it is far better than the lizard skin I saw on some helmets and bags. That being said at this point I’ll take anything green in any pattern.
I’m tired of the Pixie camo. I personally like the organic blends like A-TACS. Kryptec IMO does trick the eyes into seeing several layers – almost 3D like
The worst pattern out of the four wins????!!!! lol
kinda funny people dog kryptek…. have you used it yourself? have you viewed it in natural settings? i chose the highlander pattern for hunting in wa state. could have chosen anything, have over 2 grand in it. i do my own studies through film, photos etc. i hunt high alpine and jungle woods. to be honest ya its a bit different but the proofs in the pudding. i dissapear while using it. it blows the typical patterns out the door. mandrake is on my list to buy when released it will be my spring pattern here. another note when the goal is to blend in and not be seen, kryptek does that. should use it befor you diss it.
Kryptek, as people have already said, is a fad. Lots of groups want to see it because we are in the age of “looks sexy”. Convensional camo is starting to become obsolete because of the tech we have. Eventually we’ll see a great bump in camo advancement, but that’s mainly why we see people wanting something that looks different and cool.
Personally, I’m sad to see Mirage, D1rt and A-TACs taking a back seat. I was very impressed with them.
Mirage uses a standard pattern, but the colors are innovative in that you don’t expect them to work as well in the areas they do. They did a very good job finding colors that tended to appear different shades.
D1rt is surprisingly impressive. At first I didn’t like the pattern, but when I saw it in use I was amazed at how my eye precieved the pattern as being different depending how the background was.
A-TACs is probably my favorite right now. It has that water color type print that shows absolutely no artificial appearance. They look just as much like a stain on the wall as they do a mossy forest floor. My only gripe about that pattern is the fact that the “Foliage Green” is actually OD…but yeah…
Oh load of the Soldiersystems! Please provide us with a better gage of camo. My only wish is to have a “spot the camo” type of application where it shows pictures of camo placed in different areas and it times how long it takes you to click the picture (on top of the camo…not just anywhere). That’s the only real way to tell how effective it is.
I own and have used A-TACS (both AU and FG) and Kryptek Highlander and Mandrake in various field environments. The Kryptek patterns beat the ATACS patterns hands down, period. Remember, A-TACS didn’t even make the ‘final-four’.
I wouldn’t mind giving the Pencott patterns a try, but they are too hard to come by at a reasonable price in 50/50 nyco ripstop.
Does anyone remember the slide show of an animal type camo that required you to click and find the bowman against the clock ? I thought i was directed to it from SSD a few years ago but ive been back in the archives and cant seem to find it ,may be it wasnt from here ? does anyone know what im on about or did I imagine it ?
But I to would like to see a multiple ” spot the camo ” app ,even if its just for fun !
Optifade
http://www.optifade.com/resources/optifade/en_US/documents/flash/spot-the-hunter/sth.html
thanks
Are you kidding? Lol
Multicam destroys all competitors in all field trials… To many Internet commandos.
all the finalist beat multicam just sayin ….
Why not Pencott?
wasnt in the trials …….
All of the listed patterns in my opinion are crap. Why cant the government realize ATACS is the pattern of the future. I believe it is the closest pattern to true environent surroundings.
ATACS was beat by every one of the finalists.
No, A-TACS wasn’t. DCS, the makes of A-TACS entered an entirely different family of patterns for the Army Camouflage Improvement Effort. That family was not selected.
WOW! 43% of the individuals chose butterfly wings? I’m sure Cobra Commander approves as well.
I have kryptek in my locker now next to Crye’s multicam and have used both. I believe kryptek is hands down better than multicam. The fact that they have a different color scene for different environments gives them a high advantage. With the basic highlander pattern, it blends so much better than any other. And the fact that they are completely veteran owned and operated makes them a go in my book.
Crye looks too much like Euro camo.
Wasn’t Euro camo developed from Multicam?
First things first this was not the Army selection this was a little fun on a great blog. This was a fashion show us for Tac gear heads. Second whatever pattern is chosen the Army is going to have to have a mountain of data that says this is the best or tied at the top of the pile because if congress has to push them again. The top of the Army food chain is going to be having congress examining their colon. Third I voted for Kryptek pattern. Those who think its just lizard flage should really think about it and look it over. The pattern is not so simple as you think its a well worked macro and micro pattern with organic fractals and structures its designed with 3D deception in mind. It might not have hyperstealths proven pixels and Guy to act as his own science guy or the Crye brand but it has a lot of the same thought process. Four he who wins wins big. Whoever takes second and third the same. Why because even second and third place are going to have nations and groups in need of camoflage looking at their patterns and asking okay this is some of the best now can you make it better for us? Can you make it more french or brazilian or update our pattern with some of yours? The commercial market is still going to be happy to buy and some units are still going to keep some special pet patterns for a rainy day Five it still work to be done, even when selection is made if congress passes into law the demand for a single family of uniform DOD its likely to mean a winter over white set. Plus their are still personal equipment and systems that break concealment like black rifles in the desert and flat green and tan vehicles with soldiers in silhoutte against them.
Well no camo news from the Army today (guess no news is good news) and I guess no decision will be made this weekend.
All i’ll say, is that they better follow through on this Camouflage issue 100%! Thats all we want from the Army. Just follow through on one issue, for once in their 238 years of exsistance. No red tape, No b.s. excuses!